I know the book has it’s problems, but he score and lyrics are just so gorgeous and worth price of admission alone. Could it be done after some rewrites or there is no point in bothering?
I think someone like Glenn Close, Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Leslie Caron could be great as Countess Aurelia. And of course Angela Lansbury is always welcome to reprise the role if she’s interested.
Betty will probably do fine in London. I really think Ms. LuPone would be perfect for the role. Angela and Chita are way tooo old now. Liza is not capable of tackeling any role anymore. Just saw her perform in concert last April and at 65, she appears to be closer to 75.
Only with a fascinating and unexpected Aurelia. Someone with madness who could also sing the &*() out of it and isn't your typical Broadway headliner at the moment. Like Ann-Margret, Karen Black, Marianne Faithfull or Bette Midler.
Maybe at Paper Mill or Encores it could be fun, but the Roundabout would probably screw it up, reduce it to 2 pianos and a cast of 8, and hire an 80 year old actress who can't sing anymore to play the lead. And who else but the Roundabout would produce a revival of such a huge flop?
Would I be interested in a DEAR WORLD revival? You bet! I saw the original and despite its flaws, loved it immensely--mostly because of Angela's performance and Jerry Herman's score. I'm hoping that Betty Buckley scores well in the London version.