Mame Dennis, much like Fanny Brice, is an extremely difficult role to cast. In addition to having to be able to play Mame at a variety of ages and stages of her life, the actress must possess both a warmth and undeniable charm for the whole thing to work. She almost never leaves the stage, sings about 11 songs, and as if all that weren't enough, has to be able to "dance her shoes off." No one with the right amount of box office clout and star power has been around to give it a go.
All of which makes the performance Lansbury gave that much more special and legendary.
Its also an extremely expensive physical production to mount. Mamie's NY apartment needs to look significantly different in each decade, and you need to also depict a southern plantation, Connecticut, and other locales.
""I personally disagree. I've seen many productions of the show (with local or unknown talent) and it's always a great night of theater." Clearly you didn't see the production at Bucks County Playhouse with Andrea McArdle (just OK at best) and Lea Delaria as Vera (simply awful!)"
Yea, I missed that production.
The one's I've seen are very amateur theater so perhaps sub-consciously my expectations are low.
I've always been under the impression that Jerry Herman wasn't willing to make any updates to the script/score - i.e. he wants it performed just as it was in the original run. The show (especially the jokes) needs to be updated for a modern audience.
That said, as mentioned above, casting, production costs, and timing have all presented major problems for a possible revival.
It is a show that would not resonate with todays theatergoers unfortunately.
Great score but I simply do not think it would succeed even though it should. Add to that, it is not on the list of musicals that are OK for revival.10 or 15 musicals are on it. All the great shows not on that list will never be revived. It is a shame but there it is
About 6 years ago, a pre-B'way/revival/reconstitution of MAME was done at Kennedy Center/DC with Christine Branski (Mame) and Harriet Harris (Vera), directed by Eric Schafer. Sounded like a good idea, but overall the production was weakly directed. I remembered seeing the third performance of Mame in Philly (pre Broadway, 2nd day)and feeling the warmth and love of this heroine reach well into the balcony along withe the splash, and class of Gene Saks working with the Ekarts fabulous sets and the perfect cast. The Kennedy center prod was almost the direct opposite-- it was flat and nowhere near where it should, and could of been.
i would love to see this again, but this is one show that need too much in performers, directors and technicians to make it work. Also, it needs a lot of $$$$!!!
"It is a show that would not resonate with todays theatergoers unfortunately. Great score but I simply do not think it would succeed even though it should. Add to that, it is not on the list of musicals that are OK for revival.10 or 15 musicals are on it. All the great shows not on that list will never be revived. It is a shame but there it is ."
Does this list actually exist? What are the musicals listed on it? I've never heard of this list before.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
""It is a show that would not resonate with todays theatergoers unfortunately. Great score but I simply do not think it would succeed even though it should. Add to that, it is not on the list of musicals that are OK for revival.10 or 15 musicals are on it. All the great shows not on that list will never be revived. It is a shame but there it is ." Does this list actually exist? What are the musicals listed on it? I've never heard of this list before. "
You've apparently ignored Mr. Roxy then, since anytime there's any mention of a revival of any show we get a post about this "list." Of course, the fact that just off the top of my head I can think of numerous revivals we've gotten (Promises, Promises, The Apple Tree, On a Clear Day, Side Show, Gigi) and upcoming revivals for this season alone (She Loves Me, Dames at Sea, Falsettos, The Color Purple) that would not appear on this list in his mind kind of negates his point. Yes, there is another upcoming revival of Fiddler on the Roof, and Gypsy is always going to be a popular choice for a revival as well (both because of the potentially thrilling star turns that can come out of them), but we definitely see more than the 10 or 15 musicals he continually claims are the only ones we ever see revived.