Bette Midler in HELLO, DOLLY coming to London in 2019?- Page 2

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 12:40pm

Still to be taken with a grain of salt, but the random tweeter who posted the original rumor about Bette at the Palladium now says:

"Hearing that HELLO DOLLY will be heading to Dominion Theatre, London this summer for a limited 16 week engagement - minus Bette Midler. Bernadette Peters will instead star. Domain purchased here - http://hellodollylondon.com"

"It's v real"

[BwayJudd]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 1:38pm

So hoping the Bernadette rumor is true!!

[binau]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 2:01pm

Oh my god. Will we finally get a cast recording with Bernadette now???? I hope this happens.

[Dallas Theatre Fan]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 2:10pm

I don’t want to be a Debbie down but I don’t think Bernadette can support a 16 week run on the West End. She isn’t that big of a name over there so they might try to get a big British name for Horace.

[Wick3]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 2:26pm

I love Bernadette but I actually thought if Hello Dolly goes to West End they'd try to get a British actress like Imelda Staunton who may be a bigger name there. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 2:56pm

DOLLY as a title still means something over there. The title + Bernie + limited run could sell. Kelli OHara did not mean anything in KING AND I it sold on great buzz.

The great thing about this DOLLY on Bway and tour is that the Horace compliments the Dolly but doesnt overpower. I fear a bigger-name Horace (like Rowan Atkinson or Stephen Fry or Bill Nighy) could throw off the balance. Needs Douglas Hodge or (to go slightly more notable) Simon Russell Beale or Robert Lindsay.

[DAME]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 5:33pm

MEH! I hope this isn’t true. I was hoping on a trip to London to see Bette again.

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 5:50pm

I actually would return for Bernie. I didn't like Bette but I have the feeling that Murphy was probably the best Dolly. 

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 6:06pm

Wonder if David Hyde Pierce and the other two men are still rumored for the production as well.

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 8:54pm

This really didn’t make any money without Bette. And Bernadette was “MEH”.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 9:23pm

Elaine Paige would be SO exciting!

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 12:15am

Bernadette was wonderful. Very far from "meh." Has she ever performed a musical in London? Would this be her West End debut?

[binau]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 2:50am

I thought Bette was ok until Bernadette replaced her. Then she quickly became MEH. But I realise audiences have different reactions. Now theyre saying that Bernadette will be Bettes alternate, which to me makes more financial sense. I hope we hear something soon to put an end to this madness of speculation and rumour.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 10:27am

Who the hell cares? This is another chance to see DOLLY!

[DAME]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 10:44am

The Bette VS Bernadette VS Donna VS Betty thing is MEH.. I hope the rumors of Bette doing a broadway concert engagement are true . Bernadette has two concerts in California this week. I hope she has changed the patter of her show a bit .  And I hope Betty has finally settled into the role on tour and isn’t as bland as she has been.

Updated On: 1/11/19 at 10:44 AM

[kofler22]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 11:00am

And what about Patti? She´s a big name there! 

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 11:02am

DAME said: "The Bette VS Bernadette VS Donna VS Betty thing is MEH."

And played out.

[Papi2013]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 11:36am

Bette in Dolly would be the same sensation in the west end as it was on Broadway.  Without her it would be a beautiful production of a old show .  A non event.  I enjoyed Bernadette when I saw her.  But it was a big "so what".  Elaine Paige would be a bigger draw.   I also hoped Buckley would have found some joy in the role by now.  But I just read a scathing review from the Arizona stop.  I am still hoping its Bette and I am still hoping this beautiful production gets captured for a world wide audience. 

Updated On: 1/11/19 at 11:36 AM

[devonian.t]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 12:05pm

Elaine Paige, I believe, would not have the stamina for Dolly now.

Also, she couldn't save Drowsy Chaperone.  It has to be Bette.

[binau]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 4:00pm

In some ways I hope it isn't Bernadette because I don't want her performance to be cheapened with the risk of a less than perfect supporting cast. Plus perfection has already happened and history has already been made. If Bette wants to walk down those stairs yet again feel free. It's almost becoming a commodity now. And you can listen to her give the same performance on the cast recording (I find it so odd that people criticise the recording - if anything her vocal performance was stronger here than in the theatre). 

But the woman who is basically Broadway's biggest star, Sondheim's most frequent interpreter - who already had a connection to the Dolly creatives through working almost 50 years earlier with them in "Mack and Mabel", walked down that red stair case and was truly back where she belonged on Broadway. 

One where theatre perhaps came a little close to reality

I know you don’t like to talk much about your personal life, but would you say that being a widow yourself affected what you could bring to the role?

I would say it was something I could connect to.

 



Wave your little hand and whisper so long dearie
You ain't gonna see me anymore
And when you discover that your life is dreary
Don't you come knockin' at my door

 

Updated On: 1/11/19 at 04:00 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 6:06pm

qolbinau said: "I
But the woman who is basically Broadway's biggest star, Sondheim's most frequent interpreter- who already had a connection to the Dolly creatives through workingalmost 50 years earlier with them in "Mack and Mabel", walked down that red stair case and was truly back where she belonged on Broadway."

 

I am glad it was so special to you.   Bette was special to me.    We are so lucky.   Maybe they will follow each other in the London run the same as they did on broadway?  I am just remembering all the fuzz about Queen Latifah etc.. and how none of that came to be.   Someone is bored and starts a rumor on twitter and we are all feklempt with anticipation. 
 

 

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 8:42pm

I hope the rumored London production doesnt include Bette, and thats not just because I didnt enjoy her performance.

I think Bette, Donna and Bernadette are considered Broadway royalty in a sense, and that the Palladium/Dominion run should have a West End star. No reason to keep bringing Bette out as if shes THE Dolly Levi. They did that with Carole Channing, but with great reason. Let someone else have a chance at the role.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 9:11pm

What do you mean Keep bring Bette out? Shes done one production of the show and it was one of the biggest events broadway had seen in years.

[DAME]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 9:49pm

Jordan Catalano said: "What do you mean Keep bring Bette out? Shes done one production of the show and it was one of the biggest events broadway had seen in years."

Yeah.. I don't get that comment either.  She has only done this one production.  And the only reason this production exists is because of her. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 1/12/19 at 8:15am

I think Bette, Donna and Bernadette are considered Broadway royalty in a sense, and that the Palladium/Dominion run should have a West End star. No reason to keep bringing Bette out as if shes THE Dolly Levi. They did that with Carole Channing, but with great reason. Let someone else have a chance at the role."

 

I disagree. Donna and Bernadette would struggle to sell a show in the UK but Bette is a huge star here. She's definitely not considered 'Broadway Royalty' here and I doubt the general public even know she started out in musicals.Bette would absolutely be a huge box office draw. If someone like Elaine Paige performed during the matinees that would be another huge draw to those of us who know who she is.