Unpopular opinions you hold- Page 44

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 12/28/18 at 5:50pm

" I just find Laura Osnes completely vanilla. She sings great, dances great, looks great, but it’s all just a bit too ?perfect’ for me and I’d like to see her in a truly gritty role to see how she does. I find her a little hard to connect to. "

I did not see "Bonny And Clyde" but I am going to assume her role was "gritty" in comparison to her normal roles. BTW - I loved her in "Bandstand".

Updated On: 12/28/18 at 05:50 PM

[laurensambrose]

Posted: 12/28/18 at 7:03pm

Niles Silvers said: "I'm glad Julie Andrews did not get the Eliza role in the film version of My Fair Lady. Frankly, her (almost) too sickeningly sweet demeanor would have been a bit much. Audrey Hepburn was perfect for the role and brought just right amount of spice and star power. She was also treated in a most unkind manner by the public and press at the time."

THANK YOU

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 12/28/18 at 8:19pm

Audrey Hepburn was wonderful in the film, but from what I've heard (from people I know that saw her and from the cast album) Julie was absolutely not sickeningly sweet as Eliza. Based off of Julie's performances as Mary Poppins and Maria, one would assume that's what she's like, but she's really a firecracker as many of her other roles have shown. Her Eliza was just as gritty and tough as the other actresses that have played her, if not more so.

[The Other One]

Posted: 12/29/18 at 11:02am

I wish I had been around to see the original production of My Fair Lady.  I love Audrey in the film, and have a feeling I would have liked her more than Julie, but agree that it's wrong to assume Julie's Eliza would have been no different than her Mary Poppins or Fraulein Maria.  I do get sick of the big deal made over this bit of casting and think Hollywood over compensated in giving Julie an Oscar in '64 while not nominating Audrey (although Mary Poppins Returns made me miss Julie).

For what it's worth, I know several people who saw the original production of My Fair Lady.  They all liked, even loved, Julie, but all of them agreed that the production's real source of fire was Rex Harrison.  I know one very well established actor, still working among us, who said he hadn't seen a performance like Harrison's before or since.  If only one of them were going to get to do the film, as was often the case when Warner Brothers filmed Broadway musicals, the right one was chosen.  

Updated On: 12/29/18 at 11:02 AM

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 12/29/18 at 7:35pm

I know enough not to get in the way of a discussion of the merits of these two treasures. It is still stuck in my mind after so many years of my buddies and I, at about the age of 12, walking home from the movie theater after having seen Charade, We were in a minor state of euphoria as we compared this film with another film that we had seen just a few weeks earlier. That film had starred this actor Sean Connery. From Russia with Love, the second and still probably the best of the series.

If interested, this is the original review of My Fair Lady in the Times by Brooks Atkinson. In this review as well as in the review I read by John Chapman of the Daily News, George Bernard Shaw is acknowledged as hovering over the theater during the show.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/theater/86548580.pdf?module=inline

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 12/29/18 at 11:51pm

I've always been curious about how Julie Andrews' Eliza would have translated to the screen. Per accounts, she was not doing well out-of-town and Harrison wanted her fired. Moss Hart basically spoon-fed her line-readings and choreographed her movements. Of course, she was 20 and eventually made the role her own (and did 2 years on Broadway and 1.5 years in London).

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 12/30/18 at 12:16am

Niles Silvers said: "I'm glad Julie Andrews did not get the Eliza role in the film version of My Fair Lady. Frankly, her (almost) too sickeningly sweet demeanor would have been a bit much. Audrey Hepburn was perfect for the role and brought just right amount of spice and star power. She was also treated in a most unkind manner by the public and press at the time."

 

Interesting...... Wrong!!!!! Ms Hepburn Sucked!

 

Updated On: 12/30/18 at 12:16 AM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 12/30/18 at 1:06am

SomethingPeculiar said: "I've always been curious about how Julie Andrews' Eliza would have translated to the screen.Per accounts, she wasnotdoing well out-of-townand Harrison wanted her fired. Moss Hart basically spoon-fedher line-readings and choreographedher movements.Of course, she was 20 and eventually made the role her own (and did 2 years on Broadway and 1.5 years in London)."

Not sure Rex Harrison's initial impression should hold much water. As great of an actor as he was he was also widely considered one of the most vile people in the business and he didn't get along with any of his co-stars onscreen, onstage, anywhere. 

Although I liked Audrey Hepburn in the role my main issue is that when she becomes a "lady" she spoke in that international accent that she spoke in real life. Henry Higgins wanted her to speak like an upper crust British lady. She doesn't have anywhere close to a British accent.

[Dave28282]

Posted: 12/30/18 at 7:31am

Indeed, don't underestimate Julie! She certainly has an edge to her.

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 12/30/18 at 9:02am

yankeefan7 said: ""I just find Laura Osnes completely vanilla. She sings great, dances great, looks great, but it’s all just a bit too ?perfect’ for me and I’d like to see her in a truly gritty role to see how she does. I find her a little hard to connect to. "

I did not see "Bonny And Clyde" but I am going to assume her role was "gritty" in comparison to her normal roles. BTW - I loved her in "Bandstand"."

Having seen Laura Osnes several times, including Bonnie and Clyde, I can confirm that she was indeed "gritty" and damned good at it.

Which brings me to my unpopular opinion... I generally enjoy Frank Wildhorn. I loved Scarlet Pimpernel 1.0, The Civil War and Bonne and Clyde. Maybe it's most unpopular to think Jekyll & Hyde (as it turned out for Broadway) is awful. (To be fair, I saw the pre-Broadway tour and enjoyed it, and the 2-CD concept recording is good - reminding me of what could have been.) 

I don't have the time or energy to review the 40+ pages of this thread, so this may not actually be "unpopular" (I may have even said this before on this thread): I think Ben Platt's performance in DEH was so uniformly overwrought,  it was both one-note and grotesque. The most over-praised performance in the most over-praised show in years.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 12/30/18 at 9:32am

"Which brings me to my unpopular opinion... I generally enjoy Frank Wildhorn. I loved Scarlet Pimpernel 1.0, The Civil War and Bonne and Clyde."

I have often wondered if "Bonny and Clyde" would have done better if Mr. Wildhorn wrote it under assumed name - lol.  I just think anything he does is DOA with critics and not given a chance.

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 12/30/18 at 12:20pm

I didn't see the original Broadway version of J&H, but I thought Cuccioli and Eder were the only good things about the tour prior to its landing on Broadway.  While I'm really not going to comment on the story itself as I really don't remember it that well (never read the book), I just didn't find any of the characters to be likable or worthy of empathy, compassion or anything else.  It was really hard to connect with any of them.  So what was left was some beautiful music, sung by two wonderful leads, in a story that was really worthless.  If there was supposed to be some deeper meaning (which since it has literary origins, there is), I really didn't care enough about finding it or thinking much on it.  I almost left at intermission, but the leads were just so grand that I stayed, if not for the story, just to hear them sing.

It had a pretty healthy run on Broadway though, no?  

But then again, so has Kinky Boots.  (Okay, a little unpopular jab there).

 

 

jkstheatrescene said: "yankeefan7 said: ""I just find Laura Osnes completely vanilla. She sings great, dances great, looks great, but it’s all just a bit too ?perfect’ for me and I’d like to see her in a truly gritty role to see how she does. I find her a little hard to connect to. "

I did not see "Bonny And Clyde" but I am going to assume her role was "gritty" in comparison to her normal roles. BTW - I loved her in "Bandstand"."

Having seen Laura Osnes several times, including Bonnie and Clyde, I can confirm that she was indeed "gritty" and damned good at it.

Which brings me to my unpopular opinion... I generally enjoy Frank Wildhorn. I lovedScarlet Pimpernel1.0,The Civil WarandBonne and Clyde. Maybe it's most unpopular to thinkJekyll & Hyde(as it turned out for Broadway) is awful. (To be fair, I saw the pre-Broadway tour and enjoyed it, and the 2-CD concept recording is good - reminding me of what could have been.)

I don't have the time or energy to review the 40+ pages of this thread, so this may not actually be "unpopular" (I may have even said this before on this thread): I think Ben Platt's performance in DEH was so uniformly overwrought, it was both one-note and grotesque. The most over-praised performance in the most over-praised show in years."

 

[Niles Silvers]

Posted: 12/30/18 at 8:13pm

South Fl Marc said: "Niles Silvers said: "I'm glad Julie Andrews did not get the Eliza role in the film version of My Fair Lady. Frankly, her (almost) too sickeningly sweet demeanor would have been a bit much. Audrey Hepburn was perfect for the role and brought just right amount of spice and star power. She was also treated in a most unkind manner by the public and press at the time."



Interesting...... Wrong!!!!! Ms Hepburn Sucked!

Genius!  Also, please review title of post.  

"

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 12/31/18 at 4:52pm

Fiasco's Into the Woods at Roundabout was phenomenal.

[Ms_Flyover]

Posted: 1/7/19 at 1:35am

POTO is bombastic and misogynist and is way past its prime.

Barbara Walsh was 5x better as Joanne in Company than LuPone

[LuPita2]

Posted: 1/7/19 at 2:41am

Gavin Creel is so average in every possible way.  

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 9/14/20 at 8:33am

After watching the Miscast gala last night, I still don't understand the hype around Beanie Feldstein. I feel like she just happened to be around Ben Platt and Jonah Hill and somehow became famous.

[tmdonahue]

Posted: 9/14/20 at 8:39am

OK, I'll write it:

Hated Wicked.   And I hated The Prom.

I feel better now for having gotten this off my chest.

[BLs68]

Posted: 9/14/20 at 10:54am

fashionguru_23 said: "After watching the Miscast gala last night, I still don't understand the hype aroundBeanie Feldstein. I feel like she just happened to be around Ben Platt and Jonah Hill and somehow became famous."

I don’t either. But, Beanie Feldstein and Jonah Hill are siblings. And Beanie and Ben Platt are best friends from school age years. She didn’t just meet the two last week and is now famous. She very well could be in a position where her brother is famous, her best friend is famous, and since she’s around them, it’s easier for her to get noticed vs. someone who does not have a famous brother or best friend. I’m not saying she hasn’t earned her fame but it may have come easier to her because of the people she’s associated with. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/14/20 at 12:48pm

Couldn't agree more, she is average/below in every conceivable way. She is only getting jobs because of who her best friend and brother are. I laughed when she was cast as Monica Lewinsky, something I doubt will end up happening. Talk about a miscast. 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 9/14/20 at 1:04pm

All I know is that Beanie Feldstein was wonderful in Lady Bird and even better in Hello Dolly! She nearly stole the show in the "Dancing" sequence. I loved her Minnie Fay so much. When I saw the bootleg of her replacement with Bernadette Peters, it just wasn't the same.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 9/14/20 at 1:50pm

I honestly think people are being totally overdramatic about not being able to access theater during this time. I guess people can thank those who make bootlegs, because you can find SO many things online right now. ALSO, if people are saying the industry isn't doing anything right now...um, have you been paying attention???? People like Seth Rudetsky who has been trying to bring us content, how they released Hamilton on Disney+, how they tried to have SIX as a drive-in concert event...the industry is not going anywhere and it IS going to survive. I think it's because we're in the age of social media. People expect to get what they want, when they want it. That's absolutely no way to go through life and why people claim theater is "inaccessible". No, it's accessible. You just can't see the show you want when you want it, and you think you're more important than a business staying afloat. Lottery, rush, BroadwayBox, BroadwayForBrokePeople, TodayTix, etc...I may be a single person, but I've never paid more than $100 for a ticket unless it was a special occasion. There are plenty of shows that are from 50 years ago that I'm sure people would have liked to see but hey guess what-that was special for people 50 years ago. We have new material and it will be special for us. Not even 50 years-10 years, 5 years, were shows you didn't care/know about. And I think you're doing okay now not having seen them in person. There are WAY more shows to discover and learn about and you don't need a proshot of every single show to do so.

I'm sorry. That seems harsh, but it's been on my mind how completely demanding and selfish people are.

[Tateh]

Posted: 9/18/20 at 12:11pm

Hate Neil Patrick Harris

Josh Groban and Idina in Chess sucked. The only right choice there was Adam Pascal

   

 

 

Updated On: 9/18/20 at 12:11 PM

[Tateh]

Posted: 9/18/20 at 12:18pm

LuPita2 said: "Gavin Creel is so average in every possible way."

Thanls so much!! I thought I was the only one to think this way!!!!

 

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 11/8/20 at 7:02am

"Help here" and "myself here" rhyme in "Dead Mom" from Beetlejuice. Sondheim talks about putting hard consonant sounds and soft consonant sounds next to each other in adjacent words to create a different pronunciation that can be used in lyric writing. When I hear that song, I hear this:

"I need a little hell-peer
I'm probably talking to my sell-feer"

Updated On: 11/8/20 at 07:02 AM