Len Cariou Walks - And Now Returns
Len Cariou Walks - And Now Returns
ggersten
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#1Len Cariou Walks - And Now Returns
Posted: 3/3/20 at 2:55pm
According to page Six, Len Cariou is refusing to continue performing in Harry Townsend's Last Stand after today. The producers say they are closing the show. There must be more to this story - but it's not like Page Six to explain anything.
Page Six Story
#2Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/3/20 at 3:32pmWow
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#3Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/3/20 at 3:35pm
ggersten said: "According to page Six, Len Cariou is refusing to continue performing in Harry Townsend's Last Stand after today. The producers say they are closing the show. There must be more to this story - but it's not like Page Six to explain anything.
Page Six Story
"
Not explain anything? "'Cariou is refusing to rehearse with a cast replacement [David Lansbury] or perform with an understudy'..They claim Cariou, 80, had a six-month contract until mid-May with 'no outs.'"
UncleCharlie
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/26/16
#4Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/3/20 at 3:36pm
I saw the show in January and really enjoyed it. It was great seeing Len on stage again and he and Craig were very good together. It's sad to see the show's run end this way.
#5Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/3/20 at 3:54pmWhy would someone like Len Cariou - a seasoned theatre professional, who has surely worked with many understudies before - have an issue with performing with an understudy? Seems very odd. I agree that there is likely more to the story.
Pashacar
Broadway Star Joined: 11/2/18
#6Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/4/20 at 11:00am
Another curious piece of it is that the producers are now claiming this is "costing" them a lot of money.
Anyone remotely plugged into the theater world knows this show has been heavily comped since day one, and continues to be. It's fascinating that it ever extended, let alone this long. So there's got to be more on the financial side as well.
MimiJudith
Broadway Star Joined: 12/7/05
#7Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/4/20 at 12:53pm
I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that the understudy is David Lansbury, the nephew of Angela Lansbury.
Wildcard
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/06
Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#9Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/4/20 at 4:39pm
MimiJudith said: "I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that the understudy is David Lansbury, the nephew of Angela Lansbury."
I thought your comment made sense, e.g., maybe some form of loyalty to an old friend by being nicety a relative. Then I read the article posted by Wildcard, and that blew up your premise. Lansbury is the person he initially refused to work with. So, did he feel loyalty the actual understudy or something else??
mikey2573
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/28/10
#10Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/4/20 at 4:55pm
Something tells me this was probably the best thing to happen to this play publicity-wise.
bk
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
#11Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/4/20 at 6:06pm
And the press release headline is the height of hilarity: CARIOU AND LANSBURY - clever those people.
FatedDarling
Swing Joined: 3/4/20
#12Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/4/20 at 6:21pm
bk said: "And the press release headline is the height of hilarity: CARIOU AND LANSBURY - clever those people.
"
Best possible way they could have phrased this! And it’s not even untrue 
MimiJudith
Broadway Star Joined: 12/7/05
#13Len Cariou Walks - Show Closes Early
Posted: 3/4/20 at 9:08pmI know that David Lansbury is the understudy. I was referring to the fact that this could mean there was some unknown animosity between Cariou and Angela Lansbury.
