Len Cariou Walks - And Now Returns

[ggersten]

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

 

[qolbinau]

Wow

[joevitus]

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]

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.

[JBroadway]

Why 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]

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]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that the understudy is David Lansbury, the nephew of Angela Lansbury.

[Wildcard]

Len Cariou rejoins show (link)

[Jarethan]

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]

Something tells me this was probably the best thing to happen to this play publicity-wise.  

[bk]

And the press release headline is the height of hilarity: CARIOU AND LANSBURY - clever those people.

 

[FatedDarling]

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]

I 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.