| re: MERMAN, CHANNING, PETERS | |
| Posted by: BruceinIthaca 07:41 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
| In reply to: re: MERMAN, CHANNING, PETERS - PlayWiz 05:56 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
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| I keep reading how terrible people thought Peters was in AGYG. I thought she was perfectly fine, but that it was an odd choice of show for her. I'm not sure I needed to see another production of it in any case (though I bet Reba was excellent--if ever there were a role for her, that would be it--I was less taken with her Nellie Forbush). I've seen Peters in a number of other shows--Into the Woods, Song and Dance, A Little Night Music, and Follies. The biggest surprise for me was her Desiree--I thought she was far better than Jean Simmons (who I saw in the National Tour back when I was in high school) and much more convincing than Patti LuPone, who I saw do it in a "concert" production at Ravinia. I went mainly because I wanted to see Stritch in what I thought might her final role (was it? other than her TV work) and I lucked out, as she was practically letter-perfect the night I saw her. But Peters broke my heart in "Send in the Clowns," and made me believe in her as the still vital, yet growing weary actress. And I've never seen her less than interesting, even if the vehicle was second-rate, such as Song and Dance (and knew I didn't need to see The Goodbye Girl). I missed her Rose--I had seen Lansbury, Daly, and Buckley (as well as Russell and Midler in the film/video versions) and just didn't have it in me for another go at the time (I did see LuPone). A friend of mine, who is a professional actress, said she saw Peters and liked the show for the first time, which is interesting. Anyway, I loved seeing Channing as Dolly in 94--she wasn't where she was in 64, no doubt ( was too young to see her then), but I was very grateful to get to be in the same space and get a sense of the craft and inspiration she brought to the role--the acting was still superb and the singing and dancing were good enough to warrant seeing her do it. I saw Midler and her company last year--it was a very different experience, but equally enjoyable in its own way. I never got the complaint that Midler was just playing Midler. I thought what she was doing was using her instrument (and the habitus of her body, style, etc.) to create yet another version of Wilder and Herman's indestructible Doll(y). And I bet Peters is just as good, but in a different way--with the possibility of romance still there. I'm a big fan of Betty Buckley, and I hope to see what she does with it (I'll have to find her on the road). Comedy has never struck me as her forte, but wistfulness and wisdom are, and she may find another variation. People say Rose is the Lear of musical theatre for women--I think it may be Dolly. | |
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