The first time I saw the show, in December 1973, I had no idea that Hermione Gingold died, but I think it's either because Prince couldn't get her to die effectively — "She died good" — or she just couldn't do it. I saw it again twice in its last weeks, including the next-to-last performance, and by then I knew that she died, and it still really looked like she just fell asleep. Some people have said that sometimes she managed to made it look like she died and other times she didn't, but she didn't all three times I saw her.
Anyway, I feel that some Madame Armfeldts I've seen have made it clear (or at least clearer) that she dies and some haven't. And for all my reservations about the show, I feel that her death is prepared for in the dialogue so that it seems inevitable and right for her to die. But I guess others don't agree. |
