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| Any memories of Patricia Ann LuPone in Sunset Blvd? | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 10:18 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
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| Did any of you get to see Patti in Sunset on the West End? What are your memories of the production and of Patti's performance? I was a middle schooler in California at the time, so I can only experience Patti's performance retroactively via the cast recording and official and semi-official video excerpts. She, of course, sang the part magnificently -- perhaps better than anyone since -- but if feels like the prevailing sentiment was that she wasn't quite right for the part. Some say she was too young. Admittedly, I only get to view her performance in bits and pieces and not in the theatre, but from what I have seen, I was surprised that I thought her book scenes were as strong as her singing, but I can see how she was almost too vibrant and fiery to be this supposed "faded" movie star. But, perhaps she really was too young at the time. I imagine she might have been more powerful in the role had she played it in her 50s or (given how well her voice held up) even in her early 60s. And, by that time, she would have reached "legend" status on Broadway which probably would have enhanced the experience for the audience. | |
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| re: Any memories of Patricia Ann LuPone in Sunset Blvd? | |
| Posted by: Roman 04:08 pm EDT 04/12/21 | |
| In reply to: Any memories of Patricia Ann LuPone in Sunset Blvd? - DistantDrumming 10:18 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
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| The best/nicest thing I can say is that she was miscast. It was like watching Granny Clampett come down those steps. It sounded like dream casting. And it just wasn’t the right fit. It’s also a rather dull show, which didn’t help. Close was a better fit (though not at all a singer—Oooph). A legit movie star, giving her performance a unique gravitas. She was a force. And even better in the recent revival. Buckley was the best all around. |
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| Patti Lupone - Sunset Boulevard London's Adelphi Theater October 1993 | |
| Last Edit: seeseveryshow 12:18 pm EDT 04/12/21 | |
| Posted by: seeseveryshow 12:11 pm EDT 04/12/21 | |
| In reply to: Any memories of Patricia Ann LuPone in Sunset Blvd? - DistantDrumming 10:18 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
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| I was able to schedule a free one-night stopover in London on a return trip to the US from the continent. It was in October 1993, and I had booked terrific seats in advance to see Ms. Lupone in the recently opened SUNSET BOULEVARD. We hoofed it to the nearby Adelphi Theater on time after tubing in from Heathrow and checking in to our hotel near Leicester Square. It was shocking when we later learned that she would not be appearing in the show on Broadway. She gave a great performance in London, and her singing, as you can hear on the CD, is stunning. It seemed unusual at the time that the US production opened (in LA) barely 6 months after the London production. I later saw the original US production in LA (sometime in 1994) and again in NY a few times, all starring Glenn Close, and long after that in Schenectady with Petula Clark in the lead. And again, with Glenn Close in the recent (2017) revival at the Palace Theater in NY. Each was different, but each worked fine. Perhaps, given her tenure in the part, Close brought a little more subtlety, nuance, pathos and depth to it. It was a terrible experience for Lupone, but I understand she received a generous financial settlement after being let go. It has been reported that the NY production opened with the largest broadway musical advance sale (at the time) of $37.5 million |
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| re: Any memories of Patricia Ann LuPone in Sunset Blvd? | |
| Posted by: lonlad 11:09 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
| In reply to: Any memories of Patricia Ann LuPone in Sunset Blvd? - DistantDrumming 10:18 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
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| ??? No one of this name ever played the part. | |
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| Who is Patricia? | |
| Posted by: AC126748 10:37 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
| In reply to: Any memories of Patricia Ann LuPone in Sunset Blvd? - DistantDrumming 10:18 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
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| Patti LuPone's given name is Patti, as in Adelina Patti, her great-great aunt. And she'll be the first to correct you if you call her "Patricia." :) | |
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| re: Who is Patricia? | |
| Posted by: singleticket 12:04 pm EDT 04/12/21 | |
| In reply to: Who is Patricia? - AC126748 10:37 am EDT 04/12/21 | |
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| I referred to Barbra once on ATC as Barbara and I haven't been able to sleep properly since. | |
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| re: Who is Patricia? | |
| Posted by: IvyLeagueDropout 02:59 pm EDT 04/12/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Who is Patricia? - singleticket 12:04 pm EDT 04/12/21 | |
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| Hilarious. | |
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