| re: Annaleigh Ashford and That Accent (OUCH)! | |
| Posted by: Derek 01:40 pm EDT 09/23/23 | |
| In reply to: Annaleigh Ashford and That Accent (OUCH)! - tangledinblue 02:41 pm EDT 09/09/23 | |
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| I'm sticking my neck out here but I am listening to the new recording, was expecting the worst after all the unpleasantness here in this thread, but I am quite enjoying it. Lush and full orchestra sound, Josh Groban chewing things up (like George Hearn but with even more body in his voice).And Ashford? What is the problem? Hers is a middling-to-good mockney accent. Her d's and t's are off, soft where they should be swallowed, and there is a moment in "Worst Pies" where she sounds like a mafia boss. But remember: Angela Lansbury's cockney accent was mostly from her own imagination, about as realistic cockney as Julie Andrews's Eliza. At least Andrews admitted in her memoir to being too posh to know what a cockney accent should sound like. Without question the worst Lovett accent for me was Patti Lupone with her mangled vowels even worse than normal. And, funnily, Helena Bonham Carter who, though British, neither got the accent nor could sing. And singing is the point of this new recording. What no one here has been kind enough to point out is how well Ashford sings, hitting notes that Sondheim wrote but which - thanks to all the shtick of previous performances down the years - I've never heard before on a recording. In particular "God That's Good" is, well, really good. Ashford sings through - and soars - where other Lovetts just yelped and croaked. Angela Lansbury may be the original and, for many, best Nellie Lovett. But her performance was - though effective in the production context - more croaking caricature than real singer. Mrs Potts with pies. I could, as an Irishman, ask when so many ATC Americans became experts on cockney. I could also point out that, if the singers used real cockney accents, we'd need surtitles in the theatre. Or I could point out how neither Glynis Johns nor Judi Dench sounded particularly Swedish as Desiree -- just sufficiently posh. Ashford sounds just downmarket and heartbreaking enough for me. To summarise: well done to everyone on a very enjoyable recording. I am sure this will be a cherished recording for Sweeney/Broadway first-timers. (And no, I am not connected to the production or recording in any way). |
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