When posting the video yesterday with Sam Levene, who created the role of 'Nathan Detroit; in the original Broadway production of Guys & Dolls, it got me to thinking of the famous actors who came after him to play the role -- including Frank Sinatra in the movie, Nathan Lane in the 1992 Broadway revival, and (of all people) Bob Hoskins in the 1982 National Theatre production in London's West End (which I happily saw on a trip there) There's also another "almost" who would have topped them all -- Sir Laurence Olivier. He had long said he would love to play the role, and in 1971 they had actually worked out schedules for a National Theatre production and even got as far as beginning rehearsal. However, he got sick and the production had to be scrapped. To be clear, this was not his final illness -- in fact, he lived another 18 years -- but the schedule never permitted re-mounting it, and then he got too old for the role. This remains one of the great "if onlys." The National Theatre finally did mount a production in 1982, and that's the one with Bob Hoskins. Anyway, I thought I'd post a couple of these other Nathans. I'm pretty sure I've posted them here in the past, but not together and not overlapping with other Guys & Dolls material, including that of Sam Levene yesterday singing "Sue Me" with the original Adelaide, Vivian Blaine. First, here's an actual Nathan in the role of 'Nathan Detroit' -- Nathan Lane, in the 1992 production. There's some tenderness in his interpretation, but as you can see they play it much more for laughs -- which is not unreasonable given that it's both an offbeat love song and a comic number. Here he is with Faith Prince, who won the Tony Award that year as Best Actress in a Musical. And here is Bob Hoskins in that 1982 National Theatre production. I don't have any video of him singing "Sue Me," but this is from the cast album I have. He wasn't especially known to American audiences at the time, so honestly I didn't realize that he had even been in the production. It wasn't until years later when I read about it and then checked the details. To be clear, he wasn't unknown. He'd made The Long Good Friday, and a couple of excellent PBS Masterpiece Theatre productions -- Pennies from Heaven and Flickers. But I hadn't seen any of those yet, and it wasn't until four years later that he made Mona Lisa and two more years after than, in 1988 when he had his big, star-making breakthrough in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? His interpretation of the song -- most definitely a comic one -- is an offbeat mixture of some lovely sweetness and explosions into pent-up anger. And it's certain fun to hear him. And great to have seen him -- even if I didn't realize it at the time... He performs it opposite Julia McKenzie, who won an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. (Some viewers may recognize her for playing 'Miss Marple' in -- for my taste -- a dismal reimaging of the character that the producers attempted for a later revival on PBS Masterpiece Mystery, far outpaced by the version done with Joan Hickson 20 years earlier. But all that's a separate matter.) For now, here's the point of it all --, As a bonus, there is at least some video of that 1982 National Theatre production, and here's an eight-minute montage. Unfortunately there no footage of Bob Hoskins signing, though he does have an extensive dialogue with with 'Big Julie' than comes around the 4:15 mark, in case you want to jump to it. By the way, this production was a huge hit -- it ran for four years, which is around 1,600 performances. The original Broadway production ran for 1,200 performances, about three years. Also of note, a year into the run Julia McKenzie left the show and was replaced by Imelda Staunton, who has won four Olivier Awards -- including Best Actress in a Musical for Gypsy and Sweeney Todd, and will be playing Queen Elizabeth in the next incarnation of The Crown. Just more Fun Facts to throw into the mix...
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
Categories
All
|
© Copyright Robert J. Elisberg 2024
|