Bob's Your Uncle

Last week, when writing about Ewan McGregor appearing recently in a West End production of Guys & Dolls, I mentioned having seen Bob Hoskins in a 1982 production of the Frank Loesser musical put on by the National Theatre.  He didn't have the same roll of 'Sky Masterston' that McGregor played, but was 'Nathan Detoit,'  perpetually engaged to Miss Adelaide.

I loved the production, though honestly don't have any specific memories of Hoskins.  He was an up-and-coming actor at that point and hadn't crossed high on my radar, even though he'd done some big BBC minii-series that had played on PBS (like the wonderful Flickers which I caught up with much later and the famous Pennies from Heaven -- later made into a film with Steve Martin), and had just made The Long Good Friday.  But I hadn't see that yet, so as meaningful a name as he was in England, he was just a really good 'Nathan Detroit' to me.

I do have the original cast recording of that production, though, and here he is singing "Sue Me," with Julia McKenzie as 'Miss Adelaide.'  His performance is more blustery and aggressive than most, but then what do you expect, this is Bob Hoskins, with some unexpected twists tossed in.
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