As someone said earlier, MAME demands a rewritten book; it was never very good, and paled next to the original AUNTIE MAME. Yeah, great score, but Mame as a character has very little life to her, and even an Angela Lansbury would be hard pressed to bring her to life at this point.
Jordan, I actually think Rupaul would be sen-freakin-sational in the role IF (big ol tucked IF) they are willing to drop any tongue in check drag schtick. I'm not going to discount a dramatic take on MAME where she IS a drag queen/trans/whatever but for a traditional production he would need to play her as a biological woman (especially since she gets married). I know the estates fought Charles Busch from doing even a reading for years and years until he convinced them he was playing it straight and sincerely as a woman.
I remember doing the show back in high school and realizing that the book really wasn't that great, especially compared to the original play. I'm all for a re-tooled book. I actually liked the script for the film version, although, as a whole, the movie didn't work and we all know why. Even a half decent script and a barrel of brilliant songs can't overcome miscasting and dull direction.
The problem with MAME is that in summer stock and community theater productions across the country the title role is usually played by an actress of a certain age (meaning 60ish) which is too old for the part as written. Rosalind Russell for 46 when she played Auntie Mame, Angela Lansbury was 40 when she opened the show on Broadway, Janis Paige was 46 when she replaced Lansbury, and Ann Miller was 47 when she played the part.
It is difficult (if not impossible) to find a 40-something actor with box office draw willing to take on the role for year. And yes, as talented as Jan Maxwell is, she is not going to sell tickets to tourists and business travelers.
But does the book need a re-do? The movie and the musical are two very different pieces.
The movie sets Mame as madcap, someone who loves a good party and is hungover in the morning. In the book, Patrick talks about going to a nudist party.
The musical sets Mame as more sophisticated, Vera and Gooch are the comics in this show. Herman didn't write any madcap songs for the character of Mame. The book can't be rewritten without changing the songs.
I was always hoping that Bette Midler would do a movie or tv production (but I think she's a bit long in the tooth now). Her personality has enough of the lowbrow comedy to believe she could drink herself into a stupor, yet she has enough warmth to put over a song like "If He Walked Into My Life"
Sandy Duncan did a concert version of MAME in MA a few years ago. While she is an oler actress, she looks sensational and I don't think I've ever heard of her giving a bad performance. I'm still holding out for a Duncan PETER PAN revival. Not holding my breath of course.
As someone said earlier, MAME demands a rewritten book; it was never very good, and paled next to the original AUNTIE MAME. Yeah, great score, but Mame as a character has very little life to her, and even an Angela Lansbury would be hard pressed to bring her to life at this point.
"At this point?" I'm curious, Jay, and not because I think the book is great in the sense that SOUTH PACIFIC's or A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC's books are great.
But I also don't find the book dated in the way that the original BABES IN ARMS now is.
So what has changed that makes the book a problem "at this date"? It was always set sort of vaguely in the 1920s and 1930s (IIRC Mame loses her fortune in the Crash of 1929). So it's not as if its references are suddenly anachronistic.
Toni Collette would be a very good Mame but would she sign on for a one year run? Kristen Johnson would be a sublime Vera but she would tower (her height) over Collette.
I think I'm the only person who thinks Jan Maxwell gives very uneven performances. I loved her in CHITTY and LEND ME A TENOR. But her performances in THE ROYAL FAMILY and FOLLIES left me cold. Particularly FOLLIES. I thought her performance was wildly overrated. I honestly feel like she's more suited for featured parts. But I'm obviously in the minority...
I really would have no interest in seeing her lead a production of MAME.
He seems like a sweet man, but he's delusional. LuPone and the producers of the proposed DOLLY! revival didn't see eye to eye because Jerry insisted on "Gower's staging" only. "Gower's staging", which was charming and inventive fifty years ago, now would seem dated and passe to most audiences. Let's try to give a new director a chance to try their hand at at it, eh Jerry? (Please not Kathleen Marshall, though. She's gotten too many chances.)
But that's really nothing. Robbins' work is used by contractual demand on majors revivals of his "Big 3"- WEST SIDE, GYPSY and FIDDLER. Maybe Champion gets the same deal with DOLLY?
The real crying shame is that Herman will never allow Encores! to mount his "flawed" shows, MACK & MABEL, DEAR WORLD, etc., insisting that they deserve major revivals. I can tell you right now, they don't. Encores! is the perfect venue for the shows to be heard again and cherished for their lovely scores. I cannot see anyone flocking to see MACK & MABEL for $100+ at the Imperial though, and don't even get me started on DEAR WORLD.
Back to MAME though, Lehman Engel referred to it as the Hallmark Musical, where every major production number celebrates a holiday. Maybe Engel's early-1970s bitchery could work today? Calling Hallmark as a potential producer. (However, I do love the score of MAME. Just sayin'.)
"I think I'm the only person who thinks Jan Maxwell gives very uneven performances. ....But I'm obviously in the minority..
Yes. Very obviously.
" "Gower's staging", which was charming and inventive fifty years ago, now would seem dated and passe to most audiences."
No it would not. His staging/choreography was perfection, not bettered by anyone in any show since. Of course it would be far superior to whatever anyone could come up with today. And today's audiences would be equally beguiled by it. I note the fiasco when the Papermill tried a "new" Gower-free approach. Dolly doesn't need a new approach. It needs the right approach.
"Let's try to give a new director a chance to try their hand at at it, eh Jerry?"
What are the sources for some of these claims about Jerry Herman?
He won't allow Encores to do MACK AND MABEL? I find that very odd, since he allowed REPRISE LA to do it 7 or 8 years ago with Jane Krakowski, Donna McKechnie and Douglas Sills. I realize Los Angeles might as well be Siberia to some posters here, but Mr. Herman has homes in Southern California; I think he's well aware that before it closed, REPRISE LA attracted a lot of industry personnel and potential investors.
Now maybe he disliked that concert version so much he decided to withhold the rights. (I found it lackluster myself.) But when did he say he believes concert versions are an impediment to a full-scale production?
As for the DOLLY staging, who knows what alternative was presented to him? Maybe his refusal had less to do with loyalty to Champion's vision and more to do with disdain for proposed "improvements". I don't know, but I do wonder how the inner workings of an 81-year-old man's mind have become public knowledge.
Dame Edna for Mame.
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Posted: 6/18/12 at 11:01pm