Fide! You posted an entry! Hey, thanks for this, I've passed on the link to some of my friends who are going to La Cage (sadly, I have to live vicariously through those who did go -- I can't afford a plane ticket for one show).
It's my second whole entry! I have another meta, probably tomorrow. I certainly wouldn't fly all the way here to see this, but if they are coming to London anyhow, then it's worth it.
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it. It sounds great, and the shortcomings you describe sum up the shortcomings in JB's acting generally -- sometimes he's just too shiny.
Yes absolutely. Thing is I think he probably is technically capable. We know he can properly act, but it's like he just doesn't quite think about it enough a lot of the time. I saw a review by a fan who had seen the opening night and she said he corpsed in the John Wayne scene, so it looks like he just does that every performance. She also said he wasn't camp enough. I'm very surprised the director doesn't give him notes about it. Then again some directors are just glad they got the audience laugh.
When the whole cast was on it was "get up and dance" time. I loved it, and I'm not sure where some reviewers got the idea that John steals the show, because I thought everyone shone almost just as brilliantly. (iz blinded from teh starz) I have only ever seen the american movie, and this musical was much better, though I think Nathan Lane did the John Wayne walk much, much better. Subtlety, thy name is not John Barrowman *snicker*. But he was good and I had the impression that his was an Albin who is confident and young, but not young enough. He's just starting to fade and becoming the less boisterous Albin, still clinging to glory days. (Cue Bruce Springsteen!)
John looked smashing throughout but my favorite look was the one with the kitten in the La Cage number. He should always wear long blonde hair *cracks self up*. Seconded only by him in his black trousers and white shirt, but that gets the vote because of the kiss....
Oh yes I think over all Nathan Lane is better, I also think Hank Azaria is amazing in that. The original film is really worth seeing though, it's really rather lovely, and makes the most sense of all of them really, as it's of it's time. The two blokes are so ordinary in that, which is part of the point. I didn't see Douglas Hodge in this, but he won the Olivier and apparently was splendid, my friend who saw him and saw JB with me said that Hodge did embody faded older drag guy really well, and you got a sense of the sadness. I was annoyed with JB for corpsing in that John Wayne scene, and I read a review from one of his "johnette" fans who seems to have seen a few performances, and she has been critical of him doing that every time.
Still as I said, they are my reservations, but I think that the two musical moments I mentioned were perfection and I did love it for what it was.
Hi, I got to see JB in la cage in September, I'm French, and a big fan of Michel Serrault who created Albin, first on stage, then in the French movies (3 of them
( ... )
Hey thanks for this comment. I agree it is dated, but I think the whole thing is to be honest, and the only way it works is to just either think of it as 70's, or just think, silly musical, not real life. Whereas the original film is brilliant, but of it's time
( ... )
la cage aux folles had been running on stage for 20 years before the first movie was released so whem albin was created, michel Serrault was no older than JB !
Really? I just had to check because I remembered the film was late 70's and thought there is no way that play could have run in the 50's and the only info I can find online puts the play at 1973. The film is 78 so if it were 20 years that would be 1958, which seems extraordinary.
ok, right I shouldn't trust my memory and check before writing things, but anyway in 73 Serault was 45, so just 3 years older than JB, and this I cheked (Michel Lucien Serrault est un acteur français né le 24 janvier 1928)
Wow so he is 81. If still alive? That makes me feel very old. This play must have been amazing in 73. I imagine he did a great job of it, he really was very good in the film. I can't think if I've seen him in anything else, but they were both really great actors.
Comments 20
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
When the whole cast was on it was "get up and dance" time. I loved it, and I'm not sure where some reviewers got the idea that John steals the show, because I thought everyone shone almost just as brilliantly. (iz blinded from teh starz)
I have only ever seen the american movie, and this musical was much better, though I think Nathan Lane did the John Wayne walk much, much better. Subtlety, thy name is not John Barrowman *snicker*. But he was good and I had the impression that his was an Albin who is confident and young, but not young enough. He's just starting to fade and becoming the less boisterous Albin, still clinging to glory days. (Cue Bruce Springsteen!)
John looked smashing throughout but my favorite look was the one with the kitten in the La Cage number. He should always wear long blonde hair *cracks self up*. Seconded only by him in his black trousers and white shirt, but that gets the vote because of the kiss....
Reply
Still as I said, they are my reservations, but I think that the two musical moments I mentioned were perfection and I did love it for what it was.
Reply
Reply
Reply
something more about Albin
la cage aux folles had been running on stage for 20 years before the first movie was released
so whem albin was created, michel Serrault was no older than JB !
Reply
Reply
(Michel Lucien Serrault est un acteur français né le 24 janvier 1928)
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment