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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 20, 2020 13:05:21 GMT
The original Eliza (in the play) was Mrs Patrick Campbell.
She was born in 1865 and the play was first performed in 1913...the role having been written for her.
I think we can cope with a slightly older Eliza!
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Post by Oleanna on Jun 20, 2020 19:11:18 GMT
In addition to which, the demands of the role are far too great for most 18/19 year olds.
I’d love to see Amara Okereke as Eliza.
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Post by xanady on Jun 20, 2020 19:21:24 GMT
Millie O’Connell?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2020 19:30:44 GMT
I always thought Kara Tointon would be a good pick for Eliza She was great in Pygmalion but I’m not sure she could sing it be honest. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2020 19:49:47 GMT
I know it's called acting, and the Coliseum is a huge theatre, but Eliza is a flower GIRL aged 18 or 19; she is not a middle-aged flower woman aged 35 or 36! Lauren Ambrose was 40 when she did it on broadway in 2018. Personally I’m not sure Eliza needs to be really young, and if the director chooses to lean into it being a romantic relationship it’s probably less murky now if they age Eliza up/Higgins down - best avoid the middle aged professor falling in love with his teenage student thing. Personally I can never decide what to think of the ending - I’ve always liked the idea of Eliza getting her shop. |
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Post by jaybird89 on Jun 20, 2020 21:44:59 GMT
I know it's called acting, and the Coliseum is a huge theatre, but Eliza is a flower GIRL aged 18 or 19; she is not a middle-aged flower woman aged 35 or 36! Lauren Ambrose was 40 when she did it on broadway in 2018. Personally I’m not sure Eliza needs to be really young, and if the director chooses to lean into it being a romantic relationship it’s probably less murky now if they age Eliza up/Higgins down - best avoid the middle aged professor falling in love with his teenage student thing. Personally I can never decide what to think of the ending - I’ve always liked the idea of Eliza getting her shop. Personally though I find that a problem, it isn’t supposed to be a romantic relationship and I really don’t enjoy it when the production goes that way. As far as age goes I’m quite happy to suspend my disbelief but with a great director I think a great performance is possible from someone younger perhaps a lot of work would be needed but there would be something very realistic about some of the Eliza choices with her being cast 18 / 19. There is a really good podcast actually I found talking about the show Liz Robertson was on it and it was a really good listen. |
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Post by andyb1986 on Jun 23, 2020 11:59:17 GMT
I was fortunate enough to see this at Lincoln Centre in 2018 and loved it.
Dame Diana made a wonderful Mrs Higgens. I know she's French, but I would love to see Leslie Caron in the role. She's been living in London for several years now, seems to be in fairly robust health, and I've been hoping she would do some stage work. She'll be 90 in two years, and a small role like this might be enticing for her.
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Post by clair on Jun 23, 2020 14:36:01 GMT
I know how unlikely it is but if this could persuade Julia McKenzie to make one last stage appearance I would actually pay the insane Coliseum prices!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 23, 2020 14:45:09 GMT
Don’t forget Rachel Tucker and Angela Lansbury... 🤪
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2020 15:11:20 GMT
Don’t forget Rachel Tucker and Angela Lansbury... 🤪 I think Angela has actually semi-retired... she’s done very little since she did the US Blithe Spirit tour in 2015, except the odd cameo here and there. |
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Post by FrontrowverPaul on Jun 24, 2020 10:30:19 GMT
For all sorts of reasons I'd love to see the wonderful rising star, Shanay Holmes, play Eliza, who is, naturally, my personal favourite character in all of musical theatre !
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Post by basdfg on Jun 24, 2020 18:29:17 GMT
What about Siobhan Dillon as a possibility for Eliza.
Could they go full colour blind casting and have Gary Wilmot as Doolittle but a white Eliza? I think that is what they did when he was in Chitty.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 24, 2020 21:13:54 GMT
The original Eliza (in the play) was Mrs Patrick Campbell. She was born in 1865 and the play was first performed in 1913...the role having been written for her. I think we can cope with a slightly older Eliza! Mrs Patrick Campbell would be no good in the role, she’s been dead for 80 years.😉😉😉 |
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Post by sf on Jun 24, 2020 21:20:46 GMT
The original Eliza (in the play) was Mrs Patrick Campbell. She was born in 1865 and the play was first performed in 1913...the role having been written for her. I think we can cope with a slightly older Eliza! Mrs Patrick Campbell would be no good in the role, she’s been dead for 80 years.😉😉😉
That was no impediment for some of the people they stunt-cast in Chicago.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 25, 2020 16:07:50 GMT
I bet Celinde Schoenmaker (sp?) is standing outside with her sheet music waiting right now.
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Post by danb on Jun 25, 2020 18:48:50 GMT
I bet Celinde Schoenmaker (sp?) is standing outside with her sheet music waiting right now. Excellent legit singer & actress wins role that is perfect for her shocker. I do hope so. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 26, 2020 7:53:07 GMT
I bet Celinde Schoenmaker (sp?) is standing outside with her sheet music waiting right now. Excellent legit singer & actress wins role that is perfect for her shocker. I do hope so. Let’s hope it does go to someone who can really do it, like her. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 26, 2020 9:11:23 GMT
It will be a balance between names in the cast to sell thousands and thousands of seats and getting the 'perfect' cast.
If you look at the casting of previous musical castings in this slot, the bias has been towards names...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2020 12:48:10 GMT
Putting any musical into the Coliseum is madness. Unless you're going to cast someone like Hugh Jackman as Higgins, you're going to be playing to lots of empty seats and that can't be sustained over a run. It's just too big.
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Post by Theatre Fan on Jun 26, 2020 13:00:17 GMT
Putting any musical into the Coliseum is madness. Unless you're going to cast someone like Hugh Jackman as Higgins, you're going to be playing to lots of empty seats and that can't be sustained over a run. It's just too big. Didn't The King and I do incredibly well though? X x x |
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Post by sf on Jun 26, 2020 13:07:51 GMT
Putting any musical into the Coliseum is madness. Unless you're going to cast someone like Hugh Jackman as Higgins, you're going to be playing to lots of empty seats and that can't be sustained over a run. It's just too big. Didn't The King and I do incredibly well though? X x x Not in the Coliseum. |
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Post by Theatre Fan on Jun 26, 2020 13:25:59 GMT
Didn't The King and I do incredibly well though? X x x Not in the Coliseum. Hmm that's surprising 🤔 x x x |
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Post by sf on Jun 26, 2020 13:29:00 GMT
Hmm that's surprising 🤔 x x x
Not particularly, given that it played at the Palladium.
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Post by barrowside on Jun 26, 2020 14:07:05 GMT
The Coliseum is only 73 seats more than the Palladium (albeit not really seen as a musical house any more). The King and I was marketed incredibly well given that they made the show and production the hero and the two excellent Broadway stars weren't really West End names. It seems to have been a big hit on tour too - it was packed in Dublin. If My Fair Lady was publicised as well I think there would be a huge appetite for a limited season of a big, luxurious production in a big house. Hopefully that would take the pressure off for casting stars - maybe a star Higgins and a brilliant lesser known Eliza of the right age.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 26, 2020 14:12:20 GMT
I am personally expecting them to retain Harry Hadden-Paton to stay as Higgins - the Downton effect will absolutely put bums on seats. Add in someone like Hugh Bonneville as Pickering - and the coach parties would flock
I would not be that surprised to see Michael Ball giving us his Doolittle - even though that would be wrong in so many ways...
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