Printer Friendly - re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by ljay889 2005-08-23 01:29:00
How was she? Did anyone here catch her in the role?
How did she sing the role?
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Theaterguy2 2005-08-23 02:23:06
i dont think any of us were alive then honey.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Dollypop 2005-08-23 02:36:29
Excuse me, but I saw Lansbury in the role and I'm not quite ready for the graveyard, Theaterguy2!
Angela was wonderful in the role. "Can I Tell You What I Think of You" was delivered with great force and an empty stool became a substitute for the King she was telling off.
She has a wonderful rapport with the schoildren and "Getting To Know You" was delightful.
"Shall We Dance?" was electrifying. Michael Kermoyan was the King and he created great tension as he put his arm around Mrs. Anna's waist as he started to dance with her.
On the whole, Lansbury used her head voice throughout and it was really quite lovely.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by ljay889 2005-08-23 12:05:54
Yay. I'm glad to hear she was great! She is so damn versatile.
And Theatreguy what in the world are you talking about? This was only the 70's. There are members here who've seen Verdon in the original SWEET CHARITY and even shows before that.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by whatyouown223 2005-08-23 12:09:52
Theatreguy...are you kidding me? A 50 year old man would have been in his 20's in the 70's...quite capable of seeing theatre.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by melissa errico fan 2005-08-23 12:12:21
My parents and two older sisters saw Ms. Lansbury as Anna---all are still with us. 
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by ljay889 2005-08-23 12:17:42
You know what? I think he's thinking that we are talking about the ORIGINAL production in the 50's.
Which we aren't.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by wildcat 2005-08-23 12:17:50
I always thought she'd be dream casting for Anna.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by melissa errico fan 2005-08-23 12:21:20
She played the role briefly in the 1977/78 revival.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by South Fl Marc 2005-08-23 12:27:37
She was absolutely wonderful - enchanting from first to last.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Gothampc 2005-08-23 12:35:56
I believe she was only a replacement while Constance Towers went on vacation. Didn't she only play a few weeks?
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by South Fl Marc 2005-08-23 12:37:05
One month and both Constance Towers and Yul Brynner were on vacation.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by ljay889 2005-08-23 12:38:07
Looks like the poster says
FOR 24 PERFORMANCES ONLY.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by DottieD'Luscia 2005-08-23 12:48:22
This production of "The King & I" was my 2nd Broadway show. I remember when Angela Lansbury filled in, but I had seen it with Yul Brynner and Constance Towers. The only thing I remember is not being able to understand what Mr. Brynner was saying (either through poor annunciation or sound quality at the Uris), and as I result I did not enjoy the show. It was only as an adult and seeing the revival in the 90s that I could appreciate this wonderful show.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by kooky 2005-08-23 12:57:51
Talk about the GRAVE-YARD calling - - I saw that oh SO talented
lady in MAME, of course I was carried there, I better go and take a nap
now - - - - I really feel long in the tooth! That is ORIGINAL "MAME"
Oh dear !
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Garland Grrrl 2005-08-23 13:28:09
i saw her in GYPSY when i was a fetus!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Dollypop 2005-08-23 13:32:14
Yeah, we "crypt kickers" are old enough to have seen Angela Lansbury in MAME, That Streisand Woman in FUNNY GIRL, Bea Lillie in HIGH SPIRITS, Barbara Bel Geddes in MARY, MARY, Mary Martin in JENNY, Zero Mostel in FIDDLER, Barbara Cook in SHE LOVES ME, Vivien Leigh in TOVARICH and Carol Channing--and the other 6 great ladies who followed her--in HELLO, DOLLY!
I still have enough wind in me to climb a staircase!
Oh yes, I saw Richard Burton in HAMLET, too!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by kooky 2005-08-23 13:41:41
RIGHT ON, grave-yard mates.! Look at all the great things we have seen - - - not to mention all the show as well !
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Marquise 2005-08-23 14:01:17
damn you guys are ancient!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by kooky 2005-08-23 14:18:39
And SO proud of it Marquise, speaking ONLY for myself!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by iluvtheatertrash 2005-08-23 15:59:16
*sigh* I was born too late.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by cturtle 2005-08-23 18:44:55
i would LOVE to have seen this! i've never thought of her in the role, but YES i can see her being great!
i always thought julie andrews would be perfect. and then she did the recording with ben kingsley. unfortunately, it was a bit too late in her singing career.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by redhotinnyc2 2005-08-23 19:24:28
A friend of mine was one of the children (her son, what IS that character's name, anyway?) during the time that she (Angela) did it, and he has nothing but the best to say about her as a person and performer.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by DottieD'Luscia 2005-08-23 19:51:44
Redhot, I believe his name is Louis. You're talking about Anna's son, right?
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by redhotinnyc2 2005-08-23 20:29:37
Ah - yes - that name always escapes me for some reason - Thank you!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Dollypop 2005-08-23 21:42:44
Yup, the geritatric set has seen some pretty magnificent theater. What have the youngin's seen. Oh, that's right! WICKED.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by roquat 2005-08-23 22:42:55
Lansbury said later that she didn't especially like playing Anna and didn't thik she was right for it, because it was a "restrained" role. She only got raves, though.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Jay94 2012-05-05 05:25:47
I'm old enough to have seen Ethel Merman in Anything Goes and Annie Get Your Gun. Oh yeah and Celeste Holm in Oklahoma!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by explorer 2012-05-05 06:54:04
Angela was wonderful as always.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Gaveston2 2012-05-05 15:39:10
Excuse me, but I saw Lansbury in the role and I'm not quite ready for the graveyard, Theaterguy2!
I saw it, too, and I'm practically camped at the cemetery gates.
But I agree with Dollypop that Lansbury was wonderful in THE KING AND I.
Having worked on the tour with Brynner the year before, I thought it was interesting how the emphasis changed when a different role became the star part. I'm not sure I agree with Dolly that Kermoyan was a strong enough foil as the King.
I found myself fantasizing about how the show would play with both Brynner and Lansbury. Unfortunately, by that time, he was playing everything out front a la Ethel Merman and it's hard to imagine Lansbury wanting to deal with that. And equally hard to imagine Brynner letting another big name on "his" stage.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Dollypop 2012-05-05 22:50:21
Remember the hairdo Kermoyan wore as The King? It was something Lady GaGa would come up with these days!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by explorer 2012-05-05 23:03:54
That's funny Dollypop because I do remember that hairdo!!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by sanfrankid1 2012-05-06 00:59:19
Yes I was there and glad to know others remember her beautiful performance!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Gaveston2 2012-05-06 04:00:00
I haven't thought of the hairdo in decades, but now that you mention it, Dolly, it was indeed remarkable!
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by rosscoe(au) 2012-05-06 04:30:41
There is also a bootleg of this ( Audio ) floating around as well, Ms Lansbury sounds wonderful.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by rosscoe(au) 2012-05-06 04:30:41
There is also a bootleg of this ( Audio ) floating around as well, Ms Lansbury sounds wonderful.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by BwayBoundJoe 2012-05-06 18:48:44
I'm 22 and I am jealous that you all got to see her performances. I would have KILLED to have been alive and of age enough to see her in Dear World and Gypsy.
re: Angela Lansbury As Anna Leonowens?
Posted by Gaveston2 2012-05-06 21:33:03
As I've said elsewhere, Angela Lansbury in MAME, GYPSY and SWEENEY TODD are three of the greatest performances I've ever seen. Actually, 60 of the greatest performances I've seen since that's about how many times I saw her in those three shows alone.
And she was very good in THE KING AND I, as well, but I know exactly what the poster above means about the role of Anna L. being "more restrained".
