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Post by peggs on Aug 4, 2019 21:53:30 GMT
Watched episode one and was thinking oh is this who everyone was on about when Sweet Charity was on at the Donmar?! I think even that tiny in helped me as I don't know anything else but I recognised the number and that held me. Goodness the world is proper messed up now but at least the comb over is no longer considered the go to hair style. Michelle Williams is a real eye opener. Too late to binge but will def be going back for episode 2.
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Post by theatreian on Aug 4, 2019 21:59:40 GMT
Yes saw both episodes back to back last night and really enjoyed it. Great to see an insight into a legend like Fosse. If it is in anyway accurate which given the involvement of his daughter it doesn't paint too rosy a picture of the man so far.
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Post by lynette on Aug 5, 2019 10:48:50 GMT
The docu on Verdon is interesting. It is totally uncritical, a kind of adoration. (BBC iPlayer ) Doesn’t mention Cabaret much if at all. Lots of nice clips of her in early times. Her two children interviewed, seems the drama has a different take on the boy’s upbringing but reading between the lines, it looks pretty accurate emotionally. Interesting to compare.
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Post by missthelma on Aug 7, 2019 12:23:37 GMT
Don't forget the documentary about Gwen on BBC 4 tonight. Thanks so much for this, I didn't know it was on as I rarely look at TV schedules, thanks to you I recorded it.
Thoroughly enjoyed it although it was a bit of a hagiography. Good to see stuff of hers outside of the Fosse connection. There's a book on her I've wanted to read for ages but the price never gets reasonable on Amazon so this will do in the meantime
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Post by marob on Aug 7, 2019 18:13:31 GMT
Only 2 episodes in but quite like this, despite knowing almost nothing about Fosse or Verdon. I'll have to watch the documentary.
Have they put anything else on to tie in with this? When Feud was on they showed a few different Bette Davis and Joan Crawford films.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 7, 2019 19:49:03 GMT
MICHELLE WILLIAMS. That is all.
What a stunning actress she is. She totally elevates this series to another level. What a great Charity she’d make too.. if anyone could bear the idea of it again after the shocking Donmar production.
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Post by lynette on Aug 8, 2019 14:16:54 GMT
With the Donmar show I didn’t know what it was supposed to be but now I know. O for a proper dancer.
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Post by peggs on Aug 8, 2019 17:09:30 GMT
With the Donmar show I didn’t know what it was supposed to be but now I know. O for a proper dancer. It is probably as well that I've seen them this way round so could quite happily accept Donmar Charity not have g any expectations.
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 9, 2019 11:40:03 GMT
I thought this was a pretty spectacular series.
Michelle Williams is without doubt one of the greatest talents of her generation, and make me very emotional several times - her rendition of Where Am I Going, and then letting Fosse HAVE IT after singing Nowadays was stunning. She must have been an extraordinary Sally Bowles in Cabaret. I would love to see her actually play Charity, but likewise don't know as I could sit through it again after the horror that was the Donmar.
Great to see musical theatre history up on the small screen for everyone to see.
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Aug 9, 2019 12:39:46 GMT
Michelle Williams should get the Emmy for this, she captures the voice, physicality and attitude of Verdon perfectly. I wouldn’t want to see her as Verdon in a Verdon role, however, as that’s the antithesis of theatre, mere copying. I’d like to see her in something like Lady in the Dark or Kiss Me Kate. She’d also be brilliant for the Broadway transfer of Company.
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Post by steve10086 on Aug 9, 2019 19:22:48 GMT
Fosse was a right sh*t!
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Post by steve10086 on Aug 9, 2019 22:56:25 GMT
Did Gwen Verdon actually talk like that?!
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Post by lynette on Aug 10, 2019 13:15:39 GMT
On the documentary there is an interview with her. So you can hear and see how she did talk.
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Post by winonaforever on Aug 10, 2019 13:43:24 GMT
I didn't like the first episode at all, but I'm enjoying it now. I do think it helps to know a lot about Gwen Verdon though, if I didn't, I think I'd be a bit confused during the flashbacks.
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Post by BoOverall on Aug 13, 2019 13:45:21 GMT
Loved this and was something of a binge-watch...sans shame!
Having then watched clips of the real Tony Awards that were referred to in the series with Fosse and co featuring, I have now been watching full Tony Award ceremonies every night or so - courtesy of YouTube. I’m currently at 1984: it’s absolutely fascinating delving into those years of theatre, some great and poignant performances from presenters and show excepts....and some less so. But fun. I do feel as if I’ve stepped into a Tardis for 2 hours or so each time and am loving it.
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Post by robertb213 on Aug 13, 2019 15:27:56 GMT
Loved this and was something of a binge-watch...sans shame! Having then watched clips of the real Tony Awards that were referred to in the series with Fosse and co featuring, I have now been watching full Tony Award ceremonies every night or so - courtesy of YouTube. I’m currently at 1984: it’s absolutely fascinating delving into those years of theatre, some great and poignant performances from presenters and show excepts....and some less so. But fun. I do feel as if I’ve stepped into a Tardis for 2 hours or so each time and am loving it. I've done that, utterly loved seeing all of the old performances and the stars who originated these classic roles. YouTube is awesome for that (and for bootleg recordings, which of course I don't condone but have spent many an hour watching!)
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Post by BoOverall on Aug 14, 2019 7:45:29 GMT
Loved this and was something of a binge-watch...sans shame! Having then watched clips of the real Tony Awards that were referred to in the series with Fosse and co featuring, I have now been watching full Tony Award ceremonies every night or so - courtesy of YouTube. I’m currently at 1984: it’s absolutely fascinating delving into those years of theatre, some great and poignant performances from presenters and show excepts....and some less so. But fun. I do feel as if I’ve stepped into a Tardis for 2 hours or so each time and am loving it. I've done that, utterly loved seeing all of the old performances and the stars who originated these classic roles. YouTube is awesome for that (and for bootleg recordings, which of course I don't condone but have spent many an hour watching!) 😇Yes, such a thrill to watch some true legends in actions. I’ve now got my partner watching them, but his main thing is either googling when such and such died(!) or doing Carol Channing impersonations. While I am often drawn to IBDB to look up more details of some of the more obscure shows.
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Post by ruthieh on Aug 17, 2019 7:56:26 GMT
Binge watched first three episodes last night! Really enjoyed it so far.
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Post by crowblack on Aug 17, 2019 8:43:45 GMT
I didn't like the first episode and bailed out of the second but got back into it with episode 3 because it was on in the background so now I suppose I'll have to watch the lot dammit (there's too much tv!).
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Post by freckles on Aug 17, 2019 10:31:19 GMT
I’m really enjoying it. Watching at bbc pace.
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Post by dlevi on Aug 17, 2019 11:24:03 GMT
I think the whole series is terrific. Sam Rockwell is ok - he lacks that certain charm that Fosse possessed ( how else could he be such a monster and get away with that behavior?) but Michelle Williams is giving a performance for the ages. She's done that thing - which Helen Mirren was able to do with The Queen - and that is, she becomes who she is playing and when you see the real one , they're a disappointment because they aren't the star who has embodied them. I was lucky enough to see Ms Verdon a fair number of times, and so I had a chip on my shoulder about Ms Williams - but she's astonishing. And in the episode in the beach house she and Mr Rockwell ( with full credit to the writing and direction ) actually help you understand the complexity of their relationship. There's so much they get right in the serious that it seems bitchy to complain about what they've gotten wrong. ( Fosse, Chayefesky and Herb Gardner were inseparable and the series has eliminated Gardener from the equation. ) . So let's just say that for folks on this board - it's pretty much essential viewing. As is Merely Marvelous - the Gwen Verdon documentary currently on BBC 4
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Post by tommy on Aug 18, 2019 16:38:00 GMT
I've done that, utterly loved seeing all of the old performances and the stars who originated these classic roles. YouTube is awesome for that (and for bootleg recordings, which of course I don't condone but have spent many an hour watching!) 😇Yes, such a thrill to watch some true legends in actions. I’ve now got my partner watching them, but his main thing is either googling when such and such died(!) or doing Carol Channing impersonations. While I am often drawn to IBDB to look up more details of some of the more obscure shows. Also great to discover how in this series the choreography of Damn Yankees scene almost seemed exactly the same as in the original version with Fosse and Verdon themselves!
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Post by partytentdown on Aug 18, 2019 17:49:14 GMT
Weird question about the Damn Yankees/Who's got the Pain routine for one of you experts! In the Fosse/Verdon show and the classic clip they make the noise 'ERP!' but I've also seen versions where they say 'UGH!' and I think the libretto also uses the latter. What's going on with that ERP noise?!
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Post by Deal J on Aug 19, 2019 11:35:39 GMT
Funnily enough I was looking into this over the weekend - I'd never seen the Who's Got The Pain routine before, and I think I've watched it about 50 times now I thought they were saying "ERP!" as well, but I read somewhere that the closed-caption subtitles showed "UGH!" as per the published lyrics. The same source suggest that it might be because "UGH!" isn't easily projected. This is too cute... my husband said to me "You really love that Penguin song, don't you?" - he thought they were saying "Who's got the penguin" and that the "ERP!" was them making penguin noise!
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Post by lynette on Aug 22, 2019 12:36:34 GMT
Some terrific acting in this series, the dialogue so natural despite the need for heightened language and her undermining at the dinner party, well, wow.
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Post by ruthieh on Aug 24, 2019 16:45:41 GMT
Just finished it. Really enjoyed this series.
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Post by david on Aug 26, 2019 16:44:10 GMT
With nothing else on TV today, I decided to binge watch it and what an absolutely fantastic series this was. Both Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams were both brilliant, though for me Michelle WIlliams as Verdon was the standout for me and hopefully she will win an Emmy award next month for her role as its thoroughly deserved. The musical numbers were a joy to watch in each episode.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Sept 2, 2019 19:25:32 GMT
Bit behind on this, just watching episode 5 (the one in the beach house). As in previous episodes I'm intrigued by the parallels between the Fosse/ Verdon story and the plot of Merrily We Roll Along.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Sept 5, 2019 19:34:46 GMT
An excellent series, the closing montage outside the theatre was particularly emotional, watched the documentary first which I found helped as had little idea who Fosse and Verdon were, (even though by cultural osmosis found I knew all the shows) and could appreciate the superlative acting all the more.
Would not have considered watching without the Musical Theatre education I have received on this site.
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Post by lynette on Sept 5, 2019 20:51:32 GMT
Funny how Verdon isn’t so well known here in UK. Or am I wrong?
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