Elaine Stritch's manic late-night THE LADIES WHO LUNCH was the best version

I did a little cocaine tonight!

Wow! That was -well that was really something. New to me-thx OP

Thanks, OP.

In that clip it is interesting how amiable Stritch is, how well she took direction, really wanted to please and get it right. A trouper.

Also: Sondheim had such a beautiful, soothing speaking voice.

And Thomas Z. Shepard, also featured in that clip, is still with us.

WOW, OP!

It's weird, I've always liked Elaine Stritch and disliked Elaine Stritch, and that clip encapsulates why.

1/3 of the way through the clip my 3-legged cat hopped up to sit beside me; I figure it's because Elaine was talking more than singing and Wyki always wants to know who I'm talking to on my phone. Then she started singing more than talk-singing, and Wyki fell asleep. Then that SCREAM she does 1/4 from the end scared the shit out of the poor cat and he tapped my leg like "What the FUCK, bro?"

And I told him "Forget it Wyk; it's Elaine Stritch." But he's never seen Chinatown so didn't get the reference.

What a fascinating clip.

Seems that DL is attracting a lot of Fraus lately...

When Elaine doesn’t know what to do, her first instinct is to go bigger.

That doesn’t always work for Sondheim.

To those of you familiar with Miss Stritch, especially her stage work, in your opinion do you think she's a good/great actress, a good interpreter of the playwright's/librettist's work? Mediocre singer, but great actress?

I ask because I've only ever seen her on TV, and while I find her interesting always, whether it's a special guest star spot in Wagon Train in the late '50s or her several guest spots on Law & Order in the 90s-Oughts, she seems to play variations of the same character. I've never seen her disappear into a role.

But maybe she's like an Anne Baxter, a Clark Gable, or Bette Midler, or Tom Cruise--when they're cast, they're cast BECAUSE they are S-T-A-R-S, and the desired audience always know what they're going to see onstage/onscreen?

I did a little armchair calculation on an envelope, and Elaine Stritch was in her mid- 40s when she did that recording. Some people apparently live harder than others. Sounds like a pint of whiskey and 2 packs of cigarettes were permanently lodged in her throat. But she was probably correctly cast as Joanne in the show.

Musically it's one of Sondheim's best IMO. And the bitch sells it.

Let’s get into it!

LET’S!

R9. When she had the discipline of a theatre schedule (i.e. 8 performances a week), she could be excellent—as in the revival of “A Delicate Balance”) and her solo show, “At Liberty” was one of the five greatest nights I’ve spent in the theater. I saw her with Peter’s in “A Little Night Music” and was lucky enough to catch her on a night when she only got confused on two lines, and, given the character, it did not disturb the illusion (and Peter’s helped her out). She probably should have used an earpiece, as Lansbury did, but no doubt some combination of pride and orneriness wouldn’t allow her to admit she needed assistance (Lansbury was more pragmatic and balanced, so could deal with the natural effects of aging). And it would be fair to say she might have been better off to let “At Liberty” be her farewell to live theatre. And I’ve heard all the horror stories, which paint her as a mixture of insecurity and narcissism, and I suspect most are true, and no doubt there are more that haven’t been told. But I will always treasure those three nights I saw her live.

looks nutty.

but the bitch nails the audio.

Sondheim is perfect with her...gently nudging er to where he wants her to go.

To be honest, her voice may be perfect for the number, but it was a mediocre voice at that stage in her life. Then again, probably best for the number.

Sometimes he wrote for the stage, and sometimes he wrote for the singer. Who can know?

She doesn't sing; she BRAYS!

I got my self-heckle from Elaine: WRONG!

Thanks for the thoughtful reply, R13; makes a lot of sense.

[quote]When she had the discipline of a theatre schedule (i.e. 8 performances a week), she could be excellent—as in the revival of “A Delicate Balance”) and [bold]her solo show, “At Liberty” was one of the five greatest nights I’ve spent in the theater.[/bold]

What a wonderful thing it must be to live in/close to NYC, to have access to everything you described; your bolded comment gave me shivers.

[quote]I saw her with Peter’s in “A Little Night Music”

With Peter's what?

peter?

She was screaming the song, not singing it, by the end of the night. Fascinating in some ways, but clearly not the version Sondheim and others wanted as the permanent record of the show. The version she did the following morning was more controlled, and therefor the right choice for the cast recording.

I loved her in everything I saw her do, including theS AIL AWAY concert at Carnegie Hall. Would have given anything to see that original production. (Missed her in COMPANY, too.). I've heard all the stories of her bad behavior, rudeness, unpredictability. But I was never a victim of any of this, so I can say without hesitation that she is one of the greatest entertainers I've ever seen in my long life.

She is H A R D B O I L E D