Judi Dench’s SEND IN THE CLOWNS is definitive

Who died and made you the Grand Poobah, arbiter of theatrical brilliance?

I like Judi's version, but still prefer the original.

She's no Lani Hall Alpert.

Dench is wonderful but Sondheim specifically wrote the song for Glynis Johns and IMHO no one did it better.

Happy 75th

“Who died and made you the Grand Poobah”

Your mother, remember? She disinherited you at the same time. For reasons well known to you.

My mother liked Janis Joplin, Bette Midler and Bonnie Raitt. She was no arbiter.

I do love Judy's version but would agree with some of the comments here that Glynis does the version that is definitive in terms of cast recordings.

The cast recordings of Judy's performance is a bit hard to find now, and I have never found a copy that didn't have the same mastering errors (basically, audio glitches) late in the score. I hope they remaster it and rerelease it some day.

I'd never seen Glynis John's version before this thread, and I still prefer Judi's. It's more delicate in its bitterness (and she sounded better than GJ's in the clip above, which I realize was not the original), and I was surprised how moving it was to me. That was the first rendition I'd heard that opened up the meaning of the song to me.

I saw it in the National Theatre 50th anniversary show that was broadcast, btw.

This is a song I’d have loved to hear Judy Garland sing it.

Saw Judi in Night Music. She was sublime. Never got to see Glynis, sad to say, but the clips I’ve seen are wonderful

Here's Judi at 1:12:09.

Dench underlines the character's bitterness and vulnerability.

Glynis Johns plays it worldly-wise and sardonic.

Glynis' interpretation is sophisticated and true to the role.

However, Dench's version is perfect for today's sensibilities...

Glynis Johns died just last year at 100 years old.

There ought.

To be.

CLOWNS.