[lottielou22]

I'm trying out for Nancy, and our director is very adamant about "As Long As He Needs Me" giving her the shivers. I think that I've got the Frolicking-With-The-Pickpockets-and-Singing-In-Bars Nancy down pretty well, but I think that her anguish and fierce love for Bill are escaping me.
Can you give me advice on how to have a more, i guess, moving performance during those moments??

[ActingDude17]

I'm gonna have trouble putting this into words, so bear with me.

Nancy was probably not treated very well as a child (contrast this with Oliver). Fagin probably was not particularly nice to her when she was pickpocketing for him in her younger days.

Love has been pretty scarce for Nancy. I think part of the reason she's loving Bill is that, deep down, she's yearning for his love in return. Not exactly romantic love, but just love, care, and compassion from someone.

...I'll play
This game
His way.

^ Even though Bill doesn't do everything (or anything) exactly right, Nancy's still gonna be there and do things his way. Why? Because if she doesn't Bill would turn away (or even more likely kill her).

Off the topic of ALAHNM: One other thing to consider is her care for Bet. At Bet's age she didn't have any adult role model to look up to, no one who even cared about her. She's trying to give Bet what she never got.

Some people may say I'm completely wrong, but that's just my personal analysis. Hope it helps!

By the way, have fun with the part!

[Nettik]

ActingDude17 got it.

I'd say just read the lyrics, listen to a few different renditions, and really try to find this side of Nancy's character for yourself.

Another thing to remember is that she was just beaten by Bill Sykes before she sings.

Movie version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhHbC4JfF3w

Various versions from around Youtube:

(This one has drums, but I like the emotion in the singer's voice.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYF2aj1hL4g

(I really like this version as a whole.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSLXLx3l_bA

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear Musicals.Net Posters,

I know that lottielou22's audition is probably over, but here are my two cents, with regards to the subject, just in case anybody else is trying to get the role of Nancy.

I think that Nancy is the ultimate pretender. She is also the ultimate excuse-maker. She is a woman who is so desperate for love, etc., that she is willing to lie to herself, and to everybody else, in an effort to FORCE love to happen by PRETENDING that it's actually happening...for her...

During the course of "Oliver!", we realize that Nancy is a very isolated woman; she's the lady who's whipping the crowd into revelry, and yet, she's all alone in the middle of that crowd, becuase there's not one single, solitary person who actually tries very actively to save her from her lifestyle.

She's the rowdy, sexy, very dirty, scummy excuse-maker, who will cover every bruise with a dimpled smile, and who will tie every soiled ribbon into a bow, in order to pretend that she's the Victorian Cinderella who's still got her Prince Charming. She's going to make everybody think that her life is okay, and, by golly, she does just that, excusing Bill Sykes, ruffling his hair, kissing his cheek, and being almost comically foolish so that she might be able to will her life to be all that she wishes that it were.

As the musical takes us closer towards its scariest moment, we realize that Nancy's REAL desire is to be needed; she wants more than anything to have a purpose, and that purpose MUST include Bill Sykes, because HE is the one aspect of her life that she can't relate to by being strong, or silly, or whatever. Her real inner conflict deals with her desire to be needed, even though she knows that the way by which Bill Sykes needs her includes more usery than love.

Nancy's final test of strength will cause her to choose between Bill Sykes and someone who truly needs her in a much more pleasant way. I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say that when Nancy realizes that there's someone else who needs her, she must force herself to be strong in the face of someone who makes her weak.

If your director wants you to "give the audience shivers", they probably want you to scare the audience just a bit while you're portraying the character of Nancy. I think that you can scare the audience by playing up Nancy's almost buffoonish, excuse-making merriment, and by then either making Nancy seem almost too strong, or too sweet, during her solo.

The audience should think, "Wow! She's so keen on pretending that she's perfect, and she's so desperate to be needed by Bill, that she's literally SICK!"

I hope that I've been able to explain Nancy in an understandable way.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[teapot]

Lottie, I STRONGLY recommend, with my extensive background in theatre, that you pay no attention to the Mint's peculiarly warped suggestions, unless you are able to sift through the nonsense and re-shape the absurdities into anything resembling true character analysis. Just my opinion.

[lottielou22]

As you can see from my signature, I didn't get Nancy.
(But I do get to be a drunken harlot, which is nearly as good lol)
So thank you all for your suggestions, everybody!!

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear lottielou22,

I'm sorry that you didn't get the role of Nancy, but Congratulations, anyway, with regards to getting the role of the harlot. That's a role that you can tailor to your own personal wishes.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear teapot,

Due to the fact that I have an extensive background in both literary analysis AND essay writing, I STRONGLY recommend that you explain what YOU think of Nancy, as a character.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[teapot]

Dear Mint:
I have read your posts, replete with errors of fact and grammar, and find your analysis in most situations to be lacking even the most basic logic or foundation. I know what you CLAIM to be; I also know that your ramblings are rarely indicative of any sort of higher education, and the gaps in your knowledge would be embarassing to anyone who had actually completed a college degree. I find you inherently unworthy of dialog, and so have not attempted to enter into any with you. I see no need to address any of your challenges, nor would I bother responding to your bizarre diatribes posing as threads. Thank you in advance for leaving me out of your conversations with others, and I will continue to address those persons who deserve attention rather than you.

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear teapot,

First of all, you never really explained your analysis of the character of Nancy.

Secondly, you may be interested to note that I am willing to admit that I have made grammatical, etc., mistakes. I will not make excuses for myself, and I will make certain that I don't make any more mistakes, because I am indeed a university graduate, although some ill-informed and/ or stubborn people would doubt that claim.

May I also remind you that YOU brought yourself into MY conversation with others, by TELLING THEM TO AVOID MY VALID ADVICE! Excuse me for being intelligent, but I belive that OTHER PEOPLE CAN JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES WEATHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD TAKE MY ADVICE. They do NOT need YOUR help, with regards to making such decisions. I sincerely doubt that other people "deserve" the responsibility of having to choose between REAL ADVICE and a PUT-DOWN! You never even offered any alternative advice! How mature of you. Wow!

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[teapot]

You don't read very well, either. I repeat:
"I find you inherently unworthy of dialog, and so have not attempted to enter into any with you. I see no need to address any of your challenges, nor would I bother responding to your bizarre diatribes posing as threads. Thank you in advance for leaving me out of your conversations with others, and I will continue to address those persons who deserve attention rather than you."

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear teapot,

Oh, I read perfectly well. I simply decided that if you were going to continue to hassle me, you might as well explain your analysis of Nancy. Apparently, you were never interested enough in the original poster to assist them in understanding the character of Nancy.

So, you wished for me to "leave you out of my conversations with others"? Well, how, or rather, why, was I supposed to be 100% neutral, when YOU insisted upon essentially telling the original poster that MY advice was no good? YOU actually WERE interfering with my conversation with the original poster, because you WERE telling THEM that I was not to be trusted, with regards to my advice.

Therefore, I think that I was perfectly justified in defending myself. You were accusing ME of being unreliable, and yet, YOU were exempting yourself from having to explain your OWN analytical opinion. THAT was, in MY opinion, a total cop-out.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[teapot]

Mint:
Let me put this very simply for you. I have read your threads and posts and have recognized them to be deliberately provocative, lacking in insight, inappropriately perverse, particularly in areas concerning sexual behavior, and generally the product of a disordered intellect. I will not debate you, nor am I interested in your opinions of my posts. When you have the nerve to give a fifteen year old actress who is auditioning for a youth production of Oliver the sublimely inane and sexually distorted advice you proffered, I did and will continue to advise such persons of the disdain with which that pseudopsychological psychotic analysis would be received by any rational casting director. As for the effect my conversation with a third person has upon your warped sensibilities, I can think of nothing that interests me less. Go bother someone who cares about your ranting.

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear teapot,

Thank you for finally being very concise about what you were trying to say.

I took the liberty of dividing your reply into two paragraphs, because I don't really take TOO much issue with you, with regards to the first part of your reply. I will even agree with you about the fact that my ideas, and my opinions, must seem strange, and even offensive, to some people.

I must say that I TOTALLY when I read the SECOND part of your reply. If a 15-year-old actress (who, by the way, didn't discuss her age anyway, so that I didn't KNOW that she was 15) is willing to audition for the complex role of Nancy, I think that she deserves a REAL character analysis, instead of some sickly-sweet, "child-friendly", dumbed-down excuse for an analysis; YOU didn't even provide ANY kind of an analysis, sickly-sweet or OTHERWISE. If you thought for one INSTANT that I was going to tell her that Nancy should be played in a Betty Crocker/ Stepford Wife sort of way, you thought WRONG. If you thought for one minute that I OUGHT to tell her such an outright lie, you were CRAZY!

I cannot BELIEVE that you took issue with a realistic analysis of a character who is not only physically mistreated, but murdered, during the course of the play to which she belongs. If the original poster is willing to try out for that role, she will learn the truth about it sooner or later. She's not a 13-year-old; she's a 15 (going on 16) year old high school student who more than likely does NOT want to be spoon fed a bunch of fluffy, cotton candy pink, friendly psychology about a character who is nowhere NEAR to being a cotton candy-type of woman!

The funniest part of the entire situation is the fact that she was actually cast as a HARLOT! She's currently playing the role of a harlot, and you're trying to protect her from WHAT, again...? I'm not saying that she IS a harlot in real life, or that she'd ever want to be a harlot, and yet, if she's mature enough to portray a prostitute, what are you trying to protect her from?

I'd love to read HER side of the story, because I'd like to know wheather or not YOU really ARE an expert, with regards to the teenage mind. I'd like to learn the answer from a REAL teenager! What a concept!

Heaven forbid that any 18+ actors read my advice; you'll probably be right there, trying to make their minds up FOR them, even though THEY'RE both actors AND adults!

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[JIJane]

I am well-acquainted with the agent who represented Lionel Blair and originally discovered Oliver and was the first to hear the score. I have had extensive conversations with him about the show and the charactes and I can confirm that Duchess' interpretation of Nancy is far from what Mr Bart had in mind.

For the best version of As long as he needs me, listen to the original Nancy - Georgia Brown. The best. Shirley Bassey's original version is also well worth a listen - in a totally different way.

"Nancy was probably not treated very well as a child (contrast this with Oliver)."

Oliver has equally had a very rough childhood.

[ActingDude17]

[lottielou22]

Eh, Georgia Brown didn't really do much for me, to be honest.

Also, Duchess and teapot, I'm really sorry for causing all of this, um, heated discussion between the two of you. I really appreciate what both of you were trying to do for me, although I wish that it hadn't escalated like it did.

[teapot]

Charlotte,
I think you are a charming young woman, and you have absolutely nothing for which you should apologize. I'm delighted you were cast in Oliver, and I hope it is a wonderful experience for you! Sincerely, Teapot

[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear lottielou22,

Don't worry about the argument; you didn't start the argument, and the argument wasn't your fault.

I'm glad that you appreciated the advice, though, and I hope that your school's performance of "Oliver!" is super!

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[JIJane]

"Eh, Georgia Brown didn't really do much for me, to be honest."

I am disturbed that you are unable to see the amazing talent and skill of this woman. In professional circles it's common knowledge that she was THE Nancy.

[Salome]

Georgia Brown will NEVER be topped as Nancy. I cant see how anyone cannot see that unless they are theatrical idiots.

not only was she the epitome of Nancy but her Mrs. Peachum in Threepenny Opera and Title role in Carmelina are definitive.

[JIJane]

Oh I love Carmelina! I love "Why him"! Does anyone have the sheet music??

[Salome]

[JIJane]

Ooooooh....do you know where I can buy it???

[JIJane]

Ooooooh....do you know where I can buy it???

[lottielou22]

[broadway babii x0]

oh my god, i hate georgia browns voice for nancy. maybe shes done better elsewhere, but her voice is not suited for nancy. and in the ALAHNM reprise, she sounds like shes straining and it absolutely ruins it for me. whenever i heard the nancy in our production sing it, i would tear up a little when she sang it. when i hear georgia sing it, i CRINGE. i love the movie nancy though.

[JIJane]

The movie Nancy was not Bart's choice and is too clean and Disney. No real enough, too nice. Nothing against the performer, very talented lady. Just - not that suited to the role of Nancy.

Bart hand picked Georgia Brown she was the Nancy HE saw after auditioning hundreds. And he did write the show and the songs. It just baffles me that people can't see how she fits Nancy like a glove. It's not about singing pretty - she is a street urchin! Brown had a HUGE voice, ever heard her music hall album? She was definitely not straining, she could belt much higher than that. If she sounds like she is straining then that's an acting choice, she is letting the emotion and the acting take over and not worrying if she sounds "nice". That's what made her a star. That's why she wasn't just another working MT actress. That's what made her stand out. It was a tragedy when she died so young of something so trivial (toxic shock syndrome after an op).

I seriously sometimes wonder about young people...and I am not "old" myself! And I also never saw Georgia Brown do the role. But you don't need to - you can hear it on the cast recording. It's all there.

I wonder with what kind of ears people listen to these things. This is not a matter of opinion, everyone I know in the profession - they all rate Georgia as the best. It's like an unwritten fact. It's just - obvious.

Maybe I am getting old...

[Salome]

you arent getting old..its the people today not understanding greatness.

[fjays]

Someone link me up with a video or recording of Georgia brown please!

[teapot]

I don't think there is a youtube with her singing anything from Oliver!, but if you go to Amazon you can preview a tiny snippet off the OBC or OLC recordings at http://www.amazon.com/Oliver-1963-Original-Broadway-Cast/dp/B000002W6A . There are some youtube videos of her singing other songs. She was absolutely amazing... the Nancy I saw live on Broadway and will never forget.

[JIJane]

She also has a music hall album out but it may not be available on CD....possibly record and or/tape only...

[fjays]

Oh..

Well I respect her and all, but I really do not enjoy her version of "Oom pa pa".. However, I really do like her "as long as he needs me".

[lottielou22]

When she rolls her "r"s it drives me nuts. I don't care if it's the dialect or whatever, it makes me crazy.
I agree, though, I enjoy her ALAHNM way better than Oom Pah Pah and Fine Life.