Mistress
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Elaine Paige vs Betty B.I was just curious to know why some people favoured Betty as Grizabella over Elaine. It was her performance, which I caught on Youtube, that made me go out and rent the movie form the library. I was left in tears after basically every one of her scenes. Elaine sings and performs with so much empotion, REAL (in my opinion) emotion. It's like she's performing as herself, not as Grizabella and she really feels the same pain and rejection as the character. Of all the versions of Memory I've watched (online) her's is my favourite.
Betty, on the other hand, seemes bored performing it. Maybe it's because the clip I saw was the Tony performance, so it didn't demand as much effort as a regular performance, but still I still felt that Betty was too cold and emotionless for the song. She performed Memory like she was bored or something. One good thing, however, was her singing, which I admit was a little better than Elaine's.
That's just my opnion though. I really want some other opinions so I can better understand Betty Buckley's strengths and appeal in her interpretation of the role, and be more critical and less biased when looking at other versions of Cats.
Also feel free to put out any other Grizabella's worth mentioning, I'm always looking to explore different interptretations and learn new things. 
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darkmage
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For me it's Elaine Paige hands down. On the OBC vs. OLC, it quickly becomes clear that Paige can do something Buckley cannot--mainly, sing. 
Paige seems to have more technical skill and a greater ability to get the character out through her voice.
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Pounce
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Buckley won the Tony for her Griz so she probably has a soft spot for "Memory". I saw her perform a selection of songs with a small band and she sang "Memory" last. She commented that it was the only song in the show with lyrics not by T.S. Eliot but I think that is technically wrong because didn't Trevor Nunn borrowed lines from Eliot's poems to create it? She also said that people often ask her if she ever gets tired of performing it and she said no, she doesn't.
Her performance of "Memory" that night wasn't very good (but not bad either however) but you have to keep in mind that she is getting rather old (like Griz) and she said that for that reason, she can identify better with the character now.
But between Paige and Buckley, I think Paige puts in the right emotion.
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Moongewl
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| Pounce wrote: | | She commented that it was the only song in the show with lyrics not by T.S. Eliot but I think that is technically wrong because didn't Trevor Nunn borrowed lines from Eliot's poems to create it? |
Trevor Nunn gets the credit for the lyrics because the lines/phrases/word combinations taken from "Rhapsody on a Windy Night" and "Preludes" were sufficiently rewritten into something that doesn't look quite like either of those pieces, although they do have many similarities apart from the obvious word-based similarity and imagery.
Here's most of the word similarities that can be quickly paralleled at 1:45 in the morning:
Midnight(Twelve o'clock. --Rhapsody)
Not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?(The moon has lost her memory. --Rhapsody)
She is smiling alone.(She smiles into corners and She is alone --Rhapsody)
In the lamplight
The withered leaves collect at my feet(And now a gusty shower wraps/The grimy scraps/Of withered leaves about your feet --Preludes)
And the wind begins to moan.
Memory (Memory!/You have the key --Rhapsody)
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again
Every streetlamp seems to beat
A fatalistic warning(Every street lamp that I pass/Beats like a fatalistic drum --Rhapsody)
Someone mutters
And the streetlamp gutters(The street lamp sputtered/The street lamp muttered --Rhapsody)
And soon it will be morning
Daylight
I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I musn't give in
When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin
Burnt out ends of smoky days(The burnt-out ends of smoky days. --Preludes)
The stale cold smell of morning
The streetlamp dies, another night is over
Another day is dawning
Touch me
It's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me
You'll understand what happiness is...
Look,
A new day has begun.
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Spatzthecat
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Hi
I have seen both ladies sing live and both met them as well, and to me it's Elaine all the way.
I hate to be sexist, better & voice, looks and how she acts her roles, bearing in mind Elaine is very small.
I now must admit that both ladies voices are not what they were when they were younger, but I think both could give the younger ones a run for thier money.
In terms of autograph collecting Elaine has the better hand writing.
Spatz
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Gwen
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| Spatzthecat wrote: | Hi
In terms of autograph collecting Elaine has the better hand writing.
Spatz |
Okay that made me laugh!
Well..hmm. Has anyone seen Elaine as Griz in Hey! Mr. Producer? She had a lot more emotion in that performance than in the Cats video... I'm going with Elaine Page based on that performance. Betty Buckley I feel just...sings it, though I've only heard her from the Broadway recording.
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Rumpleteazer4760
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I also prefer Elaine Paige as Griz because I think that she acts the part with more emotion and I also think her voice sounds clearer.
Another Grizabella I saw that I absolutely LOVED was one of the actresses I heard on the US National Tour. It was either Gretchen Goldsworthy or Esther Stilwell, but I can't quite remember which was the one I liked.
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