Haworth was my first Sally, the year it opened - courtesy of the album - and to my ears remains the most "authentic," i.e., perhaps closest to the Isherwood creation of the second rate wannabe-more-than-accomplished chanteuse. When I saw Richardson, I felt I had finally seen the character as originally intended. I've never felt the role worked as well with a classic Broadway triple threat, and when I listened to the Dench vocals, I understand why Prince was adamant that Sally have a self-made show biz persona rather than pop like, say, a Streisand at the Bon Soir. The Kit Kat Klub is seedy, its talent lower rung. Minelli, brilliant, certainly established an alternative take - a potential star was poignantly buried amid the cultural decline and decadence.
The first Sally I saw was the gifted Melissa Hart in the first national. She was more than fine, by any yardstick. But I missed the Haworth-ness of the role. |