Lansbury’s performance in Gypsy is legendary – this week in your views

With reference to Matthew Bourne’s favourite play: Angela Lansbury in Gypsy (1973), I remember thinking during Rose’s Turn, even before its shattering climax: “I’ve read about star quality, heard about it, and now I’m finally experiencing it.”

I was one of the critics in the Plays and Players Awards (it was my first time) who voted for Angela as best actress and I was and remain delighted that she won, though I do recall a few eyebrows being raised.

And after all these years, hers remains the greatest musical theatre performance I have seen, in a role that remains the Hamlet or Lear of musical protagonists – the one you have to play to be taken seriously.

And, interestingly, just about everyone who plays it gets prizes.

Robert Cushman
Via thestage.co.uk

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I am so glad that others remember this astonishing performance as vividly as I do. Great acting.

Rupert Christiansen
Via thestage.co.uk

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Auditions: a little bit of courtesy goes a long way

Regarding your Long Read feature ‘Casting directors: what are they looking for in 2025?’, we as performers invest so much in the process of auditioning and what it requires.

Since most of it is self-taped, at least acknowledge our inputs and provide a “not this time, thank you”; and the same for the rare in-person meeting.

It feels even more like we’re part of the bottom of the pyramid that doesn’t even grant us courtesy anymore. Everyone is busy; treat everyone how you’d like to  be treated.

Myriam Acharki
Via thestage.co.uk

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I had an audition last year in a mirrored room with the panel set up in front of said mirror. Throughout my whole audition, I could see the panel through the mirror on their iPads and laptops commenting on Facebook and checking Twitter accounts. Oops! Glad I spent time preparing for the audition. Blind casting at its best!

Joe Sleight
Via thestage.co.uk
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