Maryann Plunkett won the 1987 Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Me and My Girl, but what many might not know is that the role of Sally in the Stephen Fry-Mike Ockrent revisal of the British classic was first played by Emma Thompson in the West End.
The show was a mammoth success in London, besting Les Miserables for most of the awards (most particularly Robert Lindsay’s sweep of Best Actor in a Musical) and running for 8 years.
From the Royal Variety Performance here’s Lindsay and Thompson performing the title song:
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They are joined by the company for the rousing “Lambeth Walk”
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can did you know that Joanna Riding was the SIXTH replacement for the part of Sally on the West End? and that she shortly thereafter created a mesmerizing portrayal (the best i have ever seen) in the NT’s production of CAROUSEL. Apparently Nicholas Hytner was impressed with her previous work – smart guy!