Is Angela Lansbury not good enough for West End?

[Will42]

It was just announced that Mark Rylance will direct James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which would be a perfect role for Lansbury (no offence to Ms. Redgrave).
Australia of all places will get 5 months of her greatness in Driving Miss Daisy, so why can't they finally offer her something worthy here?
She has played Gertrude in Old Vic production of Hamlet back in 1975, that was almost 40 years ago and she's not getting any younger.
It's not like Ms. Lansbury doesn't want to come back. She has said many times that she would love to perform on the West End stage. Particularly, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, because that is where her mother Moyna Macgill played.
She is still waiting for someone to make the offer and they better do it soon.

[theeatah]

It's punishment for not originating MAME there.

[Scripps2]

"It's not like Ms. Lansbury doesn't want to come back. She has said many times that she would love to perform on the West End stage."

Well she's hardly likely to say "My family left the UK because they were pissed off with the whole situation there, and I think they made the right decision" is she?

But I think if she really wanted to do a lengthy run on the West End stage it would have happened by now.

[Princeton Returns]

didnt they try to get her for mrs higgins in the recent pygmalian revival?

[qolbinau]

At 87 Lansbury must be one of the oldest stage actors ever. It must be a risky investment to mount a stage show around her (can you insure something like this in case she fell ill?).

I am surprised she is coming to Australia. Maybe John Frost (the producer) is more willing to take a risk than those in the West End.

[winston89]

They mounted a production around her a couple of years back with Night Music. Granted, her health wasn't the concern that the producers had. Their concern was that she would remember her lines. However, she wore an earwig to be able to have her lines fed to her.

[Will42]

Yeah, there were some talks about her starring in the revival, but for some reason it never came to frustration. They still found a star at the end in Dame Diana Rigg.

[Will42]

While 87 is a very impressive age, she far from being even one the oldest. Cathleen Nesbitt, for example was playing Mrs. Higgins in My Fair Lady revival when she was over 90 years old, Russian actor Vladimir Zeldin was playing the lead role in a stage musical while being in his late 90's and Dutch actor Johannes Heesters kept performing on stage till he turned 104. Estelle Parsons (85), Rosemary Harris (85), Barbara Cook (85) and Elaine Stritch (87) are all still very much in business.
Ms. Lansbury said that she doesn't feel her age at all and feels like she's in her 50's. She's in great shape and as far as I know almost never missed a performance and hopefully will continue to entertain us for many years to come.

[Will42]

She asked for an earpiece during the Blithe Spirit run in 2009, but she was not wearing any for a Little Night Music (2010) or The Best Man (2012).

[qolbinau]

You listed three actors that were older than her, lol. I think that qualifies as one of the oldest.

[Will42]

Well, today came yet another proof that Brits don't appreciate/care for Ms. Lansbury. She is 87 years old and still not made a Dame. What are they waiting for?
Julie Andrews, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Elisabeth Taylor, Vanessa Redgrave (she declined though), Helen Mirren, Eileen Atkins, Joan Plowright, Harriet Walter any many other actresses are all younger than Lansbury and yet they all have been offered with DBE ages ago.

[Princeton Returns]

whilst i agree she should be made a dame i do wonder if she has turned it down before as she does tend to play down her british routes. you can always nominate her

[Will42]

I doubt she would turn it down. After all she happily accepted her CBE 20 years ago. Plus, when somebody turns it down it instantly goes public (Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren (CBE), David Bowie, Jim Broadbent, Albert Finney (twice), etc.)

Not sure what you mean by playing down her British routes. Ms. Lansbury seems to be very proud of her origins. Nearly every time she speaks with a UK journalist she mentions her mother and her grandfather George Lansbury who was the leader of the Labour Party in the 30's.

[songanddanceman2]

I refuse to embrace her if she comes to the West End until she brings back Murder She Wrote....yeah you heard it....i LOVE Murder She Wrote

[Will42]

Ms. Lansbury actually said that she wouldn't mind to make more Murder, She Wrote movies, but I doubt CBS is interested in bringing it back after so many years. The last one came out 10 years ago.

[songanddanceman2]

Damn you CBS.....DAMN YOU!!!!

[bdn223]

Ms.Lansbury has since renounced her British citizenship in favor of American citizenship which is likly why she hasn't been named a Dame.

[Will42]

I can't find an official conformation of her ether renouncing or keeping her British citizenship after she became a naturalized US citizen in 1951, but I always thought had a dual citizenship.
But even if she doesn't have one, Ms. Lansbury is still eligible to receive the title and become an honorary Dame.

[Princeton Returns]

Thanks bdn i thought that was the case but couldn't be sure of the details.

If she has renounced her citizenship to be honest why should she be made a dame. She has had little to do with the UK for a very long time

[ClapYo'Hands]

Neither has Sir Roger Moore.

[Princeton Returns]

Has he renounced his citizenship too?

[hermajesty]

She's probably always booked up and not been available at the time for UK productions

[Briaansmith]

Will42 I live in Australia and its a great country thank you very much

[Will42]

I'm sure it's a beautiful country.
I just meant that it's very far away from home. Driving Miss Daisy producers wanted Ms. Lansbury and she agreed to travel that far and tour in different climate away from home for the half-year. This is huge for the person her age. But she came along because it's a great part and one in a lifetime opportunity.

I'm sure she would've gladly agreed to perform on a land she was born had anyone actually offered her a role worthy of her talent and showed real interest in bringing her here.

Here's the cast of Driving Miss Daisy during press event in Sydney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wPB7tNFN1k