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Natasha Richardson, 1963-2009
I wish I could say I knew Natasha Richardson’s film work well, but I cannot. Still, I find myself deeply saddened by her untimely passing all the same.
That’s largely because of the sudenness and cruelty of her accident, no doubt, and of profound sympathy for her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, aunt Lynn Redgrave, sister Joely Richardson, husband Liam Neeson, sons Michael and Daniel, and the rest of her family.
I think it’s also because I wish I had known her work better. I read one article that said she was “best known” for playing the mother in Disney’s 1998 Parent Trap remake.
Really? That wasn’t true for me. Her best role was a performance I never even had the pleasure to witness.
When the Kander and Ebb classic Cabaret was revived on Broadway in 1998 by Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall, Natasha Richardson took on Sally Bowles (a role close to my heart because a friend of mine did an excellent job following in Richardson’s footsteps) and won a Tony for her efforts. Save for a few clips here and there, I never saw her performance, but I heard it on the CD cast recording, and she blew me away through sheer vocal prowess. Richardson wasn’t a singer, but then, Sally wasn’t supposed to be much of one, and Richardson sold that for all it was worth and then some.
Here’s a clip of her performing my favorite song in the show, “Maybe This Time.”
If that isn’t talent, ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know what is. “Isn’t that long a stay” indeed.
Prayers and condolences to all.
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By Cathy
March 19, 2009 9:06 AM | Link to this
This is so incredibly sad. My heartfelt thoughts & prayers go out to Ms. Richardson’s family.