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Our favourite Follies’ cast from the past

12 Dec 2024

From Imelda Staunton to Carol Burnett, Follies has seen some of the biggest names in showbusiness perform its powerful hits. We’ve picked our favourites.

Follies is a bit of an enigma. It doesn’t come around all that often, despite debuting some 40 years ago. This makes our production of Follies in February — the first fully staged in Australia, outside of amateur theatre and concert versions — an incredibly rare and exciting event.

“Few people know the real Follies,” Artistic Director Stuart Maunder recently told Limelight. “Like most people who had not seen the show in its original season, I could not experience the full force of this elusive piece until I experienced the show in a full production.”

The cast of Follies past linger in our hearts at Victorian Opera. The resolute stance of Carol Burnett singing ‘I’m Still Here’; the hoarse (and slightly mad) final note of Imelda Staunton singing ‘Losing My Mind’; and Alexis Smith’s incomparable charisma in ‘Could I Leave You’, have captivated for years.

So, as rehearsals get underway, Artistic Director Stuart Maunder, Head of Music Phoebe Briggs and Head of Marketing Scott Whinfield shared their favourite versions of the biggest hits from Follies .

Broadway Baby

by Elaine Stritch

Picked by Phoebe Briggs.

Elaine Stritch’s performance of Broadway Baby is a masterclass in storytelling and captivating an audience. The pacing is slower here, but she manages to hold you for every single beat. This recording comes from the performer’s one-woman special in 2002, where she charts her roots from The New School to Broadway star.

Losing My Mind

By Imelda Staunton

Picked by Scott Whinfield.

“Imelda Staunton is such an extraordinary actress and has performed iconic musical theatre roles, such as Mama Rose and Dolly Levi. It’s thrilling to have such a great recording of her performance as Sally in Follies available,” Scott says.

“Her performances of ‘Losing my Mind’ is filled with such brokenness. It’s absolutely captivating. I can’t wait to see Antoinette Halloran, an absolute master of her craft in every sense, perform this role.”

Could I Leave You

by Alexis Smith

Picked by Stuart Maunder.

“Nobody has shown such hurt bitterness, pain, defeat and love in the rendition of this remarkable song. That is of course, until Marina Prior does same,” Stuart says.

I'm Still Here

Picked by Phoebe Briggs.

Carol Burnett remains one of the best-loved performers of the 21st Century, known for the legendary The Carol Burnett Show, her performance as Miss Hannigan in Annie and, most recently, in Apple TV’s Palm Royale. As someone who truly knows life in showbusiness, her performance of I’m Still Here is enriched by her own storied career.

Follies: 1–6 February 2025, Palais Theatre, St Kilda