SYNOPSIS
Debbie Reynolds: Alive and Fabulous
Back in the 1950s Hollywood was a very different place to the image of Tinseltown we have today. The whole landscape was different, with a range of stars that lived the glamorous lifestyle amongst a studio system that treated them in a varying manner to those of today.
It was a time when actors were often tied to a particular studio, contracted to them so that they would only star in their productions. It was also common for the performers to release songs and perform in various settings, whilst appearing in a wide range of movies.
Debbie Reynolds was a contract star for MGM and the 1950s was her heyday, the decade in which she released a range of movies that would cement her name in the public consciousness for decades to come. Her status has carried her to the modern day, with her name still capable of drawing hundreds of people to witness her star talent – a fact that she will prove with her new show at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue this April.
The venue will be opening its doors to the icon in the spring of 2010, showcasing her production “Debbie Reynolds: Alive and Fabulous”. In it, she will perform throughout, whilst actual MGM footage will chronicle her life under the spotlight. The evening will cover her long career, as well as her numerous marriages and all of the time that she spent dancing and singing. Speaking in early November 2009 she also said that she would be doing impressions of the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, Barbara Streisand and Mae West.
The American actress has many credits to her name and is best known for her work in iconic movies such as “Singin’ in the Rain”, “That’s Entertainment”, “Bundle of Joy” (alongside then-husband Eddie Fisher), “Tammy and the Bachelor” (alongside Leslie Nielson) and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” as well as, more recently, the likes of “The Bodyguard” and the TV series “Will & Grace”. So it is safe to say her career has had longevity and has allowed her to work alongside some of the greats, with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire amongst those whom she has called a colleague. She also managed to win numerous awards and nominations, including Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, whilst winning the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress in “The Catered Affair”.
Her legacy has even transcended the next generation, with her daughter Carrie Fisher following in her footsteps so that she is now best known as Princess Leia from the “Star Wars” series of movies.
So “Debbie Reynolds: Alive and Fabulous” will be a must see event for fans of the icon and newcomers alike and it appears at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue from Wednesday 28th April 2010 to Sunday 9th May 2010.
