The sheer fragility in Ms Henderson's performance is heartbreaking and just downright beautiful. Yes, there are more exacting performances of this piece, but none touch the heart the way this one does. Probably one of the most moving scenes in any film.
I’m a male. I saw this film in the theatre in 1999. It immediately became my favorite film and Ms Henderson mesmerized me. I was 26 years old. I sent my parents to see the film, and they walked out half way through and would often tease me about sending them to such an atrocious film...
What I love about Shirley's rendition of this song is her attack. Most versions of this song that I have heard can drag, but Shirley is ON the notes exactly and keeps the pace up, and sustains for just the right amount in exactly the right places. She keeps it fresh and about the song and topic, not about showing off, but this is exactly what makes this rendition SPARKLE. But even more important, she absolutely NAILS the two phrase-sections in this song that require the singer to MAKE A STATEMENT with her voice: "I mean to rule the earth...", and "Ah pray make no mistake...". This is where the character's egocentricity should stand out and Shirley absolutely STAMPS those phrases with the power of her voice. Marvelous.
Leonora Braham, was an alcoholic and, like most alcoholics must have had very low self esteem, hence why I love this scene so much. Mike Leigh takes Gilbert's words and, in this scene, where Leonora recites Yum-Yum's ego maniacal lines, changes the context suggesting that Leonora gains some self esteem through playing this role. Terrific performance by Shirley Henderson. Terrific film.
I really didnt' realise that Shirley Henderson actually sung this song, I rather assumed she was acting and they got someone else to do the voice. She's an amazing talent!
I love this version best. In most productions yum-yum sings it almost jokingly. In this version from the movie Topsy-Turvy, she takes it very seriously, as if she means it, and she does. It fits both an actress about to become a star, which is the part in Topsy-Turvy, as well as a budding Empress.
For me, Shirley Henderson's ferocious performance of this fierce song, maybe G and S's most profound, is not only the the highlight of this great film, but one of the best ever because of her superb acting. Her Yum Yum is a powerful force. Thank you for posting.
I agree 100%. However, acting is one thing, singing is another, doing them both at the same time, over & over again each night & getting it as good as it sounds here is going to be a really tall order. You have to ask how many takes were edited together to get the finished article, both in terms of acting & singing. It's pretty obvious they were miming, even if it was their vocals that were recorded seprately. Still if they got together & toured I'd be first in line trying to get a ticket.
Nah, then it would be just another version of the Mikado. By doing it this way, the film stands out, we still get the best parts of the Mikado plus we get a whole new story.
What a beautiful film, filled with heart and soul. Honest perfomances from gifted actors, although I know they worked very hard to give us what we see and hear. Films like this are rare, often unknown, but no less wonderful for it.
If you have the DVD with the optional director's commentary (some do, some don't), check it out. Mike Leigh is SO appreciative and proud of his actors. And he never fails to point out that when anyone is shown singing or playing an instrument - they really are !
This is so wonderful on two levels - as a performance of a song and as a piece of film storytelling. Miss Henderson channels the earliest G&S leading ladies in her brilliant performance of this aria. Tender and powerful, and, as suggested by the marvelous setup by the director, just a little anxious. She blazes bright, but her days of perfect glory will not last too much longer.
Gilbert actually fired her a year or so later, but she went on to a successful career elsewhere. Perhaps the fact that she remarried, and so did not have the stress of being a single parent, helped control her drinking.
I don't see it in the comments so I will say it, the singer is Shirley Henderson, and she is SPOT ON, in this rendition of the famous G&S song of the Mikado, "The Sun Whose Rays...". Fabulous rendition.
Gilbert wrote this as a love letter to Leonora Braham's beautiful hidden inner soul, which was finally exposed by Mike Leigh and Shirley Henderson here.
An overwhelming scene. When I first saw this in NY it was just breathtaking in the theater. Henderson's performance is truly accurate in almost every way. She in fact is excellent in everything she undertakes. She can cry out of nowhere and keep acting through it in the most arresting way. Her art draws one in and makes one forgot this is an actress. You see only the character. Excellent talent and superb technical skills.
The sun, whose rays Are all ablaze With ever-living glory, Does not deny His majesty He scorns to tell a story! He don't exclaim, "I blush for shame, So kindly be indulgent." But, fierce and bold, In fiery gold, He glories all effulgent! I mean to rule the earth, As he the sky We really know our worth, The sun and I! I mean to rule the earth, As he the sky We really know our worth, The sun and I! Observe his flame, That placid dame, The moon's Celestial Highness; There's not a trace Upon her face Of diffidence or shyness: She borrows light That, through the night, Mankind may all acclaim her! And, truth to tell, She lights up well, So I, for one, don't blame her! Ah, pray make no mistake, We are not shy; We're very wide awake, The moon and I! Ah, pray make no mistake, We are not shy; We're very wide awake, The moon and I!
Oh what wonderful! The moon borrows light indeed. I love the economy in the expression of the actress. She could say a thousand words by just moving her eyes. Bravisima!
The fact that she, a bit drunk, commentates on her own artlessness, says so much about the performer's consciousness. She consciously pretends to be unconscious, and produces the illusion of innocence, which is her real self. She creates herself. It is a paradox; a high-wire act.
This is an intriguing and very deliberate ending to this intriguing film. Too many I think see the film as a light window on Victorian Britain. The characters and the issues for each are far more subtle. This scene encapsulates many of the contradictions and layers within the film. On a lighter note, the film overall is beautifully produced and cast. The film does not smugly congratulate itself about its period detail. The only slight sadness being that Gilbert and his wife in reality were a very loving couple. The more I watch this film, the more I come to enjoy and love it.
yes, the underlying message seems to be one of luck...as in those with happy partnerships have true joy. The empathy it gives those less fortunate in love is so honest and poignant
But doesn't the film emphasize popularity for profit? Every standard musical, even the more contemporary, is based on it's popularity of it's time, but not exclusively. Gilbert and Sullivan is popular even today. My aunt sang light opera. Sadly, my father, though he sang Blues In The Night while he shaved, had no talent.
A fabulously riveting moment and the perfect ending for the film. I have listened to many renditions of this song since, and then came back to this one, and although some may have been song by more polished and powerful voices, Henderson's interpretation carries the day.
@grey159 Her character is a widow with a young child, a tough road to haul in any era, but especially so in Victorian England. She has a developed a drinking problem as a coping mechanism and it's beginning to interfere with her work. A marvelous film that juxtaposes the mirth and brightness of the Mikado with the everyday problems of those who create and perform it. Each character despite their all too human flaws are lovable. This scene is the very last of the movie and (to me) exempl
In the scene before the song she's actually using the lines from the comedic Opera. She recites them with gloom and sadness due to her situation( widow with child) and that was somehow frowned upon in Victorian England. The main offender, D' Oylie-Carte, who almost threatens to fire her. The best song in the movie.
Thilo Smooth Even when she takes her bow in the finale you can see she is drunk. Great acting. Leonora Braham was an alcoholic. She was sacked the following year but for getting pregnant.
To this assessment of a GREATLY TALENTED performer, may I suggest that you "add a dash of pity"? For LB was down, BUT NOT OUT!! She continued to perform elsewhere, to great acclaim, for many, many years. From Wikipedia: Braham created more of the Gilbert and Sullivan heroines than any other soprano, and she was the only English soprano to create more than one such role. Braham, her husband and children travelled to Australia later in 1887, appearing there in a number of operas including Princess Ida, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Mikado, Patience, and Iolanthe with J. C. Williamson's opera company (along with other ex-D'Oyly Carte players such as Alice Barnett) and in Alfred Cellier's Dorothy, in the title role.The Argus of Melbourne wrote, of her first Australian performance, that she was "Petite in form, animated and graceful in bearing, displaying colloquial tones of sonorous quality and polite inflexion, and having a singing voice both sweet and full, and of high soprano range. Miss Braham got through an arduous first appearance with complete success." She performed again in England from 1888 to 1890, in London and in the provinces, in works other than Gilbert and Sullivan, including a substantial run in Gretna Green at the Comedy Theatre (1889-90), together with her old Savoy colleague Richard Temple. In 1890, and then again in 1891-92, Braham and her family (including two children under the age of four), together with other D'Oyly Carte regulars, including R. Scott Fishe, toured South America with the Edwin Cleary Opera Company, entertaining audiences in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Valparaiso, Lima, Rio de Janeiro and other cities. Braham played Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Aline in The Sorcerer, the title roles in Patience, Dorothy, Erminie and Pepita, and in Billie Taylor. Braham received generally good notices. The Standard said of her Dorothy in Buenos Aires, "if her portrayal of the wayward English heiress is not perfect, then I say emphatically there is no perfection in this imperfect world."
This IS my favorite rendition of this song, Of course, nothing from this movie rates less than my favorite version of it. All the more remarkable since it was a cast of actors performing, not a cast of singers acting.
Three cheers are simply not enough. Makes me laugh when people go on about film stars like M Streep being the greatest living actress - she rarely sets foot on a stage, and would disappear like smoke in a minor role. Britain is stuffed with superb actresses like Shirley Henderson, whose names are barely known. A scintillating performance - full of mischief, melancholy, mystery, and maybe a little madness, too. Bravo.
I saw Meryl Streep on stage, fairly early in her career. She did not disappear like smoke. She held her own with Colleen Dewhurst and Dixie Carter. She has It isn't necessary to denigrate Streep in order to praise Henderson, who is also a wonderful actress.
Streep was astounding on the stage as a young student at Yale, and still was in the 21st century when she did Mother Courage. She's focused more on film because there was a demand for her in movies; she was the rare woman past 40-50 to keep getting offered leading parts. Not because she needs the magic of film editing to give a great performance.
...the only performance (of this) I've ever seen with any real passion. This is the actor playing the actor, playing the character 'Yum-Yum', and digging deep into herself to do so. Great performance in context! ...Wonderful.
Presenting yourself as confident when your worth in reality is not acknowledged by the world, and every day is a struggle. Superb abs heartbreaking performance
All the songs show up throughout the film in different order--composition, rehearsals, and first performance--and you're wondering what happened to this one. Then you see why they left it to the very end.
Mike Leigh in one of his finer (of a great many fine) moments. This film can be seen as parallel to Scorcese's "Age of Innocence" - both are far more subtle, engaging, and in a sense quietly apocalyptic/nihilistic than they might appear. This final scene, with Shirley Henderson's creepy-sexy monologue to herself is such a fitting end to this remarkable film.
A beautiful but sad ending sequence due to the subtext of the tragic stage actress. A excellent example of the complex, layered story that mixes the stories on and off stage. For those criticizing the performance as shrill: I know Ms. Henderson is not a trained soprano, but this performance closely resembles the one of the 1966 filmed version of The Mikado. She may lack the full depth and range, but she does a wonderful job of it.
I was given the DVD of 'Topsy Turvy' as a gift and I have watched it many times. So many special bits and so many great actors. One of my fave bits - apart from this one - is when Jim Broadbent plays with the sword that has fallen off of the wall. The idea for 'Mikado' comes to him as we hear the music, very distantly. He lifts his eyes and looks into the camera and smiles - wonderful. Not seen it? Give it a go.
I think of my grandfather as a young man about to head to France for the horror of WW I and imagine him in a theatre in London before he's sent to Vimy or Paschendaele hearing a performanxce like this an thinking, "Yes, this makes it all worthwhile."
It's still a very beautiful song, and Shirley's pitch-perfect period rendition brings out the emotional depth right alongside the Victorian musical aesthetic.
Exquisite! This performance is achingly gorgeous, poignant, and touching. The perfect performance with which to finish this extraordinary movie. Bravo!
Topsy Turvey is the best movie I never thought I'd like. Now I've watched it at least 6 or 7 times and it's become one of my favorites. It's just a quality movie start to finish with a first-rate cast and also gives an interesting look into Victorian England. I had no idea Gilbert and Sullivan were so talented, having probably only previously heard "Three Little Maids" from this play. My only criticism is it just left me wanting more, especially more of the music in its entirety.
@goback3spaces I don't know anything about the original actress/singer,or what she sounded like, but I think the shrillness works. It may be a touch grating, but it sounds authentic, of its time. We don't have any sound recordings from the 1880s, but if the singing styles of the decades that closely followed are anything to go by, shrill and birdlike was fashionable, even if now it doesn't hold the same appeal.
@goback3spaces RE the singing, I read once that Mike Leigh, the director, was insistent on there being no miming in the film, that the actors used their real voices. I think this choice caused some divided opinion, because the actors are not singers. I remember noticing immediately that the actors weren't miming, and that made it so much more real. I guess Leigh took a calculated risk! I will try to find that version you mention of the song.
Funnily enough, this reflects WS Gilbert's demands for the original shows. When casting he chose to use actors who could sing rather than singers who could act. He would very much have approved of Mike Leigh doing the same thing for the film.
@CecilyHeron Hope you find it. It dates back quite a few years. One thing I think is clever about this sequence is that they have the actress reciting Yum Yum's pre-song dialogue offstage to herself (while drinking), then onstage she launches into the song. Nice layering of artistic modes there.
Yes, I am indeed beautiful. Sometimes I sit and wonder in my artless Japanese way why it is that I am so much more attractive than anybody else in the whole world? LOL! She gives me goosebumps.....in a good way!
These two scenes illustrate the contrast between the flawed artists that inhabit ALL artistic creations. Some may quibble about singing details, but its the sum of the artistry, that matters. And Shirley Henderson delivers a stunning performance. What is remarkable about this sequence is the skilful use a slow pan away from Ms. Henderson's beautiful and vulnerable face to reveal the set, the stage, a capable conductor, a wondrous orchestra and an elegantly attired and rap British audience.
This song shows the talent of Gilbert & Sullivan, it comes across as high class opera, but listen to the lyrics & you'll see how snarky it is. This is when song writing took talent.
The sheer fragility in Ms Henderson's performance is heartbreaking and just downright beautiful. Yes, there are more exacting performances of this piece, but none touch the heart the way this one does. Probably one of the most moving scenes in any film.
I doubt she is fragile. She had tome from somewhere. And I bet it wasn't a nice neighborhood.
@@chopin65 many performers from the toughest situations show the most vulnerability in their performances because they couldn't do it elsewhere
A simple perfect comment.I remember my dear departed husband weeping at this point of the film as I do now.
Wonderful isn't it.
@@charlottejordan6965 It is. Your husband must have been a wonderful man, Charlotte.
100% spot on
I’m a male. I saw this film in the theatre in 1999. It immediately became my favorite film and Ms Henderson mesmerized me. I was 26 years old. I sent my parents to see the film, and they walked out half way through and would often tease me about sending them to such an atrocious film...
I can relate. I don’t know how I came from my family. On different planets entirely
Lucky man
Had the same response with mine. Taking them to see mikado this Sunday- hopefully they enjoy it!
Honor your mother and your father.
@@nope24601 Foolish human arrogance.
The stage direction and the camera panning out gives the scene such a haunting quality that just takes your breath away. Absolutely amazing.
Yes,you said it.
I keep comming back to this amaising performance.
So many well dones to everyone, thank you.
THIS is the ONE performance that has stayed with me ALL THESE YEARS! It was scrumptious! ♥♥♥♥
For me too!
It certainly was. She transfixed me with that cute little form and raspy voice
Wonka: you mean scrumdidddlyyumptiuos
@@OttoriavonBish-marckeHAHA!!!♥♥♥♥
Me no one
Valerie “frizzle” wonka
Ride her bus to wonkadumpahallah
Witness
What I love about Shirley's rendition of this song is her attack. Most versions of this song that I have heard can drag, but Shirley is ON the notes exactly and keeps the pace up, and sustains for just the right amount in exactly the right places. She keeps it fresh and about the song and topic, not about showing off, but this is exactly what makes this rendition SPARKLE. But even more important, she absolutely NAILS the two phrase-sections in this song that require the singer to MAKE A STATEMENT with her voice: "I mean to rule the earth...", and "Ah pray make no mistake...". This is where the character's egocentricity should stand out and Shirley absolutely STAMPS those phrases with the power of her voice. Marvelous.
Agree. After all these years, no other singer does this aria justice. Unforgettable!
Leonora Braham, was an alcoholic and, like most alcoholics must have had very low self esteem, hence why I love this scene so much. Mike Leigh takes Gilbert's words and, in this scene, where Leonora recites Yum-Yum's ego maniacal lines, changes the context suggesting that Leonora gains some self esteem through playing this role. Terrific performance by Shirley Henderson. Terrific film.
I had no idea she was reciting the lines, always thought she was just praising herself 😂 Thanks for mentioning this
I can watch this film over and over, it's spectacular,
Among the finest 3 minutes in filmdom. You did it Shirley, yes you did.
absolutely
Nicely said.
She's lovely too ^_^
Easily one of my favorite arias in the whole wide world.
Best part of the film
I really didnt' realise that Shirley Henderson actually sung this song, I rather assumed she was acting and they got someone else to do the voice. She's an amazing talent!
Every musical performance in the film, vocal and instrumental, is done live by the actors themselves. Makes it all the more impressive and enjoyable.
😊
I loved her performance in this film. Her monologue and song concluded the film in the most beautiful way.
Agreed. It almost gives the entire movie that proceeded it an entire new perspective.
Just an unbelievably brilliant film! Great art about great art... absolutely poignant.
I love this version best. In most productions yum-yum sings it almost jokingly. In this version from the movie Topsy-Turvy, she takes it very seriously, as if she means it, and she does. It fits both an actress about to become a star, which is the part in Topsy-Turvy, as well as a budding Empress.
Completely agree. Screw the slapstick thread in opera.
And yet , also a compromised human female, Iin the midst of Edwardian Englamd. Her performance is one for the the ages
For me, Shirley Henderson's ferocious performance of this fierce song, maybe G and S's most profound, is not only the the highlight of this great film, but one of the best ever because of her superb acting. Her Yum Yum is a powerful force. Thank you for posting.
Moaning Myrtle has got one hell of a set of pipes! One of the best renditions of this song ever.
There are certain scenes that haunt me years after I see them. This is one of them. Thank you for putting it up.
How I wish they'd filmed an entire Mikado with this cast.
As do we all.
yeah, everyone that I watch this with says the same thing. they had a perfect cast and already did some of the biggest numbers really really well
I agree 100%. However, acting is one thing, singing is another, doing them both at the same time, over & over again each night & getting it as good as it sounds here is going to be a really tall order. You have to ask how many takes were edited together to get the finished article, both in terms of acting & singing. It's pretty obvious they were miming, even if it was their vocals that were recorded seprately. Still if they got together & toured I'd be first in line trying to get a ticket.
Nah, then it would be just another version of the Mikado. By doing it this way, the film stands out, we still get the best parts of the Mikado plus we get a whole new story.
I would pay real money to see that.
Ms Henderson’s performance is seemingly effortless. What a talent.
What a beautiful film, filled with heart and soul. Honest perfomances from gifted actors, although I know they worked very hard to give us what we see and hear. Films like this are rare, often unknown, but no less wonderful for it.
If you have the DVD with the optional director's commentary (some do, some don't), check it out. Mike Leigh is SO appreciative and proud of his actors. And he never fails to point out that when anyone is shown singing or playing an instrument - they really are !
This is so wonderful on two levels - as a performance of a song and as a piece of film storytelling. Miss Henderson channels the earliest G&S leading ladies in her brilliant performance of this aria. Tender and powerful, and, as suggested by the marvelous setup by the director, just a little anxious. She blazes bright, but her days of perfect glory will not last too much longer.
Gilbert actually fired her a year or so later, but she went on to a successful career elsewhere. Perhaps the fact that she remarried, and so did not have the stress of being a single parent, helped control her drinking.
I don't see it in the comments so I will say it, the singer is Shirley Henderson, and she is SPOT ON, in this rendition of the famous G&S song of the Mikado, "The Sun Whose Rays...". Fabulous rendition.
Gilbert wrote this as a love letter to Leonora Braham's beautiful hidden inner soul, which was finally exposed by Mike Leigh and Shirley Henderson here.
An overwhelming scene. When I first saw this in NY it was just breathtaking in the theater. Henderson's performance is truly accurate in almost every way. She in fact is excellent in everything she undertakes. She can cry out of nowhere and keep acting through it in the most arresting way. Her art draws one in and makes one forgot this is an actress. You see only the character. Excellent talent and superb technical skills.
You are so right! I remembered I first saw her in "Wonderland" and have been a fan since then.
Yes she is wonderful, a true artist and she never ever ages..
How great to hear this song with a non-operatic voice. She sounds like a real person.
a very under-rated film superb performances by whole cast
The sun, whose rays
Are all ablaze
With ever-living glory,
Does not deny
His majesty
He scorns to tell a story!
He don't exclaim,
"I blush for shame,
So kindly be indulgent."
But, fierce and bold,
In fiery gold,
He glories all effulgent!
I mean to rule the earth,
As he the sky
We really know our worth,
The sun and I!
I mean to rule the earth,
As he the sky
We really know our worth,
The sun and I!
Observe his flame,
That placid dame,
The moon's Celestial Highness;
There's not a trace
Upon her face
Of diffidence or shyness:
She borrows light
That, through the night,
Mankind may all acclaim her!
And, truth to tell,
She lights up well,
So I, for one, don't blame her!
Ah, pray make no mistake,
We are not shy;
We're very wide awake,
The moon and I!
Ah, pray make no mistake,
We are not shy;
We're very wide awake,
The moon and I!
Oh what wonderful! The moon borrows light indeed. I love the economy in the expression of the actress. She could say a thousand words by just moving her eyes. Bravisima!
Yes This is not the most professional performance of this fabulous song - but this is the one that sends shivers down my spine. Thank you, Shirley!
BRILLIANT always.
She truly acts. The lack of polish actually adds to the beauty. :)
I knew she could act and now I know she can sing.
The fact that she, a bit drunk, commentates on her own artlessness, says so much about the performer's consciousness. She consciously pretends to be unconscious, and produces the illusion of innocence, which is her real self. She creates herself. It is a paradox; a high-wire act.
This is an intriguing and very deliberate ending to this intriguing film. Too many I think see the film as a light window on Victorian Britain. The characters and the issues for each are far more subtle. This scene encapsulates many of the contradictions and layers within the film. On a lighter note, the film overall is beautifully produced and cast. The film does not smugly congratulate itself about its period detail. The only slight sadness being that Gilbert and his wife in reality were a very loving couple. The more I watch this film, the more I come to enjoy and love it.
+AGMundy I agree totally with what you wrote.
yes, the underlying message seems to be one of luck...as in those with happy partnerships have true joy. The empathy it gives those less fortunate in love is so honest and poignant
But doesn't the film emphasize popularity for profit? Every standard musical, even the more contemporary, is based on it's popularity of it's time, but not exclusively. Gilbert and Sullivan is popular even today. My aunt sang light opera. Sadly, my father, though he sang Blues In The Night while he shaved, had no talent.
Even in the film they are portrayed as a very loving couple. You cannot be a loving couple without a couple of spats!
...and the camera work on this scene is truly outstanding...from the extreme close-up to the slow swivel pan ending the film
This film is a Valentine to theater. Marvelous. Sums up the highs and lows of the creative process very well.
A fabulously riveting moment and the perfect ending for the film. I have listened to many renditions of this song since, and then came back to this one, and although some may have been song by more polished and powerful voices, Henderson's interpretation carries the day.
Michal Shapiro Yeah. She is, in every sense of the word, "lovely".
One of the best films ever made. Full of beauty, and complicated humanity.
Profound, captivating and mesmerizing opera singing performance!
Respect and Salute to Miss Shirley Henderson!
This is as close as I can think to what G&S intended. Well done!
when i saw in her in this role, i was hooked - she is magnificent!
the whole film is such a gem, so many wonderful perfromances
@grey159
Her character is a widow with a young child, a tough road to haul in any era, but especially so in Victorian England.
She has a developed a drinking problem as a coping mechanism and it's beginning to interfere with her work.
A marvelous film that juxtaposes the mirth and brightness of the Mikado with the everyday problems of those who create and perform it. Each character despite their all too human flaws are lovable.
This scene is the very last of the movie and (to me) exempl
In the scene before the song she's actually using the lines from the comedic Opera. She recites them with gloom and sadness due to her situation( widow with child) and that was somehow frowned upon in Victorian England. The main offender, D' Oylie-Carte, who almost threatens to fire her. The best song in the movie.
He threatened to sack her because of her alcoholism
To sack due to sake, maybe,but that was not how it was conveyed in the movie.
Thilo Smooth Even when she takes her bow in the finale you can see she is drunk. Great acting. Leonora Braham was an alcoholic. She was sacked the following year but for getting pregnant.
To this assessment of a GREATLY TALENTED performer, may I suggest that you "add a dash of pity"? For LB was down, BUT NOT OUT!! She continued to perform elsewhere, to great acclaim, for many, many years.
From Wikipedia:
Braham created more of the Gilbert and Sullivan heroines than any other soprano, and she was the only English soprano to create more than one such role.
Braham, her husband and children travelled to Australia later in 1887, appearing there in a number of operas including Princess Ida, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Mikado, Patience, and Iolanthe with J. C. Williamson's opera company (along with other ex-D'Oyly Carte players such as Alice Barnett) and in Alfred Cellier's Dorothy, in the title role.The Argus of Melbourne wrote, of her first Australian performance, that she was "Petite in form, animated and graceful in bearing, displaying colloquial tones of sonorous quality and polite inflexion, and having a singing voice both sweet and full, and of high soprano range. Miss Braham got through an arduous first appearance with complete success." She performed again in England from 1888 to 1890, in London and in the provinces, in works other than Gilbert and Sullivan, including a substantial run in Gretna Green at the Comedy Theatre (1889-90), together with her old Savoy colleague Richard Temple.
In 1890, and then again in 1891-92, Braham and her family (including two children under the age of four), together with other D'Oyly Carte regulars, including R. Scott Fishe, toured South America with the Edwin Cleary Opera Company, entertaining audiences in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Valparaiso, Lima, Rio de Janeiro and other cities. Braham played Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Aline in The Sorcerer, the title roles in Patience, Dorothy, Erminie and Pepita, and in Billie Taylor. Braham received generally good notices. The Standard said of her Dorothy in Buenos Aires, "if her portrayal of the wayward English heiress is not perfect, then I say emphatically there is no perfection in this imperfect world."
I mean to rule the Earth as He the sky...I believe she will...
the very best part of the film..I watch and listen to this performance above all others.
This is so moving and in the context of the character in the film playing this part is deeply touching and tragic.
Such a beautiful song, performance, and shot.
Lovely song, lovely camera work. One of my favorite movies.
The film is a masterpiece and this excerpt is one too.
This IS my favorite rendition of this song,
Of course, nothing from this movie rates less than my favorite version of it. All the more remarkable since it was a cast of actors performing, not a cast of singers acting.
Oh Shirley, don't you just leave me breathless. From a grateful fan.
RapunzelinOttawa don't call me Shirley
This lady gave a beautiful performance and sang this truly lovely song perfectly.
A beautiful, thrilling, all too brief claim to power from a character who knows just how little power she has in her real life. Glorious glorious!
Three cheers are simply not enough. Makes me laugh when people go on about film stars like M Streep being the greatest living actress - she rarely sets foot on a stage, and would disappear like smoke in a minor role. Britain is stuffed with superb actresses like Shirley Henderson, whose names are barely known. A scintillating performance - full of mischief, melancholy, mystery, and maybe a little madness, too. Bravo.
I saw Meryl Streep on stage, fairly early in her career. She did not disappear like smoke. She held her own with Colleen Dewhurst and Dixie Carter. She has It isn't necessary to denigrate Streep in order to praise Henderson, who is also a wonderful actress.
VivienLadyO Meh, I like her.
I've never been able to see it. She's a good mimic, but that's not the same thing. If it was, Frank Gorshin would be considered a great actor.
Streep was astounding on the stage as a young student at Yale, and still was in the 21st century when she did Mother Courage. She's focused more on film because there was a demand for her in movies; she was the rare woman past 40-50 to keep getting offered leading parts. Not because she needs the magic of film editing to give a great performance.
A very "theatrical" and stunning ending! Just adore her performance! Just thrilling!
Very few people REALLY listen to the lyric closely. It was Gilbert's little arch joke about an EGOMANIAC disguised as a lovely young girl.
appareenyly yes given a moment of power, she glories there
No, Yum-Yum is meant to be a personification of Vanity, but it is an artless vanity.
This is the best rendition of one of my favourite songs
I love how the song is so hubris yet beautiful at the same time.
...the only performance (of this) I've ever seen with any real passion. This is the actor playing the actor, playing the character 'Yum-Yum', and digging deep into herself to do so. Great performance in context! ...Wonderful.
Presenting yourself as confident when your worth in reality is not acknowledged by the world, and every day is a struggle. Superb abs heartbreaking performance
just a lovely performance of one of their best songs.
All the songs show up throughout the film in different order--composition, rehearsals, and first performance--and you're wondering what happened to this one. Then you see why they left it to the very end.
Mike Leigh in one of his finer (of a great many fine) moments. This film can be seen as parallel to Scorcese's "Age of Innocence" - both are far more subtle, engaging, and in a sense quietly apocalyptic/nihilistic than they might appear. This final scene, with Shirley Henderson's creepy-sexy monologue to herself is such a fitting end to this remarkable film.
Do you think it parallels/foreshadows historical character's own sad end?
a matchless voice. This is a hard song and she sings with such clarity of word and purity of tone that you are lulled into thinking it simple.
Beautiful - I never knew she had such a stunning singing voice!
A beautiful but sad ending sequence due to the subtext of the tragic stage actress. A excellent example of the complex, layered story that mixes the stories on and off stage.
For those criticizing the performance as shrill: I know Ms. Henderson is not a trained soprano, but this performance closely resembles the one of the 1966 filmed version of The Mikado. She may lack the full depth and range, but she does a wonderful job of it.
Perfection. A wonderful film and a wonderful interpretation by Shirley Henderson.
If I may say, this is where this wonderful film reaches sublime perfection.
I was given the DVD of 'Topsy Turvy' as a gift and I have watched it many times. So many special bits and so many great actors. One of my fave bits - apart from this one - is when Jim Broadbent plays with the sword that has fallen off of the wall. The idea for 'Mikado' comes to him as we hear the music, very distantly. He lifts his eyes and looks into the camera and smiles - wonderful.
Not seen it? Give it a go.
I think of my grandfather as a young man about to head to France for the horror of WW I and imagine him in a theatre in London before he's sent to Vimy or Paschendaele hearing a performanxce like this an thinking, "Yes, this makes it all worthwhile."
It's still a very beautiful song, and Shirley's pitch-perfect period rendition brings out the emotional depth right alongside the Victorian musical aesthetic.
Adding one Thumbs Up for this isn't enough. Magic.
Exquisite! This performance is achingly gorgeous, poignant, and touching. The perfect performance with which to finish this extraordinary movie. Bravo!
Wonderful movie, sadly underrated
It's a wonderful film, so entertaining. It's a shame they don't show it on the old movie channels. It was so well crafted on every level.
Such a sweet ending for a film.
I loved the film and I love her. Such a unique and compelling actress.
Topsy Turvey is the best movie I never thought I'd like. Now I've watched it at least 6 or 7 times and it's become one of my favorites. It's just a quality movie start to finish with a first-rate cast and also gives an interesting look into Victorian England. I had no idea Gilbert and Sullivan were so talented, having probably only previously heard "Three Little Maids" from this play. My only criticism is it just left me wanting more, especially more of the music in its entirety.
There is a haunting quality to her voice.
She has a beautiful voice! Oh my goodness!
Such a beautiful clip from an amazing amazing film. Thank you!!
@goback3spaces I don't know anything about the original actress/singer,or what she sounded like, but I think the shrillness works. It may be a touch grating, but it sounds authentic, of its time. We don't have any sound recordings from the 1880s, but if the singing styles of the decades that closely followed are anything to go by, shrill and birdlike was fashionable, even if now it doesn't hold the same appeal.
This is one of the reasons I bought ""Topsy Turvy""... that film is filled with wonderful renditions!
" I am indeed beautiful" - I luv this film beyond words can describe.
@goback3spaces RE the singing, I read once that Mike Leigh, the director, was insistent on there being no miming in the film, that the actors used their real voices. I think this choice caused some divided opinion, because the actors are not singers. I remember noticing immediately that the actors weren't miming, and that made it so much more real. I guess Leigh took a calculated risk! I will try to find that version you mention of the song.
Funnily enough, this reflects WS Gilbert's demands for the original shows. When casting he chose to use actors who could sing rather than singers who could act. He would very much have approved of Mike Leigh doing the same thing for the film.
"Moaning Myrtle" is amazing in this performance as is the great Timothy Spall in the movie. Thanks for the piece.
Bravo Shirley and all the talents involved! thanks again for posting.
OMG... can't watch this without crying. And I'm supposed to be a grown man.
@CecilyHeron Hope you find it. It dates back quite a few years. One thing I think is clever about this sequence is that they have the actress reciting Yum Yum's pre-song dialogue offstage to herself (while drinking), then onstage she launches into the song. Nice layering of artistic modes there.
Totally agree with you. It's a wonderful film with a great cast. I never get tired of watching it
Really, this scene is just a perfect piece of moviemaking.
Beautiful song, sung brilliantly & in one take too.
Yes, I am indeed beautiful. Sometimes I sit and wonder in my artless Japanese way why it is that I am so much more attractive than anybody else in the whole world? LOL!
She gives me goosebumps.....in a good way!
I really enjoyed this film when it came out. I believe that this interpretation was very close to how it would have been sung when first performed.
you never get tired of brilliance
Some of Sir Arthur's best music.
An Actor can make the most of a song, and what voice they are blessed with. Great performance.
Sullivan's music is just the best
I play yum yum in my school play this year! 💝💚💚💚💚💜💜💜💙💙
These two scenes illustrate the contrast between the flawed artists that inhabit ALL artistic creations. Some may quibble about singing details, but its the sum of the artistry, that matters. And Shirley Henderson delivers a stunning performance.
What is remarkable about this sequence is the skilful use a slow pan away from Ms. Henderson's beautiful and vulnerable face to reveal the set, the stage, a capable conductor, a wondrous orchestra and an elegantly attired and rap British audience.
Wow. This is fantastic.
We can always listen to Val Masterson doing this as a singer does it, but this is almost a perfect rendition.
wonderful... my favorite G & S aria...MM is fabulous
I LOVE this movie- Thank you for posting!
This sequence is as brilliant as filmmaking gets. Shirley Henderson at her best.
This song shows the talent of Gilbert & Sullivan, it comes across as high class opera, but listen to the lyrics & you'll see how snarky it is. This is when song writing took talent.