The Ladies Who Lunch - Barbara Walsh 

I sat front row center for this show, and I swear watching her sing this song was one of the best theater experiences of my life.

The way she stares dead into the camera on "invincible bunch, the dionasaurs surviving the crunch" kills me every time.

I'd have loved to have seen Barbara Walsh onstage - this is the best version of the song (in my opinion obviously!) I love the bitter, angry manner in which she does it, not to mention the 'rise' at the end when it's a-cappella. Bitterly wonderful.

It was a direction choice -- Barbara's idea, apparently (though Doyle often doesn't have breaks for applause). I think that it's brilliant in this particular instance. Not allowing the audience to applaud that great performance heightens the tension, and I love that the song ends on that last "Rise!" and not a button for applause.

Well, she is simply superb. Ms. Walsh alone got me to buy the soundtrack. Although Stritch is the all-time master of the song, I can't help but feel Walsh added a new dimension with her voice range. And I must say, when she does the final lyrics, it blew me away and it continues to.

They haunting way she sings “look into their eyes” is as if she’s looking into her own eyes and realizes her own mortality.

This woman..rocked my world last summer. June 8 2007, 2nd row..I was in AWE. And Raul stood right over me during Being Alive...it was heaven.

This production is thrilling. Miss Walsh reinvents the role. BRAVA!

Doesn't she seem just as trapped as Bobby in her own issues? And then she ridicules him for being weak?

Barbara portrays this character better than any other performer in the history of Company, including Elaine Stritch and Patti Lupone in my opinion.

I saw it about a week ago. She's incredible.

As wonderful as she was ... And I saw her on a Sun Mat turn it out when the rest of the cast walked thru their roles ... I was also lucky enough to see the original cast many times ... ahhh youth ... it was pure heaven ...

I know her as well she and I worked the Harlequin theater's production of PIPPIN many years ago... In historical Rockville Md. She always been a 'GEM' of an act and a gal now a Gem of a lady!

I saw the show a week ago today and she was amazing.

this is beatiful and love the diction! she's great!

Captivating.

This is a really substandard recording. When done right, she’s a fucking master of this role

this is amazing. just unbelievable. she was cheated with the tony nom. and the drama desk award. Debra Monk? wtf!!! Anyway, Barbara Walsh is hands down the best featured performance i've seen all year (and i've seen practically every musical this year) But I agree, if this is great she's only gotten 20 million times better. She is just ... wow.

haha people on youtube are so funny. do you think a professional broadway actress really wouldnt realize she was flat? its obviously intentional and her acting is incredible.

AMAZING!!! and she was AMAZING in Night Music in Baltimore.. GO SEE IT... I wish I could have gotten a video of her "send in the clowns"!!! the production should be on bway

love the ending. much better performance than the other on youtube where it was kind of a concert setting...in that performance it really was way too Elaine Stritch. nice job of making it her own. very safe choice to not make it a showstopper and keep going with the dialogue with no chance of applause. kudos to ms. walsh

If I ever did this show, I would sooo love to play Joanne.

@hokieashleyt Also, it's a Sondheim preference. He prefers not having buttons, and often tries to find ways around them.

I just found out that Barbara will be playing the Edie Beale dual roles in the DC premiere of Grey Gardens starting Nov 21!

I had a girl do this onstage before I gave a monologue. She shattered a wine glass into a million pieces and I sat on some of it when I was giving my piece. But this song makes me laugh my ass off.

you can trust me on this, this is NOT how she sings the song currently in the production. this was taken 14 days into previews. she has evolved and grown into the song like you would not believe. i saw the show a week ago and it was nothing like this. 100000000 times better. she was amazing. one of the best things i have ever seen. this is a E compared to the A i saw a week ago

This girl in "Camp" did an incredible job for just that, a girl. Don't insult a seasoned actress with depth by even comparing her to some girl who did a good imitation.

Not sure if htat was meant as a compliment or not but yes, she's no stritch but at hte same time, that's a good thing. Who wants to see a re-hash of the same part done the same way...Barbara's take on this role is very real as I know people exactly like this...

@donaldcallen I think the flatness is intentional, because the character is supposed to be drunk.

the best part is when she JoAnn is staring are Bobby after the song...I wish someone would show that part

OH MY GOD. 2:00-2:07 is orgasmic. SO GOOD.

The sound isn't good but Barbara perfoming is convincing! We do not forget Elaine Stritch and Sheila Gish! All three gave various but interesting and CONVINCING version. The main is a lady who's going to brake down but still have forces to express how her heart is broken and want the world to know it and convincing she's right, then she'll can go on drinking untill may untill death!

don't know if she is trying to be elaine or if that's how she sings, either way I like it.

Of course I don't know the story, but it is what I feel, and if what I wrote bellow is part of the story, well I was right, Barbara Walsh is good!

You're lucky to know her. Is she currently doing a turn on ONE LUFE TO LIVE?

I saw it yesterday. I think she beats Elaine hands down! She was amazing!

She thought she ate

I am a bit thick with scene admittedly. Can someone explain to me what this song means, and the following scene of "I just opened a door"? What are they getting at with this character's song?

Her performance here is VERY weak compared to what I saw when I saw the show a week ago. This video was taken 14 days into previews. She has grown and evolved into the song like you wouldn't believe. This performance is an F compared to the A she is giving now. Not that this performance is in any way BAD, but compared to the one she is giving now its nothing. Trust me on this. She gave one of the most devastating performances I have ever seen.

i think it's moreso intended to be playing the character of joanne. i don't think she does a very good job of it, but you can't win them all, i guess. maybe i'm biased.

what key is this in?!?!

I got a cast recording from somewhere with Boyd Gaines (of One Day at a Time) as Robert and Debra Monk singing the role of Joanne...I think I prefer Debra Monk to this particular rendition. But this lady's acting seems good. Fun song. The reference to an optical art class dates it, though.

I saw the show tonight and she was definitely better than this video..I didn't understand why they didn't allow time for applause and went straight into her dialouge...

are you kidding me? I mean, there's so much more MEANING behind it in this one! Plus.... I mean... it's the WHOLE song, not just a few verses ;) that and... well. I mean.. she's just BETTER xD

Barbara Walsh interprets this pathetic woman under the influence of the alcohol which expresses in its friendly traitres how much they are base and silly because it do not understand how much she suffers very well! What of more normal than to say it with hate, it is what we feel and it is achieved in this part!

This sucks.