The Silver Screen Oasis

Just heard that Kate O'Mara, formely of Dynasty, is to play Marlene Dietrich in small fringe theatre in Hamstead.

Kate was being interview on U.K TV and looking at her she did resemble the great Dietrich in middle age. as she said 'I've got the legs and the cheekbones, all i need is the blonde wig and hope i do the songs justice.' i think that could be a piece of inspired casting, it's just a pity it'll be in front of a small audience.

from what i can gather it's set around the 1970 mark, give or take a few yrs. Marlene learns she has cancer and turns to Noel Coward for comfort

Kate said she saw Marlene perform in the early 70s and thought she was great! 'She had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand.'

No, I don't think she would be good at all. Marlene was a legend, maybe I'm being unfair on Miss O'Mara but Marlene was an original.

Welsh actress Sian Phillips got some acclaim for playing the younger Marlene on The West-End stage

I saw Phillips on Broadway as Dietrich. I thought she was fabulous. In the second section of the play, when she recreated one of Dietrich's late-in-life concerts, I had to keep reminding myself exactly who I was looking at. Unfortunately, the play was pretty weak. I read subsequently that the play was changed from its original West End form - apparently not a good idea.

Sian Phillips has had lots of acclaim as a stage actress, I'm not as sure of Kate O'Mara.