ALW's Tv shows, opinions?

[Bob30]

There seems to be a lot of negativity towards Superstar (which I do agree with as I think the casting/marketing for this show is atrocious) but I actualy really enjoyed the BBC shows and no doubt will enjoy superstar.

Though I think that these shows are brilliant for the westend because it's free advertising not just for Andrew Lollyd Webber but all shows. Most weeks on these shows at least two show tunes are sung and people that might not nesccarily into theatre may tune in and find they like these songs and begin to develop and interest. Also (although contestants have said this is a disadvantage) those who do not win can be used as a selling point for other productions (Over te Raimbows Jenny Douglas as Meat in the WWRY uk tour, How do you solve a problem like Maria's Helena Blackman in South Pacific). This again could entice people to the theatre who haven't been before and in te economic climate this is vital for shows being able to survive.

Many people argue that it takes the parts away from people on the westend who deserve them but their is nothing stopping them auditioning, many past contestants have had westend work (Framjesca Jackson understudying Denise Van Outen in Rent) and many others have had similair work. So it is just a very large scale audition process.

I actually feel that Andrew Lloyd Webber has been very clever in creating a buzz (whether positive or negative) before a show has even been cast and thrusting it into te public eye, and maybe lots of you don't like that because its making the theatre more mainstream (exactly what shows likenWicked and Rent have done) but frankly the theatre needs this to survive.

That's opinion and I know it wont be everyone's but I'd love to hear yours without arguing about it! :)

[Princeton Returns]

I think it was a genius marketing move initially, but I think the novelty has worn off for many, including the public. It has also failed to find real stars like he said he wanted to do, yes plenty have gone on to do well but they haven't become stars in their own right to the extent they can open a show on their name. Once they left the show they won for people lost interest in them, except for their hardcore fans.

I enjoyed Maria but thought any dream followed by I'd do anything were the best. I stopped watching half way through over the rainbow and doubt I'll watch superstar.

[ClapYo'Hands]

"Once they left the show they won for people lost interest in them, except for their hardcore fans."

With the exception, I think, of Oliver! I look at that production rather differently to the others.

[jamiekennywicked]

Honestly, I quite enjoyed most of them. I wasn't to keen on the Joseph one however and think the Superstar programme is one to many. But when you look at who we got out of them: Rachel Tucker, Sam Barks, Jodie Prenger, Danielle Hope...

[bob8rich]

On balance I think they've been a good thing - definitely created public interest in musical theatre and the shows have launched the careers of some awesomely talented performers who may not have been discovered without the TV show (most of them not the actual winners of the shows) - such as the incredible Lauren Samuels or Rachel Tucker or Jessie Buckley (we still have not seen the best of her seriously stunning talent yet).

What tended to spoil the shows to date was the ridiculous over-the-top style of the presentation which seemed to trivialise the whole process (and Graham Norton did my head in lol). And there is also the danger that the contestant the public vote for could turn out to be not up to ACTING the role - they only ever look at their vocals in the shows and even with that they sing pop songs and not musical theatre songs.

I have a fear that the Jesus show may end up even more over-the-top with nonsense than the previous shows. I just hope that there is some genuine talent amongst the contestants and that the public vote for musical theatre talent and discover a genuine star of the future.

Btw Bob30 - Francesca Jackson was not Denise van Outen's understudy in Rent - she played Joanne to van Outen's Maureen. (And Jackson stole the show!)

[The Scorpion]

I don't like them, never have done. They come across as incredibly tacky and by letting the public decide who's cast, the director, who should really be part of the casting process, has no say in the matter and therefore crucial things like the star's chemistry with the other cast members and their compatibility with the director's personality and vision is completely ignored. Contrary to ALW's claim that whoever won these things would become the next Elaine Paige/John Barrowman/Michael Ball, none of the winners are household names or stars. I imagine a lot of people have completely forgotten about Connie Fisher by now. I also think it does undermine the work a lot of aspiring performers put into their training; why bother if you can just get cast on TV, which seems to favour those candidates with backstories that suggest no previous connection with musical theatre? There is hardly any focus on acting either, which I think is more crucial than anything in theatre. The whole thing is just one big advert for ALW's/Cameron's next big revival, which would have probably made money anyway. These shows also just add to the glut of revivals in the West End, when we should be championing new writing. While it had been a while since The Sound of Music had been revived, there was really no need for another Joseph revival in the West End.

Also, the idea was never ALW's, even though he takes credit for it. I have a taped radio interview with him from 2002 (Parky is the interviewer) and he raises the topic saying someone had recently suggested to him doing Sound of Music 'Pop Idol' style, but ALW says that he is unsure about the idea and at the time didn't sound keen.

[Nickhutson]

I think they should do one for writers of musicals...


I also think the channel they're on has a lot to do with it. Let's face it... ITV is hardly known for its quality, classy programming - whereas the BBC is. The Grease show was a big failure...

Also, I will miss Graham Norton and his hilarious comments. I enjoy the female ones more than the male ones - so I won't be deeply interested in the Joseph once (plus, I am not a fan of ALW's music of Jesus Christ Superstore). Will be interesting to see how it pans out... at least the show won't be stealing a London theatre for 3 years... as far as we know!

[Princeton Returns]

Clap why do you look at Oliver differently? Jodie couldnt sell out Drury Lane once Rowen left, and has become more of a celebrity/tv personality than serious actress

[rockyhorrorfan]

I've enjoyed them all but won't be watching Superstar thanks to the involvement of Amanda Holden and Dawn French (where does her MT experienc lie exactly?). Oh, and there will be bloody adverts.

[jaqs]

I love them, unashamedly.
They were a great marketing move and a great showcase. They were obviously flawed, and were in no way an open competition but thats the way with tv ralent shows these days.

I will miss mr norton and sigh that we dont get tonhear him say 'You could be Jesus'

I worry about superstar because the Grease show was soooo bad, Amanda Holden is so so annoying and the format of every night shows.

But given the names that have auditioned im pretty excited.

[Jonwo]

Grease is the Word was pretty bad especially when you compared it to the BBC shows. I will give Superstar a chance but I don't have high hopes for it.

It'll be interesting if the format has a future without ALW, I think Belle from Beauty and the Beast or Eliza from My Fair Lady would be the next logical choice,

[rockyhorrorfan]

There was talk a while ago that the next casting show would be for Eliza in My Fair Lady. I guess it'll depend on the success of Superstar whether this will mark the end of reality casting or not.

I noticed one of the auditionees for The Voice (Nathan James) is one of the auditionees of Superstar.

[Jonwo]

My Fair Lady would be tricky as Cameron Mackintosh owns the rights to it and I doubt he would let them do a search, Nancy was the exception as it's not a huge role and they cast the Olivers like a normal audition.

[songanddanceman2]

Can't stand them, it makes theatre look like a tacky mess, this is mainly because of the god awful shows they decided to revive (did we really need another production of Joseph and Grease?)

Plus the fact that everyone who ever appeared on the Joseph show seemed to end up in the 'god it wont go away' national tour makes all that money that viewers spent voting for someone to win kinda seem pointless.

They have found us no 'stars' because you cant go on a reality show and just become a theatre star, and it makes the already credibly challenged ALW seem like a tired old hack who has run out of ideas.

[Sally]

Danielle Hope

She did very well in The Wizard of Oz, singing and dancing, on stage most of the time---and she did most of that while carrying a dog!

She left the show after her contract extension was up and is now playing Eponine. I think she'll be around for quite a while.

[Mister Matt]

Can't stand them, it makes theatre look like a tacky mess

Not compared to Behind the Iron Mask, Tonight's the Night or Thriller Live. I like the shows. It gives musical theatre broader exposure, provides opportunities to fresh talent who may never get into a closed union audition, and generates new interest by allowing the audience (the people actually shelling out money for tickets) the chance to choose whom they would like to see. Would I like to see this happen for every show? Of course not. But one leading role for one show every couple of years is hardly a slight to theatre. And there are FAR worse productions that open in the West End without reality shows, so it's not like a reality show automatically brings down the quality or integrity of a show.

I saw Oliver with Jodie Prenger and enjoyed it immensely. And I was happy to see other contestants who didn't win appearing in other shows.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Once again Mister Matt is the voice both of truth and reason!

[jamiekennywicked]

On a slightly related note, what did people think of Jodie as Nancy? I loved her Nancy.. full of heart, was motherly yet tough as nails. Her ALAHNM reprise was breathtaking, I thought

[songanddanceman2]

lol Clap to you Matt is 'the voice of reason' because you are a huge ALW fan so will not hear a word said about him.

Matt, No doubt the West End has had some dreadful shows (as has Broadway) and i can't stand the West End for musicals at the moment (i am there next week for a few days and watching all plays and fringe shows) but why add to the rubbish with awful revivals like Joseph and Grease are weak shows like Wizard of Oz?

I dont buy the whole 'it gives actors who may not normally have the chance get a chance', if they are so so desperate to do it then i am sure they would have gone about it the way that every other actor does. If by the time they get on these reality shows they have not done the rounds etc then they can't have been that dedicated to the craft in the first place.

Or we have the other side like the rags to riches Lee Mead who had already starred in a West End/Touring show and all the runners up ended up going in to Joseph on tour anyway meaning all the people who spent money voting just wasted their time and money.

I am not saying we don't have some good talent come from these shows, we have had a few who i can see having careers and some i can see fading fast. However the really talented ones would have got their if they wanted it enough and worked their arses off anyway, instead they choose to fast track it, instant fame.

I am never going to like these shows no matter anyone says, but i would find them more tolerable if half the shows they choose to revive were actually screaming out for a revival (i think The Sound of Music was), instead we get shows that nobody was asking for to be seen in London again (Joseph) and shows that just took a cheap touring set and plonked themselves down in London (Grease). Nobody in their right mind can think any of this is being done for an artistic reason, the show feels like an afterthought.

I don't entirely blame ALW (he had bugger all to do with Grease)but he is a large reason, he knows his shows like Joseph would not sell in London anymore without a gimmick, this is the perfect way to milk them dry.

I have no ill feeling towards any contestant, as i say some are quite good, but in my opinion these shows are just daft, and the latest one is by far the worst.

[Paterson]

I already had a bit of a say on this in the other thread - not realising this one might be more appropriate.

However, overall, I'm in favour. I know they have their flaws, but in the grand scheme of things, I find they respect the contestants, and I don't think they need to find another Michael Ball or Elaine Page to be considered a success.

Their main benefit, IMO, has already been mentioned. As the general public with a modest interest in musicals watches each week, their knowledge of musical theatre expands. Between the pop songs are some classic theatre songs, often introduced with background to the show and what the song is about. That's valuable to the industry.

I also think that it's no bad thing that a lot of shows, often regional productions, get a bit more press attention because it features one of the finalists. Some will argue that they are given parts at the expense of hard-working trained actors, but being realistic, if their reputation is helping them get a role, they are pushing out former soap stars, not unknowns. Casting someone with a bit of a profile is nothing new and some star names wouldn't get past the first round of any talent show.

Only time will tell how well the contestants do in the long term. I think they've made a decent start, and it's unrealistic to think that winning one of the shows would turn someone into Michael Ball or Elaine Paige. The showbiz world is very different these days.