Seth MacFarlane as Harold Hill in The Music Man

[Musical-Matt]

Just seen the bbc proms and seth performing ya got trouble. does anyone else think he would make and amazing harold hill or is this just me?

[CATSNYrevival]

He might be okay if he was capable of setting his usual shtick aside and creating an actual character.

[rockyhorrorfan]

I think he'd make a great Billy Flynn.

[Musical-Matt]

i am with you there!! i think the way he sang ya got trouble showed how much of a character actor he can be and how a role like hill would be perfect for him!!

[lotiloti]

I thought I was having a senior moment! As I thought I was watching Dickie Valentine's love child!

[broadway guy]

LOL seth needs to do a broadway or west end show.He has a SERIOUS fetish for musical theatre.Almost every episode of family guy has singing in it,It's hysterical

[bob8rich]

I just saw the Proms show too - and I thought Seth McFarlane was REALLY wooden. Ya Got Trouble was just so lifeless - and it should blow you away. Sorry, just thought he was seriously mediocre and lackluster in every song he performed.

Also, I have to admit I had never ever heard of him before lol.

AJ, however - now she DID blow me away!

[ClapYo'Hands]

I didn't think the prom was that good to be honest. Some good moments but not all out perfection like the Sondheim prom. Anna-Jane Casey was just fantastic though. She tweeted that she learnt the finale in just 2 hours. Incredible.

I think Seth was pretty good but it would take a lot of work to turn him into a stage star. He needs to learn how to stand still first. I too would love to see him in this role, though.

[246015]

In my opinion, Julian Ovenden gave the star-turn of the night! What a voice! One of the best musical theatre voices I have heard in a long time and one of the best performers currently on the stage! Can't WAIT to see him in "Finding Neverland"! I also loved Sierra Boggess who has been wonderful in everything I have seen her in. She was the best thing in the otherwise underwhelming "Phantom" 25th Anniversary concert and was just as wonderful, if not better here. The way she adapted her voice to each song was superb!

Wasn't a fan of Anna-Jane Casey I have to say. I just don't find her voice particularly attractive and her performances weren't that great either in my opinion. That's not to say I don't think she is talented, and I understand she has many fans, but she's just not my cup of tea.

As for Seth MacFarlane, the voice is quite nice in an "old crooner" sort of way, but I agree that there is absolutely nothing else going on.

The John Wilson Orchestra sounded glorious as always, and it was great to hear songs from little-known shows alongside the better-known ones. All-in-all, it was a superb prom! It's just a shame that John Wilson's "My Fair Lady" at the start of the proms season was not televised, a decision I can't really comprehend unless it had something to do with getting the rights.

[bob8rich]

Yes, sadly they were not allowed to film the My Fair Lady concert as they do not own the rights for a filmed performance.

I agree with you about Julian Ovendon - gorgeous voice and immense stage presence - pretty much the exact opposite of what I thought about Seth MacFarlane. I really did think he gave new meaning to the word "mediocrity" lol and I still don't know who the hell he is! I'm assuming from people's reactions that he is some kind of "name" but it's the first time I'd ever seen or heard of him.

And I love Sierra's voice too - really stunning. But AJ is the complete package - one of the UK's few genuine world class triple threat performers IMO. She OWNS the stage whenever she is on it.

[ClapYo'Hands]

AJ was incredible in Sheffield's Company this year too. Sierra Boggess has come on a long way since the Phantom concert where a lot of her vocals were not good. She seemed much more solid at the prom. What I think is great is that Julian, Sierra and Anna-Jane are three of the best singers in the theatre world, and to have them all on the same stage was just wonderful. Just wasn't a fan of the programme.

And yes, television rights are a problem. In fact, the Broadway prom had Julian and Sierra performing the balcony scene from West Side Story, but they were not able to get the television rights in time to broadcast it.

[rockyhorrorfan]

They got the rights to it the day before the broadcast and were supposed to screen it on the Red Button but it didn't happen.

For anyone who doesn't know Seth McFarlane is best known as the creator of animated series Family Guy and recently directed, and voiced, Ted.

There's an album being released by The John Wilson Orchestra of the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein with Julian, Sierra and Anna Jane. There's also a tour to conicide with the album release. However Julian is lined up for the tour with Kim Criswell but I'm not sure how he can still do it and rehearse Finding Neverland.

[bob8rich]

"For anyone who doesn't know Seth McFarlane is best known as the creator of animated series Family Guy and recently directed, and voiced, Ted. "

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately doesn't help me much as I've never heard of Family Guy Or Ted either lol.

[Nickhutson]

Family Guy is one of the most popular animated series of the last 10 years - and if you walk past a cinema, you'll see a poster for TED. FG is on BBC Three every night! YouTube it; some of the humour is very clever.

Family Guy is well worth checking out as it features many original songs, parodies and musical theatre references. Really great stuff!

[bob8rich]

Thanks, nick. Now I know why I've never heard of them - never watch animated tv shows or movies. Just not my thing. Always found them really annoying rather than enjoyable, even as a kid.

I walked past lots of cinemas in London last weekend but never saw anything about Ted lol. Maybe my ageing eyes are failing me..........

Oh, and I never watch BBC3 either lol

[Scripps2]

I think Seth would bring a lot more charm to the role of Harold Hill than Brian Conley did.

I thought all the singers were great and so was the choice of material - lot's of stuff that was new to me and from shows that I doubt will ever see the West End stage again. Even with well known shows they didn't go for the obvious crowd-pleasers, choosing instead to emphasise the music and orchestration over other musical theatre components - this is the Proms after all.

[theeatah]

I'd agree that Seth MacFarlane was underwhelming in his patter songs. He sounded quite nice on "Joey Joey Joey".

Sierra Boggess was charming, though she was rather outclassed vocally by fellow soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn.

I saw Anna Jane Casey in Chicago a couple of years ago and I thought she was sensational. I've been underwhelmed by her Proms appearances, however. Though it was nice to see her dance this time round. I wonder if she got the gig because Caroline O'Connor was unavailable? I couldn't help thinking, apart from Tap Your Troubles Away, they could easily have had Kim Criswell do Casey's
parts in the Prom. Criswell would've knocked Don't Rain On My Parade out of the park. Her upper belt range is much more impressive than Casey's.

Julian Ovenden has a lot of voice but his presence only works in close-up. He carries himself like a boy, which is rather limiting at his age.

All in all, John Wilson & Co did a great job ("Slaughter..." was my favourite) and this is probably my favourite of his Proms.