So Andrew Lloyd Webber has parted ways with yet another leading player, just as performances have begun. And, to paraphrase Lady Bracknell, to lose one may be a misfortune; to lose another looks like carelessness. Or worse, incompetence.
The road to an Andrew Lloyd Webber produced musical first night has, it seems, long been littered with the discarded corpses of performers along the way: remember Roger Moore’s departure during rehearsals from Aspects of Love? Or Patti LuPone’s from Sunset Boulevard, somewhere between premiering it in London, the New York Times review of her performance, and the show opening in LA with Glenn Close instead – who then took it to New York? Or, when Close left for Broadway, the replacement lined up for LA – Faye Dunaway – was suddenly dismissed before she’d given a single performance, and the production summarily closed?
Now, following the Emma Williams debacle on The Sound of Music — who was employed but then discharged from the need to fulfil duties as an alternate Maria when it became apparent that Connie Fisher was up to doing all eight performances a week, and more to the point, the public actually wanted to see her do it – the leading man has been let go, too. In this case, Simon Shepherd actually gave two public performances last Friday and Saturday – for which he was variously categorised, by theatregoers that saw it, on a theatre bulletin board as “too bad for words, his singing is laughable and is even wooden when he is supposed to melt and fall in love with Maria in about 3 minutes flat” , and “hopelessly miscast” , while another wrote, “I don’t know how Simon S dare pick up his wages, he was out of tune, cannot act his way out of a paper bag and forgot his words”.
Of course, the entire spotlight has been on the casting of Maria for this production via the How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? programme. But the trouble with doing it in isolation of the rest of the company is that there was no way of determining, as a result, whether the person chosen would work with her leading man. As one message poster complained, “There was no heart to any of it and I didn’t believe that Maria could fall in love with this Captain which is what the whole 2 and a half hours is about. There was no chemistry between them.”
And that exposes a key difficulty with casting a show like this in this way. Never mind technical aptitude – which Shepherd may well have demonstrated in auditions, we hope – the more intangible qualities of personal chemistry between actors can’t be tested until they’re in the same room together.
It’s surprising that the discovery came so late in the day, though, and not until they were put in front of an audience for the first time. And it’s an expensive mistake to make: both Williams and Shepherd will have to bought out of their contracts, and replacements paid. Intriguingly, Alexander Hanson who has now gone into the role of Captain von Trapp appeared in a workshop of the show earlier this year. So he was obviously always in the frame, but didn’t quite have the telly credits that Shepherd has. Pity, of course, that another Alex – Jennings – is otherwise engaged at the National, since he too might make an ideal von Trapp…..
Thank GOD he's gone! I managed to see the Dress Rehearsal on Friday and was blown away by the production. Jeremy Sam's direction is perfect and he has managed to bring the comedy to the forefront of the production which is refreshing. Connie was marvellous, Madame Garrett was interesting yet entertaining and the 7 children were tremendous with Kurt completely stealing the show - temendous! Simon Shepherd, however, was abominable. He strutted about the stage like 'Big Gay Al'. He had no presence, and absolutely no chemistry with either Maria, The Baroness or the children. The scene where Maria & The Captain dance was cringeworthy as was his robotic rendition of The Sound of Music which totally runied the moment that had been previously set up by the Children. His acting was so wooden that many of his lines were met not only with snickering from the audience, but full blown laughter. I'm glad the powers that be have come to their senses as he was most definitely the weakest link in a cast iron production. I am very much looking forward to returning to see the new Captain and, more importantly, the second half as due to the Von Trapp House breaking the Dress Rehearsal was cancelled at the end of Act 1.
I think the producers and casting directors should be ashamed of themselves.'I want to find something unique' struts Webber, turning his back on the thousands of Musical Theatre trained actresses who could play the role of Maria. So he opens up the casting to a load of wannabe's as if some secretary from wokingham is going to have the talent, skill and stamina to deliver such a role...who ends up winning the role? Well surprise, surprise ...someone who trained for the job. 3 years at Musical
Theatre College. Not a hairdresser in sight. Just shows you, Andrew. Those who are trained deserve the parts. Week after week Connie was praised for her consistency and her high standards which her training gave her and those are the some of the reasons why she won and was cast. So why insult so many other West End trained performers in the first place - all starving for the role..And then we get yestardays little mess - An actor cast who cannot fill the demands of a MUSICAL THEATRE role because he has not had the training! Irresponsible casting, devastating for the actor concerned (who has probably never had to deliver such tosh - that script has no development of a love story - I saw it last night). Shepherd is made to look incompetent - but it's the Producers and Casting Directors (how many to cast a small line up of principals?) who have shown incompetence. Sadly though, producers are doing it everywhere. An actor recently turned up to day 2 of rehearsals of the tour of Scrooge in tears because he could not cope with the dance demands of his role and had to back out. Did Kenwright and his team full of yes men (there's the clue) not discover that the actor concerned has severe weight and knee injury issues? What on earth do they think an audition is for? Again, incompetent producing and casting. The victim? The artist. Bet he'll miss your pay though, Ken. Or should that be 'Scrooge?'.
No one graduating from a drama school deserves anything. The brutal truth about a drama school is that they cannot promise anything nor should they ever try to. The true test of an Artist comes when they can hold down two or three jobs, turn up on time for a casting, produce the goods and run with the big boys. Drama school BA degrees are about as useful as the old drama school diplomas, they're only good enough to wrap your kebab in. Personally I don't care where someone comes from, where they trained is irrelevent it's staying power that counts and believe me I have seen enough ignorant and sploit wannabes quit after graduating from college and not inheriting the world in three months.
Sod the drama schools! They are no measure of what it takes to work in today profession.
I have just ( 8/11/06) had the unfortunate experience of Paying £55 to see The Sound of Music. Whilst I appreciate the Show was still in Preview (where I would normally pay a reduced price) it was the most Pathetic, abhorrent, abject, abominable, bad, base, beggarly, cheap, currish, degenerate, despicable, despisable, detestable show I have ever seen in the West End ! Lloyd Webber should be ASHAMED of himself although he wont ! I couldn't believe when we were all to be entertained with the BALLROOM SCENE the Fire Curtain came down and we were all subjected to an unscheduled 10 minute interval whilst the obvious technical problems were attended to. During the scheduled interval I went outside to grab a quick nicotine rush and listened to the other smoker's comments about the first half SHAMBLE. I have been to numerous West End shows over the years and have never heard so many NEGATIVE comments nor have I seen so many people leaving to go home.Some 30 years ago I worked behind stage on this same show performed by our local operatic society.It was great fun and we had Packed houses for the 2 week run.The so called Stars at the Palladium would have found it difficult to obtain parts in the CHORUS of our show. Please accept my apologies for punctuation and grammatical errors ( my dyslexsia) but I am so INCENSED by having to sit through two and a half hours of this rubbish and feel TOTALLY SCAMMED.
So please don't fall into the same VON TRAP !
just saw the sound of Music. Connie as Maria was fantastic as were the children. the Captain acted well but his singing was terrible. As for Lesley Garret, she tried to steal the show but overacting and singing which started ok but turned into loud screaming, meant she did not quite make it.
I went to see TSOM on mon night and i was so pleasantly pleased it was so enjoyable - sweet and pure and just what you expect it to be. Connie was just wonderful, the kids were more or less excellent, even Mme Garrett was unexpectedly palatable!!! The new captain did a fine job and would love to hear him sing more. Thought the baroness was a bit young and sour, while max overacted a trifle. But I really enjoyed the evening and a month down the line when it has all settled, im sure it will be just perfect. But Connie was just wonderful - well done. All those 50p's were worth it!!!
Jasonx
So La Garrett was trying to scene steal? What a shock...NOT!