Now that Connie’s a star, and The Sound of Music’s co-producer David Ian is already presiding over exporting the idea of casting a theatre show by reality TV to the US with a new production of Grease there (that was, of course, his first big West End hit as an independent producer), it’s now been announced that the BBC will follow up the success of How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? with Any Dream Will Do.
And perhaps it’s now the case that any star will do when it comes to populating the West End billboards, as a television search is now conducted for a planned new production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This time the star search isn’t being confined only to the lead role: they’re also looking for a girl to play the narrator figure, the Pharoah/Elvis impersonator, and the best schools’ choir, too, to accompany them.
But while the unprecedented success of the TV search for Maria has undoubtedly fuelled a surge at the box office (and got the nation talking and thinking about musicals again), isn’t it too soon for Joseph to come around again? Bill Kenwright’s touring version, which both preceded the last Really Useful Company production at the London Palladium in 1991 and has been back on the road ever since, only closed last year at the New London after a two-year run there.
This year the cameras have watched as a new play was selected from a previously unknown playwright and projected into the West End spotlight, where it quickly and justifiably wilted, in The Play’s the Thing; and watched as Connie Fisher triumph – next week, we’ll get the backstage story when BBC1 air How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? – Connie’s Story on December 27. In an interview in today’s Daily Telegraph, Connie still seems as refreshingly normal and unspoilt as when I met her at a press call before the show opened, alongside her then co-star Simon Shepherd, who was suddenly subsequently dismissed after just the second preview. “When they called to tell me at midnight, I thought it was to say they had made a mistake about me,” she says of that event. As for the earlier departure of Emma Williams, who had been contracted to be her standby, she also says, “I’m glad not to have the competition; I want to make the role my own.” And as for a tabloid ‘scandal’ when she was caught allegedly romancing a sound technician on the show, she says simply, “My boyfriend Neal and I read it together at 6am; last week we ate fish and chips off that paper. It was flattering, really, to have been on the front page on the day of Tom Cruise’s wedding. “
What on earth is going on in the West End? OK so we now have a new production of The Sound Of Music. Great, but why are we now to be doubley tortured by new productions of Grease and Joseph. Joseph closed last year at the New London after two years- its toured continuously since the early 80s & Grease has also been on stage non-stop for 15 yeasr with 2 or 3 West End seasons!! Most people have proberbly in recent years seen these shows at least once. Come on guys why cant you put all your resources (and what resouces you have!!!!) into fillingthe West End with some new and fresh. The shows on Broadway that are begging for a stage here include Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Jekyl & Hyde, Aida Grey Gardens, Spring Awakenings- the list goes on. Please please please stop thinking of how much TV exposure you can get again- yes you got what you wanted with The Sound Of Music but what tacky TV it made- everyone agrees on that! Put your money into some classy new shows that London theatre goers want. Leave Grease and Josepth in the provinces where they belong!
Mark, I just wanted to ask - have you seen Punchdrunk's Faust, sponsored by the NT, in Wapping? I'd be very interested to know what you thought of it. It's the most extraordinary theatrical event I've ever seen.
ok -so let me get this right.By this time next year at least 2 West End shows will be running with "stars" selected by tv viewers most of whom know NOTHING about musicals -and the disclipines involved.
Worse-this nightmare dreamed up by 2 men both of whom know full well that this is a ludicrous way of casting -is spreading; not only to America but also here in Holland where 2 tv companies are fighting like the proverbial ferretts in a sack for the right to do their versions!!
This is of course self-promotion -on the part of Lloyd Webber and co gone mad. For the record; Connie Fisher is NOT a great new talent -simply the best of a mediocre bunch. Her performance in "The Sound of Music" proves little since this is a comparitively easy role. I would/will be very interested to see what she does next-that is if her voice stands up to the strain of the 8 performances that she has elected to do!
Everyone in the professional theatre world is hostile towards this idea (including my own daughter who is a musical star here in Holland and it is hight time that someone with the power (and courage) to do so pointed out to his Lordship that expecting people to pay nearly 60 pounds to see amateurs in professional productions is not proof that there is some sort of mythical untapped font of young talent "out there" that casting bureaus and professional talent spotters are not aware of,but rather that of a nasty little racket which allows producers like ALW to put on a show and pay the "star" comparitively little because he/she is comparively unknown
It will be interesting to see if ALW follows this scheme when it comes to casting his own next musical....
I totally agree with the above comments in terms of the ALW self promotion, the lack of fresh ideas on the West End and the fact that this is an absurd way to go about casting. But I think that we have to be fair to Connie Fisher. She is not an amateur as Richard has suggested, she attended Mountview Academy and did a three year course in Musical Theatre, so she is well aware of the discipline required to suceed in such a strenuous environment. I am aware that training does not automatically make one the best person for the job, but at least Connie has already shown dedication to the profession and this has been a career that she has wanted to follow. I feel that her voice will stand up to the 8 shows a week if her training has been any good in preparing her for this... she would have been auditioning for work anyway in the hope of getting it and performing 8 times a week. There are other issues here with regards to Connie's thrust to 'stardom' but we at least have to give her some credit in terms of her dedication to the profession in the first place. At least she wasn't someone who has 'wanted this all my life' but in reality has never done anything beyond the local amdram in the church hall. I think that Connie saw an opportunity for a job doing something that she loves and that she has studied and prepared for; I don't think she took it just for the 'stardom' aspect (like a few other reality shows that we could mention). I deplore this reality casting and think it is an insult to the profession but we cannot take our frustrations out on Connir Fisher, who IS doing a good job, and took an opportunity when she saw it.
I absolutely agree that this TV show format should be used on new work. Joseph and Grease are "safe" shows that don't need huge BBC exposure to ensure full houses. With the clout of Lloyd Webber and co. and a leading performer chosen by the public a new show could be given the chance to be commercially viable. A cynical marketing ploy has now become even more selfish and exploitative: the only purpose of the Joseph and Grease contests is to make the producers richer. And the worst thing is, the public fall for it. It reminds me of a quote I read recently by David Foster Wallace that really hit the nail on the head when it comes to television programming today:
"TV is not vulgar and prurient and dumb because the people who compose the audience are vulgar and dumb. Television is the way it is simply because people tend to be extremely similar in their vulgar and prurient and dumb interests and wildly different in their refined and aesthetic and noble interests."
And boy to Lloyd Webber and co. know it!
Would be interested to hear other views.
Tim Connor is absolutely right to say that this type of "casting" should be used for the promotion of new musicals, not tired old yet-again re-runs. We in England need to have the same system that operates successfully in America where musicals are regarded as a legitimate and respected art form, not something to be considered less important than straight plays and films. All are of equal status there. Composers and lyricists have many avenues open to them to showcase their work which is attended by producers and frequently results in off-Broadway productions. Success there can be followed by a move to the main houses - Grey Gardens is a recent example. We need to have the same understanding and appreciation here and we need to have more backing and interest for the new writers coming along. MTM is trying to get this working but without the assistance of the extremely wealthy producers, it may not succeed.
Oh dear. How sad. I went to see The Sound of Music because my little girl loved How do you solve a problem like Maria. We will probably go and see Joseph next Christmas as a direct result of Any Dream Will Do.
Richard - I couldn't care less if no-one in the profession agrees with this.
We had a great time. Unlucky son. Deal with it.
I am so very proud to be a huge fan forever of Connie Fisher and will support her career in the future and for ever more, I think she is amazing.
Thank you for alowing me to comment I am very grateful, and enjoy reading all the views thanks again
I totally disagree with some of the comments about Connie Fisher made by RICHARD. "Connie Fisher is NOT a great new talent -simply the best of a mediocre bunch"- This is a rediculous comment, I have seen her perform in The Sound of Music and she did a wonderful job and so did everyone else. She got a standing ovation which just proves how good she was. "expecting people to pay nearly 60 pounds to see amateurs in professional productions is not proof that there is some sort of mythical untapped font of young talent out there” - Another rediculous comment. I don't see how someone that hasn't seen this production can call the performers amateurs!
I'm sorry, but to say "She got a standing ovation which just proves how good she was" is a daft comment in itself. At this point in the game the audience packing the place is mainly going to be the type of folk suckered into reality tv shows and chooses "the person they liked the best" (as supposed to "the person most equipped for the job.")
It's like those other tv shows that pull in the ratings such as 'celebrity come dancing' - the judges slagg off the crap performance given by the kid who's in eastenders and the moronic audience boo the hell out of them "because he's a really nice boy etc etc and from eastenders blah blah blah" - but he wasn't any good though - do they see it? Nope, they're blinkered and haven't got a clue.
On another note, I've heard insider sources say that those at drama schools these days do not get adequate singing training at all - even mountview - I know someone who went there and they buggered up her voice. I've finally found a great singing teacher who says all this modern stuff in nonsence and from my own experience I can tell he's right. But again -the general public will often not be able to tell the difference (unless they're spoon fed it with a direct comparison with a decent pair of headphones perhaps!)