Yes, I agree

He's hardly a Mr Nasty type character like Jason Gardiner. He just gives an honest and constructive critique. I absolutely see where he's coming from re Sophie. And it's not like he was totally negative about her last night - he praised her naturalness and openness but commented on a concern he has that her performances might be too small for a large theatre - perfectly valid point IMO. I think he genuinely likes Sophie but is frustrated that she's not giving him the performance he knows she's capable of. But if I was Sophie, I would now be taking that on board and trying to come out next week and give a big performance that would be believeable within a large theatre.

He has 20 years of experience within musical theatre - he knows what he's talking about and is more than qualified to be a panellist on a competition like this. I find his comments to be the most credible out of all the panellists, although I like them all and think this is the best panel they've had.

Agreed and he shut Charlotte up when she interupted for the second week in a row - they got his own back by interupting her. But I have to say he is the experience professional within the West End not Charlotte.

ah. i think he's amazing.
great on Eastenders, and a good judge on Over The Rainbow.

Have to agree with you there. John does know what he's talking about, and has done it all himself as well.

He is a truly awful judge-he started out the series pretty well I thought, but I think he has since become more confident. Unfortunately this has actually made him a lot worse-he now spouts talent show clichees with the best of them, gets over-excited, is harsh for the sake of being harsh and most irritatingly of all often talks utter rubbish.

There is something likeable about Sheila and I don't have a problem with her, but her comments do err on the side of ridiculous when she repeatedly talks about 'more colours' and 'better interpretations'-of course acting/story-telling is important, but not to the degree she makes it out to be and I suspect many of those who see the 'Wizard of Oz' would not be looking for that anyway...

Charlotte has surprised me the most of all the judges-her chatshow was utterly dire and I was expecting that persona to be carried across here, but it isn't at all. Not only does she come across as knowledgeable, she also seems incredibly kind and compassionate towards the girls. Her comments are constructive without being unnecessarily negative and I nearly always find myself agreeing with her-she also (unlike Sheila and John) doesn't seem to have particular favourites and will judge based on the performance given, which is extremely important for a judge!

I have to disagree with this, I do think Charlotte has her favourites, like we all do! I'd say that her favourite is definitely Lauren - Charlotte's even commented herself how she's boring herself by fawning over her so much and saying how amazing she is! I like Charlotte, but I thought it was unfair of her to single Lauren out last night when Graham asked the panel what the audience should be voting for re their Dorothy.

He can be a little 'harsh', but is most often just reasonable and direct and says what he thinks. John Partridge IS overenthusiastc, that's him. I've never heard him spout 'rubbish' on the show, and tend to agree with him.

Charlotte says some valuable things, but she isn't a great interpreter of lyrics and doesn't show a depth of understanding of what it takes to sing in The West End. I rather enjoy Sheila's comments.

Good show performances are about more than sounding good.

I disagree and in the past said Lauren appeared arrogant.... Besides which Lauren rarely gives anyone reason to criticise-she is always vocally flawless and Charlotte is merely pointing this out. I don't think Lauren is right for the part at all and she is far from my favourite, but if I was judging I would have to say that week after week she is consistently strong, as Charlotte does.

I love how enthusiastic he is about everything, he wouldn't be John if he wasn't! I think it's better to be overenthusiastic than sounding bored and looking like you're not bothered about being there I love that he's so passionate about the show and about the girls.

I think that was an unfortunate thing to say, actually, and damaging. It was far more sensitively put by Sheila as I remember.

And John rates Lauren for her ability too.

John is the judge who has consitently interupted the other judges right through the sho. Him interupting Charlotte (in a rather arrogant manner I have to add) was not him getting his own back () it was him continuing the rude behviour he has displayed all through the shows run.

I kind of agree with the OP point in that I find him incredibaly annoying and up his own backside. But then I was never particularly anamoured with him to begin with.

Im keeping my fingers crossed ALW drafts in someone one like Michael Ball or Phillip Quast the next time he does one of these shows.

Wasnt it Charllotte who pulled Lauren up on her arrogance?
I think it was. She also pointed out flaws in her voice (or vocal technique) this week which need to be worked on unlike John (who told Lauren her voice was so amazing it puts most proffesional West End Actresses to shame)

She may well be her favourite but from what I have seen she hasnt let it cloud her judgement nor does she think that the sun shines out of Laurens bahookie.

Agreed

Are we actually watching the same show?! Charlotte has been interrupting John for weeks - this was particularly noticeable last week when she not only interrupted him, but she also continued to talk and give her opinion on the Dorothy in question before it was even her turn

I can't say I've noticed any rude behaviour displayed from John at all? According to people who have been in the audience to see the show, it sounds like he displays the least Diva-like behaviour of them all!

By all accounts, from people who have actually met him/know him, he's a really nice guy and not at all rude or arrogant.

You're not watching the same show as me-Charlotte seems lovely-John does not.

Farks sake I'll listen to Partridge over Church any day of the week.

They're casting a stage show, Sheila and John are leaders in their profession so they know what works and what doesn't. Thank god for ALW's casting vote every week or else we'd end up with the X Factor situation where the public sent home Diana Vickers ahead of Eoghan Quigg. Who's getting great West End reviews now?

The public - that's you guys - are simply not qualified enough to judge who will give the best performance on stage as Dorothy.

Well I have noticed both Charlotte and John interupting there fellow judges. John has been guilty of doing so with Shella in particular.
Charlotte interuption of John last week was the first time I had noticed her do so (I also noticed her bashfully appologise) This is not to say that she hasnt done so on more occasions, but if she has they werent very noticable to me. Perhaps because I find her less irratiating than John, so her foubles dont stick out as much to me.
Perhaps this is also the reason John's fans seem blind to his faults and havent noticed his rude habbit of interupting the other judges.

The difference is I do accept that Charlotte is guilty of it.

John's intteruption of Shella a couple of weeks ago annoyed me an awful lot as he had already given his criticism (it was the same last night with Charlotte).
If you are still hanging waiting for your say and someone says something you strongly dissagree with I can understand the urge to jump in may be hard to repress. But when you have already critiqued the performance and had your say in the matter. What excuse is there to do what John has done on at least two occasions and but in on some else having their say.
To Charlotte's credit she appologised for being rude last week. As I havent noticed the other occasions I cant comment other on that one insident. I havent heard any appologies from John as yet.

In short they both have been rude, but rather strangley to it seems to be Charlotte that takes the flak for it.

Oh I don't know - he seems to be taking a lot of flak.

I think he's great though, honest, enthusiastic and knows his stuff. I don't mind Charlotte and I like Sheila. They're a good set of judges really, but I rate Charlottes opinion a bit less.

At the end of the day, being 'lovely' is by the by, I want Judges who know their stuff. And I think John is fine. He's also a very nice man, according to all reports.

Then why ask the public ?? We didnt ask to be asked .
Maybe the public are the ones paying to see the shows and know what they like .

Not the public that pays to see the shows though.

The correlation between those that vote and those that go to see the show is completely negligible.

The public almost always gets it wrong with these shows.
Case in point is JLS outselling Alexandra Burke almost 2 to 1 and Rhydian outselling Leon Jackson almost 4 to 1.

The public vote on the short-term basis - there's little thought to the future.

Maybe the 'public' don't thoroughly understand that 'liking' a particular girl is not enough for that to work brilliantly on the stage in a particular part?

Maybe some do and some don't, obviously. But the professionals do, or they wouldn't be in the business.

Then the answer is simple ALW should not ask the public and hold auditions .

Not on this issue particular issue he isnt.

Disaster. Don't want this at all. And ALW would never brook it, not when it's his money on the line if the show ends up with a weak lead because she's quite good, but awfully pretty and nice and has a sob story.

I meant NOT ask the public .!!! I corrected it .,