I think they are the two girls that have the greatest contrast in the way they perform and it must have been difficult to choose between them!

^^Yes. I thought Jessica did well, but looked somewhat out of place. That's not an ideal song for her, while I thought Danielle got the acting just right.

I thought they were both at their best (I don't want to take anything away from Jessica here because she was marvelous).

But I think Danielle's slightly more understated style suited the track better.

If they were performing Cabaret, I think Jessica would have shone because that's more her type of song.

personally i prefered Jess-but both of them did a really good job wiht it!

While I do think Danielle just edged out Jessica, I think they both did very well in that sing-off and I think it was the best sing-off of the series so far. I went back and watched Helena and Meliz do the same song as a sing-off on Maria, and while they both had more mature voices, I actually preferred Danielle's and Jessica's performances. They put just the right amount of emotion in it without overdoing it. Kudos to them both!

Danielle's OMO was bizarre. The song has all the story in it so the detail has to be acted throughout (though most people can't) and Eponine has more backstory compared with most musical theatre characters. There are ways you can play it and it didn't really matter which you went for as the rest of the show was not there for context. Without deciding what sort of Eponine she is or understanding the story though Danielle can't really do much with the words.They then compunded that by staging her so that she starts the song sitting - when its sung by someone walking along and a rythm that fits walking. They then lose the impact when, as currently staged Eponine goes to the edge of front stage to hammer home the final emotions .Can she sing and move or is that another problem?

As for the singing. If she was in trouble singing it that way someone ought to have found a better way for her to sing it. If it exposed her break, ALW or someone else should have given her something else or rearranged it . Why on earth give her something you know isn't good (unless you now want Steph or Lauren) ? As the youtubes show http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1258834
you can do it softer or you can go for strength and emotions, either way you need to act the words more. What you can't do is start a climb and then fall down the hill.

Its a shame because who knows what a different arrangement might have sounded like. On the other hand Jenny or Lauren could probably have done it better still and Jenny or Steph could probably act it to the camera better. Doubtless then though Sheila would have thought that it lacked humour and despair and Partridge would have preferred the Biggins version..........

Just don't think OMO was very good and I do think it was the weakest performance . If you look at Lauren's performance against the standard version its well up there. If you look at Jenny's with that arrangement and on TV it goes where Ruthie Henshall and Hannah Waddingham took it - regardless of what Sheila witters on about or Partridge can't see. Jessica was far more animated than Summer Strallen and, given the outfit they stuck her in, played it as she had to. Steph lacked some power compared to the standard but she interpreted it well. Sophie got nearer to the film version if not Doris Day. If you compare Danielle to the current or the standard Eponines there's a small percentage of the acting, much less emotion and the money notes are either missed out or mangled. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1258834

Just not sure if thats Danielle's fault or whoever coached her and picked the song's.

I just listened to the Frances Ruffelle version again. I've heard both Ruffelle versions (OLC and OBC) many times, and she is still my favorite Eponine. I think Danielle's version was going for this kind of vulnerability, and to be honest, I think she got it, but just screwed up on that one part at the end. It doesn't ruin the performance for me at all, though. I thought it was very well done before and after that one part. The fact that she did the end part in her head voice rather than going for the dramatic "money" belt didn't bother me either. It was a wise choice for her, I think, because her belt doesn't seem to be that well developed yet, and pulling back on that note added some vulnerability to it, I think.

Still, listening to Ruffelle's version again told me something else. I think even more now that Danielle was screwed over by that arrangement. It chopped out all the drama-building parts of the song, so no matter how well anyone sings it (even someone great like Frances Ruffelle), it is difficult to get the power and emotion of the song when it's not allowed to build naturally.

I also really disagree that Lauren, Jenny (especially) or Steph could have done better, especially with that arrangement. The problem was that the song was too long for the time slot, so they had to cut it, and cutting it severely hurt the dramatic potential of the song. I still thought Danielle did really well with it except for that one part.

I'm not reading conspiracy theories into the arrangement, though. I still think Danielle is the one they want, but that song just needed to be cut for time. The problem is that the song really suffers when it is cut, and I don't think they should use it again on a show like this unless they can use the whole song.

I have to admit ... just re-watched the song off. Am mighty impressed with both of them, Danielle especially, after her pretty emotionless "Maybe This Time" she really upped her game.

Yes she can sing musical theatre, just becuase you did not like it, others did, and she can certainly sing and act better than Jenny ever could imo of course. She also sounded brilliant in the sing off imo. Both Jessica and Danielle.

She was also really good in if my friends could see me now.... Which is musical theatre.

I really don't know where your Ideas come from OP, but I certainly don't agree that she struggles with musical theatre songs.

It was an off performence, which your two "favourites" have had a few of. Especialy Jessica.

Don't be silly. It is not relevent On Musical theatre week. Just before Danielle's performance, ALW would say "Remember being able to sing Musical theatre ins;t that important as the Wizard of oz was a film"

My opening post explains exactly where my ideas come from. Danielle hasn't stepped up a gear when singing MT. Her performance on Saturday was poor by her own standards.

Yes Jessica had off weeks but when she was given MT songs she delivered her best performances. Cabaret was one of the best of the series.

In your oppinion maybe. Well in my oppinion too actualy, she still was no where near note perfect in it, it wasn't vocally strong, and if you think it was then you're just being biased, I thought it was great for other reasons......
just becuase Danielle wasn't terrific in her last perormence doesn't mean she can't sing musical theatre songs. She was so good, imo in if my friends could see me now. If Jessica got on my own, I don't think she could have sung it very well either. Lauren is the only one who has the pipes for it. That is why I don't understand what you mean.....

I agree its a general problem with the arrangement . You can't do multiple changes of direction, big builds and walking through emotions properly when someone's started you sitting, flattened the hills and shortened the journey. It may be a Les Mis problem as they tried to fit One Day More into the SuBo ITV show too, missed the first third and the build, cut Eponine and Cosette's big moments and even cut the end where the sopranos let rip. That was partly length and partly probably because 2 girls showing what could really be done a minute before would deflate the Boyle bit that followed. Similar problems with Send in theClowns though - the full version has got a wider range of emotions but you can't chuck them all into a shortened form. Send in the Clowns also comes with lots of detailed background and the added problems of where it comes from as a conversation with pauses too....

I think Steph could have acted it better vocally and visually but she would have had problems singing it at full power too. Lauren might have nailed it but it would have tested her acting - which might have been a good thing for us and/or her if she could do it . Jenny I think could handle the vocal and act it better down the camera. Her test would have been if she could wack out the emotions in her vocal - which is what she needed to prove. I have a feeling that if you took Jenny and Steph down to see the real thing they might be better at using what they learnt - thye seem to pick new things up quickly whilst the other two I think are more set in what they do.

I thought she was pretty good in Take That Look Off Your Face. I do agree On My Own wasn't her best and Maybe this Time was not good though.

I think Danielle showed in Mambo Italiano that she can sing and move at the same time.


My new conspiracy theory is that there is no conspiracy! I am really beginning to believe that all the songs are chosen to test each contestant's perceived weakness. Then we, the great unwashed, can decide for ourselves which of these matter.

At least, giving Danielle a song that was not suited to her voice blows the 'chosen one' theory out of the water!

If she's then been slated for it I might agree. Or if like Jenny and Sophie she was criticised after good performances then you might have a point.

It's like IDA some contestants, like Jodie and Sarah, had to prove they could do everything whereas allowances were made for Jessie and Sam.

The thing is, you may have seen Jenny and Sophie's good perormences as good, but I never have, except for maybe once. So I don't agree. I've not liked any of them at all, except song bird. And Sophie this week. Their acting is not good imo.

I think Danielle has been pretty consistant both vocally and as an actress.....

In my OP I specifically didn't compare Danielle to anyone except the two girls in the sing offs with her. I was comparing Danielle to herself, her best performances weren't MT was my point.

Jenny, Steph and Sophie could have all managed 'On My Own' in my opinion.

I don't agree at all. Steph maybe. Jenny and Sophie, no.

I think Danielle is consistent too.

Sophie's not a particular favourite of mine but I don't have a problem with her acting.

Wasn't Jenny one of the one's Sheila praised in the acting task, and she did the impossible for me - a good version of Songbird with the correct understanding of the song.

Well, Danielle was certainly criticised for her less than perfect singing on Saturday, although ALW asked us to overlook the performance and remember what she had done before! Equally, I agree that Sophie was criticised on Saturday for what I thought was her best performance to date. But these things are all subjective, aren't they? The panel went wild for Steph, and I personally thought it was mediocre. They also praised Lauren to the skies, and the public reacted by making her the least favourite of the night. It's entirely unpredictable, IMO.

I was a Jodie fan, so I know what you mean about ALW's fawning over Jessie and Sam but, ultimately, Jodie did prove herself, so whatever subtle or unsubtle manipulation was intended, it didn't work.

I agree with Charlotte Church, who really knows what she is talking about...Danielle has the best voice for musical theatre compared to the others.

right, I didn't like it all that much. Good vocal. nothing special about it imo. Also I think she has a rather irritating voice sometimes if you want my honest oppinion.

Allowances? What allowances were made for them?
It seems whoever Andrew favours, the public are going to find little things to make it seem like it is all a fix wen truth be told you could find conspuracy theories on any contestant if you look hard enough.