is ALW abit clueless? for example, theres the song choices.

he wants to see lees dreamer side, so chooses daydream believer,

He wants Lewis to show bravery, so chooses hero, even though hero is an ernest love song.

He seems to judge a song by its title?!

also, Ben is good at upbeat, but proved again tonight that he can not for sing slow songs at all - jospeph sings mostly ballads, so he saves the contestants that can not sing a ballad to save his life - i don't think craig is good enough for the part either, but ALW does seem to be a bit clueless. I wondered after he got rid of seamus, wondered even more so after daniels exit, but gave him the benefit of the doubt, but now....... clueless comes to mind over ALW!

I don't think he's clueless, I think he knows who's going to be Joseph and I don't think he really gives too much of a care who else goes or stays. He probably didn't want to boot Smirky Ben out at the first opportunity in case it looked like sour grapes over Ben's comments, but to be honest would you want to work with someone who had the attitude towards you that Ben seems to have to all his critics? I know I certainly wouldn't!

I cant believe that Ben is still in the competition as he is nothing special. Although I dont consider Craig a winner either, I thought he was the better of the two. ALW's decision tonight was totally unfair to me.


Ben should definitely go next week as the remaining 3 are far superior singers and actors than him.

Maybe ALW is using his perogative to make sure that he gets the one he wants, which at this stage may mean not keeping in any potential threat, which I think, out of the two, was Craig. This is ALW's show, he is surely entitled to his opinion, after all, he is the lord!!!

ALW has been briefed to make the show surprising and eventful, so he does not kick off who we all think - this makes it controversial, gets it talked round the water cooler etc. It's part of the format, he as much said so in an interview where he said the TV show is carefully produced like one of his stage musicals with a storyline to pull you through to the end.

From what we've seen so far Lewis and Keith are appalling actors...One of them should definitely go next.

Ben should go next week. he's vocals were shocking terrible

But he can dance, act and has stage presence so it's all swings and roundabouts.

In fact since he has a reasonable (if not outstanding) voice they'd be able to do something about that with training and technique. But they cant suddenly make Lewis and Keith able to act or make them look natural on stage. It's something you've got or haven't.

If it isn't Lee who wins this, then my second choice would be Ben. I don't want to see a pretty boy or a nice singer acting like wooden tops and being overwhelmed by a West End stage.

and if ben was going for a part which didn't have mainly ballads, was mostly dancing, and harly any singing, fine, but hes not, so there for he just isn't good enough.

You're kind of missing the point of what I said. Whatever the role, it is never just about the singing. Keith and Lewis have real problems in their inability to hold a stage or to really act a song and those skills are absolutely VITAL in a West End role. Ben's problems could be fixed, I don't think the other two's can.

Bad acting and lack of stage presence is a hindrance and ruins a performance just as much as a shoddy note.

You can sort out Ben's problems but I don't think you can with Lewis or Keith. Therefore I can totally understand why ALW would keep Ben in. He's the safer bet.

Bens lack of vocal talent cannot be fixed becuase unfortunately ben is so arrogant he won't learn!

How do you know? You're not working with him. Zoe said a few weeks ago she could vocally turn him into Joseph.

Riiiiiight....

And I'm sure that's based upon your personal experience of knowing him intimately and not at all being manipulated by what the producers on the show choose to show you...

Since they don't actually do charisma injections I don't think there's much that can be done for poor Lewis or Keith. Nice lads but out of their depth.

On the show, not the VT you see his face pulling every time anyone questions his performance, he clearly thinks hes all that, and if he cannot accept he needs to improve in areas, then he will never improve, simple.
and zoe said she could turn him vocally into joseph, but tonight proved she failed as he was terrible!

So you know exactly how he thinks and feels from the faces he pulls???

don't need to be a genius hon, he doesn't hide the fact he doesn't agree when he is critised

I didn't notice it and he's taken criticism in the past. Zoe comments a couple of weeks ago on how hard he had worked to control his pitch. Doesn't sound to me like someone who can't take criticism or can't be taught.

I take it you didn't watch the show tonight then

That's what's known as your opinion. You can't actually interpret what someone's like and thinking simply by looking at their facial expressions - haven't you learnt that by watching ALW over the last lord knows how many weeks!

Guys, there's no point in arguing with Cleo on this issue because she has a 'bit of a thing' against Ben.

As I've said before, in reality, he can't be that arrogant, cause Zoe loves him, when she named him as the one that should leave the competition she was breaking her heart (but also being honest, which she should be commended for). If he was full of himself, we would know all about it from her, in Maria last year, she could not stand Emilie, because she thought she had an arrogant attitude.

And as for whether he should be saved, much as I am sorry to see Craig go, I think Andrew made the right decision tonight. Ben's vocal was very far from great in his solo number tonight, but I think the fact that the song was very difficult to sing was taken into consideration. There wasn't much to choose between Ben and Craig in the singoff, but as ever, Ben acted it really well, much better than Craig. Clearly, Andrew wants a younger Joseph, so he made his decision.

In my opinion, although Keith and Lewis are better singers than Ben, they are truly rubbish actors. (particularly Keith, Lewis came up a little bit in my estimation tonight). Ben is light years ahead of them on this score. I have really grown to enjoy Ben's performances, he has so much charisma and energy on stage. I thought he was fabulous in the dirty dancing number.

As someone else has already said, it's acting swings and singing roundabouts, which is more important? One thing to remember is that the Joseph songs are far easier than the number Ben was given tonight. That said, I think if I were ALW I'd probably sleep easier in my bed if I was one hundred percent confident in the vocals of my chosen Joseph, and he definitely isn't there yet with Ben. I don't think he'll win, but I'm glad he's still in the competition.

ITA with Claire's comments above [sorry not to quote].
Ever since Ben got lucky and wasn't voted in the bottom 2 after a very bad week, [can't remember the song] he has risen to the challenge, and taken on board the criticism of him. Tonight his perfomance moved me to tears, he showed vulnerability in spades, and a couple of bum notes didn't spoil it for me in the least. He's the 2nd best overall candidate to Lee, and I hope will be chosen as the runner-up and do 2 performances a week as Joseph.

Lewis is understandably not the fully trained article yet at only 17, and Keith is too young and immature aswell.

Ben really acted every word of that song tonight, and whether a fast or slow number he can pull it off with great presence and star quality. Go Ben.

Totally agree

Unfortunately that's the impression I'm getting too... he always seems surprised when he receives criticism.

Plus claire2281, it's all very well to say Ben's vocal problems can be fixed, but don't forget the show opens in about 6 weeks' time! I can't see that's long enough for his voice to develop nor for him to gain any real vocal consistency. I don't find him particularly charismatic, but even if I did, I'd still be highly concerned about his voice and singing.

I also wanted to add that I wonder how on earth Craig has escaped the Louis Walsh net when casting his boybands. He is a natural in that role, along with the voice for it. I'm afraid the way he never held a note when singing a line, but turned it into a throw away pop lyric instead of *saying* the lyric as a form of story telling, as Ben or Lee do so well, irritated me, and yes, it really was cabaret and not Musical theatre IMO.

Remember the same criticisms of Aoiffe's voice, and she isn't doing too badly is she? Instead people are commenting on Connie's wooden acting in TSOM.