Far from passionless. In fact for me this is where Lee is strong in all his performances. I have seen a few critical comments on Lee performance in this duet across DS & majority of them appear to be from ardent Rhydian fans Both talented & will go on to have success without unnecessary competition & criticism.

Well said. I've always said there is no need for fans to create competition where there isn't any!

I was very impressed with Lee's performance in the duet. Assuming that he isn't in love with Connie, I thought it showed off his acting skills very well!

I thought Lee was professional, convincing, and just good all round - perfect for the part of Raoul, would have been a good audition. Connie was also good, but just singing wise for me. I just cannot see her as Christine, she just doesn't look the part, although she can sing it, and I think even with a long curly brown wig (as most Christines I've seen have that kind of hair) I couldn't see it still. I'm not sure what I see her as apart from Maria - any suggestions?
Last edited by lovelylissa : 26-12-2007 at 22:50

Definitely

I really enjoyed the programme overall, even if it was a bit cheesy in places

I really loved seeing all the Marias and Josephs back

All?

This post saddens me. Sure, a lot of no talent z-list celebs and washed up soap stars manage to get parts in panto just because of their name and are absolutely appalling and add nothing of worth to the show (other than ticket sales).

But, and this is a big but, there are many people in panto who are there because they deserve to be there. I'm sure Bob, and any other Josephs and Marias who are appearing in panto this Christmas are not necessarily there because of their name but because of their talent.

It makes me cross when people dismiss panto. Unless you have done it you cannot imagine how hard it is. As someone who has done panto and regular theatre I can tell you it is a VERY hard genre to do well. Yes, it is rewarding when you see and hear the kids responding but it is a hard slog with up to 3 shows a day. Also for many people a trip to the panto will be their only theatre experience of the year. What better job than to be making it something they will remember, and possibly entice them back to see something else.

I wouldn't necessarily feel sorry for him because he is 'only' in panto. He is working (a BIG deal in this business) and no doubt having more fun than he would have done on a building site.

So well done to Bob, Laura (Maria), and any other Josephs, Marias, and even Dannys and Sandys who are appearing in panto this year.

All the ones who performed

Yes, I agree. From an acting point of view, Lee was mesmirising in the duet and I can imagine him in any number of romantic leads. Connie's singing is good, but from an acting perspective she is a much more limited performer. I'm still convinced that she won Maria mostly because she looks like Julie Andrews. I don't think she would make a great Christine and there aren't a huge number of parts that I think she would suit. At one stage Andrew was talking about casting her in Funny Girl, which might work okay, but I can't think of many other options. Mary Poppins?

Rob????

I agree, Panto is a much maligned form of theatre.

I agree about Connie's acting. I'm not a huge fan of her voice either, but I definitely think reminding people of Julie Andrews helped! I'll be really interested to see what she does next.

Oops! Typo

I know am biased but thought the boys are back in town was lacklustre without Ben

Panto used to be much better when I was a kid. They cast actors, singers and comedians and not Australian soap stars. Also, they didn't "dumb down" the element of menace in some of the stories like they do today. I hate it when they make the demon crack jokes or turn good in the end. I remember a King of the Wolves in "Red Riding Hood" when I was about eight, who had me cringing in my seat with genuine terror!

I just really don't like that song

I must admit, it's less exciting without someone jumping so far down the stairs, they risk breaking a leg!

I think Connie is very good vocally, but lacks something in the performance area. Lee is the opposite - full of passion and performance, but I don't think his voice is as good. He sounds strained a lot of the time.

Still thought their duet was the best on the night though.

Missed Ben in the group number.

I agree about the fact that there is nothing wrong in doing panto. Two of the original cast of Avenue Q are doing panto as they have a gap before their next projects. They are really talented actors/singers. Panto is just a bit of fun and there is nothing wrong in taking part in it

This is the problem with Lee - he has all aspects of performance, except that his voice just isn't strong enough. I personally haven't seen anything wrong with Connie's acting, but then I haven't seen her do very much.

I agree that "The Boys are Back in Town" isn't a great number, but thought the performance was much better than when they sang on the final show when it was really disappointing.

Could I just say an extra well done to Ben and Daniel, who are the only two who have really achieved anything without ALW/Bill Kenwright holding their hands.

I don't like the song particularly, and for me it would have been lacklustre even with Ben! I don't know a) why they chose that song in the first place and b) why they limited Lee's (easily the strongest, most charismatic performer of the group) participation in the song!

I think I would have chosen Do You Love Me as the group song - that was a fun one and was my favourite group performance in ADWD!

Sorry, I disagree re: Lee's voice! I think it's fantastic - a rich, warm sound that isn't your conventional slick, polished MT sound. I think there's an unfortunate tendancy to assume that a good voice (especially in MT) is one that's so loud it makes your fillings vibrate! That's not the case! In fact I don't like voices like that - it's good to be able to up the volume and power when it's called for, but I set as much store in being able to sing so quietly that you're practically whispering as I do in being able to project your voice to the back of some huge hall/theatre/stadium. Lee can do both of those things well! He puts light and shade into his singing and is able to stand on a stage in a spotlight and tell a story with his voice!

If you want to hear how good Lee really is, listen to this! It's a fan vid but the audio is the performance of CED he did at the ALW Gala. Completely live and utterly stunning!:-

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8p3GvYJ-i8k

Lee's voice is good, but I feel differently than you about it - his voice doesn't move me in the way other performers do.

But, and we've had these discussions over many months when ADWD was on the TV, if we all liked the same thing wouldn't life be boring.

That's very true

Re: Lee's voice - check out the the youtube link in my previous post!

Could I just say that the role of Joseph was not handed to Lee on a plate! He worked his a*se off for that, giving up a good job to follow his dream! What courage that must have taken! He then had to endure all those weeks under the TV spotlight - for someone who is clearly shy and private when not performing, that must have been an ordeal! As for ALW 'holding his hand' - what utter BS! He was never given any special treatment during the competition and once he won (which was down to the voting public, not ALW), he had to work his a*se off to get ready for opening night (and has continued to do so for 8 performances a week ever since)! Joseph is practically sold out until July and has now extended to October - it's Lee who is continuing to put bums on seats, not ALW)!

Craig, Keith and Chris B all had to audition for their roles in Mobile Jo - none of them were handed roles 'on a plate' and none of them would have been given those roles had they not been considered good enough! ALW and BK haven't gotten where they have in the business by handing roles to people they happen to like/feel sorry for!

Ben and Daniel have done well, but I don't consider their achievements any more worthy than those (Lee, Craig, Keith and Chris B) who got work in productions connected to ALW/BK.

I'm not convinced about his voice - but you and many others are so no worries.

ALW/BK aren't stupid and know full well that having casted Craig/Keith/Chris in their touring version of Joseph they have guaranteed themselves an audience for the show for those who either can't get to London, or who were fans of someone other than Lee during ADWD.

We all had our favourites and conversely those who didn't affect us in the same way. I've seen Lee in Joseph - I thought he was very good, but would I go to see another show he is in JUST because he was the lead - well no. That's just my preference and my choice.

Have I and will I continue to follow Daniel's career - yes I will - because I feel about him the same way you feel about Lee.

You're not right, I'm not right ... it's about individual choice. We can all have our opinions, we just don't have to agree all the time.

Fair enough, that's your opinion! I do feel that he has a nice tone to his voice, and that he acts it really well (he is certainly able to perform well). It's just not a voice that I feel is strong enough to carry off a more heavy musical like Les Mis or Phantom.


I don't think ItalianGirl was having a dig at Lee or saying that the other ones didn't work, just that it would have been easier for the Josephs to land some Joseph-related part than it would have been to get a completely different role in musical theatre, due to already having made an impression to the producers & the public, as well as having the backing of ALW/BK.