Looks like another stage musical has been given the find-a-star treatment with the search to find a Nancy and three Olivers to star in a new production of Oliver! in 2008. Graham Norton and ALW are back and are joined by Cameron Mackintosh who will judge as well as produce the stage show.

What does everyone think, personally I think oliver is an odd choice to do as it's more an ensemble piece compared to Sound of Music and Joesph but I think it could be good to watch as Cameron is more of a match to ALW and even Graham.

I think it's a terrible idea. As much as I enjoyed ADWD I think it's time to give these shows a rest for a year or so. If they are to cast Oliver this way it would mean seeing children in tears for most of the time. Not my idea of family entertainment

I don't worry too much about the Nancy auditions because just like the Josephs and Marias, they'll be looking for an adult to win the part.

But I must agree with Red Lady. It's the mission of finding an Oliver (or three) that concerns me. If they tried to do a show like this in America with finding an Annie star for Broadway, a lot of little girls will end up dissapointed and hurt for losing out.

The Josephs and Marias had enough stress on their shoulders and even as grown ups, had their own tear-jerking moments! Imagine what pre-adolescent or barely teenaged boys would have to go through for such an exhausting program. More than that, having the families there could just break nerves. Remember the Joseph loincloth test complete with surprise visits by mothers? I don't blame them for forgetting their lines. Let's hope the Olivers are spared such challenges.

They did - kind of. It wasn't a 'vote them off' show, but it was a televised talent show. The 'winner' got fired before the show reached Broadway and one of the other orphans in the cast took over. Resulted in a lot of unpleasant publicity and lawsuits.

I like the idea of Cameron Mackintosh joining the panel and I have no objections to them finding a woman to play Nancy. It's the Olivers that worry me for many of the reasons mentioned above, it would add a different - bad - tone to the show.

I can see Nancy being the main focus of the show, and a little non-voting sideline being for Oliver. There's something sinister about voting on little kids on reality shows. I'd like to see the selection process going on and slowly revealing it over the course of the show whilst looking for a Nancy.

I was really looking forward to the songs from My Fair Lady.

Why did they drop that idea?

Cameron Mackintosh owns the rights to Oliver, he bought poor Lionel Bart's copyright when he went bankrupt.

So he has to be involved I guess, though the only time I've ever met him he was quite rude!

Sounds good I find the BBC's musical format much more enjoyable than the tired old drivel on ITV. I'd watch John Barrowman over Louis Walsh any day.

Really? Oh that's a shame, I've never met him. What did he do?

Whichever show they do has to be ready to open in the West End next year. Guess that if they were going to do MFL but changed their plans that there may be problems with the show on stage.

Personally I don't think we need another revival of MFL as it was only recently done. But then I'd have said the same about Oliver.

Who wouldn't!

It was the very last Matinee of MFL at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, August 30th 2003. It was the 4th time I'd gone to see the show as I loved it so much, and bought lots of merchandise that day, including the poster (I collect Theatre posters) to ask the cast to sign it for me, and they all did, and I chatted to lots of them by the stage door and outside before they went for a break in between shows.

I stayed so long that they were all coming back for the final evening performance, and obviously going to have a party afterwards, and Cameron drove up in a black cab and I was so excited to get his autograph aswell on my poster, and he just swished past me and went inside! I was so cut up, especially as I'd spent a fortune, as I just felt it wouldn't have killed him to spend 2 seconds signing for a fan of the show who bought tix and merchandise and put money in his coffers!

Oh dear Some people I know never, or very rarely come out (Sutton Foster never does) but going right past someone is a bit unfortunate. If you're already there!

And he could see what I had in my hands, a poster with the cast member's signatures. I think it was just plain nasty.

Anthony Andrews never came out, I knew already from previous visits, but I did try asking that final day if an usher could take the poster to him to sign upstairs, and they were very sweet and said that he sleeps and didn't want to be disturbed. I understood as it was an incredibly demanding role of Professor Higgins, and he needed to protect his voice and energy levels, so I didn't blame him.

The one time I saw the understudy, also very good, a much better singer in fact, but without the star quality and charisma, Harry Burton, I missed him at the stage door! I asked Laura Michelle Kelly and she said he'd already gone! (That was queueing in the loo for you!)

I thought they were doing 'My Fair Lady' next year?

Anyways; I think that next years show should've been to find a complete team to create a completely new musical. The only experienced staff member would be ALW. They have to find script writers etc and then have to create an original musical theng o onto voting in the main characters then filling other roles with show rejects and holding regular, non-filmed auditions. Contract the show to a six month run with mutual option of extension.

I welcome a search for Nancy, as long as he needs me is a great musical song, but if they are going to cast childs parts, id prefer them to cast Artful Dodger, a much more fun part.

Well they've done the male leading role and the female leading role, its time for the child leading role. Although the pretentious stage school kids really do grind on me after a while

I agree. The late great Jack Wild lives long in the memory.

I would love to do it but im only 8

I would much rather they did what they did with the Billy Elliott musical where they showed the audition/casting process. I just think it is a bit cruel to have young children dealing with being in the bottom 2. The Joseph's and Maria's could barely handle it without tears, and they were a lot older than the potential Olivers would be.

While I liked the musical reality TV idea, I worry that it is becoming overused.

Iv'e really enjoyed the past 2 series thought they were brilliant.
Im thinking of putting my friend up to audition for the part of nancy - she's in to singing, dancing all that kind of stuff, but looking at the website there is no application form for the part of Nancy. I know they are open auditions so what's the process does she have to turn up in town at stupid o clock in the morning and spend all day sitting around n what not, or should there be some kind of form do you think?

Looking at the info pack for Oliver it seems that 15 boys will go through to the live shows and all 15 will remain in until the quarter finals. Then 8 will progress to the semi finals.

So it won't be a case of getting rid of one per week.

I like the Nancy idea but 3 boys for the part of Oliver? How weird. So we will have 3 winners. :s

Well, it's tiring enough to be on the stage 6-12 times a week for an adult. Even Connie Fisher needs to give her throat a rest and Lee Mead had to take time off for bronchitis. I think it's only natural and fair to divide up the role of Oliver between a few boys.

Now I'm getting second thoughts about this show. It's a popular and well-loved musical that the audience knows and appreciates. As long as they keep the format similar to "Maria" and "Joseph" with experienced judges and candidates who will take the competition seriously, this could turn out to be quite good. I'm looking forward to seeing what sort of "Nancy" ALW wants to find.

But after "I'd Do Anything" then I think they should stop or look back to reflect after three shows. The success doesn't work with every competition's format and the idea of getting 3 boys and one woman instead of just one winner is a big enough change to keep us on our toes. Hmmmm...

Where was that shown? The kids in that show are fantastic, amazes me how they keep finding such talent.