I think the audition clip may say it all. She makes one of the top casting agents cry - she sings a working class girl's song with tons of power. Oliver will pull in audiences whichever girl wins the show as by definition people will have voted for them and Rowan will pull in most people anyway. Les Mis on the other hand requires for Eponine a powerful singer, a really good actress, someone in the right age range, probably someone more experienced and someone who can make an audience cry..........and there she is.

I think she could have been a finalist but ALW and CM wanted Jessie and they wouldn't put through anyone who would threatened that. Jodie was right, she was put through because she was jokey Jodie, John Barrowman had to fight to get Rachel through and they would have never expected Sarah or Sam to challenge her.

How did Nancy do in Nancy school though? And the concert (or did she not get through to that stage - I can't remember)? You can't base someone's suitability for the final 12 on a single audition. What you also have to remember is that this wasn't simply about finding talent - it was about finding someone suitable to play Nancy. That's what the judges were looking for.

I certainly don't think it was an insidious plot by the judges to remove anyone percieved as a threat to Jessie. More likely, they saw real talent in Nancy, but considered that, for some reason, she wasn't right for the role. I don't think we saw enough to judge, really. Certainly not as much as ALW and the other judges saw.

A similar thing happened in ADWD - Rhydian Roberts auditioned and got as far as Joseph school, but didn't make the final 12. There's no denying he's incredibly talented, and if it had been purely about finding the 12 most talented boys, he would have been in the final 12, but that's not how the audition process for WE shows works! Having the right 'look' can make all the difference, as can having the style of voice that fits the role (Rhydian's vocal style is operatic, whereas the actor playing Joseph needs a lighter, warmer voice).

I think Jodie got through because she did fit the criteria of the role (and thanks to the backing of JB, who managed to get the others to see past her 'Comic Northern Lass' persona). She actually looks rather like Shani Wallace (the film Nancy) - so would have been a far easier sell to the public (as proved the case) than Jessie, who looks more like the traditional Nancy as portrayed by Charles Dickens in his novel.

Going back to Nancy Nancy, I thought she was fab and I'd love to have seen her in the final 12! As it was, for whatever reason, she didn't get through and instead landed the plum role of Eponine in Les Mis! So she got her West End role and has done really well with it!

Incidentally, people keep harping on about ALW's support of Jessie, while conveniently forgetting that it was actually Keisha he was supporting to begin with!

I think you can argue that Nancy Sullivan does fit the role as described by CM and ALW - all of what we saw of her auditions shows her in that role and she picks relevant material, looks and sounds the part and is the right age. There's no doubt she could belt the songs as she's delivering bigger, more difficult, ones 8 times a week. She also acts vulnerable better than anyone we saw in IDA could at that stage. Eponine fits in nicely as an older version of Bet in the current cast. They could have missed all of that or she may have had an off day or they could have thought there were better roles or they might have thought she was too experienced or they might have thought her an enormous challenge for someone else they really wanted.

I don't see why they let Jodie through for precisely the reason you mention. She is like the traditional version but not the young, vulnerable older sister to the children they claimed they wanted. She's more like an older, tough, mother figure. Seeing it the show would work perfectly well with what they said they wanted - the question is would they really want that? If we really bought into tragic young Nancy would it jar with Rowan playing the comedy up? Nancy Sullivan has hankies coming out in Les Mis which is going to look a bit odd in Oliver with Rowan Beanaddering Fagin and its going to look odd too if young Niamh or Jessie gets clubbed - baby seals being clubbed as Rowan gets a laugh either side. There's also the question of what young Jessie or Niamh is doing with Bill - did they really want that age difference raising questions? Bottom line is did they really want what they said they wanted? Why let the public have a look at a traditional Nancy with reality TV backstory if the public is very likely to vote for them? Why allow JB to undermine the Jessie case when its clear now that neither the gestures, acting or movement would have been a problem? Its all rather odd.

Not sure how much he wanted Keisha or how much he was reacting to the public vote dumping both of his black Nancies into the bottom of the vote. She doesn't fit the new job spec either - Cleo did but hardly Keisha - Keisha just sings better on the shows.

In these shows with strange decisions you can go with cock up or conspiracy, I tend to go for conspiracy. Especially when you consider how well certain 'losers' have done since.

Id go for cock up.
They wanted Jessie(who i championed after Nancy Sullivan was wrongly kicked out of nancy school)and eliminated any one they saw as a threat(NS).
they didnt see Jodie as a threat for one minute not imagining that the housewives of the country where going to start voting for her in their droves.
my top three would have been.
1.Nancy Nancy
2.Jessie
3.Ashley(very underrated)

Just realised next Saturday is a year since Jodie won, and with the exceptions of Jodie and Rachel, Nancy Sullivan is the most successful contestant from IDA.

I'm quite surprised a couple haven't been more successful (Sarah, Fran) and I'm quite surprised and how well some have done (Jessie, Sam) I wonder if that will be different a year from now.

Nancy is the only person to get a two year leading lady job so far - though there don't seem to be many shows a round that long that do give long contracts. From the girls on the shows Aoife's done longer as a leading lady on Chicago and Sound of Music , then its Connie I think.

Its interesting who did what after IDA . Apart from Jodie a lot of Nancies seem to be establishing themselves in named or ensemble or understudy roles and some like Jessie and Sam have got really interesting major ones that show them off doing things that really expand what the shows showed they could do. Interesting at the moment to see what happens next for Jodie and Jessie and Sam. According to Rachel's fan blog Niamh is about to join the West End too. Whats Tara doing?

The Maria's it seems to me have an even tougher job as they were competing for about as leading a role as you can get and Aoife, Connie, Helena and Abi have all been doing leading lady roles since. That must be tougher as there are not many of those roles about to go for.

Just dawned on me the other day how Jodie, Rachel and probably Sarah got into the final 12 - John Barowman. The four judges all get a say in whose in the final 12, not just ALW. I remember John saying he fought for Rachel to get in to the final 12, and he fought for Jodie during the live shows. I think Sarah was down to John Barrowman or Cameron Mackintosh John certainly pick her out as being a Nancy before any of the other judges, but the fact she got the first cover suggests Cameron Mackintosh was also convinced too.

Nancy's website now seems to be up and running http://www.nancysullivan.co.uk/

Some nice youtubes have turned up of Nancy Sullivan as eponine

One day more (posted in the Maria thread)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IBHr...e=channel_page

On my own (from 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fmqz...e=channel_page

A little fall of rain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWuU1IfcLEA

Nancy makes an incredible Epoinine, I think she's wonderful. I'm SO glad she's staying at Les Mis.

I put this in the anthony thread in Any Dream Will Do . Probably should be here too if you hav'n't heard it there. Mix 2 Nancy bootcamp candidates and a Joseph finalist and you have what must be one of the most impressive trios in the West End..........Nancy, Katie and Anthony



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etNoMVn5Cq4

And a bit of Nancy from the Isle of Wight

heartful of Love again........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DSCK...eature=related

Little Fall or Rain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TViXZ...eature=related

One day more

http://www.youtube.com/user/m00naged.../0/jNfWChqfxXc

Nancy has some new photos on her site and is singing on Sunday Nov 1 at a club in Soho with David Thaxton - Eponine and Enjoiras from Les Mis ......

http://www.nancysullivan.co.uk/headshots.html

There's a few more youtubes of her in Les Mis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxYXa...er_profilepage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brrnn7tQSMw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPtAsF9fiSw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjHk1...eature=related With the comment from the person who thinks you don't move about a lot if someone shoots you........

And Katie Hall the other IDA bootcamper who was sharing Eponine's dressing room as Cosette has left the Queens Theatre London Show and will soon be Cosette in the touring show.

This is Katie as Christine in Phantom soon after IDA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMqCwqFAyYg

The current cast of Les Miserables are reportedly performing One Day More on ITV on Sunday 13th sometime between 2130 and 2230 on "I dreamed a dream - Susan Boyle"

A chance to hear (presumably see too) Nancy Sullivan as Eponine. She should be unmissable as she has the biggest note in the thing at 1-20 minutes in and Eponine and Cosette kick it into money note heaven at the end.

The ITV Susan Boyle show missed out the first third of One Day More but we did get to see Nancy Sullivan act and sing a bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1y4tL-wSCg

The real thing same cast (different Javert) with the females allowed to sing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucvdljzUe9g

Some Nancy

On My own Sept 09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HogeTHG60pE

A little fall of Rain August 09 (sound needs turning up)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8YlH1-Bdmg

Meanwhile some more of Katie Hall as Christine in The Phantom in 2008 has appeared

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LNp3...rom=PL&index=6

As has the first Katie from the 2009/10 Les Miserables Tour (singing with Gareth Gates at the end...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jsO9UwKT5w

Nancy Sullivan is giving a cabaret/concert at Lauderdale House on Sunday 28 Feb 1630 - according to her twitter page she's singing a variety of songs from Judy Garland to Coldplay

http://www.lauderdalehouse.co.uk/2944_spring10.pdf

Nancy leaves Les Mis on 19 June. You may not see Eponine acted so well again.Saw it on the 5th and she now has them sobbing in On My Own and crying in a Little Fall of Rain.

She's redone her site, added some photos and put up some songs she sang at Lauderdale house for downloading.
http://www.nancysullivan.co.uk/index.html
http://www.nancysullivan.co.uk/media.html

She's also doing some cabarets. The one with Helena Blackman and Cassidy Janson (Kate monster) on June 7 was amazing - highly recommended. She's doing another in July somewhere else but details are not up yet..

Les Mis has produced an electronic press kit for the London show which features some of On My Own. Thats the June-October 2009 cast before it lost David Shannon, Earl Carpenter and Katie Hall. Some people think that was the strongest cast seen in years......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V--zg3jWZ4k&NR=1

and one more one day more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKmCH3jJc9Q

a little fall of rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxzjTMJTcgI

Nancy Sullivan finished her two year run as Eponine in les Mis on 19 June.

She's doing a cabaret at on 19 July at "Above the Stag" near Victoria station http://abovethestag.com/
..........................................
Nancy as Eponine

Look Down/The Robbery 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk9Mm...eature=related

Eponines errand 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S41zTWsrVrs

Heartful of Love 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqGMl...eature=related

Heartful of Love and Rue Plumet. Best scream in the West End too.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDvFl...eature=related - From her final performance

One Day More 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI6E7...eature=related

On My Own Her final performance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4cC_...eature=related

A little fall of Rain 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bFxGb2tFHI

Epilogue 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjNlGpHZxEw
.....................

And two more from the last performance

One day More
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKsM476ipCY


And finally with even more tears than usual .
A final A Little Fall of Rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLsqR...eature=related

Some more Nancy Sullivan from June and July have turned up on youtube

Madame Jo Jo's cabaret - Nancy and Cassidy Janson performed after just doing their evening shows in Les Mis and Avenue Q....... One of Helena Blackman's songs is linked in the Maria thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1epc2...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFnC...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3EkC...eature=related

The pictures come from http://francynecarr.photoshelter.com...000fqd5PAqM3iI there's some of Helena too.


And from the Above the Stag cabaret, a duet with David Thaxton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuKKCpb8l9Y

Nancy Sullivan is singing at a concert at Her Majesty's Theatre Haymarket, London in aid of the The Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust on Dec 12
http://www.1640productions.com/sundaynightlive.html
..............

The link to the London Les Miserables Electronic Press Kit (with the 2009 cast) above doesn't work. It should be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mFf-...eature=related
and features Nancy singing from On My Own
................
There's also a video of Nancy singing My Man
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdl...n-my-man_music (if you have realplayer it will download with that but mine seems then to want to be played by Quicktime player.....

According to Nancy's twitter, the concert at her Majesty's theatre on 12/12 has now been cancelled............

Nancy Sullivan is putting on a show called Climbing Uphill with Nancy Sullivan - singing Judy Garland, to Piaf, to Les Miserables "with plenty of comedy" and with Jon Robyns as her guest at the Leicester Square Theatre Leicester Square on Nov 27 1500. Should be great.
http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticket...6518934/events

Jon was her first Marius in Les Mis so bring hankies too just in case they slip in anything sad.... .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwfb_...eature=related
Same, but with pictures, and with Alistair, Jon's successor, as Marius, 9 months later .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxzjT...eature=related

Nancy is also in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Union theatre with Sarah Lark. 18 oct- 12 Nov She's playing Shy http://www.uniontheatre.biz/#/best-l...exa/4555118148

From her twitter her own show on Nov 27 http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticket...6518934/events is almost sold out already.

Nancy is next in Judy The Righteous - a play at the Kingshead theatre Islington 23 /6 30/6 and 7/7 2012.
https://kingsheadtheatre.ticketsolve...3482097/events

She got some very good reviews for Best Little Whorehouse
http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/re...house-in-texas
There's a cast picture with Nancy top left and Sarah Lark centre
http://westendwendyblog.files.wordpr...0/blwhcast.jpg

Since then Nancy has run the marathon, been filming as one of the Lovely Ladies in the Les Mis Film and runs http://twitter.com/#!/W1Workshops performance workshops - with some of the top names around coming in to teach.