Perhaps you're right - Cameron must have seen something after all to have put him through, and we should trust his judgment! Arthur is definitely one very confident and accomplished kid for his age though, so if his singing/straining problems could be rectified he may still be in the running. He's got his age and size on his side, I think, because he'd make a durable Oliver until his voice breaks.

Agreed entirely. I'm SURE Cameron already knew who the final eight were going to be.

Some good points about Arthur too. There must be a reason as to why he was put through. And of course it wasn't because of his football skills . He is really devoted and has a unique personality to say the least.

I absolutly LOVED tonights performance of I have a Dream. I made a point of taping tonights episode as I'm gutted about not taping last nights. You Tube vids are not the same quality as the main thing

I loved how all 8 boys had solo parts. So pleased for Alex who actually sounded good, he was so nervous in his last performance.

I got very emotional during the performance, my parents were in the room with me when I watched the show so I watched the performance a second time and had a little cry I am emotional lol

Jordins standing ovation was absolutly adorable and a testiment to the boys bond they developed. I will miss those 4 boys and I had hoped they would have a better last performance as a Top 12.

I hope the Top 8 (sos got American Idol on the brain at the moment with this Top12, Top 11, Top 10 buisness lol)....anyways I hope the Top 8 get one more group song together.

However....my dream final for the boys would be ALL 8 getting solo songs. There are only 4 Nancies left and should take up about 20 mins, theres 40 mins spare for 8 amazing young lads

Go Go Olivers!

Yes! I would absolutely love it if the Olivers got their own song, but I really doubt it would happen.

Well as sam didn't get through - it has to be Gwion for me - Welsh accent aside - he just stood out tonight and out performed the lot of them

I listened to "Reach" again, without watching the video (those outfits are seriously distracting...) and hearing it without the visual to back it up, it really just sounds like it's sung by kids who are on the verge of bursting into tears, but are holding back. Their voices are shaky, all of them... I really do think emotion had a LOT to do with the way this performance turned out...

Even if they sung in pairs or threes or anything I'd be happy - just anything more than their 1-liner every week. I think their solo parts have got shorter and shorter as the series have gone on!

OK I think I'm now getting a bit convinced that Jonny is going through - if not it seems pointless to have let him through this week. See, imo they'll pick one that was chosen in the first few weeks (Chester), one that was in the middle (Alexander or maybe Harry), and one later (Jonny). Which is why I'm increasingly getting a bit frustrated with this final malarkey being next week. They really should have had a semi final heat for the boys, 8 to 6 or something, so that the final 6 would be on a level playing field and would not be influenced by the order they were chosen. If they were going to pick the final 3 next week, what was the point of getting it down to 8 anyway? If that was their intention they should just have picked 3 out of 12.

I get too worked up about this sometimes...

Agree again (as I normally do!) Their solos definitely got shorter, In Electricity they had roughly a line (still not enough), but then in Breaking Free all they got was three words like "More than hope"! I want to hear them show off their vocals a bit more.

I think the final three could very well be Jonny, Chester and Alex.

They did look very emotional and on the verge of crying just before being rushed into the group number. It would be great to see them have another chance to shine

I think that they should either have started off with 8 to begin with (although Sam, Joseph, Jordan and Gareth will benefit from all the exposure) or should have gone from 12 to 6 a few weeks ago! That way those 6 would have been on a level playing field by now and the 'final' would make more sense!

Oh... would have, could have, should have.... They DIDN'T!
Believe me, Ashrell, you're not the only one getting too worked up...
Last edited by Chaperone : 18-05-2008 at 22:58

I'm just listening to I Have A Dream (again ) and it's my new favourite along with Give A Little Love. I think it's lovely.

At least he seems to have had a great time away from the office, haha. Of course missions like these are not the ordinary procedure to cast a show. I wonder if he'll think twice, though, about putting a bunch of kids through an extended and televised audition process that really has nothing to do with reality or what they are really looking at.

Alexander, Chester and Laurence shone in this performance. I just can't warm to Jonny, he doesn't really show any emotion. Can't wait for next week, I wonder how they are going to organise it. I think it will be pretty similar to how they did it last week.

I know it's not, but just a thought, which three boys do you think would be chosen as Oliver if it were down to the public vote?

I'd say Chester, Jonny (he seems to have a lot of support from pre teen/teen girls) and maybe Alex.

If it was public voting, I'd say 1) Chester - most people just find him awesome, 2) Jonny - a lot due to the teenage girls factor and 3) Gwion - for the "OMG he's so cute and Welsh" factor.

I'm glad it's not down to the public vote though - we don't see enough of them as it is, so there's no way we could have judged their suitability acting wise, for example.

I agree with Ashrell, it would probably be those three. And I'm glad it's not down to public vote too. Not only because people don't see enough of them to really judge who would be best for the part of Oliver, but mainly because it would be so devastating. I can hear Graham now: "If it were down to public votes alone, the Oliver that would be out of the competition is..."

I'm also glad its not down to the public vote, particularly because after reading some of the messages on youtube I think it would turn quite nasty and personal, and that would be so unfair to do that to a group of kids. Its bad enough when its done to the adults.

I just hope Jonny gets through......he has been named as the best actor.....so hopefully

I watched back 'I have A Dream' and I now think that Alex is awesome He was the only one who made me think "Oliver!" in that song. So he, Gwion and Chester are my pick for the final 3. I looooove Kwayedza's voice, but it's not Oliver. Like someone else said though, CM needs to keep his eye on Kwayedza for future projects (if he's not cast as Dodger, which he should be...) because the boy has an AMAZING voice, and he's a strong actor.

Yes, Alex was incredible in that performance! The more I watch it, the more he just amazes me!

Alex was fantastic in I Have A Dream. I also love Arthur in it! I'm not his biggest fan (in fact I don't really like him at all ) but I think that small line was one of the best he's given, and he really is adorable. In a way I can see him being picked simply because of his age and size. He's only ten so there's not much of risk of his voice breaking any time soon. But then I think Chester will get through, and Chester and Arthur were put through to the 'semi's' one after the other (though it seems to be the final now ) so actually, he may not win. I do believe that one boy will be picked from the start, one from the middle and once from the end. But as I've said, as long as Chester gets through I really don't mind about the other two.

I'm glad Alex shone in that performance - his "Can you feel..." was a little disappointing, so I think some had written him off for that but I always thought he would be great in the role. My firm three is he, Chester and Laurence. I just think those three have the most beautiful voices ever, and they all look like Oliver too. And Harry should get Dodger... I love Kwayedza's soulful voice but it sounds nothing like MT

I'm also quite sure of the beginning, middle, end thing. In which case I think it'll be Chester/Gwion, Alexander/Harry, Laurence/Jonny...

I agree Alex was fantastic. And the more I listen to Can You Feel The Love Tonight, the more I think it was the arrangement of the song was the real problem.

I know what you mean about Arthur. I can't say I have been his biggest fan. And it has always worried me the way he belts songs out, as it will definitely ruin his voice. SO I was impressed how he was more controlled in the song and he sounded a lot more better for it.

Just like to say I'd like to see Harry make it. I'm thinking it will be Chester/Jonny and Alex - all have great voices and look the part to me, but I do like Harrys performances best It's his cracking facial expression and his dancing, I feel he really brings his personality across on stage. I can see him as Dodger too.

I thought Sam was just great on Saturday. When he knew he hadn't made it, it was like a different Sam on stage. He looked very relieved and happy. It shows he wasn't quite ready after all and lovely to see him bow out with a smile

They've all been fantastic entertainment, I've surprised myself by actually enjoying kids singing for a change Best of luck to all of them.

Agree with you as usual.
I have made up my own theory about the Dodger-thing . I don't think Harry is Oliver. He's a wonderful actor, but he's lacks the vulnerability I think Oliver needs. He comes across more confident and strong. In other words: perfect Dodger! And I've come to believe that has been the intention all along. Especially since CM already knows Harry from Mary Poppins! I won't be at all surprised if they announce next week that Harry is going to be one of the Dodgers. It makes sense imo. To the public it would appear to be such a nice gesture, and it would add an extra element of 'surprise'. So maybe Harry (without him knowing, I reckon), was selected intentionally, so that they could 'surprise everyone' and cast him as (one of the) Dodger(s). But that's just what I think...