I know what you mean. I think that image is the one that really sticks with me and is the most heart breaking thing. And it does bother me that it was done in the actual theatre meaning the boys had no privacy and from the sounds of it, not much of a support network to help deal with the news. And considering we didn't see any footage of them breaking the news or even delivering the good news, makes me feel that it wasn't done sensitively.

Again, I am overanalysing, but the way the what's on stage spoiler is phrased, it specifically says Alex, Jonny and Chester were crying. But not that either Kway or Arthur were. Not suggesting that they weren't equally as upset, but they were also the two who were most composed during last night's show. It just makes me wonder if they had an idea already that they weren't going to be in. Or that it was probably easier to explain to them why they were not Oliver.


That bothered me too.

I'm really glad the rejection wasn't on live TV aswell, but like I said before, I really hate the thought of those kids crying in the foyer of some West End theatre.

I can't think of any other child role in the West End either. Apart from the ones you've mentioned. Maybe in a new musical? Is there anything on Broadway at the moment that might make it's way to the West End as well? Here, Tarzan is a huge success, and there's a pretty big child role there, but that musical totally flopped on Broadway so I don't know whether or not it will ever make it to the West End.

Just to say I was very shocked at the results and don't think any of the 3 would have been my first choice, although Laurence sounded excellent on stage.

I just thought Chester was the star: the most stunning voice which he displayed in 'Pie Jesu', quite tremendous. I just hope that there is a big role out there for him.

Likewise with Kway: one of the most rich voice I have heard in a young singer altough in retrospect maybe this role wasn't right for him.

So these 2 and Johnny would have been my final 3. Good luck to the 'chosen ones' but can't help but feel the wrong decision has been made, and another thing, I always felt cold towards Harry. Just didn't warm to him....

[quote=FrankiePugFace;23967802]

That lot of Jonny fans from the fan club would be our lot (my friend and I). A load of them are noticeably distraught and can't seem to get over the fact he's not Oliver. Equally my friend and I are just as upset, but we've managed to keep it together to continue the fan club for anyone who wants to stay and support Jonny in everything else he does. We're going to have to change the profile, but we know exactly what we're going to say as we know he goes on there and has a look.


The fact that they didn't seem to have any support when the news was broken to them and that it wasn't done sensitively makes me feel physically sick to the bone and it just sends me off into tears again. It's so upsetting thinking of Jonny, Chester and Alex crying in the foyer of a West End theatre with nobody there to comfort them.

Yes, that is the first thing I picked up on - and it made sense to me, because Chester/Alex/Jonny looked the most crushed on stage yesterday. I think you might be right in your last sentence - with Kwayedza and Arthur there were more clear-cut reasons why they couldn't be Oliver: Kwayedza was perhaps told that while he was extremely talented, Oliver was too young a role for him; for Arthur, maybe he was told he was a future Oliver after a bit more experience. But with Jonny/Alex/Chester there were all a bit too old to be promised a future Oliver role, and there weren't as clear/objective a reason (which I could see, anyway) - so maybe the news hit them a bit closer to the heart - as though they were told they weren't good enough, as opposed to not suited to the role. As you can see, my wild speculations continue


Hmm, you've made an interesting point. The part about Gareth did strike me too, and Gareth did always seem more naiive than the others. I don't think Gwion's wanting to help children in Africa was necessarily fake - it's a very clear-cut, idealistic kind of ambition that many kids may have - but as small as he is, Gwion always struck me as very savvy with that kind of thing. You may well be right that those three kids were perhaps the most at ease with the media and were partly chosen because they would not be overwhelmed by the multitude of media attention (which ties in with the nerves point).

I totally agree. I also feel like it must have been quite blunt. It's no wonder the boys have gotten so close, because from the sound of it, they've been each others support system of these past few weeks. It seems there wasn't really anyone else to fall back on. But maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions now...

Chaperone, you saying that has made me crumble to tears again. It's very true what you've stated. They do seem to have been each other's support system the past few weeks, especially the slightly older boys to the younger ones.

Well... I didn't want to be the first to mention it, because chaperoning performing kids is what I do (hence the name ) and I thought I might have been biased because of it.

I just don't get these chaperones, and frankly, from what I've read, I don't really like them either. To me, they seem rather cold. It makes me wonder whether chaperoning kids is actually their real job, or whether they were just given this task for the series. Of course they need to tell the kids they can't say certain things, but they should also be there for them and care about them.

But again, I could be wrong (I hope I am) and maybe I'm just reading too much into this.

I was a bit gutted for Kway last night...I hope he does well in the next few years...He's got a beautiful voice it would be a shame for them to overlook him the boys talented!

I like the 3 olivers picked I wish them all the best for there new star roles

does anyone know whos going to be oliver on opening night cos thats going to be more pressure on them

I don't think they've decided on that yet, but I suspect it will be Harry. Since CM already worked with him and therefore knows what to expect.

I'd think it'll probably be Harry, because he is definitely the most reliable at this stage. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was Laurence either, or perhaps Gwion.

By the way, do you guys think they'd make Gwion drop/tone down his accent? Or maybe change the lines so that he actually walked all the way from Carmarthenshire?

This thread is the gift that keeps on giving. Thanks to Ashrell for the article, Chaperone for the final analysis and everyone else for the continued debate.

I was very sad to hear how the final news was delivered. But I'm hoping that maybe the parents were there in the foyer? I can't quite believe they'd deliver that kind of blow without the kids having their mum and dad there. It's almost barbaric.

As for the article... I found ALW's comment about the Oliver having to have a character of steel very interesting. I think I said a few pages back in one analysis of Gwion that he had a quiet self-assuredness and maturity that belied his cuteness. Steeliness is exactly the right word that's been eluding me all this time. That little boy would look right at the camera and sing into it fearlessly.

Similarly Harry, as we've all said, has bags of courage. You can see it in every one of his performances. Only Lawrence has a gentleness and vulnerability that isn't 'steely' as such. But I think he was just so very talented, there was no way he couldn't have been chosen.

So perhaps that was Chester's downfall. Perhaps he was too shy and too delicate for the part. He certainly was a very pretty-looking boy and that lovely 'unawareness' he had about his own talent was perhaps just too humble and fragile for the scrappy, tough little 21st century Oliver they're looking for.

Lol; "I've been walking for 2 months..." No, seriously, I think they'll tone down the accent. Which would actually be a shame, because even though I just don't understand him at times, I do think his accent is part of his charm.

I think your post is both very sweet and very true .
Although I do think Chester looked confident while performing, he did always come across as this shy sweet boy and maybe that's why he wasn't picked.
That's makes so much sense! Thank you Scarlet for that fine analysis!

Afternoon all, thanks Ashrell for uploading the article first of all, an interesting read. Well, I looked at the spoiler and knew what they spoiler was but you could tell from their faces at the start. They all have a really bright future but in the end, i think they got the right 3. Gwion, Laurence and Harry have been consistent every week and delivered without any nerves. As much as I think Chester would have been a good Oliver, perhaps he has been lined up for another role. Really looking forward to hearing them sing tonight, but at the same time it is really disappointing for those who have worked so hard, for so long. I'm sure they will all do well. Best of luck to all of them and I just hope I see Laurence when I go. More in depth analysis later...

The chaperones used are obviously BBC runners, production and work-experience people.

And Ashrell, yeah Gwion does seem to be really savvy with what he says. In the article, him saying "I really liked the gruel" makes him even stand out from the rest. Whenever he seems to talk to the camera, he is very quotable (in terms of the press) and very calmly confident.

Same goes for Harry and Laurence. They're confident, well-spoken and will stand the test of the probable media storm when the show opens next year.

What is amazing is that Gwion, unlike say Harry, has not done anything like this before (harry has done a CM show in the WE before). Gwion has done stuff in school and of course eisteddfod singing, but that's all. So I think he's doen really well.

I'm starting to get the feeling that CM and ALW have lost their nerve a little. In the beginning they wanted "edgy" and "new" talent, but since they're casting for someone else they've decided to with the safest choices. Harry has done it professionaly before and this isn't really new to him. Gwion will have the audience going "awww how sweet" and Laurence is just generally very talented

The only reason I say this is because suddenly they seem much more keen on Rachel who is a professional and would undoubtebly be a safe pair of hands, rather than perhaps Jessie who might not deliver the goods, even if she is more edgy and different.

Oh well, I'm sure the show will be good, but perhaps not "outstanding" and "fantastic."

But I could be completely off the mark here...

Well, if this is true, there's something very wrong with that! I think it's very very important that performing kids have professional, trained chaperones instead of production assistants who are assigned to 'babysit' for a few weeks. Especially since these kids are going through something very intense, they should have professional, caring people to fall back on.
Again, I'm sorry if I sound harsh and I might be speculating too much, but this just gets to me.

on the opening night all three olivers perform, the play is split up and each oliver has a third of the play to perform.

Wont the audience notice that the Oliver has suddenly changed from Welsh to English? Or that the boys hair colour has changed?

LOL! I think this thread is getting a bit carried away.

They won't decide how to manage opening night until much nearer the time and probably not until after they have seen each of the boys performing in previews.

Source? That sounds really weird!

When actually is opening night, btw?

I think the 'opening' night if before all of the real GBP are there, and it's just TV critics, newspaper critics and parents of the performers to have a chance to see the show without forking out £50.

And Chaperone, I am only guessing that it's production assistants because that's normally how these shows work. Since there never has been a reality show for kids, they probably didn't consider the correct care they needed to give and just shoved some production staff in with them. The way the chaperone spoke to Gareth definately does not sound like a caring environment, and sounds like he could have got quite upset over it.

Hi
I posted my comments about the Olivers before so I thought I post my thoughts on last night, it was so weird in a way.

They wasted a large proportin of the time on endless discussion about the four Nancies leaving not a great amount of time for our Ollies!

Its been so quick the elimination from 12 to 8 to 3. I was pleased to see the four from last week performing with the final 8 in the opening number. The Nancies for me spoilt that number though!

I stayed away from the spoilers all week so it was a surprise to me about the boys being chosen. 'Tommorow 'seemed a bit weird to me becuase I was watching 3 boys who were Oliver and 5 who were not. I didn't think it was the best song in the world for them to sing either.

Then came the moment - Gwion, Laurence and Harry.

I was sooo shocked, I couldn't even concentrate on Sam's song next.

Gwion - Obvious Oliver, way too cute. My mum knew he'd get the part. I wasn't so sure because they wanted to veer away from the sterotypical Oliver. I am pleased for him though.

Laurence - Wow! That decision blew me away totally. I am over the moon for him because he's amazing. However I wasn't so sure he'd get the part because other boys stood out. He's going to be a great Oliver though.

Harry - I thought he'd be more Dodger than Oliver but am pleased he got through. I wasn't surprised though because he was in Chitty Bang Bang and in the Roman Mysteries on BBC 1. I thought he'd either be Oliver or cast as Dodger.


And the ones who didn't make it:

I was so shocked about Chester, I thought he had it in the bag. I also thought Jonny had a big chance. Alexander is an amazing singer, I thought he might be Oliver. Arthur and Kway I knew wouldn't go through but they are amazing at what they do.

I thought 'No Matter What' was good, slightly warbly but understandably so. I felt uncomfortable because they
kids looked drained and about to cry on stage.

In fact if you look at one part when all five are stood on the stairs together and the camera pans accross, when they sing 'I can't be what I'm not', Jonny looks as though he's crying. It's heartbreaking. I also noticed Jordan in the audience was crying.

I also wonder about the way these kids are treated off stage. Having read that article that was put up, which has a great picture of the boys, it's got my wondering. I don't like the way the champerones were in the room at the same time, its as if they were there to stop the boys saying certain things.

I wonder if the boys are looked after by people that could genuinely care for them, or whether its casual staff.

I know that most of the people on this thread might jump at the chance of looking after these boys for a time