I do see where you're coming from (and if the rumours of casting Burn Gorman as Bill Sykes are anything to go by, to some extent we could be seeing a more subtle, menacing production from his side at the least), but I think that part of the appeal of Oliver! is the slightly more pantomime aspect to it - remember that it is a family show, really. I'd love to see a really dark version, but I'm not so sure it'd be the best idea from the point of view of the musical. The recent BBC adaptation was fantastic though.

me too

I know this has been discussed before but I really don't agree. The whole point of their relationship is that when it comes to Bill she is completely under his thrall.

Physicality has got nothing to do with it at all. Emotion and acting talent is all you need. I think it would but very moving to see a larger than life character (not physically large) brought down by the taut ball of menace that Burn could bring to the role.

Also, I think people have a charicature in their head of both Burn and Jodie. He is not that small, and she is not that big - I'd love to see them together.

By far the most important thing to remember about the story: what he's actually quoted as saying is not half as bad as how digispy has written it up. It happens a lot here that they over-hype and exaggerate what people say, so I think people should take it with a little pinch of salt.

If he actually did have a real problem, then it would be very unfortunate for both him (although obviously it would be his fault for trusting in a competition) and Jodie, but from what he's said so far, you could merely take it as a preference. It's very different from having written her off completely, which a lot of people seem to have been taking it as.

I think we have enough dark stuff available now adays and not just on MT....we are force fed it every day on TV.....I like it the way it is.......cutie little pickpockets - balsy mother figure.......mean old man.........lol

I thought CM said last Saturday that Jodie wasn't his Nancy.

As others have said here she is pretty much like others he has cast as Nancy. If he did not want this type of girl, then she shoud not have been in the finals. She has been maligned and denigrated for her age and size from both the panel and the press. No one deserves this treatment.
I wish Jodie and the other girls the best of luck for tomorrow.

Hear, hear ewoodie!

Absolutely, Mama.

I think that if any of the three could convincingly portray a psychological dependance on someone, it'd be Jodie, and I think Gorman'd do subtle but menacingly nasty to a tee.

While physical overbearance works just as well, from the lyrics of As Long As He Needs Me (which I've always thought to be a song justifying her decision to stay as much to herself as to the audience) it's clear that Sykes has a mental hold on Nancy, to me anyway.

True ...but frankly I don't think she's a good enough actress to pull that off convincingly.

None of the finalists are close to being good enough in regards to acting ability IMO .....but at least the others don't have that extra barrier to overcome.

I think they spent far too much time looking for a Nancy that could sing as opposed to a Nancy that could act.

I personally think singing abilty is far less important than acting abiilty in regards to Nancy.

He did have to say someone though. He had to pick one of the four girls. It doesn't mean that he doesn't rate her at all, or doesn't want her in the part. He might rate all four girls very highly, and be happy with all of them as Nancy. But he was forced to pick one on Saturday and that happened to be Jodie. I wonder if we're reading far too much into it.

I agree with you. But to my mind (and I know a lot of people on here agree with me) Jodie's the only candidate left with any acting ability at all. Rachel was better, but she's gone.

I really do disagree with that.

There are moments when we've seen Jodie acting, either through song or in a task, when the terror, the pain, the sadness in her eyes seems all too real. Not cheesy, shouting OTT acting with scary eyes, but quiet, from the heart acting that almost feels like you're intruding on a moment that you shouldn't.

I've mentioned on another thread how difficult it is for me to get to London to see shows - A Burn/Jodie combination might swing it for me and prompt me to get off my bum and book some tickets!

She has been neither maligned nor denigrated by the panel over her weight.

And yes, Cameron did pick her (he so shouldn't have been on the show), but that is not the same as saying either that she cannot play it or that she's too fat for it.

Oh isnt this exciting..............................poor Jodie.............you go for it girl.

Can't move?
Meatloaf?
Matronly?

I'm sure there are others I've missed.

Maybe, but he could have said something to that effect and hadn't he already made the too matronly comment? After ALW's Meatloaf comment from the week before it seemed a bit nasty to me.

Personally, I'd like to see Meatloaf in the studio tomorrow to challenge ALW!!!!!!!!

Maybe he'd retract his comment with 'Meatloaf, you could be Nancy!!!'

That would make good viewing for the final

I think the meatloaf comment was Andrew under the illusion he was being hysterically funny. I don't think he understands that women's weight is a very touchy subject.

I agree that the comments, put together look quite bad, but I don't really think they meant to suggest that Jodie's weight was a big issue. Cam has never said she is fat. Matronly could be interpreted as something a bit different.

If the reports are true, Jodie may well have lived it and therefore would be far better equipped to portray it than the two teenagers.

AWL spoke to Jodie after the show to clear up the fact that it was the chorography he was talking about not her weight......

Oh come on, there isn't a man alive who doesn't understand that women's weight is a very touchy subject. He also knows about her well-documented weight problems in the past.

I would say you are correct. The onl one capble of plaing the part to a West End standard was Rachel.

The others are at best good amateurs but West End standard no.

I would rule Jesse out, too inconsistant, cannot act or move well and very fragile.

Jodie is ok. She can sing quite well but her dancing and movement is poor as is her acting.

Sam is a god singer and can dance & move very well. Her weakness appear to be her acting but she does learn fast.

In my view Sam has the edge and I think would be capable of delivering a better performance

Jodie would deliver a solid unexciting and unconvincing performance. bith JB & BH have made that remark Jodie

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/en...00/7426176.stm

this is interesting..........


he is now saying they are all good........hmmmmmm

yes and maybe "matronly" was code for something else.

The weight isue is a red herring. Either Jodies can convincingly play Nancy or not. Either she can play a woman who has been brought up in the gutter, earns her living by selling her body, Loves and fears her pimp in equal measure or not. Either she can see in Oliver a chance for redemption or not.

The weight issue is simply irrelevant. All of the above require acting skills not a body shape.

Then why didn't he simply pick the girl whose performance was the worst and weakest?! instead of the girl who has been the most consistantly good.