I've just spotted this on the Oliver! (the musical) website:


I don't know when that was put up, as I can't remember it being there when I booked tickets. So the winning Nancy won't have to do 8 shows a week after all....

They had the same arrangement at first with Connie, it was later changed.

Oh, did they? I couldn't remember. What was the arrangement with Lee?

Gosh you're right. I do think that's very recent and did you notice they put it twice, right at the top and again at the bottom of the Performancde Schedule. Maybe they've realised none of them might be able for 8 shows a week since Rachel went!

That's interesting....luckily my tickets are for a Tuesday, I think

Maybe they will have the public Nancy and the Pro's choice??

I dont think so. Originally Connie was supposed to do 8 shows a week but they then changed it don to I think 6 shows a week because she could not manage the 8.

Maybe they will do a jobshare, with another Nancy performing at the other 4 shows.

Connie was going to perform 6 shows but following negative press reports she did 8 shows unitl the brought in Aoife.

No, originally she was sharing the week, then the actress pulled out, which left her for a short while with 8. This led to problems so it then went down again.

The practice of splitting the week is not that unusual.

It is quite usual for a lead to only do 2 shows but the actress didn't pull out through choice. It was the neg press re Connie only doing 6 shows.

The other actress pulled out BECAUSE Connie was doing all 8 shows + she had expected to get a guaranteed few shows a week and not merely be an understudy.

Wow even the PTB don't think the Nancys left can pull off 8 shows a week!! I wonder if two will share the role? (on half the salary?)

I reckon that's plan. I don't think they don't want Jodie and if she wins this is their way of having someone they do want at other perfs.

Also they seem to have introduced a contingency plan in case phone lines go down tonight. I believe that the lines went down in the IOM last weekend.

Well sinse two of the finalists are just teenagers, I'm not sure whether they could last very long on eight shows a week.
Even Connie had difficulties.

As CM wanted Rachel perhaps she is already being lined up for the other shows??????????

well ALW has already planned for sam to win - so of course he can't have her doing many shows - shes not good enough!

I beg to differ.

It might do Sam a favour not to win, so that she can take on a more demanding role than Nancy that shows up her true skills.

Even with a 3 year training course behind her!

The 3 finalists don't have any training do they although I believe I read that Sam has been at Arts Ed doing her A levels. These Musical theatre courses are very physical and they put in long hours every day and when rehearsing for shows they may be there from 8/9am to 9/10pm. I know that the Nancy's days are long at the moment but this has been over a matter of weeks and not years.



Has this notice gone on the website since Rachel left the competition. This is the first series not to have fully trained contestants in the final.

Even though I didn't warm to Rachel until the last two weeks she was in the comp I always thought she could do the job.

If anyone can confirm when this came up, it'll be great - I certainly didn't see that notice when I booked tickets a few weeks ago (and I booked for a Wednesday evening, bummer. Ah well).

woops, ignore my thread.

but... i have been saying this since the beginning.

Much as I love Sam and think she is very talented. 8 shows a week in a musical does need incredible stamina which can only be achieved through talent AND proper training. The guys from Joseph who ended up with west end parts all had training behind them and I know even with that struggle with the energy needed,

The only saving grace is that this is not ahuge part but even so. I am sure they will split the part now and have first and second nancy sharing the role

I don't think the age is the issue but lack of training to build up the stamina is. Ben from Joseph was only 18 when he got the Hairspray part. He has the training behind him to cope with a high energy show 8 times a week and same for Daniel

It's going to be very interesting to see who is the other Nancy.

having to split a supporting role doesn't say much for their belief in these girls.

i can see it for Maria. Connie was great, but even on the show, she was shown in a mission to be unfit , and slim doesn't necessarily mean stamina as we saw. she did work up to 8 though.

i think Jodie is the most fit from her trials and learning about it on the biggest loser.

Wow, sounds like the production team are a bit worried about any of the 3 getting it!