"Brief career"? Are you serious? It runs from 1989, Anything Goes to 2005, A Few Good Men. He's worked not just with ALW and CM but with Trevor Nunn, Stephen Sondheim, Sam Mendes and Aaron Sorkin.

I couldn't care less if I tryed. He wasn't in the west end during all that time.
I'm sure a donky could be on the west end, if everyone loved it as much as JB.

Flamethrower - you really can't be very knowledgeable about MT if you think that JB has only had a 'brief career' in the West End.

He has been slogging his guts out in quality MT from a very early age and worked with many of the greats of MT.
Sunset Boulevard? Anything Goes? Heard of them?

I completely understand if you don't like JB as a person or if you're miffed that he didn't rate Jessie but you can't take away the amazing career he's carved for himself.

I'm sorry. And yes he has worked hard. But I don't rate his vioce at all. I find it annoying.
And yes I have heard of them.
I didn't mean to say breif. But I just haven't heard of many of the musicals he's been in.
Perhaps I'm too young to know.

Returning to the original topic of the thread. I would definitely have no problem with ALW being on the jury as first among equals (like Len on Strictly Come Dancing) as long as he told that it was OK to just be himself. I'd also like to hear from a casting professional and a vocal coach. There probably still ought to be a performer there but it should be one who really understands the show, ideally through having been it. However rather than having an establised 'lead' that is well known to the public, it might be more interesting to have a less well known actor/actress who has worked with several different leads in the show, and perhaps understudied the part being casted.

You really are something if you haven't heard of Phantom, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard, and Anything Goes.

Ideal Jury?

I'm not sure anyone would work.

I kind of lost interest after Rachel and Sarah lost out in the show. I didn't care for anyone to win. I thought Jessie was the weakest and Jodie the most inexperienced. The end result left me only with the thought that Sam was a really gracious loser and showed maturity beyond her 17 years.

After reading through some comments after the series, it's shown me that it doesn't matter who is on the panel---people will complain and slander any judge that doesn't agree with them.

I think the best option is to only have technical judges. A vocal and movement coach perhaps.


JB also starred in Sunset Boulevard, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, Evita etc. Some of these shows were did well enough to transfer from the West End to Broadway. 16 years leading some of the biggest WE musicals during the period before the era of celebrity stunt casting of musicals is an indicator of a pretty successful stage career. If you have an interest in musical theater, these were some of the biggies in the 90's.

My ideal jury??

One that finds me not guilty for a change!

What about Ruthie Henshall? She was a reasonable panelist on DoI IMO.

She can be joined by Jon Lee (whose also know for his MT work) and Zoe Tyler, along with ALW. Try to freshen the panel up a bit more.

Not sure that there's anyone working in MT at the moment that doesn't rely on the two of them in some way or another, even if it's just to get a job working in one of the theatre's that they own. Certainly none of the big names in MT are going to intentionally diss ALW or CM in fear that they might never get a part on one of their musicals ever again.

In relation to the OP, I would replace John Barrowman and DVO and bring in another performer to replace them (Ruthie Henshall maybe). I think Caspar is right in that you have ALW who knows how things work from the producer side and someone who knows how things work from the performer side.

It would be interesting to actually have someone on the panel who has previously played the role and can explain to us what is required to play it. I also agree that a voice coach (though please not Zoe Tyler - I've gone off her in a big way after seeing her on Loose Women - how about the lady with the white hair and glasses who is always in the VTs of the girls practising?) and a casting director would be ideal.

That said, maybe it's time to bring the whole thing to an end?

Ah the king of hyper boll ocks!!

Lol

Bill Kenwright was a bit like having your granny on the panel. No matter how bad you were, he would tell you you were great. Or that you had heart.

Attack you.how on earth can I or would I do that.....I might ask you to justify your comments with fact or I might give my own opinion of what I saw and heard. But I certainly would never attack you........I think that was a shocking thing to say about anyone.

I'd never heard that Barry Humphries had played Fagin many times! And that DVO must have had greater WE success than I'm aware of.

But JB - he's done so much! And his voice is actually pretty smooth.

BTW Casper doesn't really attack anyone - she has a point of view and dares to express it!

I'd love to see JB and Ruthie Henshall back together, they're so good. And keep David Grindrod, the casting guy, I thought he should have stayed. I don't think they want someone on the panel who's actually played the role, because then it would be more, Oh, he or she will go for someone who'll play the role THEIR way instead of something new, and we've had enough of that thanks.

I didn't mean attack, attack.
Don't get too offended now.

Just bin Barrowman. Pillock. I cannot understand why women fancy him, he gives me the creeps.

Well, at least he didn't leer at the contestants, unlike 2 others I could mention.

He's like spider.

Explain...........Casper will attack me.....in any other way......or do you have a problem expressing yourself.

Thank you.........no I think its the easy way to deal with people is to verbally attack them......I prefer debate and discussion.

Well he may not have leered but he sure did gush!!

He gorgeous, funny, incredibly sexy, has the voice of an angel but a mouth like a sewer, he's in two of the best shows on television, playing one of the best characters on tv. Would you like me to continue?

I used to like him, but he comes across as being smug and conceited now. Innuendo after innuendo is dull, and he wouldn't be where he is now if not for his looks.

ALW is not lardy! lol
i have to think of this