I first watched Maria via YouTube without seeing the judges' comments and became a Connie fan instantly, so I can honestly say that the judges had no influence whatsoever on my opinion of her. I've since seen her live in SOM and thought she was fabulous, and I also met her and she was nothing but lovely to me and everyone else around. I've also bought her album and the SOM cast album.

Lee was my favorite from very early on in the Joseph program, and I'm thrilled that he's done so well. It was great to see him on the ADWD final. I seriously considered going to see him in Joseph when I was in London to see SOM, but didn't really have the time and the show itself is not enough of a draw for me, but Lee in almost anything else would definitely make me want to see it.

I saw both shows all the way through.

Connie came over as polished and professional. To make "Shout" sound like a half-decent song is no mean feat. Like Jodie and Rachel I think she suffered a little by seeming stalwart and steady. These are qualities which don't seem highly regarded these days. Lots of viewers seem to prefer their performers to be pictured falling drunkenly from a taxi whilst displaying their all to the world!

Lee was criticised on occasion. He certainly wasn't entirely free from poor comments. His "Paint it black" was infinitely better than the original. He too didn't seem vulnerable. When criticised he bore the comment graciously and patiently. Again, grace and patience don't seem to be considered as virtues these days.

Far better to bawl your eyes out, apparently.

If you mean in general, I was never a big Connie fan, but thought she would win from when I first tuned in, mid-series (HDYS...).

She reminded me of the US actress, Sandy Duncan:

Always though Lee (or Seamus, actually) could walk straight into the Joseph part.

Dave

wow we are agreeing again melv...

But I actually prefered Daniel's performances to Lee's and Seamus. Daniel was certainly the better more versatile performer. But he didnt have dark long curly hard and AWL didnt fancy him. Plus DVO was orgasmic every time he was on...lol......

Cucumbers jump to mind.......dont know why..lol

Daniel Rocks...........

What??

Well said! I could listen to his album all day. He has a voice like melted chocolate!

very apt description.........

I think Lee has a great voice and was one of the most consistant Josephs vocally.

He seems like a really decent bloke and does a great job in Joseph but I didn't really see the charisma thing. Maybe he had enough charisma on stage to work with his voice and get him places.

I'm not even gonna say who I thought had the most charisma because I'll be hounded out of here!

Even though, I wasn't a fan of Connie, I do think she was a good choice. She was consistently good. And she was the constant professional. And like ESPIONdansant mentioned, I think she did a good job with some of the more questionable choices. Yes, it was obvious that she was going to win from the onset. But I think the right choice was made. Other than Aoife, I thought the more talented girls (such as Abi) weren't necessarily right for the role of Maria. And even though Aoife was my favourite, I think Connie was more consistent on the show.

As for Lee, I was a fan of his. Even though, he was the most obvious winner, I don't think he was ALW's first choice. I always saw him as their backup choice, if given a choice, ALW seemed to prefer to have the younger Lewis. Like with HDYSPLM, I thought that other than the winner, the other strong contestants (such as Ben and Daniel ) were better suited to other parts so I think again the right person won.

At the end of the day, the most talented people tend to do alright for themselves.


I agree. I do think that getting an understudy role is underrated. It is hard to get a decent role, unless you are either a genius performer or more commonly, a famous name who will bring in the crowds.

LOL! He's much too young to have charisma LOL!

I didn't really follow HDYSAPLM very closely so can't really comment but I can't say I have been very impressed with Connie Fisher since.

Lee Mead was safe mediocrity. There were far far far worse singers in the competition (a couple of them ironically got very far) but there were at least three better singers than Lee.

And who were they? Apart from Daniel, who had a very good voice but was totally wrong for Joseph, I can't think of one!

I think that's just it for me. It is the whole package that counts - not just being a good singer. Lee and Daniel and maybe Seamus and Craig were the only ones who could be Joseph for me. Some of the others might have been good singers, but didn't look the part or couldn't perform as well.

The whole package does count, which makes me wonder why Sam was in the final - she can't act and her voice is inappropriate for Nancy, as she struggles with her lower range .

I didn't even say his name!!!!

At the nightclub One Leicester Square, Gelder, a National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company actor, in "jest" dedicated an award "for the most unprofessional and most unpleasant newcomer" to Connie. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...wont-quit.html

I don't suppose she minds, given her real awards for the role:


link to BBC story about her two Best Newcomer Awards in 2007, Theatre Goers' Choice and Critics Circle.

Daniel has no sex appeal - for me he attracts mid aged women called Doris who knit brown jumpers (as katis Hopkins would say). He's the UK's answer to Clay Aitken

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....Daniel was the best........we know......I agree with ya

Keith was a better singer than Lee by quite a way, but I LOVED Lee - completed hooked esp by Paint it Black. He was GORGEOUS, but Keith had the better voice, and I am following his career with interest - he is doing very well, which should be heartening news for Jessie and Sam fans. His album will be out in the summer, he has finished a long run as narrator in mobile McJospeh, and is starring in a new musical at the Edinburgh Festival this summer. He is also working on a secret thing with John Barrowman. i SAW kEITH SEVERAL TIMES AS THE NARRATOR IN jOESEPH AND HE REALLY WAS EXCEPTIONAL - LOT MORE STAGE PRESENCE NOW. Sorry about the caps - didn't mean to shout!

I don't think Sam should have made the final either.





I think that's a pretty mean article (not that I'd expect anything else from the DM) and I always wondered if she would suffer a backlash of being the first winner of this kind of show.

Clearly resentments surfaced big time.

The article says she dropped a quarter of the shows - a quarter of 8 shows is only two and don't most leading actors do 6 shows? I don't know Connie at all, but my impression of her was that all she wanted to do was make sure she didn't let anyone down. It sounds to me like she was in a lose lose situation.

Lee was already an established MT performer and although Jodie has been a singer for years, it makes me wonder if she'll suffer from an even worse backlash than Connie who had MT training.

Seems like the Joseph franchise is on the march, using watered-down ADWD contestants as Josephs...

Craig Chalmers takes the role in bournemouth this summer...

Dave

Nothing "dilute " about them or the show.
The sell out audiences for this tour would beg to differ ....

I'm neither middle-aged nor can I knit, and I find Daniel sexy. The editorial staff on Cosmo obviously do as well.

I don't really think type of woman you describe would like Avenue Q.

If they're hitting holiday locations like the Bournemouth International Centre, the sell-out is because holidaymakers can find s** all else on

Incidentally, if it's OK for the Loo-sers to play Joseph, why are people up-in-arms about the suggestion of Jessie playing Nancy on other threads?

Dave