i went to see f.h.t.e at the huge cinema in glasgow city centre (cineworld). i'll start by saying how good Darius was, acting , singing,you name it.he never dissappoints & so professional, along with stand out star quality, looks, the lot!- but here's the 'RUB'! I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYONE IN SCOTLAND,KNEW HE WAS IN IT! EVEN THE 'PASSING TRADE' AT THE CINEMA,LOOKING AT THE BILLBOARDS, WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN DARIUS FEATURED,IN ANY WAY. JUST SHOWED ROBT:LONSDALE, SURROUNDEDBY SOME OF THE MALE CAST-BUT NO DARIUS!,SO ANY FANS OF DARIUS,IN SCOTLAND, WOULD'NT HAVE A CLUE,HE HAD ANY PART OF IT. ALSO, WHAT HE GOT TO SING, WAS EXCELLENT, BUT VERY LITTLE, NOT ALLOWING ANY AUDIENCE TO FULLY APPRECIATE HIS SINGING RANGE. I MEAN..., WHERE WAS THE NUMBER, SHOWING HIS POWERFUL BARITONE?! SO YES, WHAT LITTLE BITS HE GOT TO SING, JUST FRUSTRATED ME, PARTICULARLY, WHEN THE OTHER MALE LEAD, APPEARED TO SING MORE, & STRUGGLED TO HIT MANY NOTES.(NOT A SINGER, I DON'T THINK)? I THINK IF I WAS DARIUS, I WOULD TELL THEM WHERE TO STUFF IT, PARTICULARLY THE MUSICAL DIRECTOR, BILL OAKES, WHO SEEM TO HAVE HIS OWN PERSONAL MENTORING PROJECT& I HAVE RARELY HEARD HIM SAY ANYTHING ABOUT DARIUS,SO BUSY NURSING ALONG', THE OTHER MALE LEAD. I'M THINKING TIM RICE'S INPUT HAS BEEN MINIMAL, MABEY A GETTING OLDER PROJECT, WHICH HE'S LEFT IN THE HANDS OF THOSE WITH NOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. ANAWAY, ENOUGH OF MY 'RANT' WELL DONE DARIUS. YOU WERE SUPERB. I JUST GET IRKED, WITH THE INJUSTICE & THE LACK OF PROMOTION.

The book was written about the soldier Prewitt. That's why he had most songs. Whether you like his voice or not is a matter of taste. It was a shame we didn't seem to get much publicity about the showing of the film. Also a shame publicity was lacking for the theatre musical as well. Darius sang the songs belonging to the part of Warden very well. Bill Oakes was responsible for writing the 'Book' and was in no way responsible for the publicity or the songs. The Music director was one Darius has worked with before and he also had no input to which songs were used. The part of Warden was great. I would have liked to hear more of Darius singing but enjoyed the film and the show

Edited July 10, 201411 yr by megham
Spelling mistake

i stand corrected megham. the name Bill Oakes was just in my mind & of course i meant the musical director, who's name now escapes me. i've never read the book, but if Private Prewitt was meant to sing the most, then i rather stand by what i said, since it was not 'a matter of opinion' about his singing & that being the case, i would have preferred to hear a good singer, capable of reaching the notes. remember, it was only his singing i critisized, as the part he played was acted very well. my main dissappointment i think , was that Darius didn't appear to sing the number, that he said was specially written, to accomodate his baritone,which is extemely powerful. i remember him in the rehearsal room P.T.O.S. & it was just wonderful to hear him , standing beside the piano, singing ' the impossible dream'in what has to be the best baritone i have ever heard, so yes, i was hoping for a bit of that again!, although i do enjoy his tenor &falsetto too. his range is amazing. still puzzled about lack of promotion. usually there would have been something in the Daily Record', but not a whiff. when all's said & done, yes i did enjoy seeing it in film& Darius can be counted on , never to dissappoint- in any of the leading roles he has played.

The music director knows Darius. He didn't write any of the songs or say which should be included. There were many people who loved Roberts voice. The 2 have very different voices and it widened the number of people who loved the songs. I'd have loved another couple of songs from Darius but that wasn't down to me either. We could have done with a couple of numbers on popular shows. We did get 'Aint Where I Want To Be' on 'This Morning' and Terry Wogan/s show and I think we were very lucky to get a solo version of 'Maybe' from Darius on Terry Wogan's Radio show as well.

thanks Megham for reply & info. my 'opinion' on RbtLonsdale's voice can't be changed, though, but perhaps it is not a neccessity reach the notes, given the part he was playing. i did see Darius doing duet on This Morning'& i felt that he seemed to have to subdue his voice, in order for ROBERT to be heard!- but was glad that, when i heard the number at the cinema (done a bit differently); that Darius shone at the small part of 'Aint Where i Wannabee', that he did sing & he definitely made the most of it. WOULD HAVE LOVED tohave heard the solo you mentioned ' MABEY' ARE there no links to it? yes, it would have been nice for Darius to have had one solo to sing! Hopefully, if they take it to America, they will advertise it. everyone in Scotland knows who Darius is, but as i said previously, no- one looking, passing the actual cinema, would have known Darius was in it- it just showed a circle of unknown faces on billboard-hence another reason why, around the country, one might expect smaller audiences. i just don't think they should have bothered if they could'nt afford to market it properly, or whatever reason. makes me wonder who was promoting it & their experience in these matters. one can only hope, that they do it differently in America, if they want to attract the kind of audience they say they are seeking. Never mind; if Darius is running all over G.B., TO PROMOTE HIS FORTHCOMING ALBUM in the 'AUTUMN', HE MABEY WONT BE TOO CONCERNED ABOUT IT ALL!...I Thought Darius might have made an appearance in Glasgow at the Commonwealth GAMES concerts. mabey he is too busy. he looks better in the kilt than anyone i have ever seen & it would have been good to hear him singing. never mind-Roll on the autumn album & the tour. OH, I Almost forgot to mention; Darius's leading lady had a lovely singing voice & my friend, who is a singing teacher, thought they both sang 'AMERICA'SO WELL. It was the number. that had you humming it to yourself.

I thought he might have been invited to perform in the Commonwealth Games concert as well. I'm sure he would have made time had he been invited. Sue

eden - link to 'Maybe'

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=101534...e=3&theater

 

I wish he'd been invited to the opening of the Games , he'd have done very well

Good to hear again Meg, thanks.