I don't think it will be easy to find another West End theatre for G&D .

 

Grease is going into the Picadilly where Guys and Dolls is now.

 

Presumably Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat will also be going into the West End about the same time. Is it maybe going into the Adelphi to replace another ALW, Evita?

 

What about Hairspray with John Travolta, what theatre is it going into?

quote from baytree - Just realised Debs, who's commented on D's myspace, is Debbie Kurup, whom I saw as Velma at the end of D's first Chicago run. I thought she was really really good.

There is a deb just posted on darius music asking where everyone is sitting dont know if its the same one but no-one has replied yet.

I noticed that but I think it's just a coincidence.

'Any Dream Will Do' is going into the Adelphi.

I've just watched the film. I think Darius will be brilliant. Marlon Brandos acting was brilliant but he wasn't brilliant singing. The songs sounded as though they would really suit D's range.

 

There seems a lot more acting in this one. When I saw the stage show, I hardly noticed the Sky they had. I think that D has enough stage presence to overcome that.

I think Darius has the stage presence and the ability to play the well-heeled, charming gambler with a moral conscience, brilliantly portrayed by Brando in the film, but I'm just not sure that is the Sky Masterson in the present production. I just can't see Ewan McGregor or Nigel Harman when I watch Brando.

 

I wish there were more clips of the current London stage show around.

 

Presumably though, whatever vision the producer and director have for Sky, Darius must fit it. He must have done some kind of an audition, no matter how short, surely.

 

 

 

 

My thoughts are that he will have to make his mark against Sean williamson who has a good voice and a lot of acting experience. However if Marlon brando can do the part and I realise he was a good method actor, a song and dance man he wasnt.

Darius will do very well. He'll surprise a lot of people. I have do doubts at all that he will excel. I've seen the stage production and the film. I just know he'll be grat. I am REALLY looking forward to the dancing though. I bet he has to work at that. He isn't scared of hard work and he'll keep at it until perfect.

 

I like that he takes a challenge. I like even more that he always rises to it.

Hi everyone. I'm new to this so please excuse mistakes. Baytree, there are video clips of the London show on

the main Guys and Dolls site.

thanks, Bramley I have been looking for some too. I actually think Darius wil be a great Sky if what I have read of the character is right. and having seen him as Billy I think the step over into Sky's character is a small one to be honest. Just hope the dancing isnt too much, I havent seen what Nigel et all had to do. although he must have had auditions for this, or someone saw him as Billy. As we know darius puts his all into everything he does so I am sure he has been rehearseing hard

mm.

 

just ploughed through youtubes selection..loads of different Guys and Dolls footage, lol mainly high school though

and the official site.

didnt learn a lot though

I still dont know what dancing is entailed, but from the clips I have seen..Darius could well be great at this, especially after watching Nigels Luck be a lady clip..and Patrick Swazye on CIN

darius would have the accent, stage presence to be a great Sky.

I do recall natasha mentioning that her and Dairus were frequenting Salsa clubs in a mag interview a time back, so perhaps the dancing is already being honed! I havent as yet found any footage showing the extent of the male lead's dancing.

Edited April 5, 200718 yr by prettyinpink

The night club dance is the only one which has any depth - as far as dancing goes. He'll do well though, so don't worry.

 

I never would

thats ok then, I am the constant worrier! was probably more nervous than him in Chicago! so eager for him to show everyone! but he did and I shouldnt have worried, if the night club dance is the only one..then he should be great! I was imagining some huge set piece akin to gene kelly or Fred Astair!! I think I saw a clip of in the night club in youtube - probably what him and natrasha have been practising in those clubs!

Im more worried when I fread that Claire on Dm rang the edinburgh box office and they said they didnt know if he was appearing. Surely that is not good for other people ringing and putting bums on seats, it is showing on the official guys and dolls website that he is appearing so I find that very strange that they should say that unles the box office clerk is not a D fan.!!

I don't think it will be personal, Preston, just one of those frustrating breakdowns in communication that seem to pop up from time to time.

 

Personally I think Edinburgh may well have been the carrot that made Darius decide to return to the stage.

 

I think Shaun Williamson is a great choice for Nathan. IMHO he has never got proper credit for his acting because his Eastender character, barry, was always painted as naive and stupid, and in the end a complete loser. Lots of the GBP don't seem to be able to separate actors in soaps from their characters.

Nathan gets the great comic songs including the wonderful title song. Sean will do them more than justice.

 

Darius will be the least experienced principal in the company and he will take over at a time when the others have worked together for a score or more shows. He'll have to jump on the moving train again. I think he'll take it in his stride just like he did with Chicago. He looked almost serene on that stage while I was so nervous at first, I was quaking in my seat.

 

Sky is a very different character from Nathan. I think the physical differences between Shaun and Darius will underline that. Sky Masterson is an involuntary romantic when the bet he's conned into has unexpected consequences and his songs, other than Luck Be A Lady" are more traditional musical ballads from that era and well within D's range.

 

I really liked the song "Woman In Love" which was substituted in the film for Sky's 2 songs - My Time Of Day and I've Never Been In Love Before, maybe because Brando was not a natural singer and maybe because they needed an original song for eligibility for an Oscar category. The new stage version retains Adelaide which was another addition for the film version but not Woman In Love. I'd love to hear Darius sing it some day but it won't be this time. Still he will sing the 2 others in quick succession.

 

BTW is there something wrong with the fast reply here? I've found it impossible to post using it today.

 

 

 

It's been Ok for me. This is on fast reply

On Paul o grady tonite they showed Shaun williamson in the extras show doing various bits and the chap playing opposite was extremely tall like D and when he hugged Shaun he was head and shoulders above him. I do agree with all what you say and meg that D will hold his own, however there are bound to be comparisons and has D done any gigs in liverpool area before, I know he was very popular in the East.

here it is, it is lovely reading these write ups, I thought Chicagos was good, but this makes me even prouder. From the offical Guys and Dolls site

 

Darius Danesh is an entertainer whose professional career began playing a ten year old Trojan boy in the Scottish Opera's avante garde 1990’s production of The Trojans. Amateur theatrical performances in the diary of Ann Frank and The Importance Of Being Earnest followed, and would anticipate his teenage return to the professional stage, touring with the Scottish Opera in a critically acclaimed production of Carmen. After performing at the Royal Opera House in Convent garden, Darius faced the first of many career cross-roads. He chose to return to his studies in lieu of training his now famous rich baritone voice for an Operatic career.

 

Student productions and lead roles in Oliver, Journey's end and West Side story spurned his love of the stage and it was while studying English at Edinburgh University that Darius managed to find a balance between academic pursuits and performing. However, after Edinburgh Footlight's Some Like It Hot, the role of Tybalt in an Edinburgh Fringe production of Romeo and Juliet marked the last time he would appear on stage before becoming a household name.

In 2001, a chance audition and a promise of a record deal led Darius to fame in Popstars and the subsequent television phenomenon that was Pop Idol. Millions voted for him and the nation's favourite underdog left the show with a major record contract on the table. With this new career cross road ahead, Darius veered off the road altogether, making his own path, guitar over shoulder. he turned down Simon Cowell's million pound offer to become a cover-song idol, and instead sent a self composed track to his favourite producer in the hope of creating something original. Legendary U2 producer Steve Lillywhite signed him to a five album deal. In the summer of 2003, Colourblind became Darius' first number one single and that Christmas, his self-penned album Dive In went platinum.

 

Over the next two years Darius would go on to support Shakira in Paris on her world tour: complete his own sell-out tour, became an Ambassador for the Princes Trust: contribute to the War Child charity album with Coldplay and Oasis: write a number 6 Sunday Times best seller book, Sink or Swim, about his experiences in the music industry; and headline in India with Alanis Morisette after his album went platinum there.

 

After receiving news that his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Darius wrote and dedicated his second studio album to Dr Booth Danesh, the man he calls his hero. In 2005 the albums title track Live Twice became Darius' 5th top ten single. Amazingly his father, Booth not only lived to see his son perform it at the Royal Albert Hall, but fought his cancer into remission, echoing the songs lyrics.

 

Today Darius works with the Lymphoma Association to raise awareness of one of the most least understood and fastest growing cancers. He is currently writing for his third album and at the age of 25, Darius is the youngest performer ever to fill the role of Billy Flynn in Chicago.

Thankyou PIP That is very impressive.

On Paul o grady tonite they showed Shaun williamson in the extras show doing various bits and the chap playing opposite was extremely tall like D and when he hugged Shaun he was head and shoulders above him. I do agree with all what you say and meg that D will hold his own, however there are bound to be comparisons and has D done any gigs in liverpool area before, I know he was very popular in the East.

 

Shaun is 5 ft 10 according to his bio on imdb. I guess he just looked smaller to me on Eastenders because Barry was quite well rounded.