Some did criticise him - for being too like Clark Gable. As a highly experienced actor Clark's job was the same as Darius's viz to breathe life into the Rhett Butler as found in the pages of the novel Gone With The Wind. Darius stripped off the Hollywood sugar coating and thus some found his first act Rhett sleazy or smarmy. I found Mitchell's Rhett initially unlikable. His real nature only shows when the mask of contempt slips and we get glimpses of the intelligent and good hearted gentleman underneath.

http://timesonline.typepad.com/video/2008/...dol-origin.html

 

Quite nice and a reminder of Darius doing a Tom Jones song on Pop Idol

WOS newsletter

 

 

Hello all,

 

The critics haven't been kind to Gone With the Wind, but you may well want to get along to the New London and decide for yourself. Having caught a post-press night performance, I must report that, in my opinion, many reviews were unduly harsh towards a show that - while admittedly overlong - is nonetheless engaging and at times very moving. Unfortunately, I missed Jill Paice, who was off sick with a throat infection, but the understudy Savannah Stevenson was truly incredible as Scarlett O'Hara, especially considering her limited rehearsal time (not to mention costume changes). If you need further help deciding whether or not to part with your money for tickets, check out our triple-whammy of first night coverage - Photos, TV and Review Round-up.

 

O

 

I have found two reviews on GWTW facebook I have added them to the pinned review thread - more praise for Darius

copius apologies

 

I was adding reviews to the pinned thread, so how I locked this one as well I don't know - probably got confused when posting about the rviews and forgot which thread I was in... :wacko: ,ah yes, I came back in here to post about the reviews and locked this thread instead of the other..

Edited April 29, 200817 yr by prettyinpink

WOS newsletter

Hello all,

 

The critics haven't been kind to Gone With the Wind, but you may well want to get along to the New London and decide for yourself. Having caught a post-press night performance, I must report that, in my opinion, many reviews were unduly harsh towards a show that - while admittedly overlong - is nonetheless engaging and at times very moving. Unfortunately, I missed Jill Paice, who was off sick with a throat infection, but the understudy Savannah Stevenson was truly incredible as Scarlett O'Hara, especially considering her limited rehearsal time (not to mention costume changes). If you need further help deciding whether or not to part with your money for tickets, check out our triple-whammy of first night coverage - Photos, TV and Review Round-up.

 

O

 

The official wos "wooden Rhett" comments do look somewhat odd ranged against all the other reviews of Darius's performance.

 

It's good to see more positive comments about the show appearing.

I love how individuals who have seen it see it so differently from the critics

"Whenever on stage you could feel him there,..........."

 

I've always felt that, right from first night in Chicago but i thought it because I was a fan and I was watching for him more closely than the average member of an audience.

It's the stage presence - even people who have never come across him and are visiting the UK notice.

 

I have a whole group of family and friends ready to jump when Darius is mentioned.

It's the stage presence - even people who have never come across him and are visiting the UK notice.

 

I wonder if it would come across on screen. Photos are never the same as seeing Darius live.

It's so weird. Well, maybe we'll get a chance to see next year.

Show and Stay Theatre News Review

 

 

Darius's Rhett Butler Sparks Turnaround for Gone With the Wind

 

Few shows that open in the West End today attract such a storm of controversy as Sir Trevor Nunn's adaptation of Gone With the Wind . Darius's breathtaking performance on Wednesday night however, seems to have hushed those sterner critics.

 

 

 

It's no secret that the press previews for Gone With the Wind were not exactly everything that Sir Trevor had hoped for. The show was too long (45 minutes longer than billed), main cast members were struck down by a bouts of illness and certain staging effects went completely up the proverbial spout. Nunn even had to cancel an evening's performance so that vital revisions and repairs could be made at the last minute. With this of course, thanks to the whiff of catastrophe flaring some critics' nostrils, media interest began to suddenly balloon out of all control. Things, it has to be said, were looking decidedly shaky for the official opening night.

 

So, as the New London Theatre began to fill with the glitterati of the West End on Wednesday, a nervous calm must have hung in the air. Though not all of it positive, one thing is certain; never has such a buzz surrounded a new show like this before: not before it has even opened. This, quite simply, was show time.

 

Darius Danesh's electrifying performance then seems certainly to be the shot of adrenaline that the show needed. As Gone With the Wind reached its dramatic conclusion he was duly greeted with a rapturous standing ovation to rival any West End triumph. The structure of the show is said to still need some tidying up but, with Darius's spellbinding turn at the helm he may yet steer this the way of the classic Les Mirseables, which also had an uncertain start.

 

The great Clarke Gable is clearly one of Hollywood's most iconic performers so stepping into shoes like his is not a task to be undertaken lightly. That said, it seems that with performances like the one which met the West End establishment on Wednesday night, it is clear why Darius toppled the likes of movie star Hugh Jackman to get the role.

 

It may still be a controversial show but it's undoubtedly the production that everyone in Theatreland is talking about. And, as the old adage goes, there's only one thing worse than being talked about...

 

Published by: Nathan Brooker

 

 

 

loving it.."its clear why Darius toppled the likes of Movie Star Hugh Jackson to get the role.."

Who apart from us and the creative team of GWTW, only 3 months ago, would have thought Darius would nail Rhett so completely.

That's a nice one - and true. Not long until next week

and a little blog on same site..

 

show and stay theorists blog

And??????. Is it just they don't want musicals that have been a book and a film? Maybe the next theory will be any play with a blonde, brunette and redhead in it will fail as it's 3 things together? Well, I hope they feel betrter after their coffee. We've all come out with ddaft things when we are first awake.

radio interview

 

Shenton, and some other critics - sums them up to me, self important .. and they just dont get something unless its spoon fed to them with "real fire" .. :rolleyes: dont bother listening past the GWTW bit

Their back to the abuse because it's first time. There was pathos and there was laughter. These men should apply for grumpy old men. They have the ability to learn scripts. I just wonder what on earth they watched -if any of it.

zzzzzzzzzzzz! Darius is impersonating Gable. Definitely snobbery there about the casting. Pop Idol.

 

Looks good, struts well, good bass baritone voice....... embarrassing when he has to say any dialogue eh? - that's a new one. I don't think the bulk of the audience at the press night would agree with that. Funny none of those critics wrote that in their written reviews.