he certainly has

He wasn't the best in Popstars the rivals but, there were a load worse. I didn't watch x-factor. Not having watched it, I'd probably agree with him that Simon didn't want him - i've seen him with others from previous programs.

I think D was accepted on the second reality show only because they believed he would make a fool of himself.

How wrong they were!

Large photo of Darius on Digital Spy in the Celebrity Birthdays section.

It took me ages to work out where it was......

 

 

...please don't where ask I can't remember how I found it........a lovely Rhett photo :D

...can't even get my words the right way round

Edited August 19, 200816 yr by SpamFritter

Thank goodness I'm not the only one fumbling my way around.....or maybe it was my fault for not being more

explicit. That wouldn't surprise me.

Welcome back Baytree. No hard feelings I hope. You have always been very helpful when I have queried things, and

I hope we can regain the old footing.

I am so glad to see Baytree back, it wasnt the same without her.Welcome back.

Does anyone know if Ricky Martin has a partner/wife? I know he loves children, and has given a lot of time and money to helping under-privileged children. Apparently he has recently had twin boys by a surrogate mother, and is dropping out of the spotlight temporally to devote time to them. They'll have a wonderful life ahead.

Sorry, can't spell today.....temporarily!

Edited August 21, 200816 yr by Bramley

The UK rights to Natasha's show 'Eli Stone' have been picked up by the Sci-Fi Channel and they plan to start showing Series 1 in the Autumn. Johnny Lee Miller has the lead role and George Michael makes several guest appearances as they use his music during the show. Katie Holmes is filming with Natasha in Series 2. It should make interesting viewing!! :D

I wonder if D has been on set with Natasha - he could have a cameo role and sing with George Michael :cheer: :D I think I remember Natasha saying that although George had appeared in the show she had never met him!! :(

 

Julie

I read about this on Digital Spy http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a124961/sci...-eli-stone.html

But it doesn't mention Natasha on that site. It would be great to hear D singing with anyone! (though preferably on

his own).

Isnt it odd they dont mention Natasha, at least I think it is as she is the girlfriend of a british popstar.

 

Anyway the latest from WOS RE Marguerite with ruthie henshall

 

The Theatre Royal Haymarket’s ambitious West End venture - a year-long season of productions helmed by a single director under the theatre’s own commercial flag - will end in disappointment next month, with the closure seven weeks early of its final offering, the world premiere of Michel Legrand’s musical Marguerite - raising doubts about the viability of future in-house programming.

 

 

Marguerite was meant to bring the season to climactic – successful - conclusion. However, despite impressive creative credentials (in addition to Legrand’s score, it has a book by Les Miserables’ Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg and English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer) and being cast to the hilt (with Ruthie Henshall in the title role, opposite Julian Ovenden and Alexander Hanson), the show opened to lukewarm reviews and, like the two plays that preceded it, has struggled at the box office (See Review Round-up, 21 May 2008).

 

 

Wonder if it will get called ruthie henshalls flop musical!!!!

 

I eventually found the picture on digital spy. It was a nice Rhett one and a good reminder that Darius is still very much around and still successful.

 

Thanks for the info about Eli Stone. The tiny excerpts I've seen of it have been very good. I like humour with my law/police shows.

 

It's sad when a show closes early. The demise of Marguerite is IMO another sign that it's tough for traditional musical plays in London's West End, especially new ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It does seem to be that the feel good factor has something to do with it. Baytree will remember me mentioning last year a singer actor from my home town called Glynn kerslake who did a concert here for a cancer charity locally. He had played the lead in the westend in Phantom, miss saigon, sunset boulevard, les mis etc. Anyway here is here again next sunday again for the cancer charity and I am going. He has a fan tastic voice and is a fantatic pianist so am looking forward to it. He has a female harpist wih him also and some others with westend experience. However he was playing Long john silver in treasure island at the derby playhouse when it closed down but it has reopened as it was saved by I believe a consortium and he continued in the part. Cant imagine him doing this part as he is nothing like that to look at, good looking etc. The wonders of makeup.

It does seem to be that the feel good factor has something to do with it.

 

I think with the looming recession already beginning to bite, people are going to be even more choosy about which shows

they go to see.Theatre tickets aren't cheap, together with travelling expenses to get there, especially if two or a family are

going. I think the 'feel good factor' will be a major consideration for many people. After all, who wants to leave the theatre

feeling down or contemplative; with fuel prices and the cost of food spiralling we should all welcome an evening's entertainment

which transports us into a world of colour, spectacle, fantasy, music, dreams,.....all the things that good theatre can offer, in its

differing forms of entertainment.

 

So should theatre cater for the majority or the minority? (quite apart from commercial viability)

Do we want the soft-pedal type, or the intellectually-stretching type? Or other types?

What DO we want from theatre?

Edited August 25, 200816 yr by Bramley

Personally, I'm in the minority and always have been, I think. I prefer a straight drama or comedy or if it's a musical, a decent plot with some substance and some development of character with songs which gave an insight into the character's thoughts/personality or songs which drive the action forward. If they really, really have to have dancing then I prefer a couple of big choreographed routines e.g. Havana scene or Sit Down You're rocking the boat in G & D to a lot of little inconsequential (to me) routines incessantly in the background or interrupting the action for no particular reason.

 

I was fidgety during some of the dance routines in Chicago especially Roxie and the long routine to two different songs at the end.

 

I should say I'm the same with films - I never have been able to stand all those car chases and effects. I find them really boring. If I fancied the film other than that, I hire it on DVD later and fast forward those bits.

Edited August 25, 200816 yr by Baytree

It is strange how we all differ. I have loved musical theatre since a child and thats a long time ago. I think it started with me doing dancing classes as a child and going to watch a very high calibre dance festival they have here every year for all kinds of dance, ballet, tap etc etc. However just love the theatre generally but it is strange because I loved GWTW much better than guys and dolls yet one does read that guys and dolls is considered a great musical like Baytree in parts I found myself fidgeting mainly because of the story line which ocasionally dragged for me especially when D wasnt on. Of course great songs do come into it. I didnt find chicago dragged at all. However although I loved the music of les mis I found the background etc depressing. ditto phantom. I think because a lot of younger people have been introduced to musical theatre through the tv they are looking for the feel good factor, ie. joseph, starlight express (hated it) hairspray etc. Some musicals also seem dated, south pacific was and west side story when I saw them recently but my fair lady was brilliant (amateur production but equal if not better than westend)and has stood up well but also it depends on the producers take on it. On the other hand saw the film, mama mia and didnt understand what all the fuss was about but again the feel good factor kicked in for a lot of people.

I liked GWTW much much better than Chicago or Guys and Dolls. I loved Les Mis and hated Joseph. I'm all for a bit of tragedy, emotion and depression in musicals. I need a good story and great songs.

 

Parts of Chicago dragged especially the scenes with Velma (and Roxy) dancing and some scenes in Guys and Dolls where Darius wasn't in it.

I found the long "shooting craps"dance routine in the sewer a real turn off. Only not wanting to miss Darius's entrance kept my eyes open.

Edited August 26, 200816 yr by Baytree

Preston has kyboshed the argument I was going to put forward. I was going to suggest that our preferences in theatre

and film change as we grow older, from the first childish delight in seeing the familiar(story book characters, Bob the

Builder, etc) through a teenage leaning towards cult shows (rocky horror etc) in order to be part of the gang, to more

reasoned choices as we mature. Myself, if the choice is mine alone (and many shows we see are a group decision),I

look for a meaningful, innovative show that evokes a strong emotional response. By innovative I mean a fresh idea, fresh

material. For every successful show there follows a string of copies ( Towering Inferno, Dr Kildare, diaster movies,

kitchen sink dramas etc). Even the oft produced shows, the old favourites, can be presented in a new and novel way.

Unlike BT, I enjoy new special effects (new, not the perpetually repeated car chase) as I always try to fathom out how it was done. Sometimes difficult, sometimes easy, or completely baffling.For instance, one of the earliest special effects in

one of the Quatermass productions was the blowing up of a huge pressure dome filled with gases......done by filming a

model of the dome, filled with milk, inside a glass-fronted tank full of water. When a detonator exploded the dome model,

the milk flowed into the surrounding water, giving a realistic effect of escaping gases.

In theatre, I prefer shows with something to say, presented in a fresh manner, that move me in some way, whether it

be to tears or laughter, to wonderment, to joy,to intellectual argueing of issues, to despair, to horror, to pity, etc.

I guess that places me in the minority group.