Us Brits have a fascination with money and how much the other person earns, so each year when the Times Rich List is published we all rub our hands and start thinking about the lucky so and so who’s sitting at the top of this list waving down at us “normal folk”.
One things for sure, we all now know that musical theatre is an absolute gold mine, oh yes sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has climbed the branches of this wealthy tree and is sitting comfortably on a huge nest egg. Webber has an estimated wealth of £750m and is the 101st richest person Britain, I know what you’re thinking, bad luck you didn’t get into the 100 richest people in Britain - no…not what your thinking? Of course not, any normal person would probably be swearing right now and saying “what, that crazy old kook from I’d Do Anything is that wealthy” - and the answer is yes, exceedingly!
Webber is actually richer than the Queen, she comes in at a reasonable 264th place and has an estimated wealth of £320m. Imagine that, being richer than the Queen! Webber’s theatrical partner Cameron Mackintosh also made it onto the list in 184th place and at an estimated wealth of £450m.
So with the upcoming production of Oliver! and the ongoing success of the television production “I’d Do Anything” - I’m sure that both Webber and Mackintosh are donning some durable trainers and preparing to climb that money tree to new heights!

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What is going on - Niamh in the bottom two? Fair enough she gave a terrible performance, but she has been magnificent previously - gees one slip up and everyone turns on you. We like to think that this was her bad week of the competition and at least she’s getting it out of the way early, hopefully she’ll learn from her mistakes and bounce back to her usual top form. I don’t actually think that Keisha deserved to be given the boot either last week, it’s funny because I think it was her best performance on I’d Do Anything and she was outstanding in the sing-off. I really hope Andrew Lloyd Webber sticks to his word about helping her out and didn’t just say it out of pure anger.

On the subject of Webber - he’s getting more and more miserable as the weeks go by, the week before he gave Ashley a horrifying grimace and last week he stormed out during Keisha’s rendition of “As Long As He Needs Me”. The way things are going I think this will probably be Webber’s last reality TV star search, you can see he’s starting to crack and it’s only round five!

How did the other girls get on then?

• Samantha: I know this week was all about diction but I feel that Sam took this to the max, she practically spoke in parts. In amongst all the speaking and shouting her true singing voice was nice. I think that she is favoured by Webber, I mean he called her “Sammie” in his critique - I thought this was mean’t to be a fair competition! Her popularity this week can’t be down to the knee high boots and short skirt - surely not, this is the BBC.
• Jodie: it’s a hat trick for Jodie, I loved her song this week! If she keeps going the way she is going - she’ll scoop the prize. Jodie has bags and bags of personality and a distinctive voice, qualities I’d want to see in my Nancy.
• Ashley: Ashley wanted to show her softer side this week and I thought it was a good performance. However I fear that because she’s received such bad criticism in the past, she’ll always come under a scrutiny and always have something to prove. I do hope that she impresses the judges next week or she’ll be for the chop.
• Sarah: like Jessie and Fran, Sarah has some particular traits that always come out during her performance. I’ve noticed that she stomps around the stage with her arms spread out and she strains her mouth when she wants to emphasise a point. Apart from those few niggling bits, she has an outstanding voice.
• Jessie: a definite improvement on her movement and a little bit of acting as well! That’s the first time someone has acted during their song - hats off to you for bringing something new. I think that there was something lacking in her voice last week, it’s as if some of the passion was lost.
• Rachel: another slow song for Rachel, however her voice was not up to scratch this week and she hit some bad notes.
• Niamh: the song did not suit her voice whatsoever, this was definitely her bad week and it was shocking to see her in the bottom two. We hope she can bounce back next week.
• Keisha: this was Keisha’s best week, the song was totally right for her (despite her bad note due to illness) and it was a shame to say goodbye to her.

And the Olivers……

Eleven year old Alexander from London was chosen by Cameron Mackintosh last week to join Gwion, Chester, Arthur and Kwayedza in the semi finals. He led the boys in a rendition of Elton John’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and it was beautifully executed. So only three places remain in the semi final and seven boys are left to fight it out - it’s certainly tense times in Oliver camp.

As always “I’d Do Anything” fans, keep checking back with Show and Stay for all your Nancy and Oliver gossip and show information.

Technorati Tags: alexander, andrew lloyd webber, arthur, ashley, barry humphries, bbc, bbc id do anything, chester, denise van outen, gwion, id do anything, id do anything bbc, id do anything round 5, jessie, jodie, john barrowman, keisha, keishas eviction, kwayedza, nancy, niamh, oliver, rachel, sarah

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To my surprise today I opened up the Stage Newspaper and found out that we actually have similar comments to Zoe Tyler about last week’s I’d Do Anything episode. Tyler has been quite bitchy and dismissive in past entries and it’s not gone un-noticed by the Show and Stay ^® team, however this week she’s been quite pleasant and more professional.

Tyler agrees with us that Webber was quite harsh in his comments to Ashley and although she had a poor song, she deserved to stay. She also agrees that Rachel was outstanding, Sarah is the underdog, Samantha did an amazing job, Niamh was stunning, Keisha had her best performance so far, Jodie had incredible stage presence and that Jessie sings out of the side of her mouth. It’s almost like Tyler read our blog, tweaked it and used it for her own! Or perhaps Show and Stay is on the ball when it comes to seeking out talent and critiquing - we can dream!

As I mentioned before, there is distinct lack of bitchy remarks, she could only muster “I do wish that she wouldn’t speak afterwards as it all gets a bit much for me” about Jodie. What’s happened to Tyler’s sharp tongue? Is she warming to all the girls? Has she finally forgiven the I’d Do Anything producers for not putting her on the panel? Or is she just having an off week? Answers on a postcard!

Technorati Tags: andrew lloyd webber, ashley, bbc, bbc id do anything, id do anything, jessie, jodie, keisha, nancy, niamh, oliver, rachel, sarah, the stage, zoe tyler

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Fancy a thrilling theatrical weekend in the city? If you book a theatre break for the 21st and 22nd of June - you could not only be enjoying a Show and Stay ^® break, but also open air theatre in Leicester Square as well. The popular West End Live is back, it’s bigger and better than ever! Fifteen major London shows are already confirmed on the line up of this year’s free outdoor theatre festival.

Expect to see performances from Avenue Q, Buddy, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Grease, Jersey Boys, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mamma Mia!, Never Forget, The Lord Of The Rings, The Sound Of Music, Stomp, We Will Rock You and Wicked. Not only can you see some of the capital’s top shows, but you can also take part in a number of activities, explore some exhibitions and get hands on in some animation workshops.

So for an outstanding weekend this June, book an overnight theatre break with Show and Stay. Have fun at West End live on Saturday 21st of June before watching a TOP West End show and retiring to a central London hotel. Then wake up feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to start another day of theatrical fun in Leicester Square. Sounds like THE perfect weekend to me!

Here are some clips from last year’s West End Live.

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The fellowship of Show and Stay^® have put their noggins together and come up with a theory - get ready to be shocked and amazed. In light of Gone with the Wind’s opening problems and some bad reviews (from critics mind you - not the paying public), the proverbial light bulb clicked on above our heads.
We’ve seen this happen before with Lord of The Rings, huge hype around the stage version and then it fails to deliver because people expect way too much. Literary fans want to see the passion and emotion from the book, film fans want to be dazzled and amazed - therefore it’s hard to please both types of fanatics.

So, we noticed this pattern; brilliant book, made into an outstanding film, then a much hyped musical, which then fails to deliver the same impact as the film/book. Bear in mind this is the begging of a theory cooked up over morning coffee and that half the team only really wake up once they’ve reached the bottom of their drink. There are flaws - both Wicked and The Sound of Music slip through the net, Wicked is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel and loosely upon the The Wizard of Oz film. The Sound of Music on the other hand was based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. So they don’t really fit into this theory, plus they have been über successful from the word go!

Apart from that none of the other Musicals apply (at least we don’t think so), Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap went straight from book to stage, Chicago went from book, to play, to silent film, to musical. The lists could go on and yes we should probably leave all theories and detective work to the professionals, but we’ll just say keep your eye out for our theory - and remember, you heard it here first!

Technorati Tags: darius danesh, gone with the wind, gone with the wind west end, london theatre, lord of the rings, LOTR, rhett butler, show and stay, trevour nunn, west end, west end theatre

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We didn’t see this one coming, I’d at least thought that Fran would of made it through another few rounds because she’s Van Outen’s mate, but alas it was her time to leave I’d Do Anything. Before I get into the nitty gritty of the show I’d like to discuss Fran’s leaving interview - I was a bit shocked to see her bitter attitude and comments like “I wish I’d never done this” or “this was a bad career move”. Yes ok we all know you’ve been on the stage before and you have experience - but you’re only bitter because you thought you’d be able to win this due to your experience and tie to Van Outen. Fran - you’d been given a great opportunity so don’t offend those who didn’t get to the final 12, or even those who didn’t make it through the audition stage. Sometimes it’s good to get knocked down a peg or two because it just means that you’ll have to work harder next time and not expect to be given things on a plate. Ok rant over.

I’d like to dub the last episode “the bad mood episode”, Andrew Lloyd Webber was obviously suffering from jet leg because he was really cranky and shot poor Ashley a “crap on his shoe” look . He tore into her saying “I don’t like your voice - sorry!”, I mean if you hear that from Lord Webber you might as well pack up your bags there and then and jump on the next bus home. Like the Pied Piper - the general public followed Lord Webber’s critique and placed Ashley in the bottom two against Fran. It’s funny because Ashley has been doing so well and has a large fan base - but as soon as Webber piped his critical tune, the audience followed. Ashley gave a glittering performance of Whistle Down The Wind and was of course saved by Webber.

How did the rest of the girls do this week I hear you ask …

• Keisha : Keisha took a gamble this week and chose to sing My Heart Will Go On, she certainly looked amazing and attempted to make the song her own. It was a job well done.
• Samantha: Samantha is definitely one of the front runners, she solidified her status with a powerful song and a heart felt performance.
• Rachel: Rachel is the other leading lady of this competition, she performed an outstanding rendition of The Way We Were. With a flawless voice and great stage presence, she’ll be tough to beat.
• Jessie: Jessie for me is getting less impressive for me each week, the singing out of the side of her mouth and the way she throws her body around is wearing a little thin. She needs to work on her performance and mix it up a little - she cannot rely on her voice alone.
• Jodie: Ah Jodie, thank god someone has the balls to try something different each week. 9 to 5 was a brilliant choice and not a jazz hand in sight - well done, a top performance.
• Niamh: Another slow song for Niamh, but it was another chance to show off her amazing voice. She definitely is a little on the small side - but hey she has all the talent and personality to carry off such a big character.
• Sarah: please sack your stylist because they put you in a bin bag this week. You know what, Sarah actually stood out more and her voice really shone. Keep up the good work.
• Ashley: I think Ashley got a little slack because of all the praise she’d been getting. She had too much fun and forgot about her voice a little, at least after the shock of last week she’ll think differently next time.
• Fran: As we know Fran got evicted and personally I think it was the right thing to do, she still acted thoughout her song and did not connect with the words at all. It’s like telling someone some bad news whilst grinning from ear to ear. Did anyone else notice the odd blusher she was wearing, it was like two patches of dirt on either cheek - strange.

As for the Olivers, thirteen year old Kwayedza from Kent was chosen to join Gwion, Chester and Arthur in the semi final. To be honest Kwayedza had to go through because he has an incredible voice, he sang “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson 5 and it gave me goosebumps. Congratulations Kwayedza, it was much deserved.

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Zoe Tyler’s column is out today in the Stage newspaper and my, my, my she certainly doesn’t hold back if she doesn’t like someone. I find her comments a bit more bitchy than professional to be honest, which leads me to believe she still might be a bit bitter about not being a judge. Tyler starts off with a bit of brown nosing by saying “This week’s show opened with A Fine Life and Graham Norton - one of the nicest men in showbiz - joined in”, I don’t really get why she’s thrown in the “nicest man” comment as it seems a bit random.
She swiftly moves on to describe Francesca as sharp, Rachel as “throwing herself around the stage” and that Keisha sang completely the wrong interpretation of The Lady is a Tramp. Tyler also mentions the fact that she struggles to like Jodie and calls her a little false - ahem Zoe did you actually watch Saturday nights performance? Jodie’s last performance was outstanding, one of the best of the night.

In her eyes Ashley seems to be the front runner saying she was “vocally flawless, beautifully acted and truly stole the show” - at least we agree on the fact that Ashley was incredible, but I don’t see her as the winner just yet.

I was enjoying reading her column until I got to the part when she said that Tara shouldn’t have gone and that she now be given the role of Sandy in Grease - I could have smacked my head on the desk, am I missing something? For a vocal coach to praise Tara’s performances is insane, the poor girl struggles to hit the right notes and cannot act whatsoever. Tyler then goes on to will Keisha out next week, I find it awful that if someone is in the bottom two they automatically deserve to be kicked out the following week. Keisha does have some star qualities and deserves to be given a fair chance - not just written off automatically. Shame on you Tyler.

Mistake number two in the column “Jodie - should dump the diet, get back on the donuts and you will be the lead in Hairspray this time next year”. Although in a round-a-bout way I’m sure that is a compliment, but for someone who had gone on a TV programme to desperately lose weight to improve her lifestyle and confidence - that is a shocking comment! It’s almost like saying “don’t worry luv, eat some pies and you’ll get the career you’ve always wanted”, talk about messing with someone’s head.

Ahhh Zoe I really cannot wait to see what advice you come up with next week!

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It must seem, to the casual observer, that Andrew Lloyd Webber is suddenly everywhere at once. Turn on the television or log onto the web and within about 15 seconds Bam! you’ve run into a whole new shed-full of Webber rumour. He’s teaming up with Ben Elton, he’s writing (or has written) Phantom of the Opera II, he’s growing a moustache; all sorts.

If one sifts through Webber’s homepage though, one can find actual video evidence of his upcoming plans straight from the er,… the horse’s mouth, so to speak. And I can tell you, this concrete testimony certainly goes a fair way in pinning down some of those hazy, web-pervading rumours. For example, did you know that ole ALW is going to be a mentor on American Idol? Nope, neither did I; but it would appear that Andrew will be dishing out his pearly wisdom to those American wannabes at the end of the month. Due to air on Fox on the 22nd and then be broadcast in Blighty a week later, the episode will have contestants pitted against the daring intricacies of the “Las Vegas Spectacular” edition of Phantom (”Dah! Dah, dah, dah, dah, daaaaahhh!”)

Other than that of course, the Web-ster can be found dishing out advice on the BBC’s Saturday night flagship, I’d Do Anything. Tara had to be booted off on Sunday and Andrew has left a very reassuring message for her on his blog too if you’ve mind to check it out. Otherwise, keep your eyes and ears open and if you hear of anything please let us know! I’ll certainly be having a wee trawl of the TV listings on Webber Watch and, of course, be snooping around the ole world wide web(ber) for a few titbits.

Technorati Tags: american idol, andrew, andrew lloyd webber, arthur, blog, fox, id do anything, nancy, oliver, olivers, phantom of the opera, phantom of the opera 2, phantom of the opera II, tara, watch, watch webber, webber, webber watch

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It was Tara’s turn to sing “As Long As He Needs Me” this week and say pip pip cheerio to the rest of the Nancys. To be honest I think that she should of gone earlier after her awful rendition of “Suddenly I see”, in fact all of her performances on the live shows have been a bit shoddy and not a scratch on the other girls. Tara took the news very well and gave it her all in her last performance on I’d Do Anything.

I actually felt quite sorry for Keisha this week, her performance was good and she showed off her vocal talents - however quite cruelly they called her name first in the results episode leading her to believe she’d got through. The close up on Keisha’s face showed her quickly switch from happy to sad in a second when they told her she was in the sing off and it was pretty embarrassing. Andrew chose to save Keisha once again and after this week’s performance I think he was correct to.

As for the rest of the girls……

• Niamh - the more we watch Niamh, the more we like her. She chose a slow song this week and showed off a more mature side. Her vocal talents are phenomenal and she proven this week that she is a versatile character.
• Sarah - Sarah you need to have a word with the I’d Do Anything stylist, the dress you were wearing was truly awful and did absolutely nothing for your figure. Once again a fantastic voice this week but I still don’t see you as Nancy.
• Samantha - weak start with the mic being to close, but once into the song she really showed her vocal range.
• Rachel - not one of our favourite performances from Rachel, but it looks like she was having fun and really made the song her own.
• Fran - it was a popular choice of song, I mean come on - who doesn’t like Dirty Dancing? I would like to see Fran do something else rather than these big numbers , be a bit more daring and challenging.
• Keisha - Keisha really did put in a lot of effort this week and chose a song to reflect her wonderful singing voice. Andrew was right to save her this week.Ashley - I think Ashley is the underdog, it was a a good performance and was full of emotion. Creeping up as one of our favourites.
• Tara - ah Tara, a pop career is probably the way forward for you, not a strong enough voice I’m afraid and quite a bad actress.
• Jodie - absolutely outstanding this week, no jazz hands in sight. Low key and simply beautiful - well done.
• Jessie - Jessie sure loves her show stopping tunes, she was full of energy and is definitely a contender for the role.

As for the Olivers, ten year old Arthur made it through to the final this week and sang “A Whole New World” with the other finalists Gwion and Chester. I still can’t help but think about the poor boys who don’t get through to the semi final, if I was Cameron Mackintosh I’d put all the boys in Oliver - I think they’d make wonderful Fagin’s boys.

That’s it for this week, stay tuned for more I’d Do Anything gossip this week!

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Ben Elton is going to be a busy man this year, not only is he penning the sequel to We Will Rock You, but he has also signed up to help Andrew Lloyd Webber with the sequel to Phantom of the Opera. Best known for his Blackadder work, Ben Elton has also had a hand in a few successful musicals. The Little Mermaid lyricist Glen Slater has also signed up for the sequel and will be putting his lyrics to Webber’s music.

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