18,777 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 27, 2023 19:58:15 GMT
The entire situation is bizarre.
Sadly this absence of named performers with no explanation is becoming BAU and if it’s challenged you get a social media “be kind” pile on. We had a pile on of sorts here when it became very apparent that Jessie Buckley couldn’t perform 8 shows in Cabaret.
I repeat: producers be honest and this wouldn’t be a problem.
As a side note… Lucie is either at the stratospheric point where is doesn’t matter or is at a difficult situ where her reliability is seriously in question.
|
|
|
Post by isabel on Jan 27, 2023 22:13:01 GMT
Well she hasn’t got that long left now
Clearly it was just too much for her
|
|
|
Post by starlight92 on Jan 27, 2023 23:28:55 GMT
You know who'd be a good Elphaba at some point (once she's done with Frozen)? Samantha Barks. She's been very reliable in Frozen, only off for holidays and rarely for illness. Elphaba is a much bigger role than Elsa of course, but I still think she could knock it out of the park.
Here's her on I'd Do Anything performing DG aged only 17!
|
|
2,379 posts
|
Post by robertb213 on Jan 28, 2023 0:03:12 GMT
You know who'd be a good Elphaba at some point (once she's done with Frozen)? Samantha Barks. She's been very reliable in Frozen, only off for holidays and rarely for illness. Elphaba is a much bigger role than Elsa of course, but I still think she could knock it out of the park. Here's her on I'd Do Anything performing DG aged only 17! She'd be fantastic, and her voice has come on such a long way, but I went to a concert of hers a couple of years ago where she was asked about Wicked, and she basically said she has no desire to play Elphaba unfortunately. Seemed strange as surely it's a big one to tick off any actress' bucket list, but she just said she wasn't interested.
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Jan 28, 2023 8:34:15 GMT
The entire situation is bizarre. Sadly this absence of named performers with no explanation is becoming BAU and if it’s challenged you get a social media “be kind” pile on. We had a pile on of sorts here when it became very apparent that Jessie Buckley couldn’t perform 8 shows in Cabaret. I repeat: producers be honest and this wouldn’t be a problem. As a side note… Lucie is either at the stratospheric point where is doesn’t matter or is at a difficult situ where her reliability is seriously in question. I would wager Glinda and Nessa covers have been on just as much as Elphaba ones.
|
|
18,777 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 28, 2023 9:42:00 GMT
Which brings us back to the question of whether young performers nowadays have the same stamina levels that older generations had.
|
|
|
Post by starlight92 on Jan 28, 2023 12:53:29 GMT
You know who'd be a good Elphaba at some point (once she's done with Frozen)? Samantha Barks. She's been very reliable in Frozen, only off for holidays and rarely for illness. Elphaba is a much bigger role than Elsa of course, but I still think she could knock it out of the park. Here's her on I'd Do Anything performing DG aged only 17! She'd be fantastic, and her voice has come on such a long way, but I went to a concert of hers a couple of years ago where she was asked about Wicked, and she basically said she has no desire to play Elphaba unfortunately. Seemed strange as surely it's a big one to tick off any actress' bucket list, but she just said she wasn't interested. Ah that's a shame!
|
|
|
Post by musicalfan on Feb 4, 2023 13:57:49 GMT
Amy Webb is in for Elphaba today (4th February)
|
|
479 posts
|
Post by deej4life on Feb 4, 2023 13:58:00 GMT
Amy Webb is on as Elphaba for both shows today (4th February, 2023).
|
|
479 posts
|
Post by deej4life on Feb 7, 2023 20:48:23 GMT
Amy Webb is on as Elphaba tonight (7th February, 2023).
|
|
211 posts
|
Post by Jane Parfitt on Feb 8, 2023 18:22:53 GMT
|
|
|
Post by starlight92 on Feb 8, 2023 23:49:52 GMT
What does that even mean?
|
|
297 posts
|
Post by bengal73 on Feb 9, 2023 7:52:09 GMT
What does that even mean? it's like they've tried to add information and rather than doing so have made it sound more dramatic
|
|
18,777 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 9, 2023 8:50:44 GMT
Do these “social media managers” which seems to be what they’re called have actual real managers who supervise and sign this stuff off? It would appear not!
|
|
479 posts
|
Post by deej4life on Feb 11, 2023 0:22:57 GMT
Amy Webb was on as Elphaba tonight (10th February, 2023).
|
|
55 posts
|
Post by carriesparkle on Feb 11, 2023 7:04:03 GMT
Do these “social media managers” which seems to be what they’re called have actual real managers who supervise and sign this stuff off? It would appear not! It'll be the other way round usually. "Actual real managers" will give this sort of statement to the social media team and tell them to post it across the channels immediately. No space for pushback and certainly not questioning the phrasing of the higher-ups.
|
|
|
Post by musicalfan on Feb 11, 2023 11:46:49 GMT
Laura Harrison is on for Elphaba both shows today (Saturday 11 February)
|
|
18,777 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 11, 2023 11:52:37 GMT
Do these “social media managers” which seems to be what they’re called have actual real managers who supervise and sign this stuff off? It would appear not! It'll be the other way round usually. "Actual real managers" will give this sort of statement to the social media team and tell them to post it across the channels immediately. No space for pushback and certainly not questioning the phrasing of the higher-ups. Worrying!
|
|
6,310 posts
|
Post by danb on Feb 11, 2023 13:48:00 GMT
It smacks of ‘don’t question me’ management and the usual disregard for the customer.
“You don’t need to know why peasants, just believe us that a ‘major’ incident (spectacular piece of mismanagement) has occurred that means we can’t run the show tonight. But you can come another day though, can’t you? You don’t have lives as important as ours after all.”
|
|
|
Post by musicalfan on Feb 11, 2023 15:10:13 GMT
Grace chapman is returning to play Nessa today.
|
|
|
Post by starlight92 on Feb 13, 2023 0:24:10 GMT
|
|
479 posts
|
Post by deej4life on Feb 15, 2023 15:33:56 GMT
Amy Webb is on as Elphaba for the matinee today (15th February, 2023).
|
|
488 posts
|
Post by AliceFearnFan2212 on Feb 19, 2023 16:11:27 GMT
Lucie has just performed her 8th Defying Gravity of the week! Meaning this is her first 8 show week she’s done since October I believe!
|
|
|
Post by cezbear on Feb 19, 2023 16:40:59 GMT
Lucie has just performed her 8th Defying Gravity of the week! Meaning this is her first 8 show week she’s done since October I believe! Troubling that this is a notable event...
|
|
4,402 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Feb 19, 2023 16:50:56 GMT
Lucie has just performed her 8th Defying Gravity of the week! Meaning this is her first 8 show week she’s done since October I believe! Crack out the champagne
|
|
|
Post by starlight92 on Feb 19, 2023 18:52:35 GMT
Lucie has just performed her 8th Defying Gravity of the week! Meaning this is her first 8 show week she’s done since October I believe! Somehow I don't think she'll be in on Tuesday 😆
|
|
6,310 posts
|
Post by danb on Feb 19, 2023 19:27:28 GMT
Lucie has just performed her 8th Defying Gravity of the week! Meaning this is her first 8 show week she’s done since October I believe! Are all of our work records perfect? No sick days? No special events that you need to attend? No mental health days when you know that if you do go in it won’t end well? Mutter…mutter…stones…glass houses.
|
|
|
Post by jay987 on Feb 20, 2023 4:43:31 GMT
Here's the thing: this is obviously a demanding role (among other demanding roles), and there is a standby for a reason. There have also been frequent arguments that Elphaba should have an alternate. Lucie is also, by all reports, truly excellent in the role when she's on. All of these things are true statements.
What always surprises me, though, is the people who act like any musical theatre performer is above questioning or criticism in a situation like this one, where there are multiple people with very poor attendance. No, there is no shame at all in taking days off when needed, as is the case in any job. But, if we're going to say that, then we also have to be able to say that in no profession is it acceptable to only show up for work 50% of the time (in Amy's case) or (in Lucie's case) approximately 60-65% of the time. I can't think of a profession where not working a full week for nearly four months wouldn't be a subject of discipline. To expect musical theatre fans to blindly support no matter what and to accuse them of unkindness and throwing stones from glass houses is unreasonable. Acting is still a profession and, like any job, if you're unreliable in showing up to do it, people are going to start asking questions. And yes, sometimes, there are very real reasons for attendance issues, as were the cases with people like Nikki Bentley and Caissie Levy in this very role, but both of them bowed out rather than continue to have inconsistent attendance.
And in terms of audience experience, for all the arguments that most audience members don't care who is on, I have to disagree. In my experiences, there is almost always audible dissatisfaction when people open their programs/Playbills to discover an understudy insert. Less so when it's for a minor role, but when it's for an Elphaba or a Glinda in Wicked or a Christine in Phantom, people usually express some sort of disappointment that they're getting the understudy. Countless actors have talked themselves in interviews about the fact that they have to tell the story when they're on AND win the audience over.
In any case, congrats to Lucie on winning the whatsonstage award and on booking Les Mis. She's got an insane voice and is, by all accounts, a terrific actor. That can be true simultaneous with the truth that only working 60-65% of the time isn't okay.
|
|
6,310 posts
|
Post by danb on Feb 20, 2023 7:13:18 GMT
I think that Fantine is an excellent role to keep a profile elevated whilst being relatively simple vocally (by its truncated length mostly). Good on her for landing it and heres to less drama.
|
|
50 posts
|
Post by dannimaria on Feb 20, 2023 11:56:49 GMT
Lucie has just performed her 8th Defying Gravity of the week! Meaning this is her first 8 show week she’s done since October I believe! She didn't perform the Wednesday matinee (Feb 15th), I was there and it was Amy Webb. Unless that performance doesn't count towards Lucie's 8 shows of course, but I thought there were only 8 shows a week. I've seen Wicked 4 times since Lucie took over and haven't managed to catch her on once.
|
|