Chicago - U.K. Tour

[BurlyBeaR]

B: Hey Sheila Ferguson from the Three Degrees When Will I See You Again?

S: Im taking over as Mama Morton in the Chicago tour Burly!

B: Wow, that’s a gruelling tour Sheil’, make sure you Take Good Care Of Yourself

S: Don’t you worry BB Bae, I am a Woman In Love with this bloody show.

B: Why did you bail out of the White Christmas tour, if you don’t mind me asking?

S: Hush your mouth, i am never Givin Up Giivin In! It was a Year Of Decision

B: Are you still having it off with Prince Charles!?

S: Liar! I thought in My Simple Heart I thought I was The Golden Lady but that Lady Di swooped in.

B: How do you feel about working with Russel Watson? 

S: No comment Hun.

——————————————

Sheila joins the cast from 7th Feb. 

[TallPaul]

All those nights spent in Josephine's finally put to use! 😁

[BurlyBeaR]

Jan 11, 2022 18:59:51 GMT TallPaul said:

All those nights spent in Josephine's finally put to use! 😁

The burger van outside Josie’s in front of Cole Brothers was fantastic. 

[BurlyBeaR]

[david]

Having last watched Chicago at the Manchester Opera House with former EastEnders actor John Altman as Billy Flynn back in 2001/2 and not really remembering much about that particular show, I gave the current tour a watch last night at the Liverpool Empire and had a great time. With only Russell Watson absent last night, we had Liam Marcellino as the slick lawyer.

I thought Faye Brookes and Djalenga Scott as Roxie and Velma respectively worked well together and along with Sheila Ferguson as Mama Morton and Jamie Baughan as Amos Heart provided a great evening's entertainment along with the wonderful 10-piece orchestra led by the MD Andrew Hilton who had plenty to do alongside his musical duties. Whilst the set hasn't really changed with just the orchestra on stage as in previous productions, I certainly got a lot out of this viewing and came away with a much greater appreciation of Bob Fosse's wonderful choreography of the show than I did on my original viewing.

[BurlyBeaR]

[BurlyBeaR]

It’s Gemma Collins apparently.

[danb]

Oh yes! She’d be a cracking Amos Hart.

[keekio2]

Mar 10, 2022 9:28:53 GMT danb said:

Oh yes! She’d be a cracking Amos Hart.

I think it could be her she follows them and the director don’t know if that’s me just looking too far into to it

[fluxcapacitor]

Mar 10, 2022 9:27:02 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

It’s Gemma Collins apparently.

Good luck to them if it is. She has a terrible track record on a lot of TV productions: lack of professionalism, diva behaviour etc. Even the likes of Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have publicly spoken about her attitude. She may well be a big draw to a certain demographic*, but I can't see her being reliable and they'll need to have a pretty clear and thought through policy for returns any time she's a no show!

*not me.

[ladidah]

Surely not Gemma Collins!

[longinthetooth]

I saw her name being bandied about, but thought it was a joke! Surely they wouldn't employ her ....

[inthenose]

Well it's not like this show has any credibility to lose when it comes to casting.

[BurlyBeaR]

I remember seeing that Piers Morgan’s Life Stories episode on GC and according to that she was a very showbizzy kid, dancing class, singing lessons etc. said that singing, dancing and acting was always her intended career.

That doesn’t mean she’s any good at any of them of course but…

[andrew]

I'm so devastated that Waitress has closed and we can't see Gemma as Jenna. Genna. She is messy but she's claustrophobic, Darren. x

[ptwest]

She’s one of those celebs where I just don’t get what the appeal is. Why she keeps being given airtime is beyond me, but obviously there are many many people who think differently. If this casting proves to be true then at least I can save my money.

[alece10]

As my mother used to say "I wouldn't go to the bottom of my garden to see her".

[WireHangers]

I truly, truly cannot see it being Gemma Collins and sincerely hope it isn’t. If she is cast then shame on the producers for signing it off. It’s well known by those who work with her that her erratic behaviour and mood swings are caused by something quite serious and putting her on stage eight times a week and under that amount of pressure is just cruel. She will not cope and it she was crack and the world will enjoy watching it.

[danb]

Who is producing this now?

[partytentdown]

Think just heard Fred Ebb rolling in his grave and not in a fun Fosse way

[BurlyBeaR]

I saw Gaby Roslin as Mama Morton. Sometimes I wonder if I dreamed it, but it’s true.

[partytentdown]

Nobody will beat Jerry Springer as Billy Flynn for awfulness, he literally forgot the words when I saw it.

[nisev]

If it is GC I will probably try to resell my tickets. Audiences at these shows are already pretty badly behaved, but with someone like GC in you can guarantee that it will bring in the worst of the wine guzzling, iPhone waving contingent.

[distantcousin]

Mar 10, 2022 23:35:00 GMT nisev said:

If it is GC I will probably try to resell my tickets. Audiences at these shows are already pretty badly behaved, but with someone like GC in you can guarantee that it will bring in the worst of the wine guzzling, iPhone waving contingent.

It would be "Hun-Central"

[cezbear]

I've never felt so conflicted. I both desperately want it to be true because my imagination isn't enough here, and very definitely don't want it to be true, because appalling for a multitude of reasons.