Chicago - U.K. Tour

[distantcousin]

I love that she's doing this in a kind of "the producers have well and truly jumped the shark"/pop HAS eaten itself absurd situation.

Good luck to everyone!

[keekio2]

Might aswell just the cover the role of alternate as there’s no way she will do 8 shows a week

[longinthetooth]

Everyone who has booked will be fairly safe, as the chances of her being on will be minimal.

[stuart]

I hear they’re planning on changing the curtain call song to “Give em the old Razzle Vajazzle”

[A.Ham]

The comments on What’s On Stage’s Facebook post confirming this range from the outraged and angry to the hilarious. I guess she brings the ‘car crash’ factor to the show, but I know her casting wouldn’t make me book a ticket!

[ruthieh]

Sadly we booked tickets for Oxford ages back…and am now regretting it. Which I really shouldn’t feel like. It’s a great musical, but her casting certainly makes a mockery. Fingers crossed the position changes and our suspicions about staying power are correct.

[anita]

O well thats saved me some money.

[alece10]

I'll just leave this with you.

[richey]

Well this should make a few threads on here quite lively. I can only imagine what sort of audience this is going to attract.

[ptwest]

Mar 29, 2022 10:40:01 GMT alece10 said:

I'll just leave this with you.

This is the funniest thing I’ve seen in ages. Can we book him to do it?

[stagebyte]

This casting very much plays into regional plebs outside of our golden capital will only go see a production with a reality/east Enders star in it. Classism and elitism at its finest right there.
Chicago such a great show has become a joke. It really doesn’t need the stunts.

[partytentdown]

Broadway: we've cast Pamela Anderson in Chicago!
UK: Hold our beer...

[theatremiss]

Only came here for the comments

[sph]

I think that obviously stunt casting is going to help shows that may otherwise struggle in these more difficult times, but surely there have to be other "name" stars out there who can at least do the job.

Pamela Anderson for example is bizarre casting, but at least she's an actress to begin with!

[vickyg]

The thought that I could see the great Jasna Ivir and Gemma Collins in the same role makes a mockery of musical theatre. Lots of people already feel it's a lesser art form and this kind of nonsense isn't doing anyone any favours.

[A.Ham]

Mar 29, 2022 13:52:28 GMT vickyg said:

The thought that I could see the great Jasna Ivir and Gemma Collins in the same role makes a mockery of musical theatre. Lots of people already feel it's a lesser art form and this kind of nonsense isn't doing anyone any favours.

Totally agree. This casting is demeaning on so many levels. I’ve only seen Chicago the once, and Mazz Murray did a fantastic job as Mama Morton. To even consider GC in the same breath as Mazz is hugely insulting!

[lolalou]

Interesting to see all the ‘non trained’ names liking posts or coming out to defend GC. Accusing people who are commenting of ‘gatekeeping’
Seems acting in musical theatre is pretty much the only profession where they’ll let anyone with a profile ‘have a go’
Imagine a non trained plumber, midwife, driving instructor etc having a go...
It’s not gate keeping it’s a universally recognised sign you’ll get somewhere in the ballpark of quality?
When did Chicago decide to go down the stunt cast route in the regions? It really does presuppose that we’re all a bunch of easily satisfied soap watching, reality fans.
Never watched either but I’ve heard of GC. Mostly in the realms of diva bad behaviour not acting prowess.
Wonder what those who’ve booked and never heard of the woman will think?

[danb]

If only her AND John Altman were in it together. Someone could build a bookcase out of them live onstage every night.

[stagebyte]

Mar 29, 2022 15:05:34 GMT danb said:

If only her AND John Altman were in it together. Someone could build a bookcase out of them live onstage every night.

I remember seeing him as Billy Flynn.
Painful.
When he came on stage for his opening number someone shouted.
‘Alright Ma’
He obviously proceeded to deliver his NastyNick/BillyFlynn hybrid as expected.
I vowed never to watch it again as a regional audience member who deserves the same west end quality as the next person.
I don’t think Chicago is alone. The regional theatres are full of ex soap and reality stars chewing the scenery.

[stagebyte]

Genuine question. Maybe someone here can answer
Can Equity intervene if enough members complain?

[sph]

Mar 29, 2022 15:41:49 GMT stagebyte said:

Genuine question. Maybe someone here can answer
Can Equity intervene if enough members complain?

That's an interesting point actually. Unfortunately I don't think Equity in the UK has the same industry "clout" as its US counterpart so it probably can't do much to restrict casting choices, and that's such a grey area anyway. 

[TallPaul]

How do we know she isn't an Equity member. It doesn't just represent actors.

www.equity.org.uk/about/join-us/who-can-join-equity/

[brenth]

Let’s be really truthful, this show is a knackered old nag, and the last few tours have been pretty grim. It survives on stunt casting and the quality is getting worse and worse. They now have a months fantastic free publicity and weather Gemma Collins turns up or not will keep the papers full. There is an irony that a show about instant noteriety and fame due to fleeting fame is now doing exactly that. I assume in a few years Rose West might be playing Momma Morton.

[sph]

Mar 29, 2022 15:51:20 GMT TallPaul said:

How do we know she isn't an Equity member. It doesn't just represent actors.

www.equity.org.uk/about/join-us/who-can-join-equity/

I think the point is that perhaps Equity could maybe give more guidelines to producers about hiring those who have the skill and experience for a particular job, in order to protect the employability of its members.

But like I said, that's a very grey area. How do you determine who is qualified to perform and who isn't exactly? What about panto etc?

[craig]

Mar 29, 2022 15:53:02 GMT brenth said:

I assume in a few years Rose West might be playing Momma Morton.

She'd be better casting than Gemma Collins.