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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2022 16:43:00 GMT
At least Gemma isn't Roxie be careful for small mercies.
If you had an image of Moma Morton then someone of Gemma's build would work but has anyone ever heard her sing?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 29, 2022 16:50:35 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 29, 2022 16:51:07 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 29, 2022 16:52:49 GMT
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Post by shady23 on Mar 29, 2022 17:10:40 GMT
Genuine question. Maybe someone here can answer Can Equity intervene if enough members complain? Gemma Collins didn't cast herself. Blame the casting directors. If you are offered a lot of money to do something of course you are going to take it. She said in an interview in November she would love to do this role. Someone from the show must have read that and made the call I am almost tempted to book due to curiosity but I know she most likely won't be on and I will regret booking this tired old show anyway... they need something to get people in. Let's be honest. The same old tired tours doing the rounds doesn't get the bums on seats. |
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Post by stagebyte on Mar 29, 2022 17:25:52 GMT
This is painful She’s completely behind the music |
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Post by johartuk on Mar 29, 2022 17:29:45 GMT
Truly bonkers! What next? Katie Price as Norma Desmond?
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Post by stuartmcd on Mar 29, 2022 17:32:43 GMT
Truly bonkers! What next? Katie Price as Norma Desmond? Because Mama Morton and Norma Desmond are completely comparable? It’s a frankly small part in a show that has lived on stunt casting for years. |
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Post by craig on Mar 29, 2022 17:45:50 GMT
To be fair to Gemma, the equally unsuitable and untalented Kelly Osbourne played the role in the west end.
Chicago is a truly great show. I'm sad to see what it has become over the years.
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Post by distantcousin on Mar 29, 2022 18:57:33 GMT
To be fair to Gemma, the equally unsuitable and untalented Kelly Osbourne played the role in the west end. Chicago is a truly great show. I'm sad to see what it has become over the years.
Unfair. Kelly was a bona fide recording artist who had made 2 hit albums at that point and had a musical pedigree.
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Post by jojo on Mar 29, 2022 19:08:28 GMT
Kelly Osborne was always my go to name for an example of dodgy stunt casting. She couldn't sing for toffee, and while she had a reputation for being a wild child, I reckon she'd have turned up to rehearsals just about on time.
I've done my best to avoid Gemma, but there was that year she got to go on Dancing on Ice. She turned up late to rehearsals, and not just her own practice sessions, but the ones for group numbers. Then she argued if she got (deserved) negative feedback.
I listened to one of those clips, and she has the making of an OK singing voice. Probably better than Kelly, but it's the other stuff that concerns me. I'm old enough to realise that a lot of that is part of an image, and all about generating tabloid headlines, but I still reckon she would struggle with being a team player, which could cause problems down the line.
I'm generally open minded about casting people who don't come from traditional theatre school backgrounds if it's the right role and they have some relevant experience and attitude, such as pop stars with a decent voice doing Joseph, or someone who joined a soap when they were still a teenager. But there's a world of difference between demanding specific training and experience and expecting basic skills and some relevant experience.
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Post by Being Alive on Mar 29, 2022 19:15:33 GMT
...why is everyone acting like Chicago hasnt been doing this for the last 20 years anyway? We all selectively forgetting Gaby Roslin and Jerry Springer?
It's one song, one duet, two scenes - she's on for 20 mins.
Glad to see the Be Kind brigade tearing the decision to shreds tho - shout at the casting director and the US team who have OKed her...
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Post by stagebyte on Mar 29, 2022 19:52:23 GMT
Gaby Roslin... just ...😂🤷🏻♀️
What I wouldn’t give to see
Chita, Rita, Patti, Bernadette, Julia McKenzie, Angela Lansbury, Dench, any of the ‘broads’ from Follies...anyone...else.
Now that would be STAR casting.
I’m dreaming I know.
But just IMAGINE
Can’t we have a legit ‘name’ ?
Just once 🙏🏼
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Post by ptwest on Mar 29, 2022 20:04:44 GMT
Gaby Roslin... just ...😂🤷🏻♀️ What I wouldn’t give to see Chita, Rita, Patti, Bernadette, Julia McKenzie, Angela Lansbury, Dench, any of the ‘broads’ from Follies...anyone...else. Now that would be STAR casting. I’m dreaming I know. But just IMAGINE Can’t we have a legit ‘name’ ? Just once 🙏🏼 Chita Rivera played Roxie for a spell in 1999 and she was magnificent! |
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Post by talkingheads on Mar 29, 2022 21:01:50 GMT
Imagine. You start off on theatre, taking any role going. This goes on for years, gradually working your way up, plying your trade night after night, honing your skills and voice. You finally get a chance to audition for Chicago. You then find out that the person considered better and more talented than you is... Gemma Collins.
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Post by shady23 on Mar 29, 2022 21:49:01 GMT
It's nothing to do with talent, just publicity and how many fans they think they have who will buy tickets.
Nothing new in theatre and not just in stunt casting. "Normal" theatre folks are also often judged by how many followers they have on social media.
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Post by Seriously on Mar 29, 2022 22:47:20 GMT
From the musical director:
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Post by christya on Mar 29, 2022 23:12:38 GMT
Casting you have to defend is almost always a mistake. Might have known someone would trot out ‘be kind’, how predictable. If they don’t want a reaction like they’re getting, maybe don’t cast someone like Gemma Collins. She’s plainly not welcome. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a worse choice.
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Post by talkingheads on Mar 30, 2022 6:28:03 GMT
Given how genuinely awful Gemma Collins is to people in most circumstances, I just can't get behind the Be Kind message in this instance. You reap what you sow.
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Post by partytentdown on Mar 30, 2022 7:56:21 GMT
From the musical director: This is interesting as I was wondering about what 'senior approval' is needed for things like this. Presumably he's talking about the US producers, the Weisslers? |
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Post by craig on Mar 30, 2022 8:18:48 GMT
...why is everyone acting like Chicago hasnt been doing this for the last 20 years anyway? We all selectively forgetting Gaby Roslin and Jerry Springer? It's one song, one duet, two scenes - she's on for 20 mins. Glad to see the Be Kind brigade tearing the decision to shreds tho - shout at the casting director and the US team who have OKed her... Why is “Be Kind” being weaponised whenever anyone dares to be critical and/or shady? There’s nothing unkind about criticising a casting decision. Being kind doesn’t mean spewing rainbows and never casting a critical eye over anything. Indeed, given the experience poor Sarah Harding described in her book about the ordeal she went through with “Ghost: The Musical”, perhaps it would have been kinder to not cast someone so resolutely unqualified as Gemma Collins in this role. Just a thought. |
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Post by craig on Mar 30, 2022 8:24:02 GMT
To be fair to Gemma, the equally unsuitable and untalented Kelly Osbourne played the role in the west end. Chicago is a truly great show. I'm sad to see what it has become over the years.
Unfair. Kelly was a bona fide recording artist who had made 2 hit albums at that point and had a musical pedigree.
I liked “One Word” as much as the next homosexual of a certain age, but she was not a bona fide recording artist and she never had a hit album! She had a few hit singles because she was a successful reality star. |
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Post by stagebyte on Mar 30, 2022 8:24:17 GMT
So I guess we always knew but it’s now there, confirmed
in black and white - social media followers/ ticket sales over talent.
I know it is show BUSINESS
But at what price to the integrity of the piece and paying customers.
Someone needs to put the brakes on.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 30, 2022 8:52:57 GMT
She might be ok…
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Post by richey on Mar 30, 2022 9:12:36 GMT
She might surprise everyone and this actually works out ok.... Or it may be a massive car crash which will generate loads of bad publicity and make producers think twice about celeb casting |
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