Do Stars Always Deliver?

Recently I saw The Sound Of Music in Manchester and even though Verity Rushworth gave a brilliant performance – worthy of the standing ovation, not every ‘star’ delivered. It got me thinking about the whole ‘bums on seats’ argument. We need names for publicity but so often – they are miscast and simply not very good.

A few years ago I had the misfortune of squirming in my seat as Caprice mimed in a version of Rent in the West End. It was embarrassing and I spent the evening wishing I had seen the understudy instead. Then of course – there is the much written about absences of Martine McCutcheon in My Fair Lady.

There’s no doubt that the ‘name’ gets the audience into the theatre. And in this age of Heat magazine, Celebrity Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity – save my career and books ghost written by real writers – that it gains column inches and appearances on This Morning.

But, how many times have you attended a show and seen the alternate and been just as thrilled? I have seen Donna Steele in place of Amanda Holden in Thoroughly Modern Millie and she was excellent. Chris New took many of the plaudits for Bent even though he was starring alongside the reliable name that is Alan Cumming.

So, as I was sat watching Jason Donovan acted off the stage by everyone else and out sung by next door’s cat – in The Sound Of Music – I thought to myself – where next for him? Then I read the papers – Strictly Come Dancing!