Comments on: Regional Casting Vs. The Big Smoke http://www.whatsonstage.com/blogs/manchester/2009/02/17/regional-casting-vs-the-big-smoke/ Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:58:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: John http://www.whatsonstage.com/blogs/manchester/2009/02/17/regional-casting-vs-the-big-smoke/#comment-7941 John Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:57:26 +0000 http://www.whatsonstage.com/blogs/manchester/2009/02/17/regional-casting-vs-the-big-smoke/#comment-7941 That seems like a pretty harsh comment on those actors who get the roles on these tours. I imagine a lot of the time these star names just find it easier to get cast in the west end where they can then base themselves on a permanent basis. The actors who then tour in the same roles have to put in extra hard work coping with changing venues, cities, etc. and I imagine can sometimes pull out better performances than those 'too lazy' to leave London and sometimes on a smaller wage. (I am not saying everyone in the west end is too lazy to leave London - after all if it were me I would be cautious about leaving too!) There is a also the extra cost of touring star names who would expect a lot laid on to be taken into account, even producers aren't made of money! Also this does seem to completely ignore the many star names who do tour - Arthur Lowe, Prunella Scales, Linda Bellingham and hey isn't Craig Chalmers a bit of a star too? Odd comment here which I'm afraid I cannot bring myself to agree with as it ignores the good work of people who are not household names and seems to miss the point that despite the change of faces the touring performances are unlikely to be any different to what you may see in the West End. That seems like a pretty harsh comment on those actors who get the roles on these tours. I imagine a lot of the time these star names just find it easier to get cast in the west end where they can then base themselves on a permanent basis. The actors who then tour in the same roles have to put in extra hard work coping with changing venues, cities, etc. and I imagine can sometimes pull out better performances than those ‘too lazy’ to leave London and sometimes on a smaller wage. (I am not saying everyone in the west end is too lazy to leave London - after all if it were me I would be cautious about leaving too!)

There is a also the extra cost of touring star names who would expect a lot laid on to be taken into account, even producers aren’t made of money!

Also this does seem to completely ignore the many star names who do tour - Arthur Lowe, Prunella Scales, Linda Bellingham and hey isn’t Craig Chalmers a bit of a star too?

Odd comment here which I’m afraid I cannot bring myself to agree with as it ignores the good work of people who are not household names and seems to miss the point that despite the change of faces the touring performances are unlikely to be any different to what you may see in the West End.

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