Great to see Sarah as the Strawberry Seller in Oliver on Boxing Day. She's absolutely radiant and was in great voice.

I gather she is also first cover for Jodie. Jodie sounded a bit hoarse so maybe Sarah will get her chance soon?

She was off tune and weak voiced the night I went. I wouldnt fancy paying £60 to see a Munchkin Nancy myself....

[quote name='Guest_nancy_*' date='Dec 30 2008, 01:20 PM' post='56615']
She was off tune and weak voiced the night I went. I wouldnt fancy paying £60 to see a Munchkin Nancy myself...


I would not pay a penny to see Jodie

^^ Agreed. When we see it on January 28th, we are seeing Tamsin Caroll.

May i ask why not? There seems to be a lot of Jodie bashing going on, but I can't understand why. She got the part through hard work and whatever you think of I'd Do Anything, she did win it fair and square. She also seems a natural fit for the role. Why are people anti-Jodie?

I dont want to see Jodie either...

I will go to see Oliver - it is one of my fave shows but will see Tasmin.

I have nothing against Jodie but she is just not "Nancy" for me and we have to pay lots of money to see WE shows these days, you might as well see the cast members you want (as we get a choice!)

I think this is very funny, Jodie wasn't the producers choice, there's constnt Jodie bashing going on on here. So who the hell voted for her?

The people who just watch reality shows and have no intentions of actually going to watch the show and chose her because she was "bubbly" rather than thinking she was suitable for the role!

I suppose there is an element of that - which is quite frustrating for people like ourselves. Personally, I thought a number of the IDA Nancy's would have been great in the role....Jessie, Jodie, Rachel, Ashley or Cleo in my opinion.

When I saw Sarah in the role of Strawberry Seller a couple of weeks ago, she had a lovely voice and a beaming smile that lit up the theatre.

Jodie is a superb Nancy who gets an enormous applause from the audience throughout. Tamsin's interpretion as I have mentioned elsewhere on this site, is much more understated.

We have all got our opinions but I really don't think any of the girls above would have been Nancy.

I don't want to see Jodie because whilst on "I'd Do Anything" I was not impressed by even one of her performances. I feel that she doesn't sing properly and sings through gritted teeth and her acting was minimal and didn't impress me at all - not to mention that physically she isn't suitable at all. That is why I don't want to pay £60 to see Jodie.

So if it's £60 for Jodie, how much are the tickets in total, bearing in mind that there's a lot more cast members, and crew, and a whole heap of design and production involved? Is Jodie priced so high because she was on TV, in which case we're probably going to be paying tons more for Rowan Atkinson and Burn Gorman besides, or is that comparatively quite low because - face it - Nancy doesn't even have a very big role? If I just want to see the chorus and the dog, what sort of discount would I get? Is Julian Bleach affordable? I mean, he has had a couple of guest roles in Doctor Who and Torchwood, I can see that making him a bit pricier. I bet Julian Glover costs a bomb for having been in Indiana Jones! I guess I won't bother with the Mr Brownlow bit of the plot.

Jodie won through getting the most votes, she did not win through talent. She manipulated the show from the very start, her set up engagement, her continuous reminder of her weight loss. If Jodie is a natural as you say, time will tell. There are so many girls on that show that could have really brought something special to that role.

i am just wondering has jodie booked any days off yet and if so wot r the days because i would to see sarah as nancy.

I don't know the answer to your question, but does Tamsin Carroll not cover Jodie's holidays?

Me too!

but presumably when either jodie or tamsin take a week's holiday, sarah will do the alternate shows (whichever ones tamsin does normally)

Sarah is "understudy" which means she ALWAYS goes on whenever Jodie or Tamsin is on leave or sick.

Jodie/Tamsin do not cover each other, only Sarah does that.

But thats not what happens at Sound of Music. Gemma [alternate] will cover Summer if she's on holiday and Zoe [understudy] will cover 2 of the 8 shows. I assumed it would be the same at Oliver.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe there's a notice outside the Theatre Royal Drury Lane that says something like: "At certain performances the role of Nancy will be played by Tamsin Carroll, usually Wednesday and Thursday evenings". Does the "usually" not imply that sometimes she will cover other performances (presumably Jodie Prenger's holidays)? I could have completely misread that notice - like I said, correct me if I'm wrong.

As for Sarah Lark doing the two "alternate" performances when Jodie is on holiday - from what I've heard I don't think Tamsin Carroll would have any trouble managing the full eight shows! Maybe they'll have Sarah go on anyway, but I don't think it's really necessary (speaking as someone who would love to see her in this role - she was my favourite on I'd Do Anything). I think it's more likely that she'll go for the shows Jodie doesn't do if/when Tamsin has a holiday.

Just like both Gemma and Summer are capable of doing 8 shows a week over at SoM. I don't think it really matters whether their capable, I think it's just how the system works [although, maybe not it seems in Oliver!'s case]

I would have loved to see Oliver but now that Jodie will continue, I don't suppose I'm going to see it now. I do agree with everything you have said, I never enjoyed one of her performances. She is now bringing out a book, what next. WEll only time will tell how talented Jodie really is. I suppose she could try for Big Brother next.

I think even in Connie's case, had she been trained properly (not talking about her uni, I'm talking about before the show started) then I'm sure she would have been able to pace herself for 8 shows a week. I do also have doubts about Jodie, as a friend of mine who is a cast member has said that Jodie's voice cracks nearly every performance - doesn't sound healthy to me. I also think Tamsin could do all 8 shows, but whilst they've got an alternate - their in my opinion will be to put Sarah on Wednesday and Thursday just to be fair.

Just heard Tasmin off tonight - Sarah is making her debut as Nancy!!!

My friend will be so happy because she wanted her to win from the start. I also wish her good luck because its not easy when some people bought for jodie then found out tamsin was on and now to find that sarah is on they will be dissapointed. I wish her the very best of luck and hope she will enjoy it.

Did anyone see her perform last night? How was it?

With Jodie on holiday the week commencing May 4th, will Sarah be performing the 6 shows Jodie usually does, or will she do Tamsin's alternate shows and Tamsin will perform the 6?

actually tamsin is the alternate/understudy, sarah will only go on if jodie and tamsin are ill jodie has had a day off sick and tamsin covered, tamsin had 2 nights off, jodie covered one, sarah the other one, i think the reasoning behind that is that jodies on a six show contract which means she can do up to 7 shows a week not 8! when i used to work front of house a few years ago while at uni, thats what happened we would have a 7 show contract and we could legally work 8 shows a week but if we did an extra shows over time we had to take a day off the following week, i assume thats the same with jodie, so if tamsin is ill, she will cover one of the shows and sarah will do the other, but the one day jodie has been off sick, or away on holiday tamsin covers hope this helps.

What a shame, hoping Sarah was on, I would not waste £60.00 on Jodie Prenger, would not go if it was free.

why would they do that because that now means theres 3 nancy understudies.

There is not 3 understudies, there is Jodie who is the lead, with Tasmin being the alternate for the two performances she covers. The only actual understudy is Sarah Lark.

Also with what other people have been saying about being able to cover a certain amount of shows, surely Tasmin would step up to any performance that Jodie can not perform at whether that would be sickness or holiday and then Sarah would fill the Wed/Thur evening where needed.

That's not true. .
My mate Jen is also an understudy for the role
Get your facts right before posting incorrect information

Yes, there are two "actual" understudies listed in the programme - Sarah Lark, obviously, and Jenny Fitzpatrick who usually plays the rose seller.

well i was just saying that when jodie has been off due to sickness or tv appearances, tamsin has gone on not sarah, the only time when sarah has gone on is when tamsin was sick for her thursday night performance, i assume that there is three understudies, for when jodies on holiday, then there will be the regular amount of understudies, one lead which i assume will be tamsin, then the first and second cover incase she is sick.

could you plz get your facts right before posting incorrect info.

Just seen this on Sarah Lark Appreciation site on Facebook

1st March 2009

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW!!!!!
Sarah will be performing the role of Nancy this coming Wednesday and Thursday (4th and 5th) Evenings. Tickets can be bought through SEE tickets via their website and last minute availability on 0871 297 0740. Alternatively, by going directly to the box office at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine Street.

Thats great!

We went to see Oliver Friday evening 6th March....no Jody! This was announced as we were going into the theatre. Having booked the tickets as soon as they were available this was so disappointing...the understudy was just okay....she sounded at times as though she was screaming not singing and at no time did any personality come across. Oliver also failed for us, no charisma and a very weak performance....overall a very disappointing evening.
The disjointed storyline was really only held together by Fagan....Rowan Atkinson was certainly a different Fagan, not the sinister imagine we expected but comical....very different.

Correct me if I am wrong but Sarah was on Wed and Thurs this week, not Friday?

That's right - Tamsin was on on Friday.

Tamsin Carroll seems to be getting a lot of bad reviews, most of the reviews I have read about her have been negative or just indifferent. I haven't seen her perform myself so I can't pass judgement on her as Nancy but I wonder why they cast her as the alternate when there are so many talented British performers who could have taken on the role. I have seen Sarah as Nancy and she was outstanding and I have not heard one negative review about her so it is beyond me why Tamsin is the alternate and not someone like Sarah.

I might be wrong but I believe that there was some sort of backlash after Aoife was invited to be the alternate in The Sound of Music (along the lines of "but we voted for the other one, so why is this girl doing it now?") which now means that on any of these reality TV castings there is a fixed length of time before any of the other contestants can be invited to play the role "undemocratically", as it were...

Tamsin has had some bad reviews but she has also had a lot of good reviews. I personally would go and see Tasmin over Jodie any day. She is a very lucky girl because she was hand picked by CM, unlike Jodie. I promise you Tasmin will be around, working in the next ten years, but I'm not so sure about Jodie. Maybe Sarah Lark will get her chance when Jodie has finished, I really hope so.

Most of the reviews that I have read about Tamsin seem to suggest that she lacks in personality and warmth and is quite bland as a performer. Jodie and Sarah both light up the whole stage when they come on and each of them really gives something different and unique to the character of Nancy. It seems strange that after going to so much fuss to find an exceptional Nancy they have settled for an average alternate.

Tamsin has been in the business for years, we shall see how long Jodie has a career in Musical Theatre. You are wrong about Tamsin she has got warmth but she has not had the chance to be known through a reality tv show. She has got where she is through hard work, see in two years time where Tamsin will be, I bet she will still be in full employment.

i agree and think she was an amazing nancy and hope she get's it full time when jodie leaves.

Sarah is back as Nancy on 6/7 May evening performances. Can't wait!

...where did you hear that?!