Well this is a surprise! I am amazed no-one could find a musical vehicle for Lee Mead who must be known for his singing voice rather than his acting. Musical theatre fans of his will be disappointed he is not singing in this straight play.

Times must be hard for him to accept this role in another tatty Bill Kenwright tour ( and yes I have seen enough of them to know they are tatty ) of an old fashioned play adaptation of an Oscar Wilde story so popular with amateur societies and the old rep days!

No west end musical for him to star in then. Wasn't a revival of Barnum mentioned with him in the lead. How quickly these reality stars fade. I'm amazed he's not doing panto or is he?

Perhaps he wants to do something different that'll stretch his acting abilities. Perhaps he's generally disgusted with the state of the West End at the moment and wants to get away for a bit, and is financially secure enough to do it. Perhaps he's sick to death of people assuming he's a one trick pony who can't handle anything but a piece of fluff for the tourists. Perhaps he's a moron and thinks a Kenwright tour is prestigious and extravagant. Who knows? He does, but he's not telling.

I'm afraid you're wrong! I'm a musical theatre fan of Lee's and I think this role is going to be great for him. In many of his radio interviews since leaving Joseph, he has said that he wants to focus on acting, hopefully a straight acting piece. Lee's been in a Kenwright production before, so he knows what they are like.

He has been busy since leaving Joseph, with another album, attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York and plenty of concert appearances- working considerably hard for charity this year. I'm looking forward to seeing how the acting course has developed his skills as an actor.

Lee has said many times that he would like to try non-musical theatre acting, and in my opinion this is a courageous move for him. Throughout his career he has never been afraid to take risks, and these risks have paid off for him in the past.

I believe Lee will have thought very carefully about his next move, and I'm really glad that he has chosen something completely different from the role of Joseph (much as that was a hugely enjoyable show).

As Lee has also said that he is aiming for longevity, I think this is a smart move for him. He has many strings to his bow and this tour will expose him to new audiences - all the better for Lee, in my opinion.

Taking on a non-musical role does not mean that no musical roles were available. As I understand it, Lee has been offered (and turned down) at least one leading role in a musical. He's not someone who will just take whatever's available or whatever's 'safe'. He's willing to learn and willing to take chances.

Lee has made no secret of the fact that he wants to go into straight acting as well as MT. In order to do that, he has to be prepared to go down the less conventional route if he wants to be challenged. Also, in order to be taken seriously by his peers, he has to demonstrate a willingness to 'work his way up'. By taking roles like this, he's proving that he's in the business for the long haul and isn't in it purely for the fame or the high profile roles! He's earning the respect of people in the business and that can only be a good thing!

Musicals aren't the be-all-and-end-all. There's a whole world of theatre out there that doesn't involve people breaking into song at random moments (or singing all their lines). What's wrong with trying something different? Or has a law been passed that says "No actor who has been in a musical is allowed to act in any other genre!"?

With regard to Barnum, it was John Barrowman who was originally slated for that one (with Michael Ball also being in the frame, I believe) - Lee's name was never (to my knowledge) connected with it.

What happened to his album?

I really cannot wait to see Lee back on the stage again, will be good to see him in a different genre of theatre. I think he'll be fantastic! Must book as soon as tickets become available.

Phoebe

Which one? The first one sold almost 200,000 on the back of ADWD/Joseph, the 2nd one has been out since March and is consistently selling.

Tickets are available for the play in Windsor and Cheltenham at the moment.

Thank you. I knew about the first album but not about the second and nor have I seen it on sale anywhere!

I understand Lee wanting to prove himself as an actor. He realizes, quite rightly, that he will not be able to play juvenile leads in mucials for ever and for a longer career he must move into straight theatre. For example Nigel Harman did this very successfully after appearing in a string of WE musicals Tommy, Mamma Mia etc he moved into doing some great challenging theatre work, most recently Three Days of Rain at the Apollo, and soon to appear at the Trafalger Studios.

No my point was, if you are to move in this direction, quite understandably, why this creaky old piece, in a Bill Kenwright tour, not exactly known for its high quality procdution standards - surely there were other options - but then again perhaps not - "times is ard".

I am not sure it is a creaky old piece. As "Oscar Wilde" it had completely passed me by. But this isn't Oscar, it is just based on Oscar. Theoretically, though, I still find that quite intriguing. Based on Oscar is still something! But I looked at the Indie London review of it from 2005 and that wasn't encouraging at all. And I am looking a little askance at the necessity to fall back on Bill Kenwright too. The Indie said "The whole production seems packaged for commercial success rather than artistic integrity". And that is pretty much par for the course with BK.

As I said before, it's about getting experience as a straight actor. Lee has worked with BK before, in a number of touring productions, so he knows the score re: BK. Clearly he's OK with being in the production and, at the end of the day, that's what's important.

People on this board would be winging about 'stunt casting' and 'only getting the role because he was a TV name' if Lee went into a straight WE play! So he can't win! Damned if he goes into the WE, dammed if he goes into a touring production!

The way I see it, he's doing things his way! He's not someone who will just 'follow the herd' and nor does he worship at the alter of musical theatre as if it was the be-all-and-end-all! He will plow his own furrow and I suspect he'll do very well, because he is looking for longevity rather than instant fame!

He's also not foccused on one area of the industry - he has film and TV work in the pipleline.

Try Amazon or Play.Com!

The album is called Nothing Else Matters.

Thankyou.

Thankyou.

I think this sounds like an interesting move for Lee.

I see that Baz Bamigboye has suggested that this production might be aiming for a West End transfer?

"Lee Mead, who shot to prominence after appearing in Joseph in the West End, has turned down every musical he has been offered. Instead, he took himself off to New York to study at the Lee Strasberg Actors' Studio. Good for him. Mead returns to the stage in January, but in a non-musical part, playing the title role of Oscar Wilde's black comedy Lord Arthur Savile's Crime opposite Kate O'Mara, with Christopher Luscombe directing at the Theatre Royal Windsor from January 11 before, hopefully, coming into the West End."

And for Almera, here is the title track from the second album!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfAt2L2IIHQ

Here's a recent interview with Mr Mead from the Times - he talks a bit about Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and there is mention of the possible new Marc Bolan musical:

Times Interview