The West End and Reality TV
Published on Tuesday 14th July, 9.43am, Written by Kelly Pentland
Since yesterday’s Diana Vickers blog drama I’ve felt the need to step in and defend her.
As you no doubt know, X Factor’s Diana is coming to the West End in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, and an old debate about the West End and reality television has been reignited.
I can’t help but point out that mixing reality television with the theatre has had quite a positive effect on the West End. In fact, it’s genius.
A whole new generation of theatregoers have been drawn to theatreland by the performances of those plucky little wannabes whose progress they’ve followed so faithfully on the telly.
Hollywood actor and Old Vic theatre artistic director, Kevin Spacey, actually complained that reality shows give an unfair advantage to some of the musicals, if that’s not proof that the format is working I don’t know what is.
Yet for some reason the casting of Diana Vickers has attracted more scorn and debate than Ray Quinn’s casting in Grease the musical, Rachel Tucker’s casting in We Will Rock You or Daniel Boys’ in Avenue Q.
Perhaps it’s because she’s from the X Factor? During the X Factor, Vickers faced a lot of criticism and was called everything from a “yodelling Barbie” to “the one to beat” (by Simon Cowell), came under scrutiny for missing a show due to illness and shortly after being photographed out having a gay old time with some pals. Add to that her relationship with Eoghan Quigg (another X Factor contestant) and you have a name that draws quite a bit of attention.
Some (the theatre purists) recoil at the very mention of a reality TV personality appearing on the stage. In 2007 Susan McFadden and Danny Bayne, winners of Grease Is The Word were slammed by critics who said that their performances lacked “sincerity and sex appeal” while the supporting cast comprised of real actors received rather more favourable reviews. These opinions are often not reflected in the comments of audience members who are not regular theatre-goers. This makes me question whether the professionals are being less than fair and producing petty reviews, and as a result I’ve decided to take them with a pinch of salt.
The hilarious thing is that television has revived the theatre. These shows bring the theatre back to the hearts of the people and reminds them what it is all about. Stories like those of Diana, of a girl realising her dreams and becoming a star, are inspiring.
Unfortunately there will always be some who struggle to accept that reality TV fame is legitimate fame. Just look at Diana’s following on Facebook to see how she’s touched the hearts of a nation. People’s problem with these reality TV types seems to be more often about where they came from rather than their actual ability.
It makes you wonder if the problem is that theatre types object to a new form of competition, competition from people who ordinarily would never sing publicly. An argument regularly employed by theatre purists and critics is that there are lots of actors who are out of work who are being overlooked for parts because of these shows. A wonderful and cute excuse, but the truth is a lot of the people who take part in these reality shows are trained actors who have been given a chance to shine early on in their careers (examples include Ray Quinn and Diana).
This debate isn’t really about talent or about actors. It’s about keeping theatre traditions pure, it would appear that purists think that television is dirty or unworthy – they believe in separation: there is theatre and there is television and never the twain shall meet.
I say to hell with it, Diana Vickers is welcome in the West End, I’ll see her in Little Voice and I imagine I’ll probably like it.
I think Diana got more attention than other because she has been announced as the lead in a new production. Ray Quinn is in a small role, Daniel Boys is the 2nd (3rd?) person to take on the Ave Q role and, let’s be honest, ‘Rock You’ is no more surprising than stunt casting in ‘Chicago’.
Also Diana Vickers didn’t really demonstrate the range many think the role requires. I question whether her defenders on the blog have ever seen ‘Little Voice’.
I read the previous thread with slightly perverse glee. Hilarious over-reaction!
I don’t follow the X Factor, but I would imagine one of the reasons Ray Quinn (for instance) didn’t attract the same criticism (and he is just an example) is that he had previously appeared in the West End production in a more minor role for six months, so had that experience, he was also a British European and World number one ranked ballroom and latin dancer at juvenile level (under 12) and also I believe a British disco champion, so he is an accomplished dancer and had also acted on stage, TV and in film from the age of about 10 or less so had the acting experience. I would imagine that that being the case the other members of the cast would accept him quite readily as having the relevant background to take a leading West End role. Obviously he would be an attraction too having recently won Dancing on Ice. Maybe people don’t realise his full background in the industry? His background is probably totally different to other reality TV performers so not a relevant comparison.
Some of the others I had never heard of, and I really don’t know much about Diana Vickers either, but possibly the criticism comes from the fact that she doesn’t have the acting training or background to go straight into a leading role and is not working her way up. She may well be a great success, but it may be that people are concerned about her lack of experience and feel it is unfair on the actors who are grafting to make it in the West End? However, that is the way things are and as so many productions are struggling at the moment if an artiste has a following and may attract an audience you really cannot blame a Director or Producer for wanting to use them.
I can’t wait til the reality show to cast Jade Goody the Musical- it’s so meta! The snake eats itself!
Great blog! I completely agree with what you’re saying. Reality tv can be good for theatre.
This is a great blog. I thoroughly agree that TV has given theatre a much needed revamp.
I was in the Grease revival cast with Danny and Susan and the production wouldn’t have been on if it hadn’t been for the TV show. It also brought a lot of people into the theatre who’d never been before, which was fantastic. People who would stop us at stage door and ask what they should go and see next.
The cast were told by the producers the critics wouldn’t be raving about the show, and why should they? It’s a revival of a show tht hasn’t changed much since 1995, the script is a dash from song to song and the message at the end is turn yourself into a tramp and get the guy! It really didn’t matter what the critics thought and they were impotent in the face of a ‘people’s show’ that is just a lot of fun with great tunes. Both Danny and Susan had varying experiences and Ray has proved he’s a popular Danny and like you’ve stated, prepared for the role.
I fear Diana Vickers isn’t prepared at all. She’s very young, has little stage experience and may find the soze of the role too much to bear. That Terry Johnson is Directing makes a huge difference as he is a Director at the top of his game, but it is a big concern.
The big problem with the reality shows is that it may be beginning to stifle the quality performers from reaching leading roles. The theatre industry has stopped creating stars and instead is importing them from TV.
But the point is that Rachel Tucker, Daniel Boys etc etc were trained and had professional experience. Even Niki Evans, much as I wasn’t a fan of hers, had years of singing experience behind her. Ray Quinn I loathe as a performer, but again he’d been trained and had professional experience. Lumbering someone like Diana Vickers with such a huge role for her debut when she’s said herself her voice isn’t that strong is frightening.
I completely agree with THIS article !
I didn’t know Ray Quinn from X Factor so can’t comment on his performances on that, but having seen him in Grease recently,when he got a standing ovation, he is a superb dancer, has great timing and delivery and can carry off the musical numbers equally well, but this can really only come from years of performing experience. As Alfie said, he has danced, acted and sung for years and won numerous accolades for all three, so I don’t see that his fellow cast members would have a problem with that. He also has previous West End experience, and has that indefinable thing called “stage presence”.
Carrie has stated that others have similar training and experience, and that is presumably why they too have not attracted massive criticism for their roles, which is fair enough. I don’t know enough about their backgrounds to comment. If Diana Vickers, at 18, does not have much experience in performing and in addition as some are saying has quite a weak voice, it is an enormous risk putting her in a lead role with 8 performances a week. It is a risk emotionally, physically and in terms of strain on her voice if she is not prepared for such a role and I fear it may backfire on her if she fails.
I agree with Carrie both Rachel and Daniel had been professionally trained for the theatre and Rachel was already understudying in productions. I’d Do Anything simply lifted her profile as a musical theatre performer. Plus after seeing her in We Will Rock You I have no doubt she was cast because she was the best candidate for the part and not because the casting director wanted to draw people in to see the show because they hoped people would know her from being on tv. They knew she could cope with the role and she’s extremely talented, why should she be discriminated against just because she appeared on a reality show?
I don’t have a problem with Diana. I actually liked her a lot on X Factor but I do think that throwing her in at the deep end with a lead role in a west end musical is likely to end in disaster. She couldn’t even make it through all of the weeks of X factor without hurting her voice. This reminds me of Martine McCutcheon’s casting in My Fair Lady and we all know how that ended. She might well be very good and have aced the audition but unless you’re professionally trained in theatre or singing keeping up the stamina to do eight shows a week is going to have consequences.
As I said on the Carrie article. If you think x factor is producing poor quality, more of you trained people should take the fast track plunge and show your worth. if x factor is about unknown people, there are a lot of unknowns who have done all the training. If you want the job, show your faces.