Cleo Stung at Second Round Sing Off
This week saw Cleo become the second Nancy booted off the hit BBC1 show I'd Do Anything whilst plucky youngster Chester was put through to the Oliver semi final. Cleo Royer followed in the stoney footsteps of last week's unsuccessful Nancy hopeful Amy Booth-Steel when she was kicked off the West End talent hunt on Sunday night. After each of the performers gave it their all Saturday night, Cleo and Keisha found themselves with the two fewest votes and had to had to compete in the dreaded final sing off before Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Both girls gave a strong yet impassioned performance before the master of musical theatre and forced a tense showdown. Lloyd Webber himself even described the decision as probably "the most difficult situation" he's faced in all the programmes they've made so far. He even hinted that he thought the wrong two were left to slug it out to stay in the competition. After choosing Keisha to remain in the running for the prestigious role, all that was left was for the lasting hopefuls to gather round Cleo and sing a heartfelt reprise of Be Back Soon tinged with sympathy and relief. A dignified refrain of As Long As He Needs Me was all that Cleo had to bow out of the competition and wave goodbye to the Nancy dream for good.
Meanwhile, the Olivers were sent to a Billy Eliot themed workshop to showcase their acting abilities. Asthe musical version of Billy Eliot comes under the Old Vic Productions umbrella, commentators have suggested that the decision to help raise the profile of the show is a direct move to appease artistic director Kevin Spacey, who spoke out last week about the BBC repeatedly donating airtime to projects by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
All the boys put in sterling performances under the pressure of the cameras but this week Chester was the lucky one selected to go through to the semi final. Confident and talented, the young chap may prove to have what it takes to shoulder the part for real when it finally comes to the West End next year.
So, another tense week awaits both the Oliver and the Nancy hopefuls, no doubt, as they prepare for their next showdown next Saturday. See you here next week for the another run down.
Published by: Nathan Brooker
