Last week on “I’d Do Anything”: The final five performed songs showing their leading lady quality. Samantha and Jodie were praised. In their Nancy mission, the girls were asked to be funny while the Olivers worked with a real West End child actor. Jonny moved into the last Oliver spot and we bid farewell to Sam, Joseph, Gareth and Jordan.
Graham welcomes us to the (not-so) live semi-finale. Graham suit watch: Red suit and purple shirt. He tells us the final four will perform and three Olivers will be revealed. He welcomes the fans, the band, the judges and the Lord. The Nancys and Olivers open the show with “Food, Glorious Food.” And those Olivers still include the ones who weren’t put through as well. Graham reminds us that this is the last time Andrew can save a Nancy as next week it’s all up to the public. Helping him are: John Barrowman, Denise van Outen, Barry Humphries and the producer Cameron Macintosh.
Andrew called a meeting with the panel and Cameron in a dark room complete with furniture from Phantom of the Opera. Andrew then works with each girl to help them improve. Graham asks Andrew what the girls need to do: he says he’s trying to find Cameron a star and that each girl could be a Nancy. He hopes the girls deliver the performances they gave him in rehearsal. Cameron says he’s not as worried because the girls have shown themselves to be great leading ladies. He hopes the public chooses the best girl with star potential.
First up is Rachel. She says it is frustrated to think that no one is seeing her when she’s singing with everything she’s got. We cut back to that secret bunker. Andrew says Rachel will keep the curtain up but Cameron is nervous about her. Rachel sings “Cabaret” from the musical of the same name. And that performance gets a standing ovation, including the panel. She blew the roof off the studio and proved she could dance. Not much more I can say. Denise praises Rachel’s performance and calls her brilliant. Barry calls Rachel “great” in the mission and says she gave “a star performance.” John calls it “Rachel, Rachel, Rachel” and calls her an actress. Cameron says she’s got it and would love to see her as Nancy. Andrew talks about Rachel changing it from “Going like Elsie” to “Going like Rachel” and praises it.
Coming Up: Oh, John.
Our next Nancy is Jessie. Jessie says that when she gets criticism she gets frustrated with herself. And in the secret bunker, they talk about “The Man that Got Away.” John calls her awkward and Denise doesn’t think she’s ready. Andrew says she has to prove she deserves to be in the final. Jessie sings “What I Did For Love” from A Chorus Line. The poor thing. She has a lovely vocal and her diction’s improved. But not much in the movement department.
John agrees that it was nice but slightly boring. He mentions her usual hand movements. Jessie asks what she can do to excite him and everyone laughs. He wants to see the conviction behind the words. Barry disagrees and calls it heartfelt. Denise calls her strong and heartfelt, but asks her to sit back a bit. Cameron calls her performance beautiful but she still hasn’t gone through the roof yet. She says this is just the beginning of her career and Graham interrupts her to get her to Andrew. He praises her decisions and her knowledge. He thinks she has star quality.
Coming Up: The Olivers get picked!
Graham explains that the Nancys have been divided into two groups: the Northern Nancys (Samantha and Jodie) and the Celtic Nancys (Rachel and Jessie). Samantha and Jodie are up first and work with Andrew on their song. The girls perform “Jesus Christ Superstar.” This really gives Jodie a chance to prove she can move but I’m afraid Samantha still stole my attention during the performance. The judges give them a standing ovation. Andrew calls them fantastic.
Now, we go to the Olivers! Our eight Olivers before “Tomorrow” from Annie. Because, you know, she was an orphan and Oliver was an orphan…Anyway, the Oliver mission. Andrew and Cameron put them in a West End theater and let former S Club 7 member Jon Lee give them some tips. He was Oliver too! Then the Olivers sing “Where is Love?” Our three Olivers are: Gwion, Laurence and Harry. I was still really rooting for Chester. Graham congratulates Alexander, Jonny, Kwayedza, Chester and Arthur.
Oliver: Harry, Gwion, Laurence
Gareth
Jordan
Joseph
Sam
Chester
Arthur
Kwayedza
Alexander
Jonny
Coming Up: The judges heart Samantha.
Our third Nancy is Samantha. She calls this the most amazing moment of her life. In the secret bunker, Andrew says she’s grown. Cameron loves Samantha. But they want her to be vulnerable. Samantha sings “When You Believe” from the Prince of Egypt. This week is turning more musical theater than the musicals week! She giving a beautiful vocal, but I think the meaning of the song was lost in the second half. It was there in the first part but she didn’t continue it through. Graham asks if she’s changed as the competition went on. She said she grew as a performance.
Graham starts with John. He said she showed vulnerability and asks the audience to take gamble. Denise says she has a likeability factor for both men and women. Barry calls her the bee’s knees and the cat’s…whiskers? Isn’t that “the cat’s meow”? Anyway, he loved her. Cameron felt the same as me: vulnerability in the beginning but lost at the end. But he feels she’ll be there next week. Andrew says the song doesn’t lead one to a great acting performance. Maybe because it was written for a movie?
Coming Up: Denise wants to hug Jodie.
Our last Nancy is Jodie. She said she can’t believe she’s in the semi-finale. In the Secret Bunker, Cameron isn’t too certain about Jodie. Barry thinks she could be Nancy. Jodie sings “Out Here On My Own.” It’s a lovely performance, but I can’t help but think that Jodie looks too old to play Nancy. Right now, the make up is okay, but she still looks older than she is. I think Denise is crying. She calls Jodie heartfelt and that she put so much emotion into the song. She praises Jodie’s life experience. John praises her ability to take direction. Barry praises her voice but thinks she may be too restrained. Cameron calls it “beautiful but matronly.” Andrew tells Barry that she was holding back because he asked her to be. And we just cut to commercial…
Coming Up: Second duet!
Next up Rachel and Jessie sing “Buenos Aires” from Evita. I got a bit distracted but I could hear Rachel singing through it. The Oliver’s who didn’t make it to the finale sing “No Matter What” from “Whistle Down the Wind.” I love this song and am determined to have it as my wedding song! The boys finish and hug.
Coming Up: The results show.
We’re at the results show. Graham suit watch: Yellow suit with a dark green shirt. Once again, we have a reprise of “Food Glorious Food” though this time only Gwion, Harry and Laurence are wearing caps. Graham then shows a recap of everything that’s happened.
Coming Up: Nancy mission.
Okay, maybe Graham’s shirt is blue. I don’t know. Jodie talks about winning and being in the competition. Anyway, the girls are sent to Dickens London. They put on the dress and give interviews by candlelight. The girls will now have to speak “As Long as He Needs Me” for Barry. He likes Jessie’s performance, calling it true. He says he noticed a new side to Rachel. As for Jodie, he calls her emotional if not courageous. He thought Samantha was parroting the words until she addressed him and he saw the tears in her eyes. He calls it a close contest. The final four sing “A Hard Day’s Night.”
Coming Up: The results!
They show us Andrew telling the winner Olivers they won. Harry is shocked, Gwion looks ready to laugh and I think Laurence cried. The three perform “Where is Love?” Graham introduces a package where the girls tell why they should be Nancy. Unfortunately, my sister and her boyfriend are being TOO LOUD for me to hear. The panel says their not Nancy’s:
John: Jessie
Denise: Jessie
Barry: Jodie (he gets booed)
Cameron: Jodie (he gets booed)
Jodie could still be Nancy and leaves the stage. Take that, Barry and Cameron? She hugs her parents. Rachel is in the sing-off and joins Graham. Samantha and Jessie stand center stage. John and Denise are holding hands like they are on the line. Jessie could still be Nancy and she practically attacks Jodie. So Samantha and Rachel are in the bottom two.
Coming Up: Rachel or Samantha.
If it were down to viewers alone, Samantha would be out of the competition. But this is Andrew’s last chance to save someone. The two must now sing “Memory” from Cats. Andrew says he didn’t want these results and tells them to give it their best. I think. Once again, my sister was TOO LOUD. Once again, Denise looks ready to cry. Someone give her a tissue. Andrew looks like he would rather eat the jellied eels again. Rachel and Samantha hug before going before the lord. He calls the choice “impossible”—Samantha is fabulous and Rachel was wonderful. He has to think about where the show is going to go. He stutters before going with Samantha. She hugs Rachel before running to join Jodie and Jessie.
Graham asks Rachel if she has someone she’d love to see all the way. She praises them all and they yell “We love you.” Andrew says she’s wonderful and has a career ahead of her. Rachel thanks everyone before going to say good-bye.
The final three sing “Be Back Soon” before Rachel sings “As Long as He Needs Me.” Samantha takes off her locket before Rachel ascends the stairs. Rachel finishes the song, giving it her all. Take that, United Kingdom. That’s what you kicked off.
Could Still Be Nancy:
Amy
Keisha
Cleo
Sarah
Rachel
Jodie
Samantha
Ashley
Jessie
Francesca
Niamh
Tara
So, Rachel is gone. She was my favorite Nancy and I’m still upset with you, UK. Seriously. Also, sorry my sister prevented me from hearing everything. I promise she won’t do so for the finale. I’m actually going to be on vacation next week so I will be taping the finale and recapping it when I come back. Who do you think will win? And don’t cheat by already knowing or going to Wikipedia!
Next week: The (not-so) live finale!
Quote of the Episode:
Don’t have one. My sister may have talked over it.
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