Last week on “I’d Do Anything”: The top twelve girls performed in the first (not-so) live show. They also went to a real East End market to see if they could impress the locals while the final Olivers went to magic school. In the end, Gwion was put through to the finals while Amy and Francesca were sent to the sing-off. In the end, Andrew chose to save Francesca and Amy turned in her locket. Who will go home tonight? Stay tuned or check Wikipedia (but that’s cheating!).
Graham suit watch: Red and gold. He welcomes the audience to the second (not-so) live show. At least John and Denise dropped the jazz hands. The eleven finalists come out to sing “Oom Pah Pah” from Oliver! Has anyone on this show every thanked the choreographer? Just wondering.
We go back to Graham, who reminds us that the voting public (in the UK in 2008) gets to choose the Nancy. But the Olivers will be chosen by Andrew, Cameron and the panel. Our panel is John Barrowman, Denise van Outen and Dame Edna, who now knows to bow to Andrew as the Phantom theme plays. Tonight, he’s looking for a sense of humor, vulnerability and steel. More puns abound and references to British celebrities.
First up, Niamh and Cleo. Niamh says she used to be Wednesday Addams for Halloween, but she wants to show a different side. She also befriended her back up dancers. Cleo says she felt like a star last week. She says she focused on her music and her Nancy journey. Niamh sings “I Got the Music in Me.” Her vocal is great and she seems to be having fun with the song. Not much interaction with the male dancers beyond the middle part. Cleo sings “Feelin’ Good.” I don’t really remember Cleo’s voice from when I watched this back in 2008, but on a second listen, I really like it. Particularly for this song.
The girls join Graham. Niamh says she’s been craving olives while Cleo eats lots of veggies. Denise says Niamh was a winning horse. So, we’re going with horse allusions? She wonders if Niamh is physically appropriate. Denise liked Cleo but says she looks pained while performing. Barry loved both girls. He says he can see Niamh on album covers and he liked Cleo’s performance. John says he sees star potential in both. He tells Cleo to connect with the words. Andrew loved both girls as well.
Coming up: Samantha gets compared to Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Keisha and Samantha are our next Nancy’s. Keisha loves being compared to Shirley Bassie. She hopes to do even better this week. Samantha says she normally doesn’t show her legs and holds up the shorts they put her in. She said they made her feel like a different girl. She says she can take on anything. Keisha sings “Get the Party Started.” I don’t think this is a great song to show off her vocal prowess but it definitely shows off her fun side. In my head, vocally, she’s being compared to P!nk and that’s unfair because they have completely different sounds. Samantha sings “See the Day.” Samantha’s song choice is much better and her vocal is beautiful. She connects with the words and the emotions behind it.
The girls are not asked questions. Graham goes straight to John. He calls Keisha “bland” and says Samantha was blank behind the eyes. Did I switch to Top Model? Denise agrees with John regarding Keisha, but not with Samantha. She says she was vulnerable. Barry calls Keisha “feisty” and Samantha “magnificent.” He calls Samantha a young and more interesting Catherine Zeta-Jones. Andrew is last. He thinks Keisha has it but she needs to go further. He also disagrees with John.
Coming up: Panel loves Francesca.
Francesca is up next, all by herself since she’s odd woman out. She worries her professional experience is preventing her from getting the votes. Hey, is that Claire Moore? West End leading lady? She’s their vocal coach? Anyway, Francesca will be singing “Somebody to Love” from Queen. Or as Graham puts it, the Queen musical “We Will Rock You.” Really? It’s from Queen. I’m thinking she got “vulnerable Nancy” this week…I think. I can read vulnerable in that performance. This was the version on my iPod until Glee did the song, but it’s just as beautiful. Francesca thanks her fellow competitors for helping her get through being in the final two. John doesn’t think Francesca will avoid the bottom two but he loved the performance. Barry loved her as well. Denise thought her performance was gritty and fantastic. Andrew is glad he saved her and saw the grit.
Coming up: Adorableness overload dead ahead.
The Oliver’s are sent on a task. They went to meet the cast of Billy Elliot for an acting lesson. The boys get to have fun backstage—trying on tutus, getting wigs and facial hair. Laurence got sick and went home. The other boys practice with the Billy Elliots. Now they go before Cameron and Andrew. Then they have a group performance. So, who will be joining Gwion in the final? We’ll find out soon but Laurence rejoins the boys to sing “Electricity” from Billy Elliot. The judges give the boys a standing ovation. Andrew says he’s pleased with their progression. Andrew announces that Chester goes through. I love his voice—he was my favorite Oliver. Graham asks if he has a favorite Nancy. Chester starts with the politically correct answer that he loves them all, but he then chooses Jodie. She’s touched.
Could be Oliver:
Gareth
Jordan
Harry
Joseph
Sam
Chester
Arthur
Gwion
Kwayedza
Alexander
Jonny
Laurence
Coming up: Sarah could be Glinda.
Rachel and Sarah are the next two Nancy’s up. Rachel loves being on stage. She says she’s going to keep fighting. Sarah loved that she was called a leading lady. She said it was torture waiting to hear her fate. And her little brother is adorable. Rachel sings “Beautiful.” I love Rachel’s voice. I like the inner strength she’s putting out even as she’s showing her vulnerability. Sarah sings “Piece of my Heart.” I love how they did Sarah’s hair this week. And I think Sarah is the first one to show Nancy’s steel, as Andrew called it.
Graham goes straight to the panel. John says Rachel gave him chills. He doesn’t think Sarah had the edge. Were we watching the same performance? Barry called her performance “big.” He thinks Sarah could be in the Wizard of Oz as one of the witches. Sarah for Wicked! Denise called Rachel “mind-blowing” and liked her acting. Denise comments that a cameraman went down as we hear an off-camera thud. But going back to Sarah, she doesn’t see her as Nancy. Andrew liked how she turned “I am beautiful” into a triumphant statement. Andrew thinks Sarah could be Nancy.
Coming up: Tara doesn’t really impress.
We return for Tara and Jodie. Tara was convinced she was going home and was so happy to hear Graham call her name. What’s up with the green scarf? Jodie has an up tempo song but she got sick during the week. She goes on vocal rest. Tara says it’s spooky and Niamh says she hopes Jodie gets her voice back for the entertainment Jodie prepares. Tara sings “Without You.” I can see the vulnerability and I like her acting. So far, it’s a nice performance. I don’t think she can reach the high notes, though. Jodie sings “I’m Every Woman.” Her performance is much better than Tara’s, I find. You wouldn’t know she had vocal problems this week and the song suits her voice.
Jodie coughs as Graham goes to the panel. Denise saw the vulnerability like I did but she thought the song was too big for Tara. She loved Jodie. She warns Jodie not to go back to her cabaret background. John loved Tara’s performance and calls Jodie a contender. Barry thought Tara improved. And he calls Jodie raunchy and powerful. Andrew didn’t like Tara trying to riff like Mariah Carey. He didn’t the song choices for the two.
Coming up: Ashley is up.
Our final two Nancy’s are Ashley and Jessie. Ashley says her friends are supporting her and her mother came to see her. We see her perform a sock poppet show for the girls. Jessie says she is working on her posture. She wears heels, even in bed. And the girls of Chicago the musical help her as well. Ashley sings “Mercy.” I don’t like the dress they put her in. But her performance isn’t as bad as her dress is. I think I prefer to her version of this song over Duffy’s! Jessie sings “Killing Me Softly.” When I was working, I swear the radio station I listen to played this everyday at the same time. I always heard when I was driving to the office. But I love Jessie’s version. It’s so soft and warm.
Denise is the first up. She says the girls did listen to her notes. She called Ashley brilliant and is pleased Jessie worked on her posture. John thinks both commanded the stage. He calls Jessie “perfection.” Barry loved them as well. He says Jessie has Nancy’s qualities. He wanted a bit more warmth from Ashley but calls her an attractive Fergie. Andrew thinks Ashley has a lot of potential while Andrew was impressed with Jessie’s talent.
Coming up: RATS!
We get a recap of all the performances. Graham talks to the Nancy’s about how they are feeling after their performances. Keisha says she’s a fighter. Graham says that they wanted the final 11 to experience Nancy’s terror of Bill Sykes. So, they decided to scare them. With RATS! In cages. If you want to scare me, it’ll take bugs and not rats. We had pet rats in my dorm. Both Niamh and Rachel get over their fear and hold the rats. They turn the corner and run into Denise, who brought along an actor friend to play Bill Sykes. Denise was impressed with Sarah’s performance as well as Rachel, who started crying. Samantha forgot her line. Denise didn’t think that Jessie was focused and wasn’t impressed with Jodie. They come back and Andrew is holding a rat. Denise says it was an eye-opening task while Andrew really cuddles that rat.
The final 11 perform “Enough is Enough.” I like Keisha and Niamh in the group numbers. Andrew calls out Niamh, Jessie and Rachel. Barry calls out Niamh and Rachel. John picks out Ashley and Cleo. We won’t know who Denise would’ve picked.
Coming: The elimination.
We get to meet Chester. He’s a Doctor Who fan and likes to cook. He also has an adorable pet bunny. The Oliver’s treat us to a rendition of Pie Jesu. They played this song over the loudspeakers at the Great Sleepover in the Park during World Youth Day 2002 (which was in Toronto). I remember hearing it as I walked back from the rows of port-a-potties to where my youth group had set up camp. It was a great song to try and fall asleep to it. And then they started the concert. At 3 AM.
And as Graham’s suit has changed, we are now watching the results show. The panel picks their “not Nancy”. John: Samantha. (Was that Barry who yelled “What?”) Denise: Keisha. Barry: Keisha. Time to reveal who is safe and who isn’t. Ashley and Niamh are both safe. Jessie and Jodie could still be Nancy. They hug and leave the stage. Samantha is safe as well. Francesca is spared the sing-off as she is safe. Rachel and Sarah are both safe. Cleo, Tara and Keisha form a line. Keisha is in the sing-off. Now it’s between Cleo and Tara. And Tara is safe. Cleo and Keisha are in the sing-off. If it were up to viewers alone, Keisha would be out. But Andrew could save her.
Coming up: Who does Andrew save?
Cleo and Keisha will sing “I Know Him So Well” from the musical “Chess.” Oh, this is a tough call. Both had good vocals and acted the song. But I think Keisha had an extra spark that Cleo didn’t. Good luck, Andrew. He calls this the most difficult situation he’s ever had. He decides to save Keisha. She stops breathing for a few seconds and then goes to join the other girls. Andrew says he wasn’t happy with the results and he knows she has a bright future. She says she’ll keep performing and get better. The final ten sing “Be Back Soon” before Cleo starts “As Long As He Needs Me.” Keisha takes off her locket before she runs up the stairs to finish the song.
Could Be Nancy:
Amy
Keisha
Cleo
Sarah
Rachel
Jodie
Samantha
Ashley
Jessie
Francesca
Niamh
Tara
Sad to see Cleo go. It’s strange because I did watch this in a way before, so I know the results. It’s hard not to let that skewer some of my comments, though I do see how my opinions have changed in two years. Last time, I thought Cleo deserved to go. This time, it almost pained me to think so. Anyway, did the right person go home?
Next week: It’s the musical themed episode!
Quote of the Episode:
“You put the vamp back in vampire.”—Andrew to Niamh.
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