The Last Laugh

Last week on “I’d Do Anything”: The girls continued to perform and the judges got harsher. And then they had a fight mission with John Barrowman. The Oliver’s were sent to school—Victorian style. While Laurence was put through to the finals, Ashley and Niamh fell into the bottom two. In the end, Andrew finally sent Ashley packing. Who won’t be making the semi-finals? Find out tonight!

Graham suit watch: Red suit and green shirt. He welcomes the panel, the band, the fans and Andrew to the (not-so) live show. The remaining Nancy’s open with “Consider Yourself” with the Oliver’s. Graham welcomes the audience and says some familiar faces are back to perform with the Nancy’s—some of the Josephs are back! (Keith, Rob, Ben, Daniel and Lewis). Graham introduces the judges: John Barrowman, Denise van Outen and Barry Humphries. And, of course, Andrew Lloyd Webber—now even the Oliver’s bow before him. Graham introduces a package that is pretty much summed up this way: “(Insert Candidate) will be Nancy.” Andrew says he’s worried as he can’t see a front-runner and highlights each girl’s positives and negatives.

Our first Nancy tonight is Jodie. Andrew wants to see Jodie choreographed. So she gets a dance. We see a news segment about Blackpool’s show of support for Jodie, complete with the drag queens! Jodie sings “Holding Out for a Hero.” Since you can’t buy Jennifer Saunders’ version from “Shrek 2” off iTunes, Jodie’s was the version on my iPod. And this is what they call choreography? I found some old clips from Grease: You’re the One That I Want and those contestants were choreographed. I mean, I guess it didn’t hurt that one of the judges was Kathleen Marshall, a well-known choreographer, but those contestants could dance. I can’t see Jodie holding her own against Broadway choreography.

Jodie says she wants to go to the Blackpool Tower and shout her thank you’s. Graham comments that it’s a lot of stairs. John thinks that Jodie could be in the semi-finals. Barry calls her performance “warm and mature.” Barry says she’s been around the block a bit, like Nancy and John. Denise liked her performance as well. Andrew didn’t particularly care for her choreography while John declares his love for big girls. That…wasn’t what Andrew said, John. Or did you stop listening after the meatloaf comment?

Coming Up: Rachel doesn’t impress.

Next up is Rachel. She wasn’t too thrilled to be called an understudy and wants to prove she can be a leading lady. She said it’s up to the public. So they sent a camera crew out to interview some theatergoers and Rachel gets to watch all the positive ones. And she’s touched. She sings “I Will Always Love You”—Whitney Houston version. Poor Dolly Parton, she wrote and originally sang the song, you know. There seems to be a lot of top notes she can’t reach, though she nails the famous section of the song. Her eyes are partially closed, blocking any emotions from shining forth. That last close up was best, eyes slightly tearing.

Barry says Rachel was almost a leading lady but was still unmoved as one man boos. John disagrees and calls her a leading lady. Denise wants Rachel to be in the semi-final but calls her guarded. But she knows Rachel will correct it. Andrew gives Dolly Parton credit and says Rachel communicated the emotion behind the lyrics. He tells her to just be Rachel.

Coming up: Samantha defies gravity.

The third Nancy is Samantha. She was happy with her comments. And since she’s singing  a song from Wicked, she gets to meet Idina Menzel—the original Elphaba. She sings for Idina and cries about meeting her. Idina gives her some notes before hugging her. Samantha sings “Defying Gravity.” I like how they had to get her color on her, so they make her wear this random blue bracelet that makes it look like she had to tape up her wrist due to an injury. Is Andrew spazzing out over there? Aside from that, it was an awesome performance.

Graham notes that the Oliver’s gave her a standing ovation. John says that Samantha proved she could be a leading lady, praising her confidence. Barry asks for some more. He praises her singing. Denise says Samantha does attitude with warmth and suggest Rachel take a page from Samantha’s book. Andrew praises Samantha’s choices and voice. He also calls her the best mover.

Coming Up: Oliver’s!

Graham reminds us that former Josephs are back to perform with the Nancy’s. The girls are: “BOYS!” Graham says that next week, the three winning Oliver’s will be crowned. But one more boy will be put into the running. For this week’s mission, the boys will perform the scene where Oliver meets the Artful Dodger as Denise watches them. They bring in one of the Gavroches of the West End production of “Les Miserables” to play the Dodger. He praises all the Oliver’s. Cameron and Denise now have to pick the last boy through. Jonny is put through. Graham holds on to his cap. And he asks who Jonny thinks will win. Jonny says Jessie. Graham focuses on Sam, Joseph, Gareth and Jordan—the Oliver’s who weren’t put through. They get a bow before all the Oliver’s perform S Club 7’s “Reach”. Hey, was that Keisha and Sarah in the audience?

Looks like I could finally use the strikethrough option with the Oliver’s.

Could Be Oliver:

Gareth

Jordan

Harry

Joseph

Sam

Chester

Arthur

Gwion

Kwayedza

Alexander

Jonny

Laurence

Coming Up: Jessie is told to be Jessie.

Going back to the Nancy’s, Jessie is up next. Jessie says the last show wasn’t so good. Jessie says she’s dedicating her song to her baby sister Lily and missed her birthday. And she wasn’t kidding about baby sister—Lily’s a toddler! Jessie’s mom says one parent goes to London for the show while the other stays with the baby. Jessie sings “How Will I Live.” It’s a great version of the song and I can understand every word of it. Good job with the diction, Jessie! Looks like this week’s was mom’s turn to come down!

Graham goes to the panel. John says he didn’t hear the lilt and likes his vocal, but explains her performance as vanilla. He calls her inconsistent. Denise disagrees with John but says her movements aren’t feminine. But Denise isn’t concerned—Nancy could’ve been a tomboy. Barry tells her not to crumble when she gets negative comments and to just trust in herself. Andrew compares Jessie to Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli. He thinks “As Long As He Needs Me” is in Jessie’s comfort zone.

Coming Up: Niamh has an awesome surprised face.

Our last Nancy is Niamh. Niamh is upset with hearing the word “fragile.” Niamh is grateful she’s been saved twice. To prove she’s not fragile, she goes to practice with a rugby team. She tries to take someone down, and ends up just getting a piggyback ride. Niamh sings “Don’t Speak.” Is it the lighting or is Niamh’s hair darker this week? Oh, it was the lighting. While it’s a good vocal…I’m not entirely sure what emotion she’s aiming for? Sad? Angry? Something?

Denise doesn’t think Niamh wasn’t feisty, she was more of a teenager having a tantrum. She thinks Niamh might be better for Bet, Nancy’s friend. John didn’t like Niamh’s performance and didn’t think it would register in the back of the house. Barry thinks Niamh was gritty but thinks the boys will be like giants next to the petite and lithe Niamh. Andrew agrees with the panel and says he’s not sure if Niamh is ready right now to do eight shows a week.

Coming Up: Bring on the men!

Graham introduces a package where the girls explain their week. We start on Saturday with the (not-so) live show and the result show (which is taped after midnight, when the phones close). Sunday—They practice their songs. Monday—Sex and the City premiere. Tuesday—Practice…And then the Josephs enter. Wednesday—Nancy Mission day. Thursday—Practice with the Oliver’s. Friday—Wardrobe! And back to Saturday—Rehearsal. And there are the Josephs. They perform “Dancing in the Streets.” The pairs are: Niamh and Keith, Ben and Samantha, Daniel and Rachel, Lewis and Jodie, and Jessie and Rob. I miss these guys…and their voices.

Coming Up: Choir of Adorable.

We’re at the results show! Graham is wearing a mint green suit with a brown shirt. The Nancy’s sing “Consider Yourself” again. Graham says it’s down to “Young” Nancy’s vs “Older” Nancy’s. He then goes into a recap of the performances. We come back to Graham sitting with the Nancy’s. He asks Niamh and Jessie about their strength comments. Niamh says they are actresses and they have the strength, which Jessie agrees. Niamh also apologizes to Barry as she can’t grow any taller. They remind us of the final Oliver’s. And wouldn’t you know it? They all really, really want to be Oliver. And this leads to us learning more about Jonny. He’s 13, plays the drums and wants to be Oliver.

The Choir of Adorable is now just eight and they sing “I Have a Dream” by ABBA.

Coming Up: Rachel is joke killer.

Graham says that Nancy is a girl who likes a laugh. So this week’s Nancy Mission meets two comedians. The Nancy’s will be telling jokes. Niamh says her motto is “When all else fails pull up your dress”. Rachel gets the wrong Jaws mood. Next, the girls had to perform a scene from “Lifecoach.” They liked Jodie’s ability to be the character while they loved Rachel’s naturalness and confusion. We come back to the girls performing “Gonna Wash That Man Outta My Hair” from “South Pacific.” Barry says Jessie stood out for him. Denise picks Samantha. John picks Jodie. Andrew says he was hoping the girls would really wash their hair—Mary Martin did! Andrew says he won’t single out one…and then singles out Jodie.

The Nancy’s then pick who they think should leave:

Niamh: Jessie

Jessie: Niamh

Jodie: Niamh

Rachel: Samantha

Samantha: Rachel

Now it’s the panel’s turn. John: Jessie. Denise: Niamh. Barry: Niamh.

Coming Up: The results!

We come back to Graham, who reveals who is safe and who isn’t. Samantha could still be Nancy. She leaves the stage. Jodie is also safe and leaves the stage. Niamh is in the sing off and joins Graham. That leaves Rachel and Jessie, who step down. Jessie could still be Nancy and takes a moment to realize that. She runs off the stage as Rachel joins Niamh in the sing off. If it were down to the viewers alone, Niamh would be eliminated right then and there. But Andrew could save her again. The two must now sing “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” from “Evita.” He calls the lyrics “Tim Rice’s best” and wants to hear them.

Denise gives the girls a standing ovation. Both performed the song well. This is a difficult decision—my favorite Nancy’s facing off. Good luck, Andrew. He chooses to save Rachel. Niamh hugs her before Rachel joins the others. Graham tries to comfort Niamh and asks her what she’ll walk away with it. Niamh thanks everyone and says she’s a changed person. Andrew says Niamh still needs a few years to mature and thinks she’ll be up for a major role when she’s older. Like one in your own production, Andrew?

The final four Nancy’s sing “Be Back Soon” before Niamh sings “As Long As He Needs Me.” After Rachel takes off her locket, we see a close up of Niamh’s sister before she finishes the song. Niamh’s family cries as we fade out.

Next week: Rachel delivers, Jessie has to suffer through A Chorus Line’s 11 o’clock number, Samantha gets another Stephen Schwartz song and Jodie makes Denise want to give her a hug.

Could Still Be Nancy:

Amy

Keisha

Cleo

Sarah

Rachel

Jodie

Samantha

Ashley

Jessie

Francesca

Niamh

Tara

Sorry to see Niamh go. I loved her look and voice. Fortunately, I got the Love Never Dies CD for Christmas, which features Niamh as Fleck. Semi-finals next week! Do you like the final four?

Quote of the Episode:

“It’s telly. We can do what we like.” –Graham

It’s a Fine Life…

Last week: The girls worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber and hit the stage. The Olivers worked with the High School Musical tour people to work on basketball. As Harry advanced to the finals, Rachel and Sarah fell into the bottom two. In the end, Sarah was sent home. Who will go home tonight! Avoid Wikipedia and find out!

Graham suit watch: Gold shirt and I don’t even know what color his suit is. He welcomes the fans, the band, the panel and Andrew to the (not-so) live show. The final six girls sing “It’s a Fine Life.” They leave the stage as Graham returns. He points out that half the remaining girls have been in the sing-off: Rachel, Niamh and Ashley. Tonight, there will be a battle of Nancy’s, as the girls will be divided into trios. And there is our panel: John Barrowman, Denise van Outen and Barry Humphries. And of course, Andrew is there. Graham says everyone has an opinion on who Nancy should be, but who do the girls think isn’t Nancy. Here is the results:

Jessie: Niamh

Niamh: Ashley

Ashley: Niamh

Jodie: Niamh

Samantha: Rachel

Rachel: Samantha

Since Jessie booked it off the stage after the opening song, she is our first Nancy. The other girls are jealous of Jessie’s comments from the judges. She doesn’t want to give up her dream. Graham says the girls will be showing the different sides of Nancy. Jessie begins the evening with “Fighter.” I guess she’s Tough Nancy tonight. I think diction is a bit of a problem tonight—I’m not understanding all the words. But I wouldn’t want to meet Jessie in a dark alley right now. And they made her do Christina’s vocalization? Really? She’s improving on her movement.

Jessie approaches Graham to stand before the judges. Jessie says the pressure is healthy and keeping them from slacking off. John felt that Jessie was defiant and he agrees with me that diction was a problem. John is afraid her diction will go under pressure. Barry didn’t mind that Jessie’s Irish lilt came out and that Nancy could be Irish. John asks if that is what the people expect. Denise believes the problem really is the diction and it wasn’t the best performance Jessie ever gave. Andrew believes it was the wrong song for Jessie—and John argues it isn’t a talent show—but then goes to say that Nancy could have been Irish.

Coming Up: Another performance!

Niamh is our next Nancy up. We are reminded that Andrew is concerned about her age. The girls go to see Celine Dion in a concert. Niamh is excited and amazed as Celine sings “My Heart Will Go On.” They take a picture with Celine, but when she’s talking, her back is always to the camera. Hmm. Anyway, she’s singing “True Colors” to be Maternal Nancy. I love her outfit. And as always, it’s a lovely vocal. I’m not sure how maternal she comes across. It’s more like she’s cheering up her best friend. She throws someone a kiss.

Graham asks Niamh about meeting Celine Dion. Niamh was so excited to meet her. Graham goes to Barry. He calls her performance “lovely.” But he says it’s hard to imagine her fighting Bill Sykes, but she was supposed to be maternal. John doesn’t think it wasn’t entirely maternal but he disagrees with Barry. He tells him to watch her in the mission. Denise enjoyed Niamh’s performance and she is a contender. Now, Andrew. He still is worried about her voice but she has it. He likes that she asks questions and that she’ll go somewhere (like your new show, Andrew?)

Coming Up: Andrew wants to put Ashley on a bus.

The third Nancy up is Ashley. She realizes she has to thank the public for keeping her in. She goes back to visit her students. They give her flowers as well. Ashley sings “I Say a Little Prayer” to portray Love-struck/Devoted Nancy. She starts off weak but I think this type of song is good for her. However, I can’t see her sustaining a musical. And I know when I don’t write much, I like the performance. Not with Ashley. I actually zoned out during her performance and was focusing on my plans for tomorrow.

Graham reveals that Ashley is a backseat driver, complete with footage from the Nancy car. Denise liked her vocal but the performance was very cruise ship-like. Denise calls it cheesy. Barry calls her indestructible but calls the performance “casual.” John also calls her cheesy and tells her to hold back. Andrew, I think, has just given up. He tells her to take a bus.

Coming Up: “I want some more!”

We’re at the halfway point, Nancy solo wise. They still tease the Nancy show down. But now, time for our weekly dose of adorable. The boys are brought to the Ragged School Museum to meet a Victorian schoolmarm to give them a taste of being in Oliver’s orphan. They will be tasting gruel. All make faces and realize how hungry Oliver really was. A former child actor comes to help the Oliver’s, playing the scary orphanage worker whom Oliver asks “Please, sir, I want some more.” Cameron announces that the next Oliver through is Laurence. We learn he is 11 and plays the trumpet (and the piano). He also wants to be an inventor. Graham congratulates Laurence and holds onto his Oliver hat for later. Once again, the Oliver’s picked a Nancy to sing with. Laurence reveals that Nancy is Irish with brown hair. The Oliver’s then sing “Give a Little Love.”

Could Be Oliver:

Gareth

Jordan

Harry

Joseph

Sam

Chester

Arthur

Gwion

Kwayedza

Alexander

Jonny

Laurence

Our fourth Nancy is Samantha. She says she’s realizing she could be a leading lady. So, she goes to the production of Dirty Dancing to meet with the actress who plays Baby. Holy crap, she looks like Jennifer Grey circa “Dirty Dancing.” Samantha sings “Survivor” to show Defiant Nancy. I can see the defiance—Nancy telling Bill she’ll survive without him. Overall, a fantastic performance.

John loved her diction and feistiness. Barry thought it was great and praises her ability to dance in high heels, which he knows is difficult. Denise apologizes for questioning whether Samantha should be put through—she is now a leading lady. Andrew calls it a “wonderful” performance. He praises her range.

Coming Up: Jodie

And here she is. She says she was just trying to tell the story but her performance suffered. To help her focus, Graham says the love of her life visited. And no, it’s not her fiancé, it’s her dog. Who is adorable, by the way, and may eclipse the Choir of Adorable. Jodie sings “If I Ain’t Got You” to show Devoted Nancy. I don’t think this song properly shows what Jodie’s voice can do, but it does show her loving side.

Denise thinks Jodie has the voice of Nancy and loves how Jodie acts with her eyes. John agrees and wants to see her next week. Barry calls it “passionate” and says he heard every word to a song he had never heard before. But he loved it. Andrew thinks she has a fantastic voice but that she overacts. He isn’t clear on whether or not that’s good or not. But he wants to see her choreographed.

Coming Up: Rachel holds back

Rachel is our last Nancy to perform. She says it was her most uncomfortable performance. Her family has been supporting and we meet Rachel’s sister, who talks about her early career. Rachel sings “You’ve Got a Friend” so I’m guessing she’s going for Maternal Nancy? I love Rachel. That is all. Denise tells the public that they have to realize that Nancy has to be able to perform 8 days a week. Denise doesn’t think it was stunning performance and wants better next week. John loves Rachel as well. Barry has heard of her song but that Rachel wasn’t feeling the emotion. He calls her an understudy. Andrew says Rachel deserves to be there but she needs to communicate with the words. Some man in the audience really disagrees with Andrew.

Coming Up: The Nancy Showdown

Graham introduces us into the Nancy Showdown. Andrew has divided the girls into two trios. Jessie, Niamh and Samantha are one group while Jodie, Rachel and Ashley are a second group. It is the Young Nancy’s vs. the Older Nancy’s. Jodie says they will show that Nancy is a real woman while the Younger Nancy’s say they aren’t going to go down easily. The Younger Nancy’s perform “Candyman.” While they were all good, I really focused on Samantha. The Older Nancy’s perform “Man! I Feel Life a Woman.” Ashley does best in a group setting, but I focused on Rachel. Andrew can’t chose his favorite performance and just praises them.

Coming Up: Someone tries to take Captain Jack? Ha!

We come back to the results show as the Nancy’s sing a reprise of “It’s a Fine Life.” Graham suit watch: Red shirt and yellow suit. Graham reminds us that three of the current Nancy’s have been saved by Andrew before recapping the performances. Graham interviews the girls and Rachel says she’s confused. Ashley says she’s showing she has Nancy’s fighting spirit. Graham goes to the Nancy Mission—which is with John Barrowman. John seems to be stalked by a fan who wants his autograph. John fights the man, who fights back. John asks if he still wants his autograph and the guy agrees—John welcomes the girls to the stunt mission. They learn to throw a punch, turn a bottle into a weapon and roll. The girls perform an emotional scene, complete with a fight. John was impressed that though Niamh missed, she continued to fight. John chooses Rachel as his best.

We come back to the studio for the girls to perform “Nobody Does It Better.” Once again, I loved Samantha and Niamh. John said the mission showed who would panic and who would handle the live performance. Barry was drawn to Jessie, Denise was drawn to Niamh and Andrew was drawn to Samantha.

Coming Up: The results!

The girls have to convince the Oliver’s to let her performance with them. Graham asks Laurence to reveal the winning Nancy—Niamh. They perform “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” And you were all clapping along, admit it! Andrew thought Niamh had the motherly quality they were looking for. It is time, though, for the panel to reveal who is not Nancy. John: Jessie. Denise: Ashley. Barry: Rachel. Time for the results! Samantha is through to the quarterfinals. Jodie is through as well. Rachel might be in the sing-off and is told to remain where she is. Jessie could still be Nancy. She attacks Jodie in a hug once she leaves the stage. Rachel looks like she knows she’s in the bottom two. Ashley is in the sing-off. Rachel is wrong, she could still be Nancy. So Niamh is in the sing-off with Ashley. If it were up to the public, Ashley would be out.

Coming Up: Niamh or Ashley? Does Andrew really have to think about this?

Ashley and Niamh must now sing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” from “Evita.” This isn’t really a nail biter. Niamh has always gotten better comments than Ashley. And Andrew has said he wanted Ashley to take a bus. So he saves Niamh. She leaves the stage as Graham comforts Ashley. She says she’s proud of what she’s done. Andrew says that Ashley needs to work on communicating but her students should be proud of her.

The final five sing “Be Back Soon” before Ashley sings “As Long as He Needs Me.” Niamh takes off her locket before Ashley lets out the last part. She takes a bow before the girls hug her.

Could Still be Nancy:

Amy

Keisha

Cleo

Sarah

Rachel

Jodie

Samantha

Ashley

Jessie

Francesca

Niamh

Tara

And the competition grows fiercer and the judges get nitpicky. Next week is the quarterfinals—who will advance further? Who will take the Nancy crown? If I do the calculations correctly, we won’t find out before I go to Disney, so the final recap will be delayed by a week. Otherwise, do you agree with Ashley’s dismissal? You know I do!

Next week: It’s the quarterfinals! And some Josephs return!

Quote of the Episode:

“That’s going to be a very quiet car ride back to Nancy Mansion.” –Graham after the girls’ pick who isn’t Nancy.

Sorry You Had to Say “Good-Bye”

Last time on “I’d Do Anything”: The live shows continued and the judges were harsher this time around. The girls were also sent to see how their endurance was by rowing a boat. While Alexander moved on to the finals, Niamh and Keisha feel into the bottom two. Much to the Lord’s anger, he saved Niamh and Keisha was sent packing. Who will be leaving the Nancy house next? Find out tonight!

Graham suit watch: Green and red! How appropriate for the season! Graham tells us that Lord Webber is angry and everyone is shaking—the fans, the band and the panel. He welcomes the Nancy’s and Oliver’s to open the (not-so) live show with “Who Will Buy?” They leave the stage as we focus in on some Samantha supporters. Graham reminds us that Andrew was upset over the results last week and makes a pun. He’s now worried the public may pick the wrong Nancy. But hopefully the panel won’t allow that: John Barrowman, Denise van Outen, Dame Edna and Andrew Lloyd Webber. They are enjoying that ominous thunder effect. Andrew reveals that he worked with the girls so he’s on trial first.

Let’s start with Jodie and Sarah. Jodie talks about how she never sang like she sang last week and rocked it. We see Andrew work with her. I loved when he worked with the idol hopefuls a few seasons ago. Andrew talks about having her get into the character of Mr. Bojangles, telling her to tell a story. He hopes she can pull it off.

Coming up: Mixed reviews!

This week is Big Band Week. Jodie sings “Luck Be a Lady” from “Guys and Dolls.” While Jodie is doing a lovely job, I’m not entirely sure what her story is. Why does she need luck? In the original context, Skye Masterson sings this when the biggest gamble of his life is on the line—saving his romantic life. Why does Jodie need luck to be a lady and stay with her? Sarah sings “Mr. Bojangles.” I loved her vocal, it was so emotional. I loved her dancing as well.

Graham gives praise to the band before turning back to the girls. Jodie says that he’s so humble and a gentleman. Sarah says that they felt so lucky. Aww. Denise thinks both have leading lady pizzazz. She loves Jodie’s version of “Luck Be a Lady.” She says Sarah has proved herself and calls her “magical.” Barry focuses on the acting. He calls Jodie “intelligent.” He worries that Sarah’s expression is limited. The audience isn’t sure whether that’s an insult or not. John thinks she could be a leading lady. John disagrees with Barry and thinks she could act to the back of the house. Finally, Andrew gives his notes. He was worried she’d go over the top but she didn’t. Andrew thinks that Barry’s critique of Sarah’s expressions was his fault and that she did what he wanted.

Coming up: So, we’re going back to the horse metaphors?

Next up are Rachel and Samantha. Rachel talks about how glad she is to still be there. Andrew works with Rachel and she’s concerned because it’s different from how she would do it. But she knows she has to work on them. Andrew asks about the “Isle of Sam.” Which is apparently what they decided to rename the Isle of Mann. Everyone is supporting her there. And Andrew works with her and she hopes to make her hometown proud. Rachel sings “For Once in My Life.” Her performance is of course, excellent. Nothing else to say, really. Samantha sings “Sway.” Sam’s version remained on my iPod for months. This was my favorite version of the song…and then Paul Byrom caused me to melt into a puddle at the Celtic Thunder concert with his version. Sorry, Sam! As for her dancing, it’s about time they realized she’s one of their best and showcase it.

Rachel says it was great to work with Andrew because she’s not perfect but she wants to get better. Graham notes that the Isle of Sam is a real thing, not something they did. So Graham throws it to the panel, starting with Barry. Who Denise cools down. He calls Rachel a horse in the Grand National that could make it to the finish. He calls Sam a “star.” Denise is excited to see a warmth in Rachel. She praises Sam for singing and dancing excellently. John says that her crack was an emotional one and is great. Sam: “Simply sensational.” Andrew is proud. He says Rachel is the actress who could keep the curtain up and that Samantha was fabulous.

Coming Up: Oliver Mission! Prepare yourself for adorableness!

The Oliver’s are working hard to get into the three remaining spots. They go meet with Tara from the “High School Musical” tour. The boys learn some basketball moves while Cameron and John goof off. The guy who plays Troy praises the boys, but who will move on? Harry will! He is twelve and likes to play sports. Graham tries to dribble and lets the ball roll offstage. He can’t give Harry his hat because he’s in a jersey. Harry picks Rachel as his Nancy. She’s pleased. Meanwhile, the Oliver’s sing “Breaking Free.” John was impressed by “Team Oliver” and calls them a true team. And leading men of the future.

Could Be Oliver:

Gareth

Jordan

Harry

Joseph

Sam

Chester

Arthur

Gwion

Kwayedza

Alexander

Jonny

Laurence

Coming Up: Niamh wows the panel.

Niamh is up by herself tonight. She talks about being in the bottom two. She calls it heart-wrenching but she is happy she was saved. She works with Andrew, pleasing him. Niamh sings “You Can’t Take That Away From Me.” I love Niamh’s voice. I would go to London and see anything with her in it. She goes over to talk to Graham. She was surprised by how upset Andrew got over the results. Denise says Niamh is a contender and praises her performance. Barry agrees and says he was devastated last week. John says she does not belong in the bottom two and he’d go see her if she was Nancy. Andrew says they worked so hard that week and she did everything he wanted. He just worries about her voice and her age.

Coming Up: Jessie and Andrew cry. Tissues?

Next up is Jessie and Ashley. Jessie got some not great critiques last week and felt she lost herself. She goes to work with Andrew. He calls her brilliant and they start to cry. There’s got to be some tissues left over from all the Josephs from the last go-round. He says Jessie must not lose herself. Ashley hopes the public will help her try to win Andrew over. Andrew gets to work with her, to highlight what he likes about her. Jessie sings “The Man That Got Away.” This was originally sung by Judy Garland. All I can say is: Judy Who? Even Andrew is practically on the edge of his seat. Ashley sings “Big Spender” from “Sweet Charity.” I don’t like how Ashley is singing this song. Her tone sounds like she’s mocking the men in the club. When she gets to the “fun, laughs, good time” point, she turns sultry. That’s how the song should be sung—like she’s enticing the men, not laughing at them.

Graham notes that Rachel thought Jessie was her serious competition and Jessie calls it the “ultimate competition.” And she sees Rachel as competition. He turns to Ashley, asking how it was going to work with Andrew. She just wants to come back. Barry calls Jessie’s performance the “star performance.” He reads a quote about Nancy from Dickens himself and feels Jessie embodies it. Barry says “You’re still here…” Yeah, that’s my feeling as well, Barry. He didn’t think so much of her performance. John praises Jessie, saying he’s been a friend of Judy his entire life. We know, John. He disagrees with Barry as does Denise. But Denise thinks Jessie’s performance was the one of the series. Andrew calls Jessie’s performance the best from someone of her age. He thinks there is something lost when Ashley steps on the stage and hopes to work with her again.

Coming Up: The Oliver’s critique the Nancy’s.

Graham tells us that the Oliver’s were tasked in choosing a Nancy to perform with them. They talk about the Nancy’s, making fun of how much they like to sleep. Each boy has his own opinion on who Nancy should be. Harry leads the boys in voting for their Nancy. And we’re at the results as the Nancy’s reprise “Who Will Buy?” Graham’s suit…is still green and red, just reversed. He recaps the performances.

Coming Up: To the pub!

Graham talks about the Curse of Barry Humphries, much like the Curse of the Coat on “Any Dream Will Do.” It seems if Barry chooses you as “Not Nancy” you will be in the sing-off. Denise and Barbara Windsor will help the girls at an East End pub—the Queen Victoria. The girls have to prove they can be Cockney by performing a scene from “Fings Ain’t Wot They Used to Be” which launched Windsor’s career. Windsor likes Jessie’s performance but not accent. Then the girls act out a scene from “Blood Brothers.” Denise is impressed with Jodie while Barbara was impressed with Samantha. But Jessie really impresses Denise, as does Rachel. Jessie impresses the patrons as well.

The girls sing the title song from “Fings Ain’t Wot They Used to Be,” also written by Lionel Bart. Denise picks out Jessie. John picks Niamh. Barry picks Jodie. Andrew picks Jessie. So, who did the Nancy’s pick. Harry channels Graham to reveal they choose Sarah. She says she’s weeping like a big girl and Graham says it’s like having the Josephs back. The Oliver’s and Sarah sing “Together” from “Gypsy.” Harry now has his hat. It’s perfectly even—there are six with hats, six without. Andrew thought they were having fun.

Coming Up: Someone fetch a tissue for Rachel!

Andrew coaches the girls through “As If We Never Said Good-bye” from “Sunset Boulevard”—this week’s sing off song. Sarah says no one wants to sing it as Rachel has a cry in the bathroom. Graham asks the panel who isn’t Nancy. John says Jodie. Denise says Sarah. Barry says Ashley. Graham begins to read the results. Jodie is safe. Mom and fiancé celebrate in the audience. Samantha is also safe. Good job, Isle of Sam! Jessie is through as well. Sarah is in the sing-off and joins Graham. Ashley, Rachel and Niamh form a line. Niamh could still be Nancy and her sister yells from the audience. Ashley is safe so Rachel is in the final two. Sarah and Rachel? What the hell, UK? What. The. Hell?

Coming Up: Sarah or Rachel?

If it were down to viewers alone, Rachel would be out. Seriously, UK, what the hell? Sarah and Rachel must now sing “As If We Never Said Good-bye.” Thank God I’m not Andrew or I might’ve stormed off the stage. Both sing this extremely well. Look at your choices, UK. This is going to come down to the panel’s comments—it’s going to have to be Rachel over Sarah. Rachel has gotten praise upon praise while nearly all the panelists have expressed doubts about Sarah’s ability to play Nancy. Andrew saves Rachel. She and Sarah hug before joining the others. Sarah says she had an amazing time as we see the other Nancy’s hug Rachel. Andrew takes part of the blame for Sarah’s ousting but as a producer, he feels Rachel is a stronger contender.

The other Nancy’s sing “Be Back Soon” before Sarah sings “As Long As He Needs Me.” Rachel takes off Sarah’s locket and kisses her cheek. See what you kicked off, UK? See? The others hug Sarah.

Could Still Be Nancy:

Amy

Keisha

Cleo

Sarah

Rachel

Jodie

Samantha

Ashley

Jessie

Francesca

Niamh

Tara

Next week: Arguments over Jessie’s accent. Ashley still doesn’t impress, Sam’s a survivor, Andrew worries about Jodie’s movements, and Rachel has issues.

Okay, this part is about an hour after the results. I’m a bit calmer now. I guess people aren’t voting for Rachel because she’s had professional experience. But I don’t get why they weren’t voting for Sarah? What do you think?

Quote of the Episode:

“The anger management is obviously kicking in.”—Graham, about Andrew

 

Row, Row, Row Your Boat Gently Off the Screen…

Last week on “I’d Do Anything”: The girls performed as Andrew watched via satellite link up as he was in Vegas. They also got to perform after a performance of “Wicked” to an unsuspecting paying audience. The Oliver’s had to climb down a rope and then perform. In the end, Kwayedza was chosen to go through to the finals. On the Nancy end, Ashley and Francesca fell into the bottom two. And Andrew chose to save Francesca. Who will sing their swan song tonight? Find out!

Graham suit watch: Yellow and dark purple. I’m not really feeling it. Graham welcomes the fans, the bands, the panel, the Lord and the viewing public to the (not-so) live show. Tonight’s show opens with “Pick a Pocket” sung by the Nancys and Olivers. Sam sings with a passable accent. The contestants clear the stage as we go back to Graham. Behind him is Joseph’s family, but their signs make it look like they’re on the wrong programme. He introduces the panel: John Barrowman, Denise van Outen, and Barry Humphries. And, of course, there’s Andrew Lloyd Webber. He’s back in the studio and says he’s worried that there’s no clear front runner. He tells the audience that it’s not about the top notes, it’s about acting. And tonight, they have to be real while singing pop songs.

Coming up: John gets someone about their diction.

Graham tells us that Nancy lived a hard life—food prices high, people struggled to get a house, but she soldiered on. The first up to soldier on are Niamh and Rachel. She says it was great to sing with her sister in the audience and she loves to have positive reviews. She goes home to Bangor and everyone is supporting her. Rachel recalls that she almost didn’t make the Final 12 but now she’s getting great comments. She was shocked that Francesca left last week and unsettles her. But she’s going to focus on the finish. Niamh sings “Valerie.” Just saw Santana perform this song on “Glee” so let’s see how Niamh does. She holds her own singing, but I can see that John’s diction comment is directed to her. Some of the words are getting garbled. But the ones that understand sound beautiful. Rachel sings “I’m With You.” I think I prefer Rachel’s version of this song to Avril Lavigne’s and I like Avril Lavigne! She really captures the desperation and the longing for something greater the song is about.

Graham praises the band before asking Niamh about her trip home. She says it was great. Rachel says everyone is competition but picks Jessie as the next Nancy. We go to John. He calls her confidence but mentions diction. He didn’t understand her but thinks Rachel set the bar. She told a story. Barry calls her performance “wild” and showed a new aspect of the character and herself. He agrees with John about Rachel. Denise didn’t think Niamh held back and she has more to prove. She agrees about the diction. Denise calls Rachel consistent. She wants to see Rachel do warm and playful, as that is Nancy with Oliver. Finally, we go to Andrew. He thinks the choreography hindered Niamh and thanks Rachel for showing how top notes can be real.

Coming up: Jessie gets some not-so-good comments.

Graham introduces the next two up to perform—Jessie and Sarah! We see some of the not-so-good comments from last week regarding Jessie. She said she needs to work on movements. She was always cast as a boy in school productions. She wants to show she can be elegant. Sarah says she loved Saturday’s performance (meaning last week’s performance). I love her new hair color. Jessie sings “Stop.” The red lights really bring out the red of Jessie’s hair. I think it’s a great performance. Movement’s improved. Maybe not as graceful as some would like, but she’s good. Sarah sings “Ironic.” I loved Sarah’s performance. I forgot how much I loved her.

Jessie says she’s working on her Cockney accent. Graham asks Sarah about her teapot. Apparently, she uses it to steam her voice. Steam actually soothes the throat. Take it from someone who has done steam treatments to clear up congestion and soothe coughs. Barry says Jessie has a unique talent but that she’s losing it trying to please everyone. He says Sarah is getting an edge, but still seems girl next door. Denise disagrees with Barry and calls Sarah the best actress so far. Denise reiterates that Jessie is holding back and she needs to be herself. John agrees that they’ve lost Jessie. He says the other girls are fixing, but she’s not. Denise wonders if that means she doesn’t take direction. Graham plays referee and tells John to comment on Sarah. He loved her. Andrew says both are strong contenders so the viewers have to decide what type of Nancy they want.

Coming Up: It’s just a harsh night.

Keisha and Ashley are next up. Keisha talks about how she was convinced she was going to be in the bottom two. But she wasn’t! Keisha though lost her voice. We see how Andrew didn’t like Ashley’s voice. Because she’s crying, I can’t understand her. We see backstage after the results show where John flat out tells Ashley Andrew made the wrong choice. Ouch. But he tells her to fight this week. Keisha sings “I’m All Out of Love.” Her voice has recovered! Yay! She really portrays the song’s anguish. Her voice does crack, but I feel that adds to the song. Ashley sings “Evergreen.” Wasn’t that the song that tripped up Daniel last time and sent him home? I feel bad. I love to watch Ashley when she’s in her segments but the minute she starts singing, my attention is gone.

Keisha and Ashley agree they are happy to be there. John calls her a fighter and blossoming into a Nancy. John says this was the first time he heard her accent but that there were flat notes. He thinks she lost the fight. Denise starts with Ashley because she agrees with John. She knows what Ashley was doing, that it was brave but cheesy. Denise loved Keisha’s performance. She tells Keisha to watch her head. Barry loved Keisha but thinks Ashley was nice. Andrew thinks it was the best vocal Ashley gave but wouldn’t hold an audience’s attention. She doesn’t hold mine. He thinks they both have something and he wants to work with them to help bring it out.

Coming Up: Mission of Adorable!

Graham throws us to the Oliver Mission. They send the boys to practice stage fighting. We get montages of the boys falling into mats and “punching” people. Cameron comes to see what they learned. They take the man down. Cameron is impressed and puts Alexander through. Graham gives him his cap. Alexander chooses Samantha as his Nancy, because of her voice and because he has family from the Isle of Man. The Olivers then sing “Hard Knock Life” from Annie.

Could Be Oliver:

Gareth

Jordan

Harry

Joseph

Sam

Chester

Arthur

Gwion

Kwayedza

Alexander

Jonny

Laurence

Coming Up: Finally, good comments!

Last up are Samantha and Jodie. Samantha talks about how Saturday was make or break for her and she felt great after the show. The vocal coach, Donna, praises Samantha’s rehearsals. Jodie celebrates her good comments. She says she got a “whopper of a song” and Claire thinks this will show how she is as a singer. Samantha sings “Since U Been Gone.” I’ve heard Kelly Clarkson sing this live and I think Samantha gives her a run for her money. She also acts it well. Do you think the girls got to keep any of their outfits? Jodie sings “I Have Nothing.” I like how they did Jodie’s make up this week. Usually, they style her to look older than she is and that’s not fair. But this week she looks age appropriate. And is anyone surprised that she knocks it out of the park?

Graham goes straight to Denise. She thinks both could be leading ladies. She says Samantha had “bags” of attitude and warns her against becoming too shouty, though this song required it. She loved Jodie’s performance. Barry calls Samantha “watchable” and he can’t take her eyes off her. He tells Jodie he wants to be there when she sings “As Long As He Needs Me.” John calls Samantha his “belting Nancy” and that she was superb. He calls Jodie fearless and tells her she’s destined for the West End. Andrew thinks Samantha made the furthest journey. He asks if Jodie was still engaged, which she is. He says he’s engaged by her.

Coming Up: Rowing! No, really, rowing!

We come back to a recap of the performances. Graham talks to John, Barry and the Nancys. Barry says eight shows a week is a test. John talks about popping into the Nancy house and was surprised by what he found. He says they need to stay in shape. Graham brought them candied apples. The girls want it. The girls wake up before the sun on their mission. The girls wake up more when they see men in Lycra. The girls first hit the gym before they race in the boats. Ashley and Rachel are the team captains. Sarah says she was always chosen last and it holds true. Rachel’s team is Jessie, Niamh and Keisha. Ashley picks Jodie, Sam and Sarah. Rachel’s team wins. In the end, the girls need to work on endurance.

Coming Up: The Choir of Adorable sings Disney. I may need to coin a new term.

It is now the results show as Graham has taken off the monstrosity he was wearing. His suit is now red and blue. The Nancys sing “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves.” Besides Keisha and Niamh, Samantha is really standing out in this performance. Graham introduces Barbara Windsor, who was friends with the creator of “Oliver!” Nancy was written for Georgia Brown and she thinks he may want to redefine the role. Barbara will be back next week in the mission. Denise will be watching Jodie and Jessie. Andrew says he loved Keisha in the performance and wants to see how she does.

And now we meet Alexander. He loves Bon Jovi and loves to air guitar to “Livin’ On a Prayer.” That was…brief. The Olivers sing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King.” And it’s the Elton John end credits version.

Coming Up: The results!

Graham asks the panel who isn’t their Nancy. Barry: Keisha. Denise: Ashley. John: Keisha. Now, time for the results. Samantha could still be Nancy. Jessie is also safe. She starts crying and runs to join Samantha. Jodie and Rachel are both safe. Keisha and Ashley—one is in the bottom two, one is safe. Ashley is safe, so Keisha is in the bottom two. Wow, UK, you really hated Keisha, didn’t you? Sarah and Niamh are the last to receive their fate. Sarah is safe, so Niamh is in the bottom two. If it were down to viewers alone, Keisha would be out. The two must now sing “The Rose.” Niamh begins and then Keisha sings. Oh, this is a hard difficult decision. Both girls sing the song beautifully. Both are talented actresses. I am going to have to go with my highly unscientific and incredibly biased reason in that…I just love Niamh better than Keisha. Sorry, Keisha.

Coming Up: Andrew is mad.

Niamh and Keisha appear before Andrew. He calls it a travesty and that neither belongs in the bottom two. And he is angry. But he goes with the panel and saves Niamh. Graham asks Andrew why. Andrew doesn’t know why she was in the bottom two but that she’s got a great career ahead of her. And he’ll help her. Graham sends her off to sing her good-bye. The remaining seven sing “Be Back Soon” before Keisha sings “As Long As He Needs Me.” Niamh takes off Keisha’s locket and she finishes strong. Producers of Memphis, look her up when you transfer! Andrew walks off as the girls hug Keisha.

Could Still be Nancy:

Amy

Keisha

Cleo

Sarah

Rachel

Jodie

Samantha

Ashley

Jessie

Francesca

Niamh

Tara

Next week: Ooh, it’s Samantha’s rendition of “Sway” and Jessie’s of “The Man Who Got Away.” Which means one thing—it’s Big Band Week!

I am honestly sorry to see Keisha go. As I’ve stated before, I am not an Ashley fan. I think Keisha deserved to stay longer than Ashley has. Good luck, Keisha! FiOS clearly got the episodes mixed up as the summary didn’t get anything right. And I am taking suggestions for new original words to describe the Olivers.

Quote of the Episode:

“Yeah, I’m mental.” –Sarah, about her teapot.

It’s a Fine Life…For Now

Last week on “I’d Do Anything”: The final eleven Nancy’s performed, trying to portray different sides of Nancy. They also had an acting lesson, complete with rats. The Oliver’s were sent to Billy Elliot to learn about acting as well. Chester became the second Oliver put through to the semi-finals while Keisha and Cleo fell into the bottom two. In the end, Andrew saved Keisha and Cleo had to turn in her locket. Who will do so tonight? Find out!

Graham suit watch: Mint green and dark red. He welcomes us to this week’s (not-so) live show. It’s the musical episode! The girls open the show with “It’s a Fine Life.” Some of the last words get garbled by the audience’s cheers. Though I like the shot of Graham eating a biscuit and drinking tea at the corresponding lyrics. The girls finish and leave the stage. Graham talks about how the girls got to go to a movie premiere and they show George Clooney while the Olivers went to a football (read: soccer) league. But first our panel: John Barrowman, Denise van Outen and Dame Edna/Barry Humphries. And, of course, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Cue the Phantom music! Andrew admonishes the voting public after last week’s final two. He calls it a marathon, not a sprint. They have to think of the long-term.

First up, Rachel and Sarah. Rachel says she can’t get complacent. She goes to the West End production of “Jersey Boys.” Sarah talks about how Denise doesn’t see her as Nancy. So Sarah goes to Modesty Blaze, who I guess does Burlesque? Rachel sings “December 1963 (Oh What a Night!)” from The Four Seasons/Jersey Boys. Rachel does a great job with a song and owns the stage. She also shows off some impressive dancing skills, even if her ending pose is a bit awkward. Sarah sings “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret. Sarah tries not to smile, but the moments she does are well-timed to the song. It is a wistful wish for a better future. She portrays the pain yet hope that Sally has.

Rachel says that the house dynamics have changed since two Nancy’s left. Graham mentions Sarah’s dancing before cutting to a childhood video of Sarah, much to her mortification. Denise says that Rachel delivers every week and that she can do it eight days a week. She says Sarah showed a difference but she can’t see Nancy. Barry says Rachel had great energy. He compares her to Georgia Brown, the original Nancy. Barry says her voice is Nancy but still can’t see it. John is last. He calls her a leading lady. As for Sarah, he thinks the panel is insane. Denise and John have a little argument before John suggests Sarah dye her hair a darker color. Andrew tries to make a Frankie Valli joke, but just praises Rachel instead. And says Sarah surprised him.

Coming up: Keisha and Francesca aren’t so great.

Next is Keisha and Francesca. Francesca says being in the bottom two made her nervous during the show last week. But she was safe and she’s grateful for her hometown support. She says she has her confidence back. Keisha didn’t impress the panelists last week and Keisha agrees. She talks about the sing-off, saying she just decided to go out fighting. She called a kick. Francesca sings “Time of my Life” from Dirty Dancing. Sing along, everyone. You know you know the words. By the way, vote for Jennifer Grey to win Dancing with the Stars! Her vocal is good but I think she could have a bit more connection with the dancers. Okay, she can’t hit the high notes. She was doing well until the end. Keisha sings “The Lady is a Tramp.” Keisha seems to do well with jazz standards. She should release a CD just singing those. Or look into a Cole Porter or Gershwin Brothers musical. I could hear her singing “I’ve Got Rhythm” or “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

The girls go before the panel. Let’s see who makes the first “Don’t put Baby in a corner joke.” Keisha has a very long name. You should save the naming until after the drugs wear off. Denise thinks Francesca is right for Nancy. Denise says she can’t see Keisha being a victim. Barry calls her performance the best so far. She is told to be a bit more raw. He reminds them they have to take the audience on a journey. John calls Francesca “superb, superb, superb.” He says Keisha is Nancy but her performance screamed “cruise ship” and tells her to tone it down. Andrew doesn’t have confidence in Francesca’s pitching. He says Keisha did a good job.

Could be Oliver:

Gareth

Jordan

Harry

Joseph

Sam

Chester

Arthur

Gwion

Kwayedza

Alexander

Jonny

Laurence

Coming up: Little boys and football (soccer).

Time for some adorableness! Bring on the Oliver Mission! The boys go to a football club, Tottenham Hotspurs, to learn about teamwork and stamina. They meet the team captain, Robert Keane. And get their own shirts. They practice before they start doing the Can-Can. Cameron and Andrew watch the games and talking about what they learned. And Arthur gets put through to the semi-finals. Graham gives him his hat and Arthur says his Nancy is Samantha, because of her voice and stage presence. Samantha looks touched. The Oliver’s sing “Teamwork” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Coming up: Jodie is called a barmaid.

Jodie and Ashley are next. Oh, Ashley’s bad dress. She goes to visit “Mamma Mia” to get pointers. Jodie talks about Blackpool and Cabaret. Jodie’s brother looks like he could play David Tennant’s little brother. She promises no more cabaret. Ashley sings “Winner Takes it All” from Abba/Mamma Mia. Better choice, wardrobe. I’m not being blown away by her performance and I’m not entirely sure why. I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t necessarily like her last time I watched this or because the performance is just bland. Her ending is good, though.  Jodie sings “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music.  This is one of my favorite Sondheim songs. Jodie gives a raw, touching performance. It’s hauntingly beautiful.

Jodie and Ashley regroup by Graham. Jodie pulled a prank on Ashley, giving her a fake lottery ticket. John loved both performances. He thinks Ashley could be a Nancy and tells Jodie the cabaret was gone. He says he’s a bit speechless. Barry says Ashley changed his opinion about her potential. He says Jodie often came across as jolly, like a barmaid, but was poignant tonight. Denise says Ashley delivered the heart of a Nancy and Jodie give a West End leading lady performance. Andrew worries about Ashley’s voice, that it may get boring. Jodie’s song was chosen on purpose and she rose to the challenge.

Coming up: Good critiques!

Niamh and Jessie are next to perform. Niamh talks about Denise’s “fragile” comment. She says she’s a bit homesick and her mother gives her care packages. The last one included sausages. Jessie watches herself during the Nancy challenge. She goes to see a dialect coach to work on her acting. Niamh sings “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Have I mentioned yet how much I love Niamh’s voice? It really suits the song as well. I liked the way she remained understated, just letting the words wash over us. Jessie sings “One Night Only” from Dreamgirls. Okay, that one I could not look away from. I liked how they merged the ballad version that Effie sings with the disco version the Dreamgirls sing. And for the girl whose posture Denise worried about week one, she really moved well.

They show some childhood pictures of Niamh (with a fiddle) and Jessie (with a harp twice her size). Denise says Niamh’s fragility could redefine the role of Nancy. She thinks Jessie could win the whole thing. John agrees with Denise and calls Jessie flawless. Barry praises Niamh for making the lyrics of the song have sense. He calls Jessie strong. Andrew says it’s a grand night for the Irish. He calls Niamh fantastic and a young Audrey Hepburn. He thinks Jessie could do 8 shows a week.

Coming up: Andrew disagrees with Denise and John.

Tara and Samantha are the last Nancy’s. Tara says she got a confidence knock when a judge said she wasn’t their Nancy last week. And her performance last week wasn’t great. Tara gets a pep talk from her friends via tape. John didn’t think Samantha was Nancy. But then she goes to the red carpet with the other Nancy’s and sees George Clooney. He can cheer anyone up. Tara sings “Let’s Hear it For the Boy” from Footloose. Tara starts off strong. She’s a really good actress but her voice starts to show some strain in the last chorus. Samantha sings “Somewhere” from West Side Story. She starts off very beautiful and simple and then gets angry, it seems. It’s an odd choice, given the context of the song.

The girls gush over meeting George Clooney. John notes Tara cracked like I did and he still thinks Samantha didn’t have the emotion again. Barry calls Tara “polished” and he didn’t find it. Tara says the song didn’t suit her and that she had bronchitis, much to John’s displeasure. Barry thinks Samantha could be Nancy. Denise says Tara squeaks on the top notes while she agrees with John about Samantha. Andrew says he can’t really judge Tara from her performance and thinks Samantha did a wonderful job. Take that, Denise and John.

Coming up: Ben’s back!

Graham reminds us that no one wants to go home. And then we get a recap. We come back to Andrew, Graham and the Nancy’s. He says the girls are ready. Jodie says they are always under pressure because he’s watching. Ashley says they just have to rise to the challenges. Graham says they sent the Nancy’s to the West End production of Hairspray to perform the musical’s kissing scene with former Joseph Ben James-Ellis. Hi, Ben! But what the girls don’t know is that they will be doing the kissing scene in front of their dads. Ben notes that Jessie forgot a line but liked Keisha and Sam. Her dad calls cut. Jodie really enjoys the kiss. Ashley is surprised to see her dad. Ben liked Rachel coming out in character, kissing him…and she goes back for another. Ben’s a little nervous when Tara comes out as El Bandito is sitting right there.

Coming Up: The Choir of Adorable performs.

The Nancy’s perform “Good Morning, Baltimore” from Hairspray. This number also highlights the dancers—like Samantha and Sarah. Besides my usual group standouts—Keisha and Niamh—I think Jessie does really well in this number as well. Oh, we’re at the results show. Graham is now in dark dred and dark blue. Andrew highlights Samantha and Jodie. John also picks Samantha. Barry says Jessie and Niamh. Denise picks Niamh and calls Sarah “sassy.”

After, we get to meet Arthur—our third Oliver. He does martial arts and plays the saxophone. He also loves fashion and the color purple. The Oliver’s sing “A Whole New World” from Aladdin.

Coming up: Elimination time!

Graham asks the panel who is not Nancy. John says Tara. Denise says Keisha. Barry says Tara. Two against Tara, one against Keisha. Keisha is in the sing-off. She goes to stand with Graham. Samantha could still be Nancy. Sarah and Jodie could both be Nancy and go join Samantha. Francesca is safe. Rachel and Jessie are safe as well. Niamh could still be Nancy as well. It is between Tara and Ashley. Tara is in the sing off while Ashley is safe. Keisha and Tara take their spots for the sing-off as Graham reveals that if it were just up to viewers, Keisha would be out of the competition.

Coming Up: Keisha or Tara?

The sing-off song this week is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” This one is a bit difficult because Tara’s voice is better suited for this song. But Keisha overpowers her when they sing together. Andrew’s decision will be between this: Keisha has the better voice while Tara is the better actress. Andrew talks about how difficult his job is. He saves Keisha. She goes to join the others while Andrew says that he was unsure about her being able to perform 8 shows a week. Tara says the girls are all fantastic and that she learned so much. She gives a message in what I think is Welsh. Graham sends her to say good-bye.

The other girls start with “Be Back Soon” before Tara sings “As Long as He Needs Me.” Keisha takes off her locket as she ascends the stairs. It’s one of her best performances. Too bad it’s her last.

Could Still Be Nancy:

Amy

Keisha

Cleo

Sarah

Rachel

Jodie

Samantha

Ashley

Jessie

Francesca

Niamh

Tara

Next week: “Wind Beneath My Wings,” people. Oh, and Andrew will not be in the studio.

And so Tara goes. The voting public really doesn’t like Keisha, do they? Francesca’s bounced back, but not Keisha. Who do you think deserved to go home this week?

Also, for the “musical” episode, they sure did a lot of jukebox numbers, didn’t they?

Quote of the Episode:

“You can get the boy out of the theater, but you can’t take the theatre out of the boy.”—Graham, about the Oliver Mission.

Of Horses and Rats

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.

I’d Do Anything…

My recaps of “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” never materialized thanks to a family vacation and my old laptop’s slow death. But, BBC-America is now airing “I’d Do Anything”—the 2008 search for Nancy in Cameron MacIntosh’s revival of “Oliver!” Andrew Lloyd Webber is back along with judges John Barrowman and Denise van Outen with Graham Norton hosting the live events again.

Last night was the casting episode and I have made it very, very clear how much I loathe casting episodes. So, tune in next week for the first (not-so) live show. I hope those of you who liked my Joseph recaps will also like my Nancy ones as well!

I Closed My Eyes...

Better late than never, I guess. BBC America announced that it will be airing the BBC reality show "Any Dream Will Do." The series ran back in the late spring/early summer of 2007. 

"Any Dream Will Do" was the popular follow-up to "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" where Andrew Lloyd Webber turned the process of casting the role of Maria in The Sound of Music into a reality show. The result was the choice of Connie Fisher for the role by the BBC viewing populace. She opened as Maria to rave reviews. The popularity of the show convinced producer David Ian to bring it here to America to cast a revival of Grease ("Grease: You're the One That I Want") which didn't do too well but produced two stars: Max Crumm and Laura Osnes, who will be taking over for Kelli O'Hara as Nellie in South Pacific. Webber though decided to use the same formula but this time cast for one of his shows. He set out to find Joseph for Joseph and the Amazing Color Dreamcoat. 

The show's first two to three episodes are similar to American Idol: you see the countless auditions but rather than being told they are going to Hollywood, the young hopefuls are sent to another round of auditions. The fifty who survive this round are sent to "Joseph School" where instructors and judges focus on each contestant while improving the skills they will need to play the role. The twenty-something that graduate Joseph School are sent to a performance attended by Andrew Lloyd Webber and everyone who lives near him. After this, Webber calls the hopefuls in and tells them "Who could be Joseph" and "Who isn't Joseph" until there are twelve finalists. 

The live shows begin then and proceed like this:

1. Opening number performed by all the hopefuls, always a song from the musical 

2. Introductions 

3. The contestants sing, usually in pairs for the beginning

4. The two stand before the judges who tell them their strong points and weak points. Usually the fun part because someone usually ends up arguing with John Barrowman. 

5. Little interviews and funny shots in between

6. Another group number. 

The next day, the results show begin:

1. Reprise of the opening number from the day before

2. Introductions

3. Video of the "Joseph Mission" (My personal favorite was when they had to perform in only a loincloth in front of their mothers)

4. The judges are asked who they think isn't Joseph.

5. Host Graham Norton reads off those who are safe and those who aren't. It's varied so the first name called could be safe or could not. Also, just because they are called first and safe doesn't mean they have the most votes. This number is never revealed--only the person with the least amount of votes is told. 

6. The bottom two perform one song in a "sing-off"--Webber has the final say in who stays and who goes. This power is taken away for the semi-finals and finals. 

7. Webber makes his decision.

8. The remaining contestants sing "Poor, Poor Joseph" and the booted contestant sings "Close Every Door" as he is stripped of his colored coat. He ends the song on top of the stairs as the audience applauds. 

I watched "Any Dream Will Do" because I was absolutely addicted to "Grease: You're the One that I Want." However, I was forced to watch it via the nice people on YouTube, but the BBC has to be the best at getting its material taken down off the site. (Really, try finding a Doctor Who episode after it's aired. It's hard). So to avoid this, many who posted on YouTube only posted performances and as much of the judging as they could.  So, even though I know the winner, I will be tuning in to see the whole shows as they were meant to be watched. 

And yes, I'll be recapping 'em for the Americans just tuning in.