68 posts
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Post by lewis on Jul 29, 2017 23:57:13 GMT
Are there any understudies whose performance you particularly enjoy, or turn out consistently good performances as different roles recently in the west end?
For my mind there have been a few occasions recently where understudies have outshone their respective principals.
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58 posts
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Post by zermatt on Jul 30, 2017 0:11:21 GMT
Are there any understudies whose performance you particularly enjoy, or turn out consistently good performances as different roles recently in the west end? For my mind there have been a few occasions recently where understudies have outshone their respective principals. Great topic! Moreover, I can think of many of my favourite performers - currently or recently principals - who I first saw as understudies... Kerry Ellis Killian Donnelly Jeremy Secomb Nadim Naaman Adam Linstead Amy Lennox Emma Hatton Natasha Barnes |
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2,764 posts
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Post by daniel on Jul 30, 2017 0:22:07 GMT
Some highlights for me over the years...
Nikki Davis-Jones - Elphaba (Wicked)
Adam Bayjou - Jean Valjean (Les Mis)
Marisha Wallace - Effie White (Dreamgirls)
Jocasta Almgill - Daniela (In The Heights), Deena Jones (Dreamgirls)
Callum Francis - Lola (Kinky Boots)
Joel Montague - Dewey Finn (School of Rock)
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Post by d'James on Jul 30, 2017 0:23:28 GMT
I would put forward Jocasta Almgill. I wouldn't say she was better than the principals in In The Heights but she was generally just as good and she covered a lot of roles. (I didn't see her cover all the roles.)
Now she's in Dreamgirls and I saw her as Lorell and she was definitely my favourite in the band. (I've never seen either of the principals play that role.)
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2,764 posts
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Post by daniel on Jul 30, 2017 0:27:57 GMT
I would put forward Jocasta Almgill. I wouldn't say she was better than the principals in In The Heights but she was generally just as good and she covered a lot of roles. (I didn't see her cover all the roles.) Now she's in Dreamgirls and I saw her as Lorell and she was definitely my favourite in the band. (I've never seen either of the principals play that role.) Of course, how could I forget Jocasta!! *runs to edit post* |
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58 posts
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Post by zermatt on Jul 30, 2017 0:29:55 GMT
I would put forward Jocasta Almgill. I wouldn't say she was better than the principals in In The Heights but she was generally just as good and she covered a lot of roles. (I didn't see her cover all the roles.) Now she's in Dreamgirls and I saw her as Lorell and she was definitely my favourite in the band. (I've never seen either of the principals play that role.) Jocasta was very good in In The Heights. Speaking of which, I thought Emma Kingston was a fabulous Eponine in Les Mis, and preferred her performance to Carrie Hope Fletcher's. |
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Post by d'James on Jul 30, 2017 0:29:57 GMT
I would put forward Jocasta Almgill. I wouldn't say she was better than the principals in In The Heights but she was generally just as good and she covered a lot of roles. (I didn't see her cover all the roles.) Now she's in Dreamgirls and I saw her as Lorell and she was definitely my favourite in the band. (I've never seen either of the principals play that role.) Of course, how could I forget Jocasta!! *runs to edit post* Tutty tut tut tut. Cosi fan tutty! ;-) |
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Post by d'James on Jul 30, 2017 0:32:49 GMT
I would put forward Jocasta Almgill. I wouldn't say she was better than the principals in In The Heights but she was generally just as good and she covered a lot of roles. (I didn't see her cover all the roles.) Now she's in Dreamgirls and I saw her as Lorell and she was definitely my favourite in the band. (I've never seen either of the principals play that role.) Jocasta was very good in In The Heights. Speaking of which, I thought Emma Kingston was a fabulous Eponine in Les Mis, and preferred her performance to Carrie Hope Fletcher's. In The Heights was great at 'promoting' its understudies. They were all so talented. I should mention Josie Benson as Abuela but she was first cast in her own right as well. |
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716 posts
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Post by Dan213 on Jul 30, 2017 7:32:36 GMT
Some of my favourites
David O'Reilly - Book of Mormon
Oliver Ormson - Book of Mormon
Tim Newman - Memphis
Callum Francis - Kinky Boots
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 8:05:13 GMT
The best understudy I have seen was in Trudi Camilleri in Ragtime the Charing Cross theatre. She stepped in only a few hours before curtain up and was mother in a very different production a few months prior and the was incredible and made that show such an amazing experience for me.
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834 posts
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Post by Steffi on Jul 30, 2017 8:41:22 GMT
Some of my favourites over the past years:
Ian McIntosh - The Commitments
Ben Wheeler and Mark Isherwood - Jersey Boys
Tim Driesen - Rock of Ages
Norman Bowman - 42nd Street
Alice Fearn - Shrek
Paul Ayres - Kinky Boots
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1,102 posts
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Post by zak97 on Jul 30, 2017 8:55:38 GMT
Alan Burkitt - Top Hat
Carolyn Maitland - Miss Saigon
Rebecca Jayne Davies - Half a Sixpence
Jenny Gayner - The Girls
Alice Fearn - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Natasha Barnes - Funny Girl
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Post by danb on Jul 30, 2017 10:23:37 GMT
Are people naming these favourite understudies having seen the people that they were covering aswell? Fair enough, yes Alice Fearn made a far superior Princess in Shrek, but Carolyn Maitland a better Ellen in Saigon? I don't think so sunshine! ☝️
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 10:45:43 GMT
An alternate rather than an understudy, but I found Tanya Manalang a fabulous Kim in Miss Saigon.
Also in the second cast, I preferred Richard Carson to Chris Peluso who I found slightly lacking in passion.
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688 posts
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Post by sophie92 on Jul 30, 2017 10:58:41 GMT
Jamie Muscato: Drew - Rock of Ages, Prince Digby - The Light Princess
Cordelia Farnworth: Sherrie - Rock of Ages
Dale Evans: Chris - Miss Saigon
Arun Blair-Mangat: Lola - Kinky Boots
Michael Vinsen: Charlie - Kinky Boots
Charlotte Jeffery: Lauren - Kinky Boots
Phoebe Street: Cosette - Les Mis
Kirstie Skivington: Jules - Bend It Like Beckham
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426 posts
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Post by alison on Jul 30, 2017 10:59:45 GMT
Are people naming these favourite understudies having seen the people that they were covering aswell? Fair enough, yes Alice Fearn made a far superior Princess in Shrek, but Carolyn Maitland a better Ellen in Saigon? I don't think so sunshine! ☝️ I would absolutely rate Carolyn better than Tamsin, who I found to be weak in many ways. If you disagree, that's fine, but that's only your opinion. I'd rate Siobhan higher than both of them, though, and still wish she'd just been cast in the first place. And just to bring me back on topic ... Niall Sheehy, whom I first saw as u/s Lancelot in the Spamalot tour and made a point of seeing as Chris in Saigon. Again, I much preferred him to Alistair. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 11:12:57 GMT
Eve Morris and Ruben van Keer have both been brilliant in their respective roles in Bat Out of Hell.
Wicked I could go on forever but restricting myself Kerry Enright made a fantastic Madame Morrible and Jodie Steele a brilliant Elphaba.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 11:18:18 GMT
Quick shout out to an entire company - Starlight Express in Germany have this odd system where 1st cast cover several other 1st cast roles and the swings cover up to 6+ tracks. Most shows have up to 50%+ actors not listed 1st cast. And you would never know, they all do such an incredible job. Quite unique. They must be rehearsed with military precision.
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Post by d'James on Jul 30, 2017 11:38:26 GMT
Quick shout out to an entire company - Starlight Express in Germany have this odd system where 1st cast cover several other 1st cast roles and the swings cover up to 6+ tracks. Most shows have up to 50%+ actors not listed 1st cast. And you would never know, they all do such an incredible job. Quite unique. They must be rehearsed with military precision. Agreed. There was an actress who I saw play Dinah years ago called Gemma West. I saw the show six times in one long weekend and she played Dinah every time. She was fantastic. Would love to know what she's up to now. That was a fantastic weekend and was interesting to see how shows changed from day to day, afternoon to evening. (Had a mid show cast change, where the understudy was replaced by the first cast actor.) Maggie Elizabeth May was a fantastic Mary Robert understudy in Sister Act at the Palladium. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 11:48:46 GMT
Quick shout out to an entire company - Starlight Express in Germany have this odd system where 1st cast cover several other 1st cast roles and the swings cover up to 6+ tracks. Most shows have up to 50%+ actors not listed 1st cast. And you would never know, they all do such an incredible job. Quite unique. They must be rehearsed with military precision. Agreed. There was an actress who I saw play Dinah years ago called Gemma West. I saw the show six times in one long weekend and she played Dinah every time. She was fantastic. Would love to know what she's up to now. That was a fantastic weekend and was interesting to see how shows changed from day to day, afternoon to evening. (Had a mid show cast change, where the understudy was replaced by the first cast actor.) Maggie Elizabeth May was a fantastic Mary Robert understudy in Sister Act at the Palladium. Wow 6 times - that beats my personal record of 4 (usually do both shows Sat and Sun). Indeed, extraordinary how shows change day to day! The investment in the show in Germany is amazing - hope it continues for many years to come! |
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176 posts
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Post by tom on Jul 30, 2017 11:50:49 GMT
I preferred Tanya to Eva in Miss Saigon but was she understudy or alternate?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 11:54:50 GMT
Quick shout out to an entire company - Starlight Express in Germany have this odd system where 1st cast cover several other 1st cast roles and the swings cover up to 6+ tracks. Most shows have up to 50%+ actors not listed 1st cast. And you would never know, they all do such an incredible job. Quite unique. They must be rehearsed with military precision. What does 1st cast mean? |
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834 posts
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Post by Steffi on Jul 30, 2017 11:54:58 GMT
Are people naming these favourite understudies having seen the people that they were covering aswell? Fair enough, yes Alice Fearn made a far superior Princess in Shrek, but Carolyn Maitland a better Ellen in Saigon? I don't think so sunshine! ☝️ In my case: Yes. And it doesn't always mean I didn't enjoy seeing whoever they were covering (in terms of Alice Fearn in Shrek it definitely did though). :-) |
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Post by danb on Jul 30, 2017 15:06:10 GMT
Are people naming these favourite understudies having seen the people that they were covering aswell? Fair enough, yes Alice Fearn made a far superior Princess in Shrek, but Carolyn Maitland a better Ellen in Saigon? I don't think so sunshine! ☝️ I would absolutely rate Carolyn better than Tamsin, who I found to be weak in many ways. If you disagree, that's fine, but that's only your opinion. I'd rate Siobhan higher than both of them, though, and still wish she'd just been cast in the first place. And just to bring me back on topic ... Niall Sheehy, whom I first saw as u/s Lancelot in the Spamalot tour and made a point of seeing as Chris in Saigon. Again, I much preferred him to Alistair. Don't worry, I was meaning Siobhan. I 'struggled' to enjoy Tamsin. |
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4,458 posts
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Post by poster J on Jul 30, 2017 16:00:57 GMT
Rachel John in Memphis - Beverley Knight was great, but Rachel took it to a whole other level.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 16:06:07 GMT
I loved Laura Emmitt as Elphaba.
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1,008 posts
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Post by talkstageytome on Jul 30, 2017 16:23:48 GMT
Jon Robyns and Rachel John in Memphis! Amazing, especially when they were on together.
Sooha Kim in Miss Saigon.
Sam Edwards in Wicked.
Interestingly most of the above ended up promoted to lead.
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642 posts
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Post by Stasia on Jul 30, 2017 17:10:17 GMT
My fave ever understudy/alternate duo are Jon robyns and Rachel John in Memphis! I still remember that "more than perfect" show I saw in August 2015 when they were both on. Both so much better than the leads they covered!
Also obviously Jack Beale, who covered Ronan Keating in Once. (I guess even a tree would be better than Ronan but Jack was incredibly good).
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95 posts
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Post by theatre on Jul 30, 2017 17:20:33 GMT
Great topic!
I've always been somewhat blessed in the understudy/standby/alternate department so I'll cut it down to my absolute favourite 4.
MARISHA WALLACE as EFFIE WHITE, DREAMGIRLS
Wow. That's all I can say. Amber Riley who? If you haven't seen her performances at Magic at the Musicals or her Sunday set from West End Live go and look!
RACHEL JOHN as FELICIA FARRELL, MEMPHIS
Another performance I preferred to the original. If you haven't seen her do Colored Women at West End Live, check it out!
ARUN BLAIR MANGAT as LOLA, KINKY BOOTS
They say your first time will always be your favourite when it comes to MT, and Arun was by far the best Lola I've seen in the role. Still hoping he'll return to the show to play Lola full time!
TANYA MANALANG as KIM, MISS SAIGON
How does such a big voice come out of such a tiny person? Acts the socks off of Eva in my opinion. Again, she was the first Kim I saw
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4,369 posts
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Post by Michael on Jul 30, 2017 18:02:42 GMT
As others have already mentioned, Rachel John was a much better Felicia than Beverley Knight. Also agree to Alice Fearn's Princess Fiona being much stronger than both Amanda Holden's and, even more so, Kimberley Walsh'.
I also preferred Natalie Andreou over Emma Hatton and Nikki Davis-Jones over Rachel Tucker in Wicked.
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