"How do you solve a Problem Like Maria"

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:32 am

Hi Amanda and Robert---that was a great idea of yours-a follow up show would be fabulous.

I have to agree that ALW seemed biased in favour of Connie---and after his comments about Siobhan, I think she was doomed to be the first to leave.

My friend has tickets---bought them about 6 weeks ago--cost over Â£60.00. She goes sometime in December.

I would guess that if you tried to get tickets now, it would be very difficult.

Amanda, please return some time and join in our chats, when you get a chance--we have enjoyed your contributions.

Marian

jon · Post by **jon** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:33 am

I'm also glad Connie won, and I actually voted for her by phone. Helena probably sang marginally better on the final show but Connie had the best package overall, and I'm not sure Helena's look was right for the part. ALW's verdict on Siobhan - that she wasn't quite ready yet, maybe in a year's time - presumably sealed her fate as far as the public vote was concerned. But, as you say, it remains to be seen whether Connie really will get the 6-nights-a-week performances they've been promising; sounds a little too good to be true, if you ask me. I'm still sceptical as to whether they will allow a complete newbie to do that, with all the money that's riding on it. She'll probably get an understudy role and maybe one or two nights, or a matinee, a week. We'll see.

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:27 pm

Hi all. Yes jon I suggested one or two performances a week to bed her in so to speak. But then again with millions of viewers watching the programme over the last few weeks, what better publicity for the "Sound Of Music" to get, in fact Connie will put bums on seats because of her growing fame during the programme. To those people Connie IS a STAR and they will want to see HER in the role of Maria, as that will be the reason why many people will buy those expensive tickets

I thought Connie stole the show last night, she was absolutely fabulous, I thought she outshone both Helena and Siobhan. She was magical, and very moving, a definite STAR in the making for me

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:40 pm

We have enjoyed this series, and were really pleased that Connie won, she deserved it, but we have to say at one stage and during the panel's comments we even thought that Helena could have snatched it. She was exceptionally good on this final night
Siopbhan we think has a great future but was still rather immature for the part.
Connie was our choice from the start, the complete over all star. "As Long As He Needs Me" was fantastic , but it was "The Lonely Goatherd" that clinched it. Brilliant.

Gray · Post by **Gray** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:44 pm

Hello all!

I've been thinking about Connie all day and am so excited for her.

I agree Robert if she isn't in the show for the whole 6 nights there is going to be uproar! I would pay Â£60 to see her as I think she is the next Julie Andrews. I did giggle when you said she reminds you of Maureen Lipman!

Do you think we should all get tickets and dress up as nuns? Tee Hee!

By the way does anyone know any of the other cast in The Sound of Music?

Is any of you going to the reunion in November? Graham is going!

Love AmandaXX

Gray · Post by **Gray** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:46 pm

P.s I voted for Connie too Jon - Twice!!

Lena and Harry I agree with all your comments your right Helena just didn't quite look the part.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:15 pm

Hi again Amanda---there are a few of us going to the Fan club meet in November, but I do not really know how many. I know that I am, so are Lena And Harry, and also Edgar and his wife. Paul is flying in from US to join us-apart from that I do not know.

As far as I know-Captain von Trapp is being played by Simon Shepherd
, the Mother Superior by Lesley Garrett, and Emma Williams as Maria---so where does this leave Connie?? I really do not know. I have heard no mention of names for the other parts-Liesl, Rolf, the Baroness, the other children.

I agree that Helena did not look like a Maria, but her voice was lovely--and I did love her singing "Doh Ray Me".

Marian

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:49 pm

Connie will probably be just playing a nun

I hope not, anyway. Don't you all think Hatty, sorry I mean Harry would look just so sweet dressed up as a nun

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:54 am

That's great to hear that Gray will be at the fan club meet.
We've a feeling that Paul and Sue will also be there.
Wonderful!! Looking forward to it

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:10 am

Hi all--I was half listening to Sarah Kennedy this morning {still half asleep}, then I thought I had her mention the "Maria" show---missed the first bit, but I think I heard her say that Connie will definately be in 6 shows a week, with someone else doing 2 shows to give Connie a break!!

So there you go--we shall see---unless I dreamt it all

Marian

jon · Post by **jon** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:16 am

There is a report in today's edition of the "Metro" newspaper (a free paper which we get in London, and which is also available in some other cities) saying that ALW has decided to limit Connie's appearances in "The Sound of Music" so that she doesn't burn herself out or lose her voice in the way (it says) Julie Andrews did. The article says she may get 6 appearances a week rather than 8.

I knew Julie Andrews had lost her singing voice but I gather this was only very recently and didn't realise it had anything to do with her performance in "The Sound of Music"!

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:59 am

Hi Jon, and all, Connie appeared on BBC Breakfast time this morning with David Ian and they did say that this will be the case and that she will be in 6 shows out of the 8 meaning, Afternoon Matinees and evening could be just too much, and that all those in the main roles in shows have an alternative.
The way we see it is, that it looks a safer bet to book the evening shows to see Connie.
Anyway after seeing her this morning, so at ease and mature we are more convinced than ever that she is the one for the part.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:56 am

Hi all-I can remember Julie Andrews saying she had some nodules [??] on her throat and needed an operation, and that is how the voice went.

Maybe the nodules came because of her singing...I do not know. I only know that it must have been devastating for her, being a singer, and no longer able to sing.

Good news about Connie--she would have been very upset at only doing 1 or 2 shows a week--I wish I had seen Breakfast Tv today.

Marian

jon · Post by **jon** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:18 pm

In Saturday's Times there was an article in their TV and Culture section about upcoming London shows, arguing that there was possibly an over-abundance of them at the moment and speculating which ones would be a hits and which would be flops. They seemed to think that "Daddy Cool", a musical based around the songs of Boney M (remember them?), would sink like a lead balloon, and that "The Sound of Music" might suffer badly from being the last of this season's musicals to start its run (it opens 3 November, I think) as punters would by then be suffering musical overkill. They thought that the advertisement for "The Sound of Music" which has been featuring in the tube stations might also put people off as it "looks like an advertisement for margarine" (it's basically a drawing of Maria and the mountain which does indeed in a way remind one of the cover for Anchor butter!). However I think some people on this forum have indicated that the show has already been selling well.

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:24 pm

Marian, I have so many memories of Julie Andrews, first of these are when there was a weekly programme that we used to listen to on the radio way back in the forties, ( she had an amazing voice at the age of Twelve), the title "Ted and Barbara Andrews with their Daughter Julie"
Ted was her stepfather. but he and her Mother were a great team and appeared all over the country in shows and then when Julie was old enough she appeared with them.
She was a real star from a very early age.
Her throat problems began a few years ago and she couldn's sing at all, her voice went completely but gradually returned.
We have heard her quite recently on the Radio and there is a very slight but noticeable change in her voice.
Julie will be 71 in October.