THEATRE TALK: Jodie Prenger Returns To The Lloyd-Webber Fold

She'd Do Mostly Anything

As she prepares to leave the role of Nancy in Oliver, sunny singing star Jodie Prenger is preparing for another challenge - finding a Toto on Andrew Lloyd-Webber's latest show Over The Rainbow. With the Lord responsible for making Jodie's name in musical theatre, it should come as no surprise that she's returned to the fold sharpish. Who wouldn't want the patronage of such an influential man?

While previous musical theatre reality show winner Connie Fisher has struggled to make her name in anything bar the Sound Of Music, it looks like Jodie might just fare a bit better, considering her bubbly personality and friendly attitude to those she meets, whether they be fans or industry types. It's hard to see her struggling to make friends with fellow luvvie John Partridge, who, along with Sister Act's Sheila Hancock and former child star Charlotte Church, will be looking to find a Dorothy for Lloyd-Webber's Wizard Of Oz.

It's been a good month for Jodie, who recently performed at the Whatsonstage Awards. She's just been announced as taking on the role of Lady Of The Lake for the upcoming Spamalot tour, beginning in Wimbledon on May 29. It's a hard sing, particularly the Song That Goes Like This, so let's hope her vocals are up to it after a bit of a break from Oliver! At least it won't be too much of a culture shock for Jodie - neither Nancy nor the Lady are on stage that much. It'll be lovely to one day see Jodie take on a truly leading lady role - this is more of a slow build-up.

Quit moaning

Yet another rant in today's Telegraph about the price of tickets for theatregoers. Normally, I'd be more than willing to join in on the moaning, but for some reason Robert Gore-Langton has chosen to pick on Jerusalem, a recent transfer from the Royal Court to the Apollo Theatre. While his point about the ridiculous prices West End theatres can get away with charging is certainly valid, picking on a show that hails from the Royal Court, an increasingly inclusive theatre that delights in cheap and free tickets for young people, seems a bit of a strange choice.

Jerusalem, too, offers £10 day tickets, and even if you work in the week and can't queue up then, why not on a Saturday? You can sit in the front row, only feet from Mark Rylance as he gives his acclaimed portrayal of Johnny ‘Rooster' Byron. There are plenty of West End shows that do this, including Wicked (£25) and Sister Act (£25), while Legally Blonde has a ticket lottery for front row stalls at £25, and in more serious circles the Donmar and National provide day seats at £15 and £10 respectively. Theatre doesn't have to be expensive, if you know how to handle it. Even if you're not 18-25 and thus can't take advantage of some of the offers, day seats are your route to a cheaper, more fulfilling theatrical experience.

Where is Hair?

When I think of West End shows transferring to Broadway, everything from the Norman Conquests to Red and La Cage immediately come to mind, but when I think of Broadway shows going the other way, I really struggle to think of anything particularly memorable. Perhaps that's why I'm a little worried about how Hair might be doing. The Broadway transfer, complete with the majority of its Tony-award winning cast, starts performances at the Gielgud on April 1st, but apart from a plethora of posters dotted around the tubes and trains of Greater London, there seems to be little hype for this most American of shows. Should we be worried yet?

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