Rachel Chooses The Dress!

Rachel and Guy were in Belfast recently making wedding plans and choosing the all-important dress for the big day!

Fame Magazine published this article on the happy couple:

''We caught up with the very lovely I’d Do Anything star Rachel Tucker on her flying visit home for a bit of wedding dress shopping. And with just seven months to go finally Rachel picked the dress of her dreams here in Northern Ireland.

One of the shops we visited was Deborah Rose in Ballygowan where owner Debbie Haighton gave Rachel the star treatment.

Rachel, who’s currently starring in We Will Rock You on the West End said: “I absolutely love dress shopping and Deborah Rose have the most amazing selection of dresses.

“I’ve been to many shops and this was one of the only ones I felt comfortable in.

“I’m really looking forward to the big day now, it’s drawing close and I’ve so much to do, especially with by work schedule it hasn’t been easy”.

Rachel will marry London theatre director Guy Retallick in September this year at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.''

WWRY Tickets Sold

Just to let everyone know that the three WWRY tickets for 9th March are now sold. Thanks to everyone who enquired about them.

IDA a Year On

Almost a year after IDA initially hit our TV screens and transformed our weekend viewing habits, I thought it might be a good time to catch up on how the original 12 finalists are doing.

1. Jodie -- After a few hiccups (well cancellations actually) with the opening performances, 'Oliver' has proved to be a phemonenal box-office success. Reviews may have been mixed, but Jodie has emerged largely unscatched and has attracted praise from theatre goers and critics alike. Other appearances include a short stint in 'Les Miserables', a solo at Hyde Park and a TV appearance for the BBC's 'Children in Need.' Her autobiography hit the shops last week, and although it sheds little new light on IDA, it is a heart-warming read and will delight her fans.

2. Jessie -- As mentioned in the post below, Jessie is set for her West End debut next month and has attracted much praise for her role as Anne Egerman in 'A Little Night Music.' She previously took part in the 'Phantom 2' workshops at Sydmonton and performed a solo at ALW's Birthday Concert at Hyde Park. Other appearances included a concert at Tipperary, The Rose of Tralee Festival and another ALW-related concert in Dublin.

3. Samantha -- Continuing to tour as Sally Bowles in 'Cabaret', Samantha is particularly excited that I've booked tickets to the show in Belfast's Grand Opera House this May. Other appearances have included a marathon concert in her native Isle of Man last January and a performance at the 'Whats on Stage' awards several weeks ago.

4. Rachel -- Rachel landed the role of Meat and first cover Scaramouche in WWRY within two months of IDA ending. She has also taken part in workshops for 'Phantom 2', in the role of Meg Giry, performed at the Belfast Proms, Gay Pride, Hyde Park and is set to perform in a Belfast charity cabaret night next month (see post below). Media-wise she has appeared on the Weakest Link, been on the judging panel for 'Search For A Star' and co-presented an hour-long Musicals show on BBC Radio Ulster. If you look carefully you might find her mentioned on this very blog.

5. Niamh -- Niamh appeared alongside Keith Jacks in the acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe production 'Only The Brave' last summer and played Snow White in Eastbourne Theatre over Christmas. She has also performed with Rachel at the Proms, Hyde Park and the Phantom 2 workshops. She is rumoured to be recording an album. Niamh and Rachel are familiar faces in the NI papers and at local charity events.

6. Ashley -- Ashley kept a low profile for some time after IDA. She attended Rachel's opening night in WWRY with Jodie and was spotted at several subsequent performances. All became clear recently when she landed the role of the teacher and cover for Killer Queen in the touring production of WWRY.

7. Sarah -- Sarah appeared in several small productions including Mathilde and 'Songs From the Musicals' before landing the West End role of flower seller and cover for Nancy in 'Oliver.' On Feb 19th she played Nancy for the first time (see post below).

8. Francesca -- Fran landed a starring role in Bill Kenwright's 'Can't Smile Without You' alongside Maria finalist Siobhan Dillon and 90s pop star Chesney Hawkes. The show toured the country last year.

Of the remaining contestants -- Keisha performed at Hyde Park alongside Rachel, Jessie & Niamh, Tara became the narrator in 'Joseph' and Amy starred in the ill-fated 'All Bob's Women' last summer, which at least had the distinction of getting all the girls back together for press night. And thanks Sophie for letting me know that Cleo is in 'Dirty Dancing.'

If anyone has any further details or corrections, please feel free to email or leave a comment.

Jessie Goes West End!

Just weeks after Jodie and Sarah made their West End stage debuts, Jessie is set to step out on a West End stage for the first time on 28th March.

I was fortunate enough to attend Jessie's opening night in 'A Little Night Music' at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Southwark last November, and the show quickly sold out it's entire run, concluding on 8th March.

Officially the fastest selling show in the venue's history, it has now transferred to the West End's Garrick Theatre and is scheduled to run from 28th March to 25th July.

Jessie has won much praise for her portrayal of Anne Egerman in this delightful Sondheim musical and at just 19, she is the youngest IDA contestant to appear in the West End.

It's a superb indication of the quality of the IDA finalists that four have already landed West End roles, while several others have roles in major touring productions.

Tickets are now on sale for 'A Little Night Music' at the Garrick and we want to congratulate Jessie and the rest of the cast on their momentous achievement.

Rachel to Perform at Belfast Cabaret Party

As usual nothing happens for ages, then we have four posts in one day!

Rachel is yet again set to support charity next month when she and Niamh appear at Belfast's Queens University Women's Day Cabaret Party to help raise funds for the local Rape Crisis Centre.

Also appearing will be X-Factor star Rowetta and Swing singer James Huish, with other names to be announced.

Tickets are £10 and available from Ticketmaster.

The full article is here:

WOMEN'S DAY CABARET PARTY

Jodie's Autobiography

Yes the big day has arrived and so has my copy of Jodie's autobiography.

I haven't had a chance to read it all yet, but as you'd expect I headed straight for the IDA chapters for some juicy gossip. Unfortunately there isn't any.

Obviously with Jodie having just hit the west End, we can't expect lots of mud to be thrown around. But just a few titbits might have been nice. Or even a few exclusive IDA pics.

Some initial thoughts:

Jodie apparently has the impression that Jessie is from 'Northern Ireland' (in fact she makes the error twice). First of all, the accent is a bit of a giveaway, and secondly ROI weren't able to vote. Which might have affected the outcome but I couldn't possibly comment.

Apparently one of the girls was a 'prima donna' and was moody in the house but sweet on screen. No names. But I've personally narrowed it down to two. And neither are from Belfast. Talking of Belfast, Rachel doesn't merit much of a mention, but she's not alone in this.

Jodie's favourite was Ashley. And she really enjoyed the 'Man I Feel Like A Woman' performance (me too). And sometimes the judge's comments were hurtful.

Don't get me wrong -- Jodie comes across as a lovely person and having briefly met her at WWRY I'd have to agree. If you want a good heart-warming read, this is the book for you.

But if you're looking for juicy gossip or dirt dishing, you may need to wait for one of the other girls to put pen to paper. Anyone from Bangor reading this?

Three Top WWRY Tickets up for Sale

Due to various unfortunate events, Chris, Andy and myself won't now be able to go to WWRY on 9th March, so we're offering our tickets for that night at a special bargain price.
The seats are in Row D of the stalls, for the 7.30pm performance.

We're offering all three tickets for just £75, including First Class Recorded Delivery to any UK address. If you just want two tickets, let us know and we'll work something out.
Email me at dlar193076@aol.com or Andy at andrew@gasattack.wanadoo.co.uk

Rest assured that all three of us WILL be going back before Rachel's run finishes. In the meantime this is an excellent opportunity for you to see this superb show for a great price.

I'm also messaging all 180 members of Rachel's Facebook Group, so if you're interested, please act quickly.

NOTE -- THESE TICKETS ARE NOW SOLD.

Sarah's Big Night

After Rachel and Jessie, Sarah was my personal choice for Nancy.

Bursting with talent and personality, she definitely deserved to finish much higher in IDA and it's an indication of the immensely high standard of the finalists that she came 7th.

I'm therefore delighted that last Thursday (19th), Sarah got to play Nancy on the West End stage for the first time. From the accounts I've heard she was a major success and we want to say a big congratulations.

For more info, videos and pics on Sarah, including a great little video of Sarah and Samantha at the WOS awards last week, remember to visit Julie's Sarah Lark Fan Blog.

SARAH LARK FAN BLOG

West End Receipts Rocket

Despite a certain amount of snobbery from certain quarters, there is no doubt whatsoever that shows such as Maria, Joseph and IDA have done wonders for West End ticket sales in recent years.
I know many readers of this blog, including myself, have been tempted to the West End and beyond for the first time entirely through Rachel's career.
It's interesting therefore to read the article below detailing how box office sales are increasing despite the credit crunch.

In the days of the 1930s depression box office receipts for theatre and movies skyrocketed. It seems when financial times are tough the need for a little night music increases tremendously. Londontheatretickets.co.uk reports that London’s West End has just completed a one-year cycle that demolishes previous box office records. 13,807,286 people attended a London theatrical production last year. The gross revenues totaled £480,563,674. Half a billion quid makes one wonder about the overall economic impact. Factoring in hotel bookings for theatre breaks and dining before and after the show the financial impact must be enormous. This kind of financial information is just a small part of the UK theatre news found everyday on the site.

West End theatre news and complete London Theatre news is updated regularly so that one could even say” before you see a show visit londontheatretickets.co.uk. “ Sales for the most part were spurred forward by the smashing success of Oliver!, wicked and La Cage Aux Folles.

Scaramouche Dates

Several people have been asking when Rachel is next scheduled to play Scaramouche. The nearest planned dates are Wednesday 4th March and Saturday 7th March (both shows). Do remember that circumstances can change at short notice.

As I'm sure you've noticed the blog has had a slight image change to a black background. Andy and I aren't entirely sure if it works, so if you have strong feelings either way, don't be afraid to comment.

Rachel at the Whats On Stage Awards

Rachel might not have won in her category (congratulations to Daniel Boys) but she obviously had a great night at the Whatsonstage Awards yesterday.

Samantha and Sarah from IDA were among those who performed on stage and you can watch a five minute video of highlights from the show by clicking here. None of the IDA girls are featured unfortunately.

WHATS ON STAGE AWARDS

The awards generated a record number of votes this year, mainly due to Team Tucker no doubt. Over 35000 people voted and you can see the full results by clicking the link below.

AWARDS RESULTS

Rachel to Attend WOS Awards

As expected, Rachel has been confirmed as attending the 'Whats On Stage' Awards this Sunday.


''In addition to nearly a thousand theatregoer-voters, nominees and other VIP guests due to attend include: The Four Seasons’ Bob Gaudio, Connie Fisher (who will also be presenting on behalf of our charity, TheatreMAD), Anthony Clark, Daniel Koek, Denise Gough, Douglas Hodge, Elizabeth McGovern (currently starring in Complicit at the Old Vic), Ella Smith, Gregory Doran, Jayde Westaby, Jason Pennycooke, Joanna Page, Katy Stephens, Kerry Michael, Kevin R McNally, Lesley Sharp, Lesli Margherita, Linda Thorson, Lisa O’Hare, Lorraine Bruce, Lucy Briers, Lynne Page, Malcolm Rippeth, Malcolm Sinclair, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (currently starring in A View from the Bridge), Matt Rawle, Matthew Bourne, Michael Boyd, Micheal Grandage, Michelle Terry, Neil LaBute, Nick Reed, Nick Cavaliere, Patina Miller (the new star of the forthcoming musical Sister Act), Pip Carter, Rachel Tucker, Rafael Armago, former Kinks frontman Ray Davies, Robyn North, Roger Davies, Rolan Bell, Rupert Goold, Shaun Niles, Sheila Hancock, Simon Curtis, Sofia Escobar, Sophie Thompson, Steven Berkoff, Suzanne Shaw, Terry Johnson, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Piper, David Eldridge, Klara Zieglerova and Tracie Bennett.

They’re on top of the stars on stage, of course. Four more 2009 nominees - Piaf’s Elena Roger, Jersey Boys Ryan Molloy and Stephen Ashfield and Imagine This’ Leila Benn Harris - are part of a stellar line-up that also includes Ramin Karimloo, Niki Evans, Kim Criswell, Siobhan McCarthy, Samantha Barks, Sarah Lark, Suranne Jones, Julie Atherton, Ray Shell, Jimmy Johnston, Jackie Marks and the full casts of Mamma Mia! and Jersey Boys.''

We'll hopefully have some details to bring you on Monday. In the meantime, we want to wish Rachel all the best for the awards and hope she has a great night.

You can read the full WOS article here:

WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS

Ain't Gonna Let Nobody

Last summer we found Rachel's superb rendition of 'Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around' online (you can listen and download it near the bottom of this page). We knew it had been used in a TV advert, but didn't think it was available to view.

However thanks to the miracle of Youtube, we can blog this brief but historic ad. Thanks a lot to Dan for pointing this one out.

Being a bloke of course I don't have the first clue what they're advertising but I'm sure it's very useful.

WWRY Touring Cast Announced

Further to last week's post, Ashley Russell is now confirmed as a key cast member of the touring version of WWRY.

Here are all the details including tour dates:

Please note that Rachel is NOT in the touring cast and will continue in the Dominion.

Jonathan Wilkes, Kevin Kennedy, Brenda Edwards,
Georgina Hagen and Ashley Russell to star in the record -breaking musical!

Actor and musician Jonathan Wilkes and former Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy, will star in this year’s upcoming ‘We Will Rock You’ UK Tour. They will appear in the smash-hit Queen and Ben Elton musical alongside X Factor finalist Brenda Edwards, star of ITV1’s Britannia High Georgina Hagen and I’d Do Anything’s Nancy contestant Ashley Russell, who are also announced today. The eagerly anticipated 43-week regional tour opens at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 21st March.

Jonathan Wilkes will perform the role of ‘Khashoggi’, whilst Manchester soap star Kevin Kennedy will assume the role of ‘Pop’. Brenda Edwards will play the domineering role of ‘Killer Queen’, Head of Globalsoft. TV star Georgina Hagen will star in the production as ‘Meat’, the main female of the Bohemians and Ashley Russell, will play the role of the ‘Teacher’!!!

Manchester Palace Theatre
Sat 21st March - Sat 6th June 2009
http://www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk/

Sunderland Empire
Wed 10th - Sat 27th June 2009
http://www.sunderlandempire.org.uk/

Birmingham Hippodrome
Wed 1st July - Sat 5th Sep 2009
http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/

Bristol Hippodrome
Wed 16th Sep - Sat 31st Oct 2009
http://www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk/

Edinburgh Playhouse
Wed 4th Nov 09 - Sat 9th Jan 2010

IDA vs YCNY

I'm sure most have had a peep at 'Your Country Needs You'. Similar format to IDA -- Graham Norton presenting, ALW judging, along with various minor celebs (how does Lulu look so young?)

That however is where the similarity ends. Sorry Andrew but the standard of talent on display this time round was rather like comparing the conference to the premier league.

Just in case we've forgotten, check out this little gem -- immortalised on Youtube thanks to our Andy.
This is quality in every sense.

Also worth noting that these three ladies are now all deservedly in top productions -- will we be able to say the same of the 'YCNY' contestants in 8 months?

Ashley to join WWRY Touring Cast

According to both the 'Whats On Stage' and 'WWRY' forums, Ashley Russell from IDA has secured the part of the teacher in the UK touring production of WWRY.

This is excellent news as Ashley has been the 'dark horse' of the IDA finalists and it's great to know that not only has she landed a role in a major musical, but also the same production as Rachel.

Pictured are Rachel and Ashley with TT member Sarah who saw the show last Friday and was lucky enough to meet them both at the stage door afterwards.

Big congratulations to Ashley on this great news and thank you Sarah for letting us use your superb photos.