Exclusive Audio - "Where is Love"

As a thank you to you all for helping us reach 100 followers for our twitter account @RTFB1980. Just as we promised, we've got a bit of a treat for you. We've managed to get our greedy little paws on an audio exclusive, that with permission from Rachel, we are allowed to share with you all.

Last year Jessie Buckley performed an exclusive cabaret at Rachel & Guy's 'Bridgehouse Theatre' in Penge. It was an incredible gig that's for sure. One of the best cabaret's i've ever had the privilege of witnessing & in such a beautiful intimate venue too.

If you've not been to the Bridgehouse, you seriously need to check out their website & book one of their upcoming projects. They always put on incredible & intimate shows. It's a whole new theatre experience really.

So at Jessie's cabaret, Rachel joined her for a gorgeous duet of "Where is Love" from Oliver! They had planned to do a different song, but decided this would be better for the gig. This song was special to both Rachel & Jessie for many reasons, but it seemed only appropriate that they sing a song from the show that brought them together, through their participation in 'I'd Do Anything.'

It is a gorgeous arrangement of the song, sung by two insanely talented ladies. If you aren't aware of Jessie Buckley, then you need to do some research, such talent.

Listen below or download Here. (Disclaimer: This is not a studio quality recording, it's pretty good though, just ignore the laughter at the beginning).

While we're on the topic of The Bridgehouse Theatre, we thought it seemed only appropriate to direct you to their brand new website BHTheatre.com, where you can learn a bit about the theatre, and what shows they've got coming up. Also follow them on Twitter @BHTSE20

Actually they have a brand new show that just started on Tuesday 4th November & runs through till Sunday the 23rd of November -  "THE FRIDA KAHLO OF PENGE WEST”

"A two-women play about two women's struggle to stage a one-woman play about Frida Kahlo, with two women in it…

When quiet, retiring Zoe agrees to let an old university chum, sleep on her sofa for a couple of nights, little does she imagine how much her life will be blown apart. Vain, driven, narcissistic Ruth is an unemployed actor and cross with it. She decides to do a play of her own, and drags Zoe with her, kicking and screaming, with hysterical results. Wickedly funny, caustic and absurd, this is about two women driving each other to the extremes." - BHTheatre.com

Book your tickets quickly, as this intimate venue will fill up quickly - Book Here.

Welcome to Throwback Thursdays.

We’ve decided here at RTFanBlog HQ that we’re going to start a #ThrowBackThursday segment for you all. We probably won't do it every single week, but as often as we can.

With Rachel opening on Broadway THIS weekend, there’s been a lot of new interest in her these past few months and we thought that it might be nice for some of her newer ‘fans’ to get a taste of what we’ve been seeing for years. As well as give ourselves a good excuse to reminisce on past performances & interviews.

So to kick things off, I (Amanda) have been asked to look back to 2008, when Rachel was a contestant on the BBC talent show “I’d Do Anything.” Where Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber & Cameron Mackintosh searched for their leading lady for Cameron’s new production of ‘Oliver.’ Rachel made it through into the top 12 for the live performance section of the show & made it all the way to the final 4, where in my opinion she was robbed of the part, but let’s not get into that… it all worked out in the end.

So for this weeks #ThrowbackThursday I ummed & ahhed about exactly which video to choose from Rachel’s “I’d Do Anything” days, but as hard as I tried to choose something else, I just kept coming back to her final solo performance before leaving the show, Cabaret. This will always be one of my favourite videos of Rachel for so many reasons, it’s difficult to pinpoint what makes it so special, but it really was the stand out performance of the series for me. I just recently finished re-watching the whole show & without fail every time I think of I’d do Anything, my first thought is of this performance. 

Cabaret was such a pivotal moment in the show, in that Rachel truly showed everyone exactly who she was as a performer, her passion, her style, her sass & just how much power she’s got within her. She fought back from some tough criticism and owned this performance. 

I also think it’s a wonderful to look back at this & just think about the comments after the performance, the way Rachel says “If I was to have to do that every night,” and now she’s over in New York performing in a brand new musical ‘every night.’ All of the panelists gave her so much praise & it finally hit them all that she is & would be a “star.” Whilst it’s not exactly the beginning of Rachel’s journey, it feels to me like it was the beginning of something truly special & the ride she’s been on since then has been one crazy & amazing roller coaster. So enough from me, here’s your #ThrowbackThursday…..

Beautiful Fan Video

As the 'I'd Do Anything' experience fades into Rachel's past and we look forward to her exciting future, it's fitting that we should all have a very special souvenir of the event which launched our girl onto the world stage.

Quite a few Rachel montages have appeared since the show, but I think you'll agree that none are quite as good as this one.

We want to say a huge thank you to Jess (Jmor), whom Andy and I know well from the forums. She spent two weeks creating this beautiful video and it has been worth every second.

Visually documenting Rachel's wonderful contributions to IDA, the picture quality is crystal clear, and as Andy so perfectly put it; 'this will make you laugh, smile and cry.'

The backing music is 'Dare You To Move' by Switchfoot.

I do hope all our readers will enjoy watching this labour of love as much as we have and I'm sure when Rachel returns from her well-deserved holiday, she will love it too.

And Rachel -- I'm sure it must be strange coming to terms with suddenly having thousands of fans. Please just watch this little video and you will see what we see -- this is why we love you.

Thank you so much Jmor!

Rachel & Sam Sing Off

After an astounding performance of Cabaret it hardly seemed conceivable that Rachel could be in the bottom 2. She was so incredible I couldn’t see how the public could vote for anybody else. However yet again fate dealt a cruel blow and Rachel found herself in the sing off, this time with Sam. The public were clearly not voting based on talent or suitability for the role of Nancy.

The song they were given was ‘Memory’, a song that really challenges the range. They both gave a stellar performance under the circumstances but Rachel clearly had the edge it terms of capturing the emotion of the song. Considering this, together with her outstanding rendition of Cabaret and the fact that it was Sam that polled the lowest number of votes, surely Andrew would do the sensible thing and save Rachel; inexplicably that wasn’t the case.

After much deliberation he said “Well first off, I’m sure Cameron is going to share this with me, this is the most devastating moment. Here you are singing ‘Memory’ which is sung by a young cat to the older cat and it was everything about the first show that we did together. Now here am I faced with an impossible choice. On one hand Samantha you're fabulous and have everything ahead of you; Rachel you did a wonderful performance of ‘Cabaret’ and I really don’t know what to say. But I’ve got to make a decision and I’ve got to think of where the show ultimately, for Cameron, is going to go. I…..I…..I think I have to go with you Samantha.”

He did have some consoling words for Rachel “You gave a fantastic performance tonight and I just know you've got this huge career ahead of you. You were simply fantastic and I didn’t know what to do.”

As Andrew was giving Rachel these words of comfort the camera switched to Cameron – who is stumping up the cash to produce Oliver in the west end - and he looked absolutely furious that the girl he had publicly backed as his favourite was on her way home. This was confirmed the following morning when stories broke of a huge bust up between the 2 musical impresarios. Click on the link below to read the full story:

Showdown in the Wild West End

It was clearly the wrong decision not to save Rachel and I think only Andrew and Samantha's fans thought otherwise. This is what Zoe Tyler - a judge on the original show ‘How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria’ - had to say about it:

"I completely disagree with Andrew, losing Rachel; she’s fantastic. She just proved it when she went out this week and sang 'As Long As He Needs Me', her acting is just phenomenal and she sang it exactly how it should have been sung, like a leading lady. I'm flabbergasted that he saved Samantha over Rachel, completely flabbergasted."

You can listen to the full podcast here:

Podcast

I am still recovering from this travesty now but I take heart from the knowledge that Rachel will go on to bigger and better things.

David Says:

Andy has summed it up excellently here. I can only add my personal feelings.

Having been blown away by 'Cabaret' on Saturday night, I had no doubt whatsoever that Rachel would be in the final. Even if she didn't make the top two, Andrew would simply HAVE to save her after a performance like that.

On the Sunday evening I went out for a family meal in Belfast. Shortly after we arrived at the restaurant, one of my daughter's friends phoned in tears to say that Rachel had gone out of the contest. I simply couldn't believe it.

When I got home I watched the sing-off online. It was almost too much to bear. 'Memory' is a beautiful song tinged with sadness. I never want to hear it again.

Looking at Rachel as Andrew began to deliver his verdict, it was as if she knew what was coming. Outwardly she was calm but her eyes betrayed how much she wanted -- needed to stay in the competition.

Andrew mouthed the word Samantha. Rachel gave a little nod. I regarded Andrew as the man who had just thrown a diamond tiara into the bin.

At that moment I determined that I would do anything I could to help make Rachel's dream come true. I've never seen anyone who so completely deserved to win.

We set up this blog to show the world the huge talent and the wonderful person that Rachel so clearly is. We want to give her fans and admirers a place for everything Rachel, past, present and future. We will be here, cheering for Rachel through every step of her career.

And the journey has just begun.

If you would like to see the sing off again, check out the video below.

Rachel - Cabaret

This turned out to be Rachel’s last competitive solo performance on I’d Do Anything but boy did she go out with a bang. She came out dressed in fishnets and a corset and belted out an absolutely magnificent version of Cabaret. It was full of passion, heart and raw emotion. Rachel had really put everything into it and she received a standing ovation. It was sensational. The most impressive thing for me was how she managed to take a song everyone knows, and put her own stamp on it. I was absolutely mesmerised, and it was undoubtedly the best performance of the series. Vocally, Rachel is brilliant, and she is definitely the complete package. She is a superb dancer and an incredible actress.

Needless to say the judge’s comments matched their ovation. Denise said it was phenomenal, absolutely fantastic and that she was shaking with excitement. There was a quick cut-away to the other Nancy’s at that point... in an unguarded moment, and they looked extremely worried. John Barrowman was straight into shouty/pointy mode ("That was Rachel, Rachel, Rachel!"); he went on to say she has the ability to play any character and should be in the final. Even Mad Barry said that it was a star performance. Cameron said "by George, she's got it" and commented on how she took a well known song and infused it with her own personality; he ended by saying he would love to see her play Nancy on a West End stage. Andrew, who had just returned to his seat after leading the ovation, congratulated her for changing the lyrics to incorporate her name and said it was simply fantastic.

David says:

'Cabaret' was the performance that changed Rachel from an impressive performer to an absolute knockout. There were several people in our living room at the time. All conversation stopped and by the end everyone just sat there with their mouth open.

Rachel threw everything she had into this performance, Style, class, determination and above all massive talent. You could tell she really wanted this and to be honest I can't remember a single thing about the other girl's that night.

A particularly nice touch was the working of Rachel's name into the lyric and to get a standing ovation from both the panel and the Lord himself was just phenomenal.

This was by a country mile the best performance by anyone in the entire series.

In my opinion you will not see a better rendition of Cabaret anywhere but check out the video below and decide for yourself.

Rachel & Niamh Sing Off

Despite what I thought was a beautiful rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’ and as many votes as I could physically manage, Rachel found herself in the bottom 2 for the second time. She was joined by fellow Northern Ireland contestant Niamh who despite maybe not being right for the role of Nancy, did impress me during the competition. They were given one of Andrew's own songs, Another Suitcase in Another Hall from Evita.

I have to say this was my favourite sing off of the entire series. The song, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, is demanding both technically and in terms of acting. They both sang it beautifully but as with the last time she was in the sing-off, Rachel sparkled and managed to pull another emotional, expressive performance that oozed star quality.

I don’t think Andrew struggled with his decision much despite as always saying it was a hard choice. This is how he broke the news to the girls:

"It's a very difficult song to sing and, Niamh, if I was casting Evita, I would seriously think of you for that role.

"Rachel I thought you handled it very well and you really warmed to the role.

"It's a very difficult decision for me but ultimately tonight I have to save Rachel.

"Niamh, your voice just needs time to mature and I wouldn't be surprised if you were up for a major leading role when you're 20."

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel Sings 'I Will Always Love You'

The title of the next song for Rachel was 'I Will Always Love You' which is exactly how we feel about this wee girl from Belfast. It is the power ballad to end all power ballads and only someone with a sensational voice like Rachel's should attempt it. She started superbly - very small and bravely a Capella - and while her voice broke a little on the first big note, she really came into her own at the key change and gave another mind blowing performance.

There were some bizarre comments from the judges but they were generally positive. Barry said she sang it like a leading lady and that it was beautiful but then came out with some garbage about Rachel having an emotional ceiling that she needs to break through. John also felt it was a leading lady performance but unlike Barry he felt she captured the emotion of the song perfectly. Denise felt that she was a little guarded and lacked warmth behind the eyes, which I find extraordinary because I think Rachel's eyes are beautiful and one of her many sparkling features. Andrew said he saw warmth in her performance and that she communicated the meaning of the song very well but he wanted to know who Rachel was.

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel & Sarah Sing Off

It hardly seemed fair after a stunning performance of ‘For Once in my Life’ but Rachel found herself in the bottom two for the fist time that week. It seems the British public don’t know talent when they see it or fail to recognise which qualities are important to be a West End star.

Rachel was joined in the bottom two by Sarah which was also a surprise and it was a shame either them had to leave at this relatively early stage. The song they were given was ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ from Sunset Boulevard.

They both did a great job but Rachel really shone; she can tell the story of a song through facial expressions alone and her fantastic ‘straight to the camera’ looks that David has mentioned before were evident again. Her voice was as beautiful as always and when it came to the decision Andrew really only had one choice; he had to save Rachel.

He broke the news to Sarah by saying "I have to think as a producer and I do think Rachel was rock solid, and there were moments that I did think that maybe you were a bit fragile", adding "but you were wonderful and you did exactly what I asked."^[

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel -- For Once In My Life

The sixth song Rachel performed on the live shows was ‘For Once in my Life’. I thought she did a sensational job and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her sashaying all over the stage while clicking her fingers to the beat. She really did look like a gorgeous old style lounge singer.

This was the week when mad Barry Humphries started to lose his marbles, likening Rachel to a horse in the Grand National – in the middle of the field but starting to jog on. Now comparing someone as beautiful as Rachel to a horse is crazy in itself but then to suggest she was not a front runner was just ridiculous. Especially considering she had been spectacular every week and received nothing but praise from the panel.

Despite his bizarre comparison, Barry, the other judge’s and Andrew all agreed it was another magnificent performance:

John Barrowman: “Rachel, fun, free, easy, joyful; I felt confident. There was a little crack in the middle but you know what, sometimes emotional cracking is better than perfection. That performance was outstanding; you took me back to the 1940’s.”

Denise Van Outen: “I’m so excited for you Rachel, to see this different side to you. We’ve often seen an intense, dramatic side of you but that was just what I was looking for. Your eyes were smiling, you just looked fantastic and once again a world class performance from you.”

Barry Humphries: “Rachel you’ve got what it takes there’s no question of that. You’re like a horse in the Grand National, you’re in the middle of the field but you could very easily make it to the finish. It was a very good performance.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber: “Rachel you’re a wonderful professional actress who would always keep the curtain up; outstandingly good.”

David Says:

This performance is an absolute joy to watch. Rachel proves she can master any singing style and she has the look to match.

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel - - I'm With You

Next up for Rachel was the Avril Lavigne track ‘I’m With You’. I was really quite concerned when I heard what they had chosen for her because it’s not a song that many people know. I also didn’t think it was the type of song that was likely to encourage voters in a competition like I’d Do Anything. It is therefore testament to her skills as a performer that she managed to imbue the song with some emotional clout, and sure enough she got blanket good responses from the judges once again. Barry Humphries even thought it was her best performance so far.

John Barrowman said: “Rachel you have set the bar for tonight. If we’re talking about telling a story and words and everything, that was a story.”

Barry Humphris said: “Rachel I agree, I think that was your best performance so far in the competition.”

Denise Van Outen said: ”Ok Rachel; a very strong performance again from you. Week after week you are very consistent and you act very well. You’ve had a couple of really intense songs over the past couple of weeks, so now I’m setting you a challenge. I want to see something a little bit warmer from you, a little bit more playful so I can understand the relationship between Nancy, Oliver, Dodger and the boys.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber concluded the comments saying: “Rachel I’ve always said that money notes have got to be made real and they’ve got to be about acting. You made them real, thank you very much; you’ve given us the bench mark performance.”

David Says:

Not, I have to admit, one of my favourite songs, but let's be honest, our Rachel could make 'Agadoo' sound good.

I particularly love the delivery of the final line. Rachel has a fantastic 'straight to camera' look and this is the perfect example.

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel -- Oh What A Night

Click on the video below to see Rachel's stunning third night performance on 'I'd Do Anything'. When it's finished, click again. Repeat until bedtime.

The Four Seasons originally hit number one with this classic song, and here Rachel turns a 1976 pop confection into a delicious slice of 2008 party fun.

Despite a stage invasion by two blokes (who I'm sure paid the BBC a fortune to be on that stage), our girl does an absolutely fantastic job here, gyrating and sassying her way through another brilliant but all too brief performance.

Suddenly the licence fee is almost worth paying for!
Note I said almost.

Andy Says:

I absolutely loved Rachel’s performance of ‘Oh What a Night’. I thought it really highlighted just how great Rachel’s movement is; her dancing was superb. She seemed to be having a fantastic time with that song and as always looked absolutely stunning. The judges couldn’t fault it either:

Denise Van Outen said: "Rachel, when you come out, you give us a show, week after week. You deliver every time. The way you perform, you're very secure in yourself and as an audience member that makes me feel very secure. I know you can do this eight times a week. It was fantastic."

Barry Humphries commented: "Rachel, wonderful energy, vibrant, great. I've played the part of Fagin at least four times, in four separate productions over the years, and at the very first rehearsal of this show, way back in the early 60s, I was sitting in a rehearsal room and Georgia Brown, who was the original Nancy came in to the room and you have some of her great quality."

John Barrowman said: "Rachel: Consistent, strong, definite leading lady contender. You definitely could be my Nancy!"

Andrew Lloyd Webber concluded the comments saying: "A really great Four Seasons song of course, and a fabulous, fabulous performance."

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel Sings Beautiful

Indeed as they might say in Belfast, 'Rachel sings beautiful.' And they'd be dead on!

As you may have guessed, we're featuring one of Rachel's performances each night and giving a constructive commentary. By 'constructive' of course we mean praising it from the rooftops.

'Beautiful' was Rachel's second performance. At one minute 40 all too brief, but absolutely top notch from start to finish.
Rachel emoted the lyrics perfectly, the straight to camera gazes were exquisite and her theatrical experience shone through like a beacon.

In terms of star quality, an absolute stroll in the park.

Andy says:

Beautiful was another stand out performance. I am a fan of Christina Aguilera but in my opinion her version pales in comparison to Rachel's. The emotion she brought to that song had to be seen to be believed. As you will see from these comments, the judges agreed:

John Barrowman: "Rachel, your honesty gave me chills, that was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! It really was. That was an exceptional performance, really covered the ground you wanted to."

Barry Humphries told Rachel: "Small girl, BIG performance. Wonderful. Last week you where a saucy gutter-snipe, but there is a lot of emotional depth now, it was very impressive."

Denise Van Outen said: "You're consistent - last week you were absolutely fantastic, tonight you were mind-blowing. You made that song your own. It was a superstar performance. You are the whole package for Nancy, and you have the best acting quality I've seen amongst the girls so far - watch and take note, ladies."

Andrew concluded the comments by saying: "That song could have backfired on you, and when we where choosing it we thought that lyric could look like it was very self-serving because you are beautiful, and the fact you are singing in that way, it could have gone very wrong for you. Instead of which you made it triumphant because you actually turned the song around and it looked like a girl saying 'I'm beautiful' in order to convince herself and that was exactly what we wanted to hear."

I was already convinced they had found their Nancy.

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel -- About You Now

David says:

This was Rachel's opening performance on 'I'd Do Anything' and it was nothing short of stunning.

Having previously seen Rachel as Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz, this was quite a startling image change. The little yellow dress, the uptempo number and the sassy moves would most likely have given the tinman a heart attack, but demonstrated beyond all doubt the lady's range and versatility.

My better half put it succinctly -- 'those other girls might as well go home.'

Andy says:

An incredible performance and one of my favourites of the entire series. It may have been the first live show but it was already obvious that Rachel was a class apart and a star in the making. The judges were blown away with Rachel from the start as these comments show:

Denise Van Outen told Rachel: "I loved your performance tonight; I thought it was absolutely fantastic. That was the rawness, the roughness, the quality that we are looking for in Nancy and you gave it to us tonight - it was absolutely brilliant. I've got friends in the East End of London and you'd fit right in with them!"

John Barrowman said: "Rachel, I really stuck my neck out for you to keep you in this competition, and you know what? - You were fantastic! fantastic! fantastic! That was so good, such a great performance."

I couldn't have put it better myself.

Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Rachel: Audition Tape - I'd Do Anything - BBC One

Before the live shows of I'd Do Anything Rachel had to battle her way past thousands of Nancy wanabees to make the final 12. This is her audition tape where she sings 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'. It is so beautiful I'm surprised they didn't cancel the show and offer her the part there and then.

Rachel Interview

No not an actual Rachel interview with us, sorry folks! But Rachel, if you're reading this, we'd be more than delighted to report your thoughts!

For me, Rachel's 'exit interview' (see below) was perhaps the most moving part of the entire competition.

In barely two minutes, Rachel registers disappointment, sadness, gratitude, compassion, grit, determination, self-deprecation, appreciation, empathy and boundless ambition. Have I missed anything?

Rachel always comes across in a delightfully natural way. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and while this might not serve her well in say 'The Apprentice', it's precisely the quality which has endeared her to so many, both on TV and in her earlier stage work. But she's no pushover. The perfect combination of vulnerability and ambition is a rare quality indeed, but I believe Rachel may well have it.

The interview is raw and emotional, but powerful and uplifting as well. Her words for her family and friends and the other girls are warm and heartfelt. And I love the 'just a wee girl from Belfast' line.

And in the final 20 seconds or so, you just know that this 'wee girl' has got the ambition and drive of a true superstar.

If this clip were a job interview, any employer would know instantly that their search was over.

Not many positive things have come from Belfast in the last few decades, but I'm proud to say that Rachel is one of the very best.

Welcome To Rachel Tucker's Appreciation Blog!

Hey Everyone

This blog is intended as a tribute and news blog for Belfast sensation Rachel Tucker.

As I'm sure you know, Rachel is an extremely talented actress and singer. She has appeared in several major theatre productions, most recently 'The Wizard Of Oz' in Belfast's Lyric Theatre.
It was here that she first came to my attention, as my daughter was one of the Munchkins to Rachel's Dorothy. My daughter's performance was (needless to say) superb, but Rachel was awesome.
Her performance was favourably compared by one theatre critic to 'the legendary Judy Garland' herself and she played to full houses every night of the show's six week run.

Following this triumph, we heard that Rachel was to be one of the twelve finalists for the BBC's 'I'd Do Anything' prime time talent show. The goal was the West End role of Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh's 'Oliver'.
Rachel finished fourth, an absolute travesty given her huge talent, but ultimately her career is certain to eclipse that of the eventual winner, Blackpool's Jodie Prenger.

I'll be adding plenty of links, videos, pictures and news of Rachel over the next few weeks.
In the meantime, do please feel free to leave your comments and thoughts.

Rachel Tucker