The War of the Worlds 2010

Many of you will know that I’m a big fan of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of the War of the Worlds.  For those of you in the UK who are thinking of going to see it, there is an offer on for this week for children under 14 to get half price tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/promo/pd3rjk

We went to see it in June last year at the O2 in Dublin and were lucky enough to meet some of the cast. We really enjoyed the show. Although I do think Russell Watson was a better Parson then Shannon Noll.

Alexis James was the Artillery Man and he did an amazing job, even (dare I say it), better then David Essex on the original album. So this year I’m am totally gobsmacked that he didn’t get the role again and it was instead given to Jason Donovan. I don’t get the logic behind it. Surely if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I can’t imagine anyone doing near as good a job as Alexis did.

The other roles (except Justin Hayward, Chris Thompson and of course Richard Burton), have always been changed but Alexis was always the artillery man in the European live shows.

Anyway onto the other cast.  Liz McClarnon is playing Beth the parson’s wife and I think she’ll do a good job. Then in March Rhydian (X Factor) was announced as the Parson. First of all I wasn’t impressed but thinking about it he has a similar voice to Russell Watson so I think that will work.

Here is what someone on the War of the Worlds  forum had to say:

WOW what a cast list, and who said that Vaudeville was dead?.The way thing’s are going, I would say this show look’s like it is trying to ease it’s way into the West End.

Then again maybe the tour’s are timed to coincide with the Panto season, oh no they are’nt, oh yes they are, and perhap’s next year they could get Tony Christie to play the parson.

And the year after that they could shove the boat right out of sight by asking the public to enter a competition were one lucky bugger (PROBABLY RELATED TO THE PRODUCER) would be fairly voted in to acutally be a star in the show, Xfactor stylee, only this time it would be different. I can see it now, Jeff Waynes World’s musical version of The War of The World’s Christmas spectacular On Ice, with Frank Bruno and the chuckle brothers and special guest’s The Krankies. Of course Richard Burton’s head will be replaced in the narrator’s role by the chrome dome of Harry Hill. you see thing is I like Martians and then again I like Earthlings, but which is better?   There’s only one way to find out…….. Fiiiiiight