Samantha Barks — Page 2

Gizmo6 said: "I'm providing an analytical assessment of her performance it's not personal."



Balderdash

Do you remember how bad she was in Chicago?

UncleCharlie said: "Gizmo6 said "There'sno need to be bitchy, I said I'm sure she's lovely but from my experience she's not a roundedperformer. I don't blame her I blame the men I already mentioned who get infatuated with pretty young things who they think they can sell a show with. Barks will not sell a show, I think that's been proven.

I haven't seen her since as she's not that big over here anymore. She's a generic pretty young girl with a sweet voice and i feel the infatuation is the commercialisation/disneyfication/Mtv generation, call it what you will, of musical theatre.

Go listen to Rufffalo, Lu Pone or my favourite Henshall as Eponine and come back to me."

Wasn't trying to be bitchy, maybe just sarcastic about the arrogance of your comment that because you're some sort of "lecturer" you're an expert and using sophisticated, objective analysis and the rest of us who've only been going to the theater for 30-40 years are uneducated laymen who know nothing and only like her because she's a pretty face. Even though you admit you haven't seen her recently, you tell someone who HAS and thought she was good in The Last 5 Years that she does innocent optimism well because it's her and that doesn't count as good acting. But it's not personal. OK, sure.

To be honest, I find threads like this very bitchy. "I don't think someone is very talented and others do, so instead of simply not going to see anything she's in, I've got to start a thread to aggressively convince every one I can who might think she's talented that they're wrong and she's no good. Anyone who expresses a contrary view to mine in the thread must be told why their opinion is not valid or that they probably just like her cause she's pretty." I don't feel strongly about Barks one way or the other, certainly think it's OK to criticize someone's performance and think you can start whatever threads you like as can I but someone having a need to start these "I really don't think this person is talented so you shouldn't either" type threads have never made sense to me."

Do you speak to your Doctor like that? I have 8 years of research, three different degrees. Why such disrespect for theatre studies? 30-40 years of theatre going doesn't make you an expert, I am, papers written, published and spoken at numerous conferences around the world. This is my job.

8 years of research and 3 degrees? I'm so sorry. I had no.idea. But to answer your question as to whether I talk to my doctor like that, I don't. Wanna know why? Because my doctor would never think he can accurately judge my current state of health based on test results from 5 or 6 years ago. And if he ever did, I would fire him for gross incompetence.. You started this thread not to understand what others see in her to see if you were missing something but to seek validation from a bunch of laymen you don't even know for your view that she's not very talented. Why would an expert such as yourself even need that validation if you're so sure you are correct about her and why would you seek it not from other experts but from a bunch of laymen whose opinion you seem to have little regard for? And telling me to listen to LuPone and get back to you? Is comparing a 26 year old actress who's 7 or 8 years into her career with someone who's 68, has 45 years of experience and is considered a legend valid? Is that a fair comparison? Could any young actress survive that comparison? Did you think that's a valid research methodology?

Let me be clear. I have a lot of respect for the field of Theatre Studies. Lots of incredibly committed, talented people work in that field. If it appears I'm disrespecting anyone, it's you. Just you."

I don't understand your anger or bitchiness. I'm not going to resort to your base level but I suggest you read the OP. The thread is about the posters here (Americans mostly) and why they like her considering her limited live performances there.

I've done my research. Ruffelle was 20 when she originated the role of Eponine in the West End and Broadway productions. TWENTY. Henshall was 28 as Fantine, and Patti LuPone was 36 when she played Fantine. Judy Kuhn 29 as Cosette,

The Fine lIfe Reprise Dialogue is perfection.

SIKES

(spoken) Tell 'em all about us would you?

NANCY

(spoken) No, I won't stand by and see it done, Bill!

Fagin

(spoken) Why Nancy, you're wonderful tonight. Such talent! What an actress, eh, Bill?

NANCY

(spoken) Am I? Well, take care I don't over do it! 'Cos if I do, I'm goin' to put my mark on some of you, and I don't care if I hang for it!

SIKES

(spoken) You? Do you know who you are, and what you are?

NANCY

(spoken) Oh, yeah, yeah, I know all about that. You don't have to tell me!

SIKES

(spoken) A fine one you are for the boy to make a friend of!

NANCY

(spoken) Lord help me, I am, and I wish I'd of been struck down dead before I lent a hand in brining him back here. 'Cause after tonight, 'e's a liar and a thief and all that's bad. Ain't that enough for you, without beating him to death?

Fagin

(spoken)Come, come Nancy, civil words. Civil words, eh, Bill?

NANCY

(spoken) Civil words! You deserve them from me, don't you! 'Cause I was out on the streets for you when I was a child half his age, and I've been in the same trade, and the same service for fifteen years and don't you forget it!

Personally Sally Dexter is one of the best Nancy's I've seen. 1994 West End Revival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC8owIX3wsE

Again with the bitchiness.

We are on a forum about theatre not personalities, I didn’t think posters needed their hands held.

Anyway thanks for the laugh re: translating into American.



To clarify, the OP states

Why does everyone recommend her for roles here (here being Broadway World Chat Boards)?

Having seen her as Nancy and Eponine (I later remembered Sally Bowles) I just don’t get it (it being why people recommend her for roles).

She’s sweet but has no real substance (Substance defined as presence as an actress).

Seeing as I was talking about roles she has played it's a given I am talking about her acting characters and not her character as a person.

What do Americans see that we don’t see here in UK. (UK audiences having more exposure to her on stage). ???????

Does that make it easier for you?

Updated On: 9/24/17 at 04:17 AM

Sunny11 said: "Samantha has had more employment in the UK than in America so I think that your question is backwards. It should be " Why doesn't America give her more work?"


Geez Louise! Can people not read in America?

My question was why are people on this American site recommending this particular actress for roles who they have very little experience.

Updated On: 9/24/17 at 05:53 AM

People like her because she's beautiful, young and can sing. And because she can sing, she stood out in the Les Misérables film which is what most people know her from.

I've seen her as Éponine, Amélie, Cathy and Velma. The first three she was passable but played them all the same. Her Velma was awful. She can play the young, spunky girl fine but doesn't add any special touches to differentiate between characters.

Her career has hardly been thriving in the UK either (unless you think a failed album, failed film and short run of The Last Five Years in a tiny theatre that she failed to fill is success), so I don't know why people are surprised Broadway isn't knocking at her door. There are plenty of young, beautiful women that can sing, but are also able to give nuanced performances that will be in demand long before she is.

Sunny11 said: "Does she kick puppies or something ?

She was a major character in a movie that made over $ 400 million worldwide. Any actor would kill to have that kind of career accomplishment."

Absolutely, a huge opportunity that could have bolstered her into a major film career or at least a bigger theatre career. That was 5 years ago. What has she done since? Films that no one sees, an album that no one buys and she gets replaced by Phillipa Soo in her first musical in America as soon as they're able to replace her. Maybe the fault lies with her agent more than her, who knows? All I know is she had huge buzz after that film, along with Aaron Tveit and whilst Tveit hasn't really lived up to his potential either, he at least has had numerous leading TV roles, the lead in Grease Live, sold out Assassins in London and then got to play one of the most infamous male musical theatre roles in history.

The best thing I can say for Barks is that Jason Robert Brown seems to like her.

Updated On: 9/24/17 at 06:53 AM

dramamama611 said: "I've only seen her in Les Miz....in which I couldn't help but stare at her bizarrely skinny waist. I guess she was ok.



Why do people suggest her? Because most of the posters that play the casting game are young and have actually seen very few Broadway shows - so their inventory is pretty limited.

That being said...your posts DO sound like someone that just wants to be right. You can't tell people their opinions are wrong and try to prove it. Opinions don't work that way.

And your high and mighty attitude doesn't help. I've got a bunch of degrees too, and work on the field -- but that doesn't make my opinion any better than anyone else's. Nor do I feel the need to rub it in anyone else's face.

If you ask a question, why not LISTENto the answers instead of arguing with them?

"

I don't have a high an mighty attitude someone tried to lecture me on 'subjectivity' and i explained this is my field. You take that as rubbing it in your face, God Americans are so sensitive.

Anyway you said what I was feeling, it's kids picking her for roles cause she's pretty or prolific on histogram, whatever, not because they have experience of her performances or a concept of talent.

Gizmo I can agree with you on 2 things:- Ruthie Henshall's Fantine at the Palace was pretty flawless, and Sally Dexter is also my favourite Nancy. But your condescending posts and superiority complex because you've written papers on theatre and seem to have mastered youTube and a google search makes for a very unsympathetic argument. Similarly your passive aggression when labelling other members as bitchy in a thread you created, to all intents and purposes just to slag off a specific performer's entire career based on 3 nights in a theatre is more tabloid journalism that the academic analaysis to which you profess.

We all have our opinions, as it should be. And I stick by mine that most fail to make Cathy in The Last Five Years a match for Jamie and develop her character into anything much beyond the miserable first impression. For what it's worth Ruthie's Nancy at the Palladium was very forgettable - but for me, as Gaveston said she belts, belts a bit more then dies. I find Oliver as sublte as a car crash and not the moving experience in the theatre you seem to take away with you.

Obviously people just throw her name into the ring as one of the most memorable cast members from the Les Mis movie because most members on here would have seen it and can relate. I'm sure there are many a casting director that would do likewise.

Updated On: 9/24/17 at 07:35 AM

ukpuppetboy said: "Gizmo I can agree with you on 2 things:- Ruthie Henshall's Fantine at the Palace was pretty flawless, and Sally Dexter is also my favourite Nancy. But your condescending posts and superiority complex because you've written papers on theatre and seem to have mastered youTube and a google search makes for a very unsympathetic argument. Similarly yourpassive aggression when labelling other members as bitchy in a thread you created, to all intents and purposesjust to slag off a specific performer's entire career based on 3 nights in a theatre is more tabloid journalism that the academic analaysisto which you profess.

Over and out too many bitchy children or out of work wannabes on the forum.