More4 repeats Musicality

04 May 2006

More4 is repeating the award winning Channel 4 series Musicality. The complete series will be shown on Saturday, 13th May 06 starting at 7pm.


Episode 5 'The Winners' Story' 19.00-21.00

It's showtime! Last minute tweaks, fine tuning and pre-show nerves are on the agenda tonight as the moment the winners have waited their whole lives for has arrived - the big live final, their one night of fame performing in leading roles in the acclaimed West End production of Chicago. Or not. Will it all go to plan? Will they actually get to perform? They may have wowed the judging panel to reach this critical stage, but will the theatrical producers unanimously decide that after all the training, our winners are really of a high enough standard to take to the stage and pull off the performance of their lives? Anything can happen. One thing is certain, the show must go on. But will it feature the regular professional leads or will they stand aside for the amateur winners of Channel 4’s Musicality 2004?

Episode 1 @ 21.10

On a whistle stop tour of the UK, the panel see IT Specialists, plumbers, sales staff, teachers, mothers and even a security guard for the Houses of Parliament who all dream of their names in lights. Using alternative and often quirky techniques to encourage personalities to shine and limbs to loosen, the panel hear show tune after show tune, and conduct audition after audition, in their quest for wholly uninhibited, enthusiastic and driven hopefuls. But by the time the panel head north for the last four days of auditions, problems are emerging. The panel are aware that the male singers are of a higher standard than the females, and the dancing in general is not impressing Stacey at all. “I’m absolutely gutted by the standard of dance. Absolutely gutted…completely and utterly disheartened.”

After another bad “dance day” in Cardiff, where two more talented men shine through, the panel’s spirits begin to dampen… A lot is expected of the Manchester auditionees as the stakes are now very high. However, the panel need not have worried too much. After two days in the northwest and following a unique and entertaining warm up session led by Gareth, talented female dancers and singers start to immerge.

Episode 2 @ 22.15

From nearly 2,000 applications 26 hopefuls have made it through to the second round of Channel 4 ‘s Musicality series, in which at least two untrained musical theatre enthusiasts have the chance to star for one night in a classic West End musical. If all goes to plan, the stars of a hit West End show will stand aside and allow their role to be performed by the best of these unknowns. Amongst them are teachers, engineers, a flight controller and a physiotherapist who have two things in common - none has any professional stage experience but they all dream of their names in lights. To put them to the test, an expert panel from the world of musical theatre has devised a gruelling weekend of singing, acting and dance workshops, culminating in a Sunday night performance to decide who will go through to the third and final round.

Episode 3 @ 23.20

Summer 2004 and after an initial 2000 applications, the panel Mary King, Gareth Valentine, Stacey Haynes, and Clive Paget has whittled down the number to just 10 actors, singers dancers – and some who can do all three. Joining them on their final mission to select the winners, is Musical Theatre icon, Julia McKenzie. She puts on a special master class for the finalists, one of the many treats and trials in store for them before the very final cut is made. The pressure is on and the classes, workshops, performances and rehearsals are relentless. But for some it will all be worth it, when they discover who has won that coveted prize of a leading role for one night only in the West End production of Chicago.

Episode 4 @ 24.25

The winners have been selected and now the real hard work begins. Tonight’s film follows the winners during the rigorous rehearsal process required to be of a high enough standard to perform on stage with a cast of professional West End regulars. The relatively comforting faces of the panel are eventually replaced by the fully fledged Chicago training programme. And added to this building pressure is the phenomenal opportunity but equally daunting task of recording their debut album, the Musicality Winners CD for EMI. Do these talented but non-professional performers really have what it takes to pull all this off? Only time will tell, and the clock is ticking fast…