Spacey complains over BBC shows

Actor and theatre director Kevin Spacey has criticised the BBC for airing talent shows such as Any Dream Will Do and I'd Do Anything.

"I felt that was essentially a 13-week promotion for a musical - where's our 13-week programme?" Spacey said.

The Hollywood star is artistic director at the Old Vic theatre in London.

"I have spoken to your chairman but he has yet to get back to me," Spacey said. The BBC replied that its shows were not "unduly promotional".

"These Saturday night shows celebrate musical theatre generally, not just one West End show," said Elaine Bedell, controller of entertainment commissioning.

"The BBC is committed to finding and supporting new musical talent as part of its longstanding commitment as a patron of the arts."

Speaking to BBC entertainment reporter Colin Paterson, Spacey said it was "great" people were getting "interested in the West End and theatres".

However, he said he thought the BBC's talent shows were "crossing the line" and "unfair".

He suggested the corporation instead broadcast a series about the theatre "to help kids find their own sense of self-esteem, confidence and ability to collaborate".

"These are interesting ideas, but they're not sexy so maybe they don't want to put them on air," he said while promoting his latest film 21.

Spacey said it was time to start building the next generation of theatregoers. "If we don't, we'll lose them all to TV," he warned.

He also said he would like to see the return of Play For Today, the landmark BBC series that produced Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party and Ken Loach's Cathy Come Home.

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do scoured the country for hopefuls to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber's productions of The Sound of Music and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

I'd Do Anything is currently seeking to find its Nancy and Oliver for a new staging of Lionel Bart's musical version of Oliver Twist.

Oliver! is being produced by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, though Lord Lloyd-Webber remains on the judging panel.

The BBC said it "always reflected" other West End shows in its talent programmes.

It also pointed out the corporation had no commercial interest in the West End productions of Oliver!, Joseph or The Sound Of Music.

Spacey is currently starring in David Mamet's play Speed-the-Plow at the Old Vic.

Gambling drama 21, the number one film in North America over the weekend, is released in the UK on 11 April.

Well it's all very well for him to say it, being in the theatre and rather high brow to say the least. Maybe there is a bit fo unfair promotion when you do these shows, but it does promote much needed interest in the theatre and gives ordinary folks a chance so I have nothing against it whatsoever. If it produces excellent perfromers like Connie who is in the Sound of Music, why not?

if they want more folks to go to the theatre then they need to make ti mor eaccessible, by bringing prices down, bringing decent productions to other places outiside of London and improving facilites at existing places such as parking and disabled access. I've bene to a few places in London, but hace stopped as the facilties are shit, it cost loads to get there and the tickets are over priced. We have a theatre 10 mins away but we neve rget much on, except bloody Paul McKenna and panto. If the Sound fo Music wa son I'd be there like a shot singing Edelwiess and Adieu, Adieu to You and you and you :lol: And I'd like to see some good plays.

Maybe I had best not mention what I went to see last tiem I visted a London Theatre but ti was f*ckign hilarious, unless you were male and sensitive in certainparts. :D

The problem is that it doesn't really promote the show. It's promotes so-called 'reality tv' but in the end, it doesn't help the play's life that much. There is an initial turnout to see it on stage but it dies quickly.

I'd rather have them show performances of smaller productions of known or somewhat known plays with (big names in the lesser-known, unknowns in the more-well known plays) to get people interested in the regional theatre since, as SB said - West End, like Broadway and the Kennedy Centre, prices are horrendous - $110-$120 for a play on B-way right now (I tend to 'same-day ticket' it to get 50% off and accept whatever seats I get).

Of course, having just seen Julius Caeser and Anthony & Cleopatra on successive nights, I don't realy want non theatre-goers at my performances. Some idiot was chewing on ice, some lady kept saying out loud that she was cold and the school kids (13-14 y.o.)kept fidgeting since their teacher wasn't with them. Wasn't happy.

Good point :ok: I agree, I wish they would make more of local theatre. There are a couple round here but there isn't even a perfromance weekly sometimes let alone each night, and to make money they've had to sell out doing more commercial stuff like Paul McKenna, comedians and old bands who have reformed and no longer have an audience. :rolleyes: Sad becuase I'd very much like to see some plays without the expense of travelling to London and buying tickets at horrnedous prices, as I can't afford it and don't enjoy it really. If it were local I could get there for under a tenner by cab and it would be so much nicer and convenient. :D

I did enjoy the Barbican years back, although it took hours to get there but the seat swere excellent and comfy and the facilities really nice :ok: But that was lucky cos my mate's priest coudln;t go and gave us the tickets. It was some guy who was liek Shakespeare but Italian .... can't remember, I must ask him. It was really good fun and the qactors were so charismatic. :ok: