Monday
Darius Danesh Has Gone With The Wind
 A couple of weeks ago I saw Darius Danesh boasting on television about how he, and the other actors, were getting standing ovations at the Gone With The Wind stage production.Strange therefore that it is closing on June 14th after becoming one of the London West End's biggest flops. After a critical savaging right from the opening show, in April, it never recovered. Ticket sales have been poor. The Evening Standard, for example wrote, "Connoisseurs of big, bad musicals must rush to catch Gone With the Wind in case it's quickly blown away on gales of ridicule." Darius Danesh, never a favourite of mine, stars as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara is Jill Paice. You have to question if Danesh is really leading man material, or were the producers trying to cash in on his name as a reality television contestant? £4 ($8) million is a lot to gamble on such a basis. Labels: Darius Danesh, Gone With The Wind, Jill Paice |
Darius Danesh got great reviews for his role as Rhett Butler from all but a handful of the UK's theatre critics. So yes, he is very much leading man material.
Darius also spoke the truth about the reception the cast got from the audiences. They regularly got standing ovations and ironically got one on Friday night just before they were told the show was closing.
FYI Here are a selection of review comments from some broadsheets, Sundays etc.
he has the sauntering suavity that Gable brought to the role of Rhett - The Times
Darius Danesh is a sturdy, manly Rhett, with a good, deep voice and bags of swaggering arrogance.
He is clearly talented - Daily Express
The diabolically dashing Darius Danesh (of Pop Idol fame) brings a seductively insolent charm, a dark velvet voice and a genuine, fugitive pathos to the cynical blockade runner - The Independent
Mr Danesh has a husky bass voice and is dashing, even if, with his mutton chop whiskers and long legs, he resembles a Victorian villain from a Monty Python sketch. - The Mail
Darius Danesh also endows the morally dubious Rhett Butler with a graceful virility and residual guilt.- The Guardian
the true star of the show is Darius Danesh, ....with a performance of subtlety and roguish charm as Rhett Butler - Metro
Darius Danesh, him off Pop Idol, scored a personal triumph as Rhett..... he commanded the stage, kept his accent together and even found a new way to say "I don't give a damn" - New Statesman
Darius Danesh’s Rhett has all that’s required, devilish eyes, a sonorous voice, a lot of slicked black hair and something extra too, the god-like swagger of a young Sean Connery. - Spectator
...Darius Danesh as the dashing daredevil Rhett Butler, whose voice could charm the birds from the trees.- Mail On Sunday
Darius Danesh's Rhett - growly and smugly disdainful - was dominating,- the Observer
Bestriding this shallow world like a colossus, and the only reason this gets two stars rather than one, is Darius Danesh, commanding and charismatic as that “insufferable peacock” Rhett Butler. - The Sunday Times
Darius Danesh cuts an imposing figure. His dark looks, deep voice and stature are apt for this roguish romantic hero - The Official London Theatre review
has a surprisingly authoritative and charming presence as Rhett - Bloomberg.com
Darius Danesh as Rhett Butler has more star power and several decent chances to show off his resonant bass voice.- Variety
Darius Danesh is something of a revelation. The former Pop Idol sings marvellously - The London Paper review
Well Mike I have been to see the show 9 times and I can confirm that the cast did recieve standing ovations.
All the performers were excellent.
If you re-read the reviews you will find most reviewers found Darius a suprise because he was excellent and a perfect leading man.
How can you comment without seeing it?
Listening to comments and asking people on their way out - they enjoyed it. Many were surprised at Darius' stage presence and what a fantastic voice he had. Some even said he should have been on stage more....
If you look at the posters and adverts for Gone With The Wind you will not or rarely see Darius and Jill mentioned. So I hardly think they were trying to cash in on Darius' name.
Trevor Nunn's name is the only one on all adverts...you don't seem to mention him.
Just a re-fresh of a few reviews:-
Independant first night review
By Paul Taylor
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
The diabolically dashing Darius Danesh (of Pop Idol fame) brings a seductively insolent charm, a dark velvet voice and a genuine, fugitive pathos to the cynical blockade runner.
Daily Mail 23/04/08
The audience gave Danesh a standing ovation but critics have offered a distinctly lukewarm reception to the musical version of Gone With The Wind.
BBC News-BBC News review of opening night
Ovation for Darius's Rhett Butler
Darius Danesh gained a standing ovation for playing Rhett Butler on the opening of Gone With The Wind in the West End - but the show suffered mixed reviews.
Press association first night review
Pop Idol star Darius Danesh received a standing ovation for his performance as Rhett Butler in the new production of Gone With The Wind.
Official London Theatre review
The First Night Feature: Gone With The Wind
First published 23 Apr 2008
Darius Danesh cuts an imposing figure. His dark looks, deep voice and stature are apt for this roguish romantic hero, and he does a fine job of sweeping the diminutive Paice into his arms.
Stars upbeat about Wind musical
By Neil Smith
Entertainment reporter, BBC News
"Darius really commanded the stage and I loved the way they used the space."
Darius Danesh is a sturdy, manly Rhett, with a good, deep voice and bags of swaggering arrogance.
Daily Express
TALENTED: Darius Danesh, a swaggering Rhett Butler, with Jill Plaice who plays Scarlett
Thursday April 24,2008
By Paul Callan
He is clearly talented and, basically, only his performance saves this show from crumbling into utter mediocrity.
They may not have enjoyed the whole show but they did think Darius was Rhett.
I am really sorry that the show is closing.
Please do not try to blame someone who has put their heart and soul into a production for it's closure.
Darius is leading man material.
Pam Porter
Lancashire
UK
I went to see this show because I'd already seen Darius Danesh as a leading man playing Billy Flynn in 'Chicago' and in 'Guys and Dolls' as Sky Masterson.
The musical director for 'Gone With The Wind' saw Darius performing at the Chicago 10th anniversary. He really stood out as having a great voice and fantastic stage presence.
As for his role in 'Gone With The Wind', he was the best in an extremly strong cast. Even the critics admitted he was very good with a great singing voice and couled act very well. Quite something for them to get over the 19 yr old Darius Danesh and see the 27 yr old and what he is capable off.