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Niamh Perry (born 10 June 1990) is a Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.^[1]

Background

Born in Bangor, County Down, Perry attended Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock^[2] but left during her A-Levels in early 2008 and moved to London to compete in I'd Do Anything.

In 2007 she achieved a Distinction in her Grade eight classical singing examination, for which she won the South Eastern Education and Library Board (SEELB) Outstanding Achievement Award for Contribution to the Arts^[3] She was a member of Music Theatre for Youth (MT4UTH) from when the company was founded in 2005 and she was also a member of the MT4UTH Showcase group, Footlighters. She performed with MT4UTH in productions of Sweet Charity, in which she played the lead role of Charity,^[4] Oliver!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Guys and Dolls and West Side Story.^{[citation needed]} She also sang a solo at the re-opening of the Grand Opera House in Belfast.^{[citation needed]} She participated in two Cinemagic productions under the direction of Suranne Jones, including Wicked and she gained lead roles in both productions.^{[citation needed]}

In February 2008, Perry took part in an NSPCC campaign encouraging adults to call the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline if they had concerns about a child's welfare.^[5] She also recorded a CD for charity with two school friends, under the group name Paradis. The CD was played on several local radio stations and they were twice invited to sing live on U105.^{[citation needed]}

I'd Do Anything

In March 2008, Perry was announced as one of the final 12 contestants in the BBC1 programme I'd Do Anything, which premiered on 15 March 2008 and aimed to find a performer to play Nancy in a West End revival of the musical Oliver!.

On the first live show, on 29 March, she sang "The First Cut is the Deepest". Judge Denise Van Outen commented that Perry had the look and presence of a young Bernadette Peters while fellow judge Barry Humphries suggested that she could originate the role of Wednesday in The Addams Family musical.

In the second show, on 5 April, she sang "I've Got the Music in Me". Judge John Barrowman described the performance as "wicked, outstanding and wonderful. Absolutely spot on". Andrew Lloyd Webber agreed, stating "you're just extraordinary. You put the vamp back into vampire for me." During the third live show on 12 April, Perry sang "Moon River". Van Outen commented "It was a beautiful performance, I loved the fragility of it." John Barrowman agreed, "your fragility could redefine the role of Nancy, it was very emotional and precise".

The fourth live show took place on 19 April with Perry singing "Wind Beneath My Wings", which she dedicated to her older sister Ciara. Again she received positive feedback from the judging panel. Van Outen saying, "That was gorgeous. I think you're captivating - you give such a classy performance." Humphries said her performance was "exquisite - I've been Fagin to a lot of Nancys and I'd be very happy to take a curtain call with you." Barrowman said that he wanted Perry to improve her confidence, saying, "Believe those compliments - you are good, trust me." And Lloyd Webber said "It was a wonderful performance, you are great."

On the fifth show Perry sang "Valerie" and for the first time received criticism with Barrowman commenting that she had a problem with her diction. Van Outen agreed and said that her performance "lacked punch". Humphries however called it "wild and wayward, another aspect of your great talent", with Lloyd Webber saying she was terrific. She was in the bottom two and had to compete in the sing-off with Keisha Amponsa-Benson, singing "The Rose" (from the film of the same name). Lloyd Webber chose to save Perry. Before announcing his decision he said, "First, I'm going to say this is a complete and utter travesty, neither of you should be in the bottom two, it's completely wrong. I've been put into a situation that I have never wanted to be in. For the first time on a television show, I am angry."^[6][7]

The sixth show took place on 4 May with Perry singing "They Can't Take That Away From Me". She was praised by the panel with Van outen saying "That was a very mature and sophisticated performance. It was a lovely vocal". Barrowman said "That was a class act and you don't deserve to be in the bottom two", with Humphries adding "That was a very good, intelligent and lyrical reading of that great song by Gershwin". Lloyd Webber was happy with performance and agreed with the rest of the judges saying "It was great, the intensity is there, the acting is there. I think you did wonderfully."^{[citation needed]}

In week seven Perry was involved in the sing-off as well as being chosen by the Olivers to sing with them. She sang "True Colours" as her individual performance on the Saturday show on 10 May. In "The Battle of the Nancy's" she sang "Candyman" as part of "The Girls" trio with Jessie Buckley and Samantha Barks. And on the Results show the following day she was chosen by the Olivers to sing "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" from the musical of the same name with them. Perry was again though, for the second time, in the bottom two and in the sing-off; this time with Ashley Russell, with Russell having received the lowest number of viewers' votes. They sang "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" from the musical Evita. Lloyd Webber chose to save Perry and eliminate Russell.^[8]

Perry was eliminated from the show in week eight. She sang "Don't Speak", but received criticism from the panel with Van Outen saying "That was more like a teenager having a tantrum than a leading lady." Barrowman said it was vocally strong but added "I'm also worried that that wouldn't register at the back of the stalls." Humphries said it was a gritty performance but also added that there was a serious technical problem in that Perry was comparably small and the boys would "look like giants clustering around her on stage". Lloyd Webber said he wasn't sure she was ready to do eight shows a week, adding "your voice hasn't developed yet and I wouldn't want you to ruin it forever."^[9]

She was in the sing-off for a third time, this time with Rachel Tucker, with Perry having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" from the musical Evita. Lloyd Webber chose to save Tucker and eliminate Perry saying, "Niamh, if I was casting Evita, I would seriously think of you for that role." After choosing to eliminate Perry he said of her, "your voice just needs time to mature and I wouldn't be surprised if you were up for a major leading role when you're twenty."^[10][11]

After I'd Do Anything

Perry played the lead role of Belle in the musical Only the Brave, which had its world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on 31 July 2008 at the George Square theatre and ran until 25 August.^[12][13] On 13 September 2008 she performed alongside fellow I'd Do Anything finalist Rachel Tucker at the Proms in the Park, held at Belfast City Hall as part of the nationwide celebration of the BBC Last Night of the Proms.^[14][15]

Perry took part in Andrew Lloyd Webber's premier of act one of Love Never Dies at the 2008 Sydmonton Festival and also participated in the original sing-through of act two.^{[citation needed]} She was a featured vocalist with the BBC Concert Orchestra on the BBC Radio 2 programme Friday Night is Music Night in October 2008,^[16] performing "When I Close My Eyes" from Only The Brave and "Maybe I Like it This Way" from the musical The Wild Party.^{[citation needed]}

On 16 November 2008, Perry sang at St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London at a fundraising and awareness raising event for Save the Children. She was the joint lead vocalist with opera singer Mark Stone as they sang the premiere performance of "The Cry, a requiem for a lost child". Other performers who joined them in the performance include violinist Jeanine Thorpe, pianist Adrian Snell (who composed the song), London Oriana Choir, London Oratory School Schola and keyboard player Dave Bainbridge.^[17]

She appeared in pantomime at the Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne, East Sussex from 12 December 2008 to 11 January 2009 in Show White and the Seven Dwarfs playing the lead role of Snow White alongside Stefan Booth.^[18]

In May 2009, Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed on an episode of 'Friday Night with Jonathan Ross' that Perry would be singing one of the roles on the Original Cast Recording for Love Never Dies, the sequel to Phamtom of the Opera, describing her as "wonderful".^[19]. This has fueled rumours that she will be cast in the show when it opens in the West End in 2010.

On Monday 15 June 2009, Niamh began playing the lead role of Sophie Sheridan in Mamma Mia! The Musical at the Prince Of Wales Theatre, London, with Sally Ann Triplett as Donna.^[20]

In December 2009, it was revealed that Perry will create the role of Fleck in the original West End cast of Love Never Dies, which opens in March 2010.^[21]

References

External links

• Niamh Perry at the Internet Movie Database
• Cinemagic Film Festival website
• Musical Theatre for Youth website
• Only the Brave website