To really not understand this fascination for named people who can't act getting places above really fucking excellent stage actors. Catherine Tate.

[Lanark2]

I don't mean to be nasty, because bad or not, I would love to act shakespeare. Catherine Tate can't act effectively, but there is a feature on her acting shakespeare and you can hear she isn't 'in the part'. She is being mentioned alongside Judy Dench ffs.

Sadly, I also include Kiera Knightly in this. Great as a kid, never really believable as anadult, but still a 'name'.

Odd and extremely unfair.

Unfair? Have you been overlooked for a part that's gone to CT or KK OP?
I quite like Tate, she's funny but I'm not sure she'd be a good fit for anything in Shakespeare. Cannot stand KK but I can't muster a single shit to give and perhaps you are overly invested in this.

You'll always be accused of being "over invested" whenever you comment on anything that's not happening to you on Mumsnet...

I liked her in Much Ado.

The 'names' sell tickets- so I suppose it's a trade-off: give a name a star part and it effectively subsidises the run.

Some of them are very good, though, and made their name because they were good.

What a farking liberty

No! I mean unfair to the amazing actors we have doing small plays and theatres that don't get national press and publicity.

I don't get the hate for KK on MN. It's weird

Ooh I didn't know it was a thing. I feel bad for her actually as I feel she is 'over agented' and gets parts that don't suit her but get profile anyway. Apologies really, as I know it's someone's living.

I do like Shakespeare.

Odd and extremely unfair.

Sums this thread up.

I think you're just a bit jealous.

Most stand-up comedians in sit-coms. I'm looking at you, Jack Tossing Whitehall.

I don't hate or dislike Kk but I don't like her acting and I am not sure how she has done so well.

And that god-awful thing Russell Howard was in. And Jack Dee. Just stop with the sodding star vehicles and go back to well-written comedy shows.

Ikea Knightly has really come on lately.

Oh God you've got me going now - "star" DJs instead of people who've doesn't years working at it. Just a voice in the middle of tge songs, like EVERYONE ON HEART. Pissing Baby Spice.

I know what you mean, OP. My version of your gripe is very bog standard ex-pop stars getting major roles in musicals. I have no axe to grind because I hate musicals personally but can't help but feel for the people who train for years to perfect their skills and then get overlooked by a woman who used to be in The Pussycat Dolls.

To sell tickets: it is called showbusiness, not showart for a reason. A 'name' in a production will add X number more bums on seats than a talented but unkown actor. Nothing 'odd' about that. Also anyone who goes into acting expecting it to be a meritocracy or 'fair' Is kidding themselves.

Does anyone actually listen to Heart though

I thought she was good in Atonement. (But absolute shite in those godawful Chanel ads) and come to think of it, just about everything since , Love Actually, Seeking a friend for the end of the Bollocks etc

When I say 'by a woman' I mean 'for a woman'

Catherine Tate trained at Central, she's a classically trained actress not just a talented comedienne.

I love Jack Whitehall in Bad Education but don't get me started on Corrie and Prince Charles

I kind of agree, I saw Catherine Tate in 'Assasins' last year (or year before?). She really stood out (not in a good way) from the rest of the cast. Plus she couldn't sing, and it's a musical. Though to be fair, her part was one of the hardest to play I think.

I love her as a sketch artist though.