Paiging all Luvvies! Elaine Paige Radio 2 on Sundays. (Elaine Page Radio 2)

Member Name: GillMN

Product:	Elaine Page Radio 2
Date:	23/02/09 (430 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some good tunes, lots of variety. Amusing guests.

Disadvantages: False giggles and too much Luvvy-ness.

I always listen to Radio 2 when I am driving. On Sunday afternoons I listen to a programme that I have a love/hate relationship with. It's funny because I love a lot of the music but Elaine Paige as a presenter drives me potty! (Incidentally, the title of this review is mis-spelled. It is Elaine Paige, not Elaine Page.)
From 13.00 to 14.30 every Sunday afternoon Elaine Paige hosts a radio show mainly focusing on Musical Theatre and Musical films. She will usually have a guest on who is associated with the genre. The guests are often very entertaining and will choose their favourite pieces of music which are played and discussed by the guest and Elaine.

Her show started on Radio 2 in late 2004. Amongst other musical luminaries she has had The Pet Shop Boys, Emma Williams, Angela Lansbury,the Sherman Brothers and Sir Elton John as guests. The guests I have heard have always been well informed and entertaining.


There is a section called 'Break a leg' (a traditional theatrical wish to those who are about to go on stage.) where amateur dramatic groups can plug their show shamelessly under the guise of wishing all the participants well. This is a great help to publicise Amateur Dramatic groups countrywide who might be struggling to 'put bums on seats.'

Another section is devoted to competitions for the listeners who are invited to visit her web page to compete. This month the prize is a pair of tickets to see 'Joseph and his amazing technicolour dreamcoat.' You can enter by answering a multiple choice question on the website.

Last week Paul O'Grady hosted the programme whilst Elaine Paige was on a break. He was his usual amusing self but occasionally sounded as though he had forgotten what he was doing.

I love some of the music on the show. My husband has been involved in Amateur musicals quite often over the years and some of that music holds good memories for me. It is also interesting to hear little snippets of information from the guests about musicals they have been in and people who have helped them and people in the business that they admire. Often I would rather listen to the guests than the music because they are so interesting.

The reason I have a problem listening all the way through is that I find Elaine Paige as a presenter deeply, deeply irritating. Don't get me wrong, as a stage performer she is superb. I was lucky enough to see her at the London Palladium in 'the King and I', her performance was faultless! She is a brilliant artiste, musically versatile and totally convincing in whatever role she is in. Unfortunately, in my opinion, her talent does not cross over to presenting radio programmes.

She seems at times incapable of stepping down from being a star and allowing her guests to shine with their own light. She often interrupts them to tell her own stories. This seems a bit rude to me as they are the guest stars. The worst thing for me though is her theatricality, sometimes she feels very forced and gushing.

She knows her stuff having made her West End debut forty years ago, she is a mine of information about musicals and music generally and that really shows and lifts the programme. I know she has a huge following of devoted fans but I find her just too unreal.

~~~Get ready for a rant!~~~
This might sound petty to you, but the thing that sends me daft and has me lurching for the 'off' button, is her giggle! I hate it! It makes me cringe because it sounds so false! It sounds to me like a grown woman pretending to be a naughty little girl.
Today on the radio I heard a trailer advertising Radio 2, featuring her blooming giggle! I could have cried because now the sound is polluting the airwaves regularly not just when I am expecting it on Sunday! Noooooooo!

Okay, rant over.

~~~To sum up~~~
Elaine Paige presents an informative and entertaining programme with a very wide mix of songs from various shows of all ages. Her guests are great and very informative when they can get a word in edgeways. Her knowlege of musicals is superb.
All that it needs to make it better for me is for Elaine Paige to relax enough to get rid of that horrible forced giggle and to give her guests more space to talk without interuption.

Summary: A great hour and a half if you have a 'mute' button.