Maria..we have a problem

Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of The Sound Of Music has turned into The Sound Of Chaos after Emma Williams dramatically withdrew from the musical.

Ms Williams was the alternate to Connie Fisher, winner of the vomitous BBC TV programme How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

She had been officially contracted to share the role and do four performances a week, but that was later reduced to two. When booking tickets, people were asking to see 'that girl who won from the telly'.

So her part in the production had been totally downgraded, and I hear she told friends how she felt humiliated and belittled by some involved with the show. Lloyd Webber, for one, had described her in an interview (in the Mail, though he wasn't talking to me) as an 'understudy' when, in point of fact, she was the alternate - meaning she had been contracted, to the tune of £2,000 a week, to do specific performances as Maria in place of Ms Fisher.

Ms Williams had been hired in the first place as a sort of safety net because, at that point, the director and producers had no idea what kind of Maria they would end up with. Anyway, Ms Williams is not continuing with the show and won't be at rehearsals on Monday.

Last night, accountants were trying to work out a financial deal with her. She's a proven professional and will go on to much better things with people who will respect her.

Ms Fisher has boasted that she can do eight performances a week, but we will see. Even so, there will need to be a first and second understudy to cover when she's sick.

The Sound Of Music will open at the London Palladium in November. Since Sunday, the day after Ms Fisher was chosen, more than £1.2 million worth of tickets have been sold, bringing total advance sales to more than £6million already.

So, from a marketing point of view, I have to say the TV show was a success. However, artistically it stank.