This article has been written by Maureen, the newest member of the Unreality team. Welcome aboard Maureen!

In consideration of the above question one must stay open minded. As the issue of quality versus quantity becomes paramount, in what would be defined as acts suitable for theatre. Only the best will fit the bill.

Within the opening statement is that assumption that theatre encourages good quality acts, which are few and far between. So how then can this media thesis type question be applied to televised reality talent shows, and what else does it imply? The possibility that in our most recent diagnosis of what is wrong with todays throwaway society, that far to many of us sit at home glued to the one eyed monster in the corner of kitchen, the bedroom, the living room, the dining room and fail to go out. Hence, a large proportion of the population are paying over the odds for home entertainment when the nutritional value of a take away meal or microwave tv dinners becomes the bill of fare. Have we really become this lazy and non discerning about entertainment?

The truth here is not easy to detect, but the television companies providing consumerised entertainent ‘recognise and know’ who to ‘target’ television programmes for. ‘Popular television’ or ‘peak time television’ – is television for the masses who stay at home after ‘work or tea’ during the week, and maybe, because of commitment to family – find themselves also at home during the weekend.

At first glance you would probably say no then to the above question, and then your curiosity would ponder why ask the question in the first place.

Can television ever provide quality viewing, which also falls into the reality TV genre of the talent show? The answer is yes. Yes I did say YES.

It is true it will also provide us with viewing that is stressful when it shows the first ‘ wild, outragious, tentative, over confident and the hilariously funny auditions’, that somehow set the mood for the viewer at home. In many cases this run up is far more exciting than the actual heats when some one is voted off each week. In my own personal view, I much prefer the heats and if a show promises to take a young amateur on a vocal journey it seems a shame to see someone distraught and returned home each week. At this juncture I feel some changes would not come in wrong.

So we have established for the viewer that the producers and programmers are going to give us some quality reality TV, even though this will also include some tosh. How then can we relate this to bums on seats in a theatre or sparking an interest in theatre going?

Well this Saturday, sees the ultimate show down for the three finalists in ‘How do you solve the problem of Maria’. Each week the show has progressed forward and has brought a selection of music which fits into the genre of pop, or popular modern musical. This is quite clever the way the programmers have done this, as I would have originally thought that the contestants should only have performed peices from the same period of the classical musical. After all, ‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’, is without doubt a classical great and not a pop musical at all. The winner will have to have serious classical leanings to give it her best shot, making or breaking her new career. Critically one could say that the performances have been more polished than any X factor perfomer going through anyone of the ten or eleven heats of ITV/Granada’s offerings of a Saturday evenings – soon to start this autumn for real in a few short weeks of whittling down.

Furthermore, the choice of music for the contestants has created a vacuum, and a fan base for each one, each week. This is unheard of in todays day and age, when television rules over theatre and cinema. It is obvious that the cunning behind this is to create sufficient interest in the performers from the point of how well they perform popular music and that it should carry forward selling tickets for the opening on the:- 3RD OF NOVEMBER 2006.

For final proof that the BBC have an invested interest in encouraging a revival into theatre going and theatre training, a percentage of the phone in vote will provide – Capped Bursary grants for up to 50 of the girls from the final 100 who auditioned for Maria, which will enable them to carry on with further training of their acting and singing skills. Also a second section exists known as the FAB trust which is open to all and sundry who prove they have a viable interest in becoming a performer and like the ‘Princes Trust’ will award bursaries up to 10k for training purposes.

All in all, is the tide not turning for televised talent shows after so many years of absolute tosh.

If you have not watched ‘How do you solve the problem of Maria’ so far .. if I were you I would not miss Saturdays Final.

In the first show of the X Factor series we see highlights from the Manchester and London auditions, including this years open day at Old Trafford where a record breaking 17,000 people turned up to try and impress the judges. And if the first day in Manchester is anything to go by, with arguing mother-in-laws, Madonna wannabes, and set destroying dance moves it is going to be a long stretch for our judges!

First in the audition room is 40 yr old landscape gardener Tim who believes he has not only the voice to impress the judges but also the moves – he’s been practising his routine for the last 6 months with huge encouragement from his long term partner Debbie. Unfortunately for Tim Simon is less than impressed, “I’ve go absolutely no idea why you had any encouragement whatsoever. It is about as bad as it can possibly get�.

Next up is 16 yr old student Shaun Rogerson, who has a slight problem overcoming his nerves, he stumbles over his words and stops half way through his audition visibly shaking, with the judges taking pity on him Sharon suggests that he takes a break and comes back later when he has calmed down. But will his nerves get the better of him, or will he be able to impress the judges second time around?

At the London auditions Simon has a surprise for Sharon and Louis, in the form of the fourth judge, with Simon believing that when they see who it is “they are going to have to raise their game, in fact I will have to raise my game�. And arriving six hours later than expected, in walks guest judge Paula Abdul, much to the delight of Sharon who is thrilled to have a fellow female on the panel.

54 yr old Donna believes she has the potential to be the next international superstar just like Madonna. Singing Madonna’s hit “Like a Prayer�, she is “praying� that she will impress the judges enough to make it through to the Bootcamp, but Simon is less than impressed “amazingly we’ve missed off the first part of your name, mad Donna�.

But there are some treats in for the judges and some acts do appear to have what the judges are looking for. First through to Bootcamp are three sisters Karen Claudia and Natasha otherwise known as Pure Liberty who at last bring a smile to the judges faces especially Paula’s, “I adore you guys you’re so much fun and so talented�.

It doesn’t stop there with more “yes’s� from the judges coming for 21 yr old receptionist Leona, who impresses Simon so much he gives a rare comment of praise, “Absolutely fantastic a great audition�. And six piece harmony group The Unconventionals really make the judges day, despite Simon first thinking he was going to hate them, after their performance he declares that “we could bottle you lot and sell you because you have made every single person in this room smile�.

But the flow of positivity is shattered when 31 yr old Michael Jackson fan Onkar Judge walks into the room, after almost destroying the set with his dance moves and hurting the judges ears from his high pitched singing the judges are unanimous that it is one of the worst auditions they have seen so far. But Onkar doesn’t take it lying down shouting “Don’t judge the judge please because there is only one Judge, and that’s me, Onkar Judge�

But it is the final act of the episode that has Sharon and Louis in stitches, and all at Simon’s expense. Choir singer Lorraine, 52, from Manchester takes in some addition protection in the audition, in the form of her mother-in-law 86 yr old Edna! But when Simon laughs at Lorraine’s audition Edna is less than happy. “You laughed, you need to alter your ways Simon�, a sheepish Simon apologises and looks visibly embarrassed, but Edna doesn’t stop there, “you think you’re better than everyone, but I think you are ignorant, yes you were very ignorant Simon�. After apologising again and saying sorry to Edna, a word that rarely leaves Simon’s mouth, he leaves the audition room commenting “I have never been so humiliated in my life�.

Switch over to The Xtra Factor on ITV2 to see more exclusive auditions with Ben Shephard, including this week, 72 yr old Brian, who has a unique health tip to keep you looking young, by inserting raw cloves of garlic up his bum! Brian has been placing 2 or 3 cloves there for the last 19 years, which by our calculations means he has gone through over 70,000 cloves of garlic…! And 50 cent fan Marissa astonishes Ben with her own very crude rap song.