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Post by chernjam on Aug 19, 2019 21:57:30 GMT
Unfortunately, I doubt Jim Steinman will ever come to London again. He’s too ill, and couldn’t even make it over for Bat Out Of Hell. Had no idea that Steinman was ill... that's sad to hear |
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Post by steve10086 on Aug 19, 2019 22:06:20 GMT
Unfortunately, I doubt Jim Steinman will ever come to London again. He’s too ill, and couldn’t even make it over for Bat Out Of Hell. Had no idea that Steinman was ill... that's sad to hear Yeah, he’s been pretty bad for a few years  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2019 22:46:55 GMT
I was listening to some of the score today, as i've not played it in years. It's a real mix of song styles and some work better than others, but some of it is very Jim Steinman. Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts is still a guilty pleasure. It's so bad i love it.
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Post by chernjam on Aug 20, 2019 3:07:04 GMT
I was listening to some of the score today, as i've not played it in years. It's a real mix of song styles and some work better than others, but some of it is very Jim Steinman. Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts is still a guilty pleasure. It's so bad i love it. Its funny how when the score first debuted (with the all-star "covers" album first) how many people speculated that Steinman wrote the music rather than ALW. Was surprised that the score never got the play over in the states that it did in the UK. I remember thinking if Backstreet Boys had recorded "No Matter What" rather than Boyzone, it probably would've been a hit here as well |
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 21, 2019 14:32:32 GMT
Reading Gerald Schonefeld autobiography who was one half of the Shubert's theatre organisation with Bernard Jacobs the other half, they both loved British 'super-musicals' and made a lot of money from them.
However Gerald had quite a torrid time convincing the producers of Big to close at their flagship Shubert theatre, but the producers saw sense as losing so much each week wasn't healthy. They had a new show lined up to go in, which happened to be Whistle Down the Wind, which we know didn't happen after that terrible and fatal Washington try out.
I love the score and is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's underrated score, the song 'Unsettled Score' is just breath-taking, Kenwright's production cut this glorious song. One of the last songs 'Nature of the Beast' is dark, chilling and awesome, excellent trade off between the man and swallow. Also the title song has me humming, especially sung by Tina Arena.
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Post by westlondon on Aug 21, 2019 14:48:44 GMT
Reading Gerald Schonefeld autobiography who was one half of the Shubert's theatre organisation with Bernard Jacobs the other half, they both loved British 'super-musicals' and made a lot of money from them. However Gerald had quite a torrid time convincing the producers of Big to close at their flagship Shubert theatre, but the producers saw sense as losing so much each week wasn't healthy. They had a new show lined up to go in, which happened to be Whistle Down the Wind, which we know didn't happen after that terrible and fatal Washington try out. I love the score and is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's underrated score, the song 'Unsettled Score' is just breath-taking, Kenwright's production cut this glorious song. One of the last songs 'Nature of the Beast' is dark, chilling and awesome, excellent trade off between the man and swallow. Also the title song has me humming, especially sung by Tina Arena. Kenwright’s version didn’t cut it. The full song was relocated to Act 2 and the Act 2 reprise was cut...I think... |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2019 14:49:23 GMT
The title song is a complete earworm and difficult to shake once I think about it. Like I am now.... ugh.
No Matter What I could happily never hear again!
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Post by richey on Aug 21, 2019 16:51:15 GMT
No Matter What I could happily never hear again! Whilst I agree the Boyzone version has become tiresome,I loved the original stage version with different lyrics and sung by the two groups of characters on the split level stage. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2019 18:38:12 GMT
No Matter What I could happily never hear again! Whilst I agree the Boyzone version has become tiresome,I loved the original stage version with different lyrics and sung by the two groups of characters on the split level stage. Oh couldn't agree more. The ALW/Cullen in-show arrangement was epic and with the amazing split level staging was one of the best Act 1 closers in the West End. Defying Gravity eat your heart out. It couldn't have been more different from the Boyzone cover. Kenwright really made this show worse sadly. Remember reading in the programme when it was at The Palace that he loved the story and had asked ALW if he could add rewrites and "bring the story out more." ALW said yes. Kenwright added dialogue and made it longer. IMHO no ALW show needs more dialogue - in fact frankly I would remove most of it. Plus the cheap staging and horrendous choreography it didn't work for me. But respect for Uncle Bill I guess - reading his notes, he clearly did find the story genuinely moving and thought it was lost in the original staging. (Although it's funny how he thinks EVERY story is better with 'simple' (aka cheap) staging) It's not something I often feel - I tend to get more emotional the bigger the staging. ALW and Bill must be very close. ALW is so obsessed with quality and yet time and again he lets Bill take out these cheap tours. Not sure why. Wish he would treat the UK touring scene with more respect like Cam Mac. Is no coincidence that Phantom and Cats are the only ALW shows that keep touring in versions related to the originals.... ANYWAY, I digress. This thread is gonna look daft as the Hello Dolly one if we are talking about the wrong Whistle. When will we find out what The Union are actually doing? |
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Post by AddisonMizner on Aug 22, 2019 19:03:39 GMT
I have to say, I will be really disappointed if it isn’t the ALW version. I’ve been listening to the score all week after previously not knowing it much at all.
It sounds great, and whilst it is reminiscent of previous Lloyd Webber, there are some real ear worms in there.
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Post by Oleanna on Aug 22, 2019 19:18:20 GMT
Well if it's not the ALW, the Union are going to wish it was! Judging by this thread, there's certainly an appetite for it.
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Post by stevej678 on Oct 4, 2019 18:00:34 GMT
An advert for Whistle Down The Wind in the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes programme confirms it's NOT the Lloyd-Webber.
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Post by xanady on Oct 4, 2019 18:27:39 GMT
Is it the Hello Dolly version,then?
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Post by AddisonMizner on Oct 4, 2019 19:54:34 GMT
That is a real shame. Maybe we will see a revival by somewhere else in the not so distant future.
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Post by anita on Oct 5, 2019 8:58:15 GMT
An advert for Whistle Down The Wind in the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes programme confirms it's NOT the Lloyd-Webber. Well that saves me some money then! |
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Post by rob359 on Nov 5, 2019 11:26:33 GMT
Not the AWL Version. I agree about saving the money and not going to see it.Anyway, I'd rather see 'A Christmas Carol' at the Old Vic.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2019 14:37:18 GMT
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Nov 8, 2019 2:17:26 GMT
I had no idea until I read it here that there was a pre-ALW Whistle Down The Wind musical.
I see from Wikipedia it is the same story but with completely different songs. I can't locate a CD or any detail of previous performances.
Has anyone seen it and how does it compare with the famous version ?
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Post by rob359 on Nov 9, 2019 15:29:43 GMT
Music and Lyrics by Richard Taylor - never heard of him ?
Neither have I.
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Post by robertb213 on Nov 30, 2019 12:33:23 GMT
Anyone seen this yet? I can't decide whether to take the plunge or not. I've seen the ALW version so the collector part of me feels I ought to.
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Post by notmymuse on Nov 30, 2019 23:19:02 GMT
Just to answer some of the previous posters, I was in this myself many years ago so know it fairly well.
It's very different to the ALW version. It puts the action in England (Yorkshire I think) and that makes for a very different piece, and is obviously less commercial. It stays far truer to the original film. I am very biased as I loved being in it, but I think it's a great musical. The score is lovely, although less catchy than ALW's.
I met Richard Taylor at a workshop years ago. He's written quite a lot including Flowers for Mrs Harris (Chichester and Sheffield) and The Go Between (which had a West end run a couple of years ago). If I was in London soon I'd love to check this out.
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Post by Theatre Fan on Dec 1, 2019 0:16:54 GMT
Just to answer some of the previous posters, I was in this myself many years ago so know it fairly well. It's very different to the ALW version. It puts the action in England (Yorkshire I think) and that makes for a very different piece, and is obviously less commercial. It stays far truer to the original film. I am very biased as I loved being in it, but I think it's a great musical. The score is lovely, although less catchy than ALW's. I met Richard Taylor at a workshop years ago. He's written quite a lot including Flowers for Mrs Harris (Chichester and Sheffield) and The Go Between (which had a West end run a couple of years ago). If I was in London soon I'd love to check this out. Oh that makes me much more interested. Loved, loved Flowers For Mrs Harris, that definitely should of had a London transfer x |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 1, 2019 9:05:49 GMT
Just to answer some of the previous posters, I was in this myself many years ago so know it fairly well. It's very different to the ALW version. It puts the action in England (Yorkshire I think) and that makes for a very different piece, and is obviously less commercial. It stays far truer to the original film. I am very biased as I loved being in it, but I think it's a great musical. The score is lovely, although less catchy than ALW's. I met Richard Taylor at a workshop years ago. He's written quite a lot including Flowers for Mrs Harris (Chichester and Sheffield) and The Go Between (which had a West end run a couple of years ago). If I was in London soon I'd love to check this out. What’s the location for the ALW version? |
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Post by ptwest on Dec 1, 2019 9:25:45 GMT
ALW's version was set in Louisiana so it was performed with strong deep south accents as well as touching on the racial tensions in the area. It would have taken a huge rewrite to set it back in Yorkshire sadly.
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Post by robertb213 on Dec 1, 2019 10:07:02 GMT
I'm afraid I left at the interval last night, I found it tuneless and rather dull. But hopefully others will enjoy it 😀
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