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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 4:47:54 GMT
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19,855 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 3, 2016 4:52:54 GMT
If he can't make Stephen Ward work in London then this one ain't gonna fly.
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Post by viserys on Jun 3, 2016 5:48:56 GMT
Depends on who writes the book I suppose. Stephen Ward had quite a bit going for it, but the book was terrible and didn't give us a chance to engage with anyone. Stephen Ward, the "society osteopath" hobnobbing with girls half his age wasn't someone I could really get interested in. I would have loved to find out more about the two girls, their motivations, thoughts, feelings about it all. Instead we got a big whiny "I luuuurve my man"-ballad from someone who hadn't really featured throughout the show (Mrs Ward).
I read about the story of the first Botswana president and his English wife a while ago when writing about Botswana history and it is a fairly interesting story about two people defying plenty of obstacles on their way to love and success. ALW showed in "School of Rock" that he can still write terrific tunes. So this COULD fly. If he'd finally get together with a really good writer to come up with a book better than Stephen Ward or the abysmal Love never dies.
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Post by westendwendy on Jun 3, 2016 5:57:07 GMT
He needs to stay away from these types of shows and go back to something like Starlight or Cats. Imagine the Candlemakers Daughter type Lloyd Webber show.
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19,855 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 3, 2016 7:38:57 GMT
Oh god, no more acting like cats or trains. Just no.
All very well for him to be 'fascinated' by a jazz loving Botswanan president and his missus but it doesn't exactly chime with most people does it?
Let's go see that musical about the phantom kidnapping a child star opera singer and hiding her in his lair! TICK
Let's go see that musical of Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard with GLENN CLOSE in a turban! TICK
Let's go see that musical about that ruthless Argentinian hooker who slept her way to the top, sings fab songs then dies. TICK.
Let's go see that musical about a jazz loving Botswanan president and his wife! *insert sound of party pooper here*
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19,855 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 3, 2016 7:41:32 GMT
Let's go see that musical about the drag queen and the bus.... Tick!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 8:00:31 GMT
Evita only works in that comparison because you know the show. If it was opening now there would be the same reaction as you're having to him possibly doing this. The race element to their story could create the drama and conflict it would need to be compelling, I agree it would need a strong book but it could work.
Although it feels like he is maybe trying to create a new evita
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Post by anita on Jun 3, 2016 9:17:29 GMT
Sounds awful but then you could say the same of Evita.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 9:21:07 GMT
I think this could be quite good. Interesting topic.
Agree a lot will depend on the book.
I honesty think ALW is at the stage of his career where he doesn't care if things will be commercial but he will write about what interests him.
He was passionate about the whole Stephen Ward story. Hearing him talk about it before it opened though he seemed to know it wasn't gonna be a commercial success.
That said I agree with the above and would LOVE another Cats or Starlight.
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Post by bellboard27 on Jun 3, 2016 9:29:06 GMT
ALW may have possibly identified an interesting story and might produce a decent musical. However, it might be very hard to grab people's attention. So it might turn out to have some mild positive critical response, but not be commercial.
He could update Starlight Express - instead of trains it could be electric vehicles that rush around the stage for two and a half hours but so quietly no one can hear anything!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 9:40:38 GMT
Something like this he would be wise to try out at somewhere like the menier or Chichester. Something smaller scale with a good reputation.
He also needs to write it then leave it alone. Surrounding himself with so many years yes men hasn't helped in in recent years.
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Jun 3, 2016 9:43:17 GMT
Something like this he would be wise to try out at somewhere like the menier or Chichester. Something smaller scale with a good reputation. He also needs to write it then leave it alone. Surrounding himself with so many years yes men hasn't helped in in recent years. Surely this is exactly what he's bought St James Theatre, er... sorry The Other Palace, for - smaller scale and with a reputation (he hopes to develop) for trying out new work? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 10:01:27 GMT
It doesn't have a reputation as yet and he owns it, not really the independent aspect his shows need really. He needs to work with Cameron again, someone who will stand up to him
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Post by horton on Jun 3, 2016 10:05:34 GMT
They both need people to stand up to them.
The crucial part of the formula will be who works as his lyricist ad/ or book-writer.
Julian F seems to have found a good working method but the lyrics will need to be a lot more sophisticated than School of Rock- Glenn Slater...
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Post by CG on the loose on Jun 3, 2016 10:19:17 GMT
It doesn't have a reputation as yet and he owns it, not really the independent aspect his shows need really. He needs to work with Cameron again, someone who will stand up to him Sorry, was meant to a somewhat tongue-in-cheek reply, I forget you can't hear my tone when you read it... ;-) |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 11:11:40 GMT
With pretty much everything ALW writes people say that it's a crazy idea and doesn't have a hope of success. Then when one of his shows does turn out to be successful they say it's because he always plays it safe and goes with the guaranteed hits.
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Post by Jon on Jun 3, 2016 11:57:36 GMT
With pretty much everything ALW writes people say that it's a crazy idea and doesn't have a hope of success. Then when one of his shows does turn out to be successful they say it's because he always plays it safe and goes with the guaranteed hits. School of Rock probably was ALW's safest ideas but I think after Stephen Ward he wanted to something more fun. ALW wanted to do The Master and Margarita as a musical but decided to do Love Never Dies instead so it'll be interested if he sticks with this idea. I think he should pick a lyricist who hasn't worked with him before rather go with Don Black and Christopher Hampton or Glenn Slater. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 12:12:45 GMT
Charles Hart. Get him in. But don't insult him this time by calling him in after the first chap's effort didn't work.
Couldn't agree more about someone standing up to ALW. He's become more and more eccentric in his old age... Someone needs to say, "Look, this really isn't very good BEFORE we are allowed to see it." Then it will save us all these endless rewrites, and reworkings that some of us have paid to see in the past.
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Post by danielwhit on Jun 3, 2016 13:48:07 GMT
If there's one thing ALW has managed to do over his career it has been to take seemingly non-commercial topics and make successful shows out of them.
For example..
Jesus Christ with guitars? Who ever thought that would fly.
A musical on rollers?
TS Eliot poems performed in lycra?
OK - he's misfired a few times, but he tries to not be too obvious and for that I'm not going to dismiss anything he comes out with this early on as being a non starter.
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Post by horton on Jun 3, 2016 14:01:43 GMT
ALW's instincts are not that great at times:
Joseph, JCS and Evita- all originated with Tim Rice
Jeeves- that one was ALW...
Cats- was born out of a desire to not have to work with another bloody lyricist
Starlight- ALW really wanted to do Thomas the Tank Engine but couldn't secure the rights
Phantom- his vision in first draft a campy Rocky Horror-style show (have you heard the original demo? Oy!)
After that we the hit and miss period- with the exception of Sunset which is generally considered some of his best work, but even that had the whole re-opening shenanigans!
His undeniable talent has been in developing international markets for his successful works.
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7,251 posts
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Post by Jon on Jun 3, 2016 14:08:38 GMT
Jeeves- that one was ALW... I thought Jeeves was Tim Rice's idea but he dropped out so Alan Ayckbourn came in to replace him as both lyricist and book writer. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2016 18:10:15 GMT
I wonder if Lloyd Webber should consider doing these risky new musicals with a subsidised theatre like the National or Chichester. Not that he should be afraid of losing money of course seeing as he's minted!
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