Does ALW just need to throw in the towel? — Page 2

Anyone who wants someone who feels the impulse to create to stop that drive doesn't understand the concept of creativity - or of its place in the collective consciousness of society. Even if people were only creating what most would perceive as 'bad art', they would not be spending their time on destructive things - like making war, or tearing down other artists.

Frankly, if you were to use your intellectual energy to create something, rather to waste time wondering whether someone else should be doing the same or not, I might feel you serve some purpose. As it stands now, you're wasting board space and other people's time and energy.

I have to add this.

I read the original post earlier today, and it just didn't sit well with me. So when I came back this evening, I just jumped in and ranted - and THEN I went back and saw who wrote the original post. Carl is actually someone I've liked on this board for some time, so I don't want to leave my stated opinion at, "you serve no purpose." But I think it's obvious that I have somewhat strong feelings about this subject.

No, BUT he needs to collaborate more and stop trying to be the "star" of his shows. As a composer he is this generation's Ivor Novello - writing lush operettas around spectacular scenic effects. (Novello - for those who don't know - wrote some of London's biggest hits of the 1930s and 1940s: GLAMOROUS NIGHT, CARELESS RAPTURE, THE DANCING YEARS, PERCHANCE TO DREAM & KING'S RHAPSODY. For those who already knew that, forgive the digression.)

But operetta went out of fashion in the 1930s.

What has driven the musical in the post-Hammerstein era is the text. Lyrics (and dialogue) are what give a show its backbone. CATS lacks a strong narrative. The lyrics for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, and ASPECTS OF LOVE are embarrassingly awful. And all three shows have uninteresting books. SUNSET BLVD has a great book but it is ruined by ALW's failure to infuse it with any live theatre spirit: he simply replicates the movie on stage setting much of the dialogue to recitative-style music. When the big songs come along they simply restate what has already been covered, and do not advance the action.

Note that STARLIGHT, ASPECTS, SUNSET and now WOMAN have all been critical and financial failures even though STARLIGHT and SUNSET ran over 2 years each. All that seems to indicate is the mass audiences didn't buy into these shows. They did buy into CATS, but it tapped the family and tourist market. I am at a loss to explain what PHANTOM has remained so popular for so long: people tell me they respond to the romance of the piece. I was totally unmoved by it, though I did appreciate Hal Prince's masterful staging. (On the other hand I was incredibly moved by PASSION, which left a lot of people cold.)

But none of this should prevent ALW from trying Broadway (or London) again: If his show is good or at least entertaining it will be a success. If not it will be another failure. But with so few new musicals coming along we should never be suggesting throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

---

Ok wow. The original intent of this post was built to create a discussion. If in my wording I offended than know I didn't mean that.

I need to edit the point I made about england. Yes they do enjoy other things other than spectical with no substance. Some of the best actors and pieces of theatre the world has ever seen have come from England. That is why it boggles my mind that shows such as Starlite Express and We Will Rock You, enjoyed huge sucess. To the point that Starlite was at one point, and correct me if I'm wrong, the longest running show in London. However the second longest running production in broadway history is CATS.

I think I have to agree most with the post that said ALW hasn't changed his style since the 80's. It isn't the 80's anymore.

Yes I agree that it's just good that he creates new pieces of theatre. I have made it evident that I am not the biggest fan of ALW post Cats. I personally think EVITA is a/his masterpiece.
However having new and fresh ideas on broadway trumps a jukebox musical or an Urban Cowboy any day.

The point here was to discuss opinions, which you have all given me in abundance. I will not appologize for disliking ALW or feeling that his day has passed.


Oh and to compare ALW and Stephen Sondheim is rediculous. And the argument of "Sondheim hasn't had many financial hits" can't really be considered when he is widely regarded as a genius. Sondheim is in a totally different league as ALW and has always been.

---

No! ALW is very talented. Even though "The Woman in White" wasn't a financial hit either on Broadway or London. It is a beautiful show. It is a show i would actually define as "artistic", Webber's last production, and yes...again "Bombay Dreams" wasn't written by him, but it was his production and his idea, and he was very involved in every detail of the show. Was a huge hit in London. Not as successful on Broadway. It still had a 4 million ticket sales the day it opened in NYC(I posted the article from playbill on my Bombay Dreams thread), anyhow...ALW has graced us with Sunset Blvd., Evita, Joseph, Bombay Dreams, The Woman in White and I think he keeps getting better and better and taking risks and trying to do stuff that is "different", i hope he doesn't throw in the towel in at least 20 years, besides he gives jobs to a lot of talented people.

---

Updated On: 2/9/06 at 12:05 PM

I feel like his musicals have always been much more popular in England than they have here. Evita, Cats and POTO were/are both sucesses in both countries, but most of his other work has been more sucessful in London. If he wants to continue composing, then he should. But if his shows have been hits on the West End and flops of Broadway, why does he transfer them here?

---

Certainly not. He is quite young as broadway composers go. Maybe he should take a leaf out of my book and start writing classical music. I have had nine shows produced in the last thirteen years and wrote my first opera in 2004. Believe me, it's much more fun as you don't get your best songs cut by the director at the last preview. He wants that freedom, that power, he should definitely write an opera .