IDENTICAL (The PARENT TRAP musical) to premiere in the UK in 2020

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 10:48am

Stiles & Drewe writing the score, and Trevor Nunn directing.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/The-Hunt-Is-On-For-Identical-Twins-To-Star-In-New-Musical-IDENTICAL-Based-on-THE-PARENT-TRAP-Directed-by-Trevor-Nunn-20190924

Weirdly, I was JUST thinking the other day: "how long before Parent Trap becomes a musical?" And here we are! The re-make is very close to my heart, and I think the story has the potential to be a really charming musical.

I'm a little skeptical about Stiles & Drewe though. I LOVE their Peter Pan score (better than the Comden/Green/Charlap score IMO), but I haven't been blown away by the other work of theirs that I've heard. And in general, I don't trust the British to write good musical theatre scores (I can think of some exceptions, but that's the problem: they're exceptions). Unpopular opinion, maybe, but that's just how I feel based on my experience. But at least the Peter Pan score gives me some hope that they are capable of writing music that I like. 

And while Trevor Nunn is a perfectly capable director, I have to wonder how well he'd do with a light-hearted comedy like this.

But while I have my doubts, I'd still really like to see this! Hope it comes to this side of the pond in some form or another! 

EDIT: I just re-read the article and realized they are changing the name to "Identical," which I don't think is nearly as good a title. But maybe they're going to try to make the story their own. Reminds me of the golden age of musical theatre when adaptations used to have different titles from the source material. 

Updated On: 9/24/19 at 10:48 AM

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 10:55am

Lindsay Lohan should absolutely play the mother.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 11:05am

The fact that they are searching for identical twins means this is going to be near impossible to keep going. Identical twins who can sing and act 8x a week? I dunno...

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 11:25am

Valentina3 said: "Lindsay Lohan should absolutely play the mother."

Stage vet, Erin Mackey famously acted as Lohan double/stand in for the duration of the film and she would actually make a great Mother in the stage musical.

i agree with the title “identical.” Just seems pointless to not have the same name as the film.

[Tag]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 11:33am

This will be a logistical nightmare.  Especially if they make it to the West End where child labour laws mean 4 sets of kids.

Also what happens if one of the twins is sick or something.  Or has to go out mid-show?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 11:47am

Agreed. There's no way this could have mass commercial appeal because you'd always need a set of identical twins in the right age range, etc. Seems silly. 

[cbj97]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 11:54am

If only this had happened about 8 years ago when my identical twin sister (and we happen to be redheads who were often called mini Lindsey Lohans growing up) and I were in the right age range! 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 11:57am

I think the logistical nature of twins can be achieved on stage whether they're truly identical or not. Audiences will buy that they're twins if the authors set up that world correctly. They will need similar heights/body types, identical wigs, and mannerisms. That fits with the story, too: part of the conceit of Parent Trap (and Mrs Doubtfire) is that the person being "tricked" is too caught up in their own mind to fully notice that something is off. In Parent Trap, the house staff and grandfather make the connection; in Doubtfire, the daughter and social worker each figure it out.

Interestingly, it's the second "Disney property" that's getting a stage adaptation of the novel: Doug Hodge is writing a 101 Dalmatians musical for the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2020. (Not to be confused with the Jerry Zaks-directed 101 Dalmatians musical that toured, disastrously, about 10 years ago, and also was not based on the Disney film.)

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 12:26pm

You mean Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner weren't identical twins?  Next, you'll tell me that Emily Padgett and Erin Davie weren't identical twins either.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 12:45pm

Producer Kenny Wax says: "It's a wildly ambitious project which will stand or fall on whether we can cast identical twins who the audience cannot tell apart. Without that, there will be no show. So our challenge over the next nine months is to scour the country and leave no stone unturned until we find our Lottie and Lisa."

They're looking for identical twins, so, for the time being, discussing ways how they can work around it is beside the point.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 1:00pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I think the logistical nature of twins can beachieved on stage whether they're truly identical or not. Audiences will buy that they're twins if the authors set up that world correctly. They willneedsimilar heights/body types, identical wigs, and mannerisms. That fits with the story, too: part of the conceit ofParent Trap(and Mrs Doubtfire)is that the person being "tricked" is too caught up in their own mind to fully notice that something is off. InParent Trap, the house staff and grandfather makethe connection;in Doubtfire,the daughter andsocial worker each figure it out.

Interestingly, it's the second "Disney property" that's getting a stage adaptation of the novel: Doug Hodge is writing a101 Dalmatiansmusical for theRegent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2020. (Not to be confused with the Jerry Zaks-directed101 Dalmatiansmusical that toured, disastrously, about 10 years ago, and also was not based on the Disney film.)"

While you're spot-on that the reason the twins are able to trick people in The Parent Trap is because those people are so wrapped up in their own business, the only reason Mrs. Doubtfire is found out as Daniel is that Matt walks in on Daniel using the bathroom in his Mrs. Doubtfire drag.

[seaweedjstubbs]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 3:33pm

Call_me_jorge said: 
i agree with the title “identical.” Just seems pointless to not have the same name as the film."

I’m pretty sure they can’t use the name The Parent Trap because Disney owns that name, and Disney is not involved in this production. This show is based on the book the movie is based on, Lottie & Lisa. I’m sure this is a title that Disney has at least thought about musicalizing, but even they might see the difficulties that needing identical twins who can sing dance and act would bring.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 4:17pm

I'll be curious to see how this turns out as well as that 101 Dalmatians musical. I had plans to see the US tour but it closed early. Hopefully this new version will be better. I still think it's a fun idea for a musical.

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 4:30pm

I love both the original and remake Parent Trap so am very excited to see this production. Hopefully it works out well.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 5:41pm

They should announce simultaneous US and UK productions, then swap casts without telling anyone

 

(yes, a joke)

[raddersons]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 5:49pm

Let's get together, yea yea yea!

[bk]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 6:31pm

The headline posted here says "based on The Parent Trap."  If this is, as someone stated, based on the original Erich Kastner novel, Lottie and Lisa, why are they using the name The Parent Trap, which they have no right to use.  And I do hope everyone understands, The Parent Trap is a specific screenplay based on the book.  If people are saying Disney is not involved that means that ANY plot points peculiar to the Disney film or its remake cannot be used and I should think that would extend to the character names, too.   All seems odd to me, frankly.  I see they're cagey in the press release about saying it's based on the novel, but the novel was NEVER EVER called The Parent Trap.  They can say the novel inspired The Parent Trap but they can't say the novel was called that.  I'm sure Disney will be watching this.

Updated On: 9/24/19 at 06:31 PM

[seaweedjstubbs]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 7:43pm

The musical is named IDENTICAL, not THE PARENT TRAP.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 7:50pm

bk said: "The headline posted here says "based on The Parent Trap." If this is, as someone stated, based on the original Erich Kastner novel, Lottie and Lisa, why are they using the name The Parent Trap, which they have no right to use. And I do hope everyone understands, The Parent Trap is a specific screenplay based on the book. If people are saying Disney is not involved that means that ANY plot points peculiar to the Disney film or its remake cannot be used and I should think that would extend to the character names, too. All seems odd to me, frankly. I see they're cagey in the press release about saying it's based on the novel, but the novel was NEVER EVER called The Parent Trap. They can say the novel inspired The Parent Trap but they can't say the novel was called that. I'm sure Disney will be watching this."

In that case, I revise my joke. They should announce simultaneous productions in Munich and Vienna, and then switch casts without telling anyone (which may be actually possible, given EU employment laws)

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 7:56pm

raddersons said: "Let's get together, yea yea yea!"

Always lovely. 

This just reminded me of the part in the remake where one of the twins sings this to herself in the hotel lobby. I always forget about that little tribute to the original they put in there! 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 9/24/19 at 8:06pm

bk said: " I see they're cagey in the press release about saying it's based on the novel, but the novel was NEVER EVER called The Parent Trap."

It is now:

[bk]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 1:20am

Oh, dear.  The title, however, belongs to Disney.  And clearly this production would be using it if they could.