The Original. ALW Fears Musical Future- Page 3

[folkyboy]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 10:54pm

i love how Andrew Lloyd Webber said something different needs to happen with the musical genre lately when the exact thing that's wrong with it (huge monoplizing coorporations are taking over theatres) is something HE himself is doing in the West End.

he's definitely right in what he said. but still very much part of the Sound of F*ckin' Music problem....
Updated On: 8/3/06 at 10:54 PM

[loudasthehelliwant]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:01pm

I don't hate Webber, I don't love Webber. I enjoy Webber, sometimes a lot, sometimes not so much (depending on the show). even if you like Cats... I don't understand how someone who wrote that can criticize other shows for being nothing but fluff.

I wouldn't call the ending of Evita upbeat, but it's not deep, heart-wrenching, and the most powerful, meaningful thing ever.

Cats aside, look at what he is doing now.

Mr. Webber, who is currently looking for a Maria for THE SOUND OF MUSIC, says "Can you name me an interesting new one? The feel-good factor seems to be the main thing."

^Does anyone else see the irony?

[folkyboy]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:03pm

EXACTLY what i was gettin @, loudasthehell

[LouW95]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:06pm

The man certainly has earned the right to express his opinion and be listened to. No other person in modern day theatre comes close to his long running hits: CATS & PHANTOM. Like these shows or not, they have sold more tickets and employed more members of the theatre community than any other shows. You dont argue with that kind of success.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:10pm

He is looking for a leading lady on a tacky talent reality show on bbc1 ,doe's he not get who stupid he sounds?
How can he insult the state of the West End etc when he is using a dumbed down tv show to find a star.

If thats what theatre has come to then YES its in a state,so thankyou ALW.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:15pm

Hey, calm down, I think the reality tv is a bright idea. It makes musical theatre more popular and more approachable to many future theatre goers. Bombay Dreams was a flop in the US, although it ran for 9 months. In London it recouped and made money...so if you think every show that didn't last 5 years is a flop, then i guess it was a flop.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:16pm

It's not a brilliant idea, it's a publicity stunt and nothing more.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:20pm

I think it's a good idea, w/e.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:23pm

luvtheEmcee you are spot on

It was a cheap publicity stunt(and judging by the first show on the reality show ratings not a very good one)and was done to get his name back in the papers.

Muscle i know you love bombay and i enjoyed it to hun ,but i live in the UK and im telling you now that the show was a flop in the eyes of the press and going off his previous box office gross for other shows.
The show made its money back and then a slight profit but nothing to what it needed to keep the show open(like our show the beautiful game audiences fell away quick)and it seems to be a path all his shows are taking now(and im pretty sure evita will go the same way as bad word of mouth is spreading like wild fire in london and has recieved some of his worst reviews).The sad truth is he will never get another huge hit because he just cant cut it anymore,but he had a good run.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:30pm

Well, I still think his show will attract a lot of people to the theatre and I still think it's a brilliant idea. It's not gonna change my mind whatever you, or LuvtheEmcee says, and she always disagrees with stunt castings and it might not be the best idea for a show, but the truth is that it makes money, and Broadway shows want to make money. Look at Hairspray, the show was the only show that went up on the grosses while most shows had a slow week.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:38pm

As you know muscle im doing Footloose at the moment in london and we had two competition winners of a popular show called strictly dance fever get to join us on stage for 1 week in the chorus.
We already had high ticket sales but the producers were expecting there involvment to push us through the roof for that week but it diddn't and that TV show is massive here.
A lot of people stayed away from footloose that week in fact because people were saying it was tacky to put 2 Reality winners in to a show thats already doing well.
The week after they had left we sold out for the full week.

Chicago has also suffered in london from stunt casting,as did my fair lady and Grease.

So i dont think this will help the sound of musics cause at all im afraid.

Plus people really arent that excited about this show coming back to london which is always a worry when a huge show like that opens.

xx
Updated On: 8/3/06 at 11:38 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:54pm

I'm not trying to change your mind, I'm stating my opinion, which I've as much right to do as you.

I'm sorry, I don't think that cheap publicity stunts are any good for the state of the theatre itself. I would rather see shows close before they resort to casting people like Haylie Duff. I'm not trying to change your mind, but I stand firm. For God's sake, The Sound of Music is a classic, and it's going to be ripped to shreds in the name of making a buck. That's a disgrace. Artistic integrity shouldn't be sacrified because it's all about the money, and I disagree with cheap publicity stunts LIKE stunt casting because maybe, just MAYBE, I have a point. It shouldn't be excused just because it makes a buck or two.

ANYway, I think when you're discussing "flop" versus "hit," even though there is one "true" definition for each, you need to specifiy if you're talking critically or financially, because people tend to mix up the two.

Updated On: 8/3/06 at 11:54 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:57pm

"Plus people really arent that excited about this show coming back to london which is always a worry when a huge show like that opens"

-You can't state what "people" think- Just say "I am not excited, if the show is coming back, it means some people are excited and want to bring this show back"

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 8/4/06 at 9:04am

Who gives a ****? Webber is dead and we're all alone, as far as I'm concerned. Except for "The Likes of Us" (didn't like it) and "Cricket" (which I've never heard), everything I liked was a collaboration with Tim Rice. In particular, JCS is one of the few musicals I can sit through.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 8/4/06 at 9:41am

Muscle i am excited about sound of music coming back as ive never seen it on stage so its not my opinion.
The show has very little buzz here and since Evita opened and got mixed reviews combined with the reality show PEOPLE just arent that excited.
Some uk papers are saying it s going to be a disaster and one went as far as saying it could be the final nail in his coffin.
Working here and going to the bars after the show etc means we hear all the buzz about new shows but nobody is really talking about it,thats all i meant.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/4/06 at 10:13am

Meh. Lloyd Webber is just stating his opinion, which everyone else does as well. So what? I guess people get upset because he's one of the most successful musical theatre composers in the world. Like his shows or not, nobody can deny the unbelievable worldwide commercial success he has had with Cats, Phantom, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph, Starlight Express, and Evita. A catalogue of successes that can only be rivaled by Richard Rodgers. So yes, I believe his opinion is as valid as anyone around here. Why the hell not?

I know it's cool to say Cats was crap, but I liked it and I can certainly see why it was such a huge hit for so long. It was innovative, original, visually stunning and entertaining. Is it my favorite show? No. But when it opened, it was an amazingly unique theatrical spectacle that could not be topped until Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera came along. the general public like spectacle and entertainment, two things Cats provided for many years. Did it stay open too long? Absolutely, but as long as it made money, it deserved to run.

For the record, I loved The Beautiful Game (with the exception of a cuoople of songs) and Aspect sof Love remains my favorite Lloyd Webber show.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/4/06 at 2:25pm

hey, westendartist, did you ever meet that ben richards? he's hot!

i really do wonder what sir webber what thinking when he gave those statements about the state of west end theatre. i am sure he is doing well with the running of the theatres. but with all his wondering about the state of theatre, one wonders what he thinks the people really want to see.

he never really gives an answer. instead, the best he could come up with is the sound of music? and didn't he want Scarlett Johansson? i guess this is his vision of the future.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 1:31am

My favorite ALW show is "Sunset Boulevard". I got "The Likes of Us" the other day and I think it's quite interesting. It's so obvious to me his love of Rodgers & Hammerstein when listening to that score. There's some spots of these two scores (Sunset & Likes) I find incredibly creative.

Evita is a masterwork. Hnads down.

Most of his other stuff I could take or leave. But it all has it's redeeming moments. But then again let's be honest, Rodgers & Hammerstein aren't remembered for "Pipe Dream" or their lesser known shows, they're remembered for the biggies. Everyone has their few big shows and their other lesser known-duddy ones.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 1:35am

As "boring" as some of you guys think his shows are, he has been a huge success in London and on Broadway.

Wait why am I pointing this out...everyone should know this. I'm really tired once again.

[GodIHopeIGetIt]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 2:17am

I'm really quite disgusted with some of the people on this thread. Does international success (monetarily) make someone more creditable? I thought people on BWW agreed that the general public who's seeing these shows doesn't usually understand or see what is good theater. For god’s sake, Tarzan is still running!

Maybe Webber has some halfway decent work, but turning musical theater into a reality f’in TV show really just gives more of an opportunity for things like Legally Blond to come to the stage. He’s contradicting himself, and looks completely stupid while doing it.

Though Webber has the right to express his opinion (we all do, obviously), he doesn’t have to make a fool of himself.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 11:45am

GodIHopeIGetIt, i totally agree with ya!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 11:51am

"Maybe Webber has some halfway decent work, but turning musical theater into a reality f’in TV show really just gives more of an opportunity for things like Legally Blond to come to the stage. He’s contradicting himself, and looks completely stupid while doing it"

Im not thrilled to see "Legally Blonde" , actually, i didn't even like the movie. I wasn't thrilled to see TWS either and when i saw the musical i ended up loving it. So judging shows before you see them, is an ignorant thing to do.

Updated On: 8/5/06 at 11:51 AM

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 1:40pm

Excuse me, Sir Andrew, but this is news? There hasn't been a musical with a score of genuine musical substance since SWEENEY TODD. It's as if the form had one final burst of brilliance in 1979 and then, like a dinosaur lumbering to its inevitable death, exhausted itself completely.


Mayella Ewell
Maycomb, Alabama
Updated On: 8/5/06 at 01:40 PM

[Andrew Lowe Watson]

Posted: 8/5/06 at 10:29pm

As I share the same initials I am sometimes confused with Lord LW. Certainly his words confuse me. I found EVITA underwhelming, PHANTOM a gorgeous candy with flashes of real emotion, ASPECTS pretty yet tedious, SUNSET patchy and WOMAN IN WHITE an operetta in all but name.

He is best when writing rock operas. JCS is probably his best score, and there is some cool stuff in TELL ME ON A SUNDAY and WHISTLE. I never got to CATS and can't say I regret it although you have to admit MEMORY has given comfort to millions of elevator passengers.

In short, he has a way with a tune, but does not have the musical skill to develop it.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 1:46am

When anyone else can write a musical that has the successful staying power of 18 to 20 years, THEN, and ONLY then do you have the right to complain about Mr. Lloyd Webber's comments. "Legally Blond" will not be around for 20 years. Neither will "Wicked". Neither will "Dirty Rotten Scoundrals", or sadly "The Wedding Singer." Sorry, folks!