Whistle Down the Wind N A Tour?

Posted: 5/8/07 at 6:59pm

What's the Whistle Down the Wind? I'm not the biggest ALW fans but one of my happiest theatre surprises was how much I enjoyed the Gayle Edwards production which I saw on a whim in London--I know the tour in England made the show more "kiddie" cutting some of the darker stuff--which completely seems wrongheaded to me--I've heard the production also felt pretty cheap. I hope it's not that...

E

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 5/9/07 at 3:19am

As far as I know, yes, it's the Bill Kenwright travesty. Not the Gale Edwards version

Posted: 5/9/07 at 4:23am

That's a shame (though I imagine the Gale one would be hard to tour I suppose with that double decker set)- It does sound liek it was cleanere dup for Families (though I haven't heard the new song with DOn Black lyrics). While the show is far from perfect, like I said I have a lot of affection for that version and it's too bad the first exposure to the show for many Americans will be the new one

Posted: 5/9/07 at 6:45pm

Hahah there doesn't seem to be much interest anyway

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/9/07 at 6:52pm

Whistle Down The Wind: a prime example of when awesome scores and bad books mix.

Posted: 5/9/07 at 7:24pm

What book? *grin*

I don't wanna start seeming like some kinda Whistle fanatic cuz I find it very flawed but I do think the original London production, despite itself in spots, worked really well. I wish there was more video documentation of it--even some youtube clips (I haven't found any anyway)

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 7:52am

"Whistle" was supposed to go to Broadway after the Washington D.C. production. It would premiere at the Martin Beck Theatre, April 1997. That didn't go ahead because Lloyd Webber and Steinman weren't happy with it. The show was revised (heavily, I heard. I don't know anything about the Washington version) for the London run. But the damage had already been done. Canceling "Whistle" on Broadway was obviously a major setback. Only now is it entering the States (in that crummy, watered-down Kenwright version *sigh*). I doubt it will reach New York.

The sad thing is, with the London show, it was "almost there". They never really refined it on the tour because Kenwright ruined it, IMO, with his production.

Still, "No Matter What" recorded by Boyzone is (apparently) the greatest selling single from a musical ever.

Updated On: 5/10/07 at 07:52 AM

Posted: 5/10/07 at 8:31am

I've heard the London version was darker than the Prince version (surprising knowing Prince--but darker IMHO suits this material better). I agree that its failure in the US probably tainted the image and idea of importing the Edwards version (I'm not sure how well it woulda done anyway--some shows play better in London--witness Aspects of Love which ran in England around the same number of shows as Whistle but was a flop on Broadway)

But either way it is a wasted opportunity and too bad this watered down version (even if ALW seems pleased with it) is becoming what people remember of the show

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 8:58am

I agree.

Before Washington D.C. it was supposed to be a film. This is why Patricia Knop is the librettist. Knop wrote the screenplay for "9 1/2 Weeks" and more. When Lloyd Webber and Steinman initially discussed doing "Whistle", it was going to be a sort of lowkey film. Knop wrote the screenplay and it got as far as a director and some cast (I don't know any names.) When it was presented at the Sydmonton Festival, everyone said it should be a stage-show.

Basically, they had to revise the screenplay into a "libretto" which Knop wasn't used to. If you look at the credits of the London production it reads "Book by Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards and Andrew Lloyd Webber". The Washington version was just Patricia.

My point? Maybe it would work better as a film

Updated On: 5/10/07 at 08:58 AM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 3:16pm

So it is touring? Is there a list? is it Non-equity?

[kyle.]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 3:50pm

I just got in email from "Broadway in Detroit" saying it will be playing there in January or February of 2008. I would double check but I deleted the email.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 3:52pm

One of my favorite Webber scores. I would love to see the tour if it ever comes near me.

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:31pm

Rockfenris since you seem to be the resident Steinman fan here (well at least the most knowledgeable) do you knwo a basic lists of changes between the Edwards production and the current tour? I know that the kinda dark Charlie Christmas was removed and replaced by a song with Don Black lyrics with the generic name "The Gang" and that all in all the show is made much more of a family "look at the kids" musical (I thoughtthere was enough of the kids in the London original--actually to their credit I kinda hate kids in musicals and for the most part the Whistel ones didn't over cute me). Any word on the set which surely must be much simpler (Whistle's worked almost like a mini version of Sunset Blvds with its two levels rising and lowering)

I think I saw it with the second London cast--who were ace--I know David Shannon who played The Man is currently starring in the much hit Dublin Sweeney Todd and I saw Mary Poppins herself, Laura Michelle Kelly as Swallow.

[turquoisefish]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 7:33pm

I saw this twice when it was the filler after The Woman in White, before Spamalot in London.
I liked it and loved the end of act one with the real version of no matter what. I hate the boyzone version being put on CDs of musical songs, in my opinion the stage version is much more powerful.
It is more family friendly than the original one, but if you don't know the original version (or listen to the CD) you wouldn't really know.
I hope you get a great cast, as that will make up for the shortcomings.

Posted: 5/10/07 at 7:47pm

Well out of context the Boyzone one is much more pleasing to listen to and was a huge hit--I'm not a big fan but I admit as far as easy listening pop goes I turn it up when I hear it. But I agree it's pretty different in the show

What was the set like?