Le monde des musicals

Version 1

Fields of Ambrosia (The) (1996-01-Aldwych Theatre-London)

Type de série: Original
Théâtre: Aldwych Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Terrible flop
Durée : 1 semaine
Nombre : 13 représentations
Première Preview : Monday 22 January 1996
Première : Wednesday 31 January 1996
Dernière : Sunday 11 February 1996
Mise en scène : Gregory S. Hurst •
Chorégraphie : David Toguri •
Producteur :
Avec : Joel Higgins (Jonas Candide), Christine Andreas (Gretchen Herzallerliebst), Mark Joseph (Jimmy Crawford), Mark Heenehan (Malcolm), Michael Fenton Stevens, Roger Leach,
Commentaires : This show has gone down in musical annals as one of the most gloriously awful shows of all time, making “Springtime for Hitler” look like a triumph of good taste.
In a sub-plot we are introduced to Jimmy Crawford, a wimpish young mortician who is gang-raped by two prisoners (and proceeds to sing a song “If it ain’t one thing, it’s another. . . I was just ten when I lost my mother”. As compensation, Jonas takes Jimmy for an orgiastic session at the local brothel. The prison warden, Malcolm, attempts to rape Christine, but then settles for one of the male prisoners. Jonas manages to get the prostitutes into the prison as part of his plan to recue Christine - and so it goes on! This most preposterous story includes two shooting fatalities, a public execution, and a dramatic fire explosion at the end as the lovers float heaven-wards in a cloud of dry-ice and fairy lights. An all-time stinker that closed almost as soon as it opened, it had been enthusiastically received in its 1993 premiere in New Jersey, USA., but lost its entire £1.3 million investment in London.
Presse : I'm writing this review one hour after seeing this musical. Why so quick? Because I don't think it will be on very long, in fact, it might not last the week at this rate. I estimate that the theatre was only about a quarter full, maybe even less and this it's first Saturday of opening. I can't see how they can afford to keep it on very long with such small audiences particularly when it has a cast of over twenty .
This is not your ordinary musical. The story tells of a executioner who falls in love with his first woman victim, and how he tries to help her. There are some bizarre scenes and I question the taste of the show at times.
The music and singing isn't that bad, with the best singing performance by Marc Joseph who plays Jimmy Crawford, he sang "Alone" quite wonderfully.
(Darren Dalglish)