Le monde des musicals

Version 1

Beautiful Game (The) (2000-09-Cambridge Theatre-London)

Type de série: Original
Théâtre: Cambridge Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 11 mois 1 semaine
Nombre : 391 représentations
Première Preview : Tuesday 05 September 2000
Première : Tuesday 26 September 2000
Dernière : Saturday 01 September 2001
Mise en scène : Robert Carsen •
Chorégraphie : Meryl Tankard •
Producteur :
Avec : Frank Grimes (Father O ’Donnell), Ben Goddard (Del), Hannah Waddingham (Christine), Michael Shaeffer (Thomas), David Shannon (John), Josie Walker (Mary), Dale Meeks (Greg), Jamie Golding, Alex Sharpe, Diane Pilkington, Nic Greenshields, David Lyons
Commentaires : This show truly divided the critics. Some claimed it was a powerful, dark, intelligent musical, containing some of Lloyd Webber’s most sophisticated and deeply-felt music; others claimed it was a one-sided, patronising Romeo and Juliet rip-off, mis-matching over-romanticised music with an over-done tale of murder, knee-capping and internment camps. The show ran for just under a year, closing on September 1st, 2001. A re-written version was performed in Canada in 2009 with a new title “The Boys in the Photograph” and a happier ending. The song "Our Kind of Love" was replaced with a new song "The Boys in the Photograph" and several other songs were cut. (However, “Our Kind of Love” would be re-worked and appear in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s later musical “Love Never Dies”.)
Presse : The show has received 'reasonable ' reviews from the popular press. None of the press have been shouting from the roof-tops on how good it is, but then none have rubbished it either…..
BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "Elton doesn't always seem aware of the line between the simple and the clunky. But Webber not only extends his musical range but comes up with two or three lovely numbers, each packed with his trademark yearning." He goes on to say, "There are no truly exciting performances, but also no weak ones."

NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "A dramatic, pioneering musical that dares to make a song and dance of the troubles of Northern Ireland." He goes on to say, "Robert Carsen's well-drilled and paced production cannot disguise the fact that Elton's book allows dull romancing to overwhelm a brave, sharp shot at a controversial, politically motivated musical."

SHERIDAN MORLEY for TELETEXT, says, "Lloyd Webber's songs are intricately slotted into the storyline and many of them have a lilting, yearning charm." Morley ends his review with, "What this show suggests is that you no longer have to go to a musical having checked your brains into the cloakroom."

PAUL TAYLER for THE INDEPENDENT says, "The Beautiful Game has its moments, with full-throated, plangent anthems; the impossibly catchy melody of its message-song, "Our Kind of Love"; and the hard-edged, exuberant synthesis, in the kicking twirls and leaps of Meryl Tankard's choreography, of the movements of football and modern ballet." He goes on to say, "The trouble with the show is not the Celtic-tinged music, which is never less than decent, nor the lyrics which, though uninspired, aren't actively blush-making. No, the culprit here is the book."

CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Sadly, hopes that The Beautiful Game might prove a Northern Irish West Side Story are hardly realised. Indeed, at worst the piece comes over like Grease-meets-Riverdance with the odd bit of earnest Eltonesque moralising thrown in." However, Spencer goes on to say, "The music includes some of Lloyd Webber's most haunting and memorable ballads."

MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "Even if the musical falls at the last hurdle, it as at least trying something boldly different, and Lloyd Webber's score, with its echoes of Irish folk and ballad music, is his best since Aspects of Love."

JOHN PETER for THE SUNDAY TIMES says Andrew Lloyd Webber "romps home with his best work since Cats and his finest piece of musical theatre ever".