Le monde des musicals

Version 1

Carnaby Street (1997-08-Arts Theatre-London)

Type de série: Original
Théâtre: Arts theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Salle : Main Stage
Flop
Durée : 2 semaines
Nombre : 20 représentations
Première Preview : Wednesday 06 August 1997
Première : Thursday 07 August 1997
Dernière : Saturday 23 August 1997
Mise en scène : Terry John Bates •
Chorégraphie : Richard Whennel •
Producteur :
Avec : Kevin Curtin (Jude), Michelle Connolly (Lady Jane), Richard Shelton (Jumpin’ Jack), Danny Edwards (Lily the Pink), Gina Murray (Ruby Tuesday), Elizabeth Price (Rock Bottom)
Commentaires : Tacky, depressing, poor singing, over-amplified and incoherent sound, dreadful lyrics, monotonous music and dire choreography, merely a string of third rate songs (27 of them) played by a competent band and performed by an incompetent bunch of actors - these were just some of the words used by the critics. “Carnaby Street is certainly far out - though not far enough for my liking”.

Version 2

Leonardo (1993-06-Strand Theatre-London)

Type de série: Original
Théâtre: Novello Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Flop
Durée :
Nombre : 44 représentations
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première : Thursday 03 June 1993
Dernière : Inconnu
Mise en scène : Charles Miller •
Chorégraphie : Terry John Bates •
Producteur :
Avec : Paul Collis (Leonardo), Jane Arden (Lisa), James Barron (Francesco), Hal Fowler (Melzi), Lisa Hollander, David Alder, Adrian Beaumont.
Commentaires : This has to be one of the most bizarre shows in the history of musical theatre. It was the brainchild of Duke Minks, former road-manager for the 60s pop group Unit 4 Plus 2, and now an advisor to the Republic of Nauro, a Pacific Island (pop. 8,000) whose major export was guano (bird-droppings rich in phosphate). He persuaded the Nauro Government to finance this £2 million musical from its guano profits as a way of raising its international profile. The President of Nauro hosted a lavish first-night party for many international and show business guests. Because “Leonardo” followed the disastrous “Which Witch”, it could not be described as the “worst musical ever to hit the West End”, but for most critics it came close. The general reaction was summed up as: “Leonardo is marginally more entertaining than a pile of guano - but not a lot”.

Version 3

Tess of D'Urbervilles (1999-10-Savoy Theatre-London)

Type de série: Original
Théâtre: Savoy Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Flop
Durée : 1 mois 4 semaines
Nombre : 77 représentations
Première Preview : Saturday 30 October 1999
Première : Wednesday 10 November 1999
Dernière : Friday 08 January 1999
Mise en scène : Karen Louise Hebden •
Chorégraphie : Terry John Bates •
Producteur :
Avec : Poppy Tierney/Phillipa Healey (Tess), Maxine Fone (Young Tess), Jonathan Monks/Robert Irons (Angel Clare), Alasdair Harvey (Alec D’Urberville)
Commentaires : Adapted from Thomas Hardy’s novel. The critic Bill Hagerty summed it up as “Thomas Hardy’s heroine Tess was a mess, wretched and doomed, and the musical at the Savoy is much the same” This was a sung-through show which included country dancing by “buxom elderly milkmaids frolicking on the kind of village green last seen in Palladium pantomimes circa 1955” (The Spectator). At the opening performance the role of Angel Clare was played at the last moment by the understudy, Robert Irons, replacing Jonathan Monks (“who had the good fortune to be unwell” - Mail on Sunday). The show was universally criticised for its mind-numbing banality, and its musical hubris. It ran for ten weeks.