Le monde des musicals

Version 1

Witches of Eastwick (The) (2000-06-Drury Lane Theatre-London)

Type de série: Original
Théâtre: Drury Lane Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 7 mois 1 semaine
Nombre : 255 représentations
Première Preview : 24 June 2000
Première: 18 July 2000
Dernière: 24 February 2001
Mise en scène : Eric Schaeffer •
Chorégraphie : Bob Avian • Stephen Mear •
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Avec: Ian McShane (Daryll Van Horne), Lucie Arnaz (Alexandra Spofford), Joanna Riding (Jane Smart), Maria Friedman (Sukie Rougemont), Rosemary Ashe (Felicia Gabriel), Stephen Tate (Clyde Gabriel), Caroline Sheen (Jennifer Gabriel), Peter Jöback (Michael Spofford), Gee Williams (Fidel), Sarah Lark (Little Girl), Jasna Ivir (Gina Marino), Tim Walton (Joe Marino), Anne Marie McCormack (Gretta Neff), Kevin Wainwright (Raymond Neff), Lisa Peace (Marge Persley), Shaun Henson (Homer Persley), Earl Carpenter (Reverend Ed Parsley), Kathryn Akin (Brenda Parsley), Jocelyn Hawkyard (Rebecca Barnes), Nick Searle (Toby Bergman), Valda Aviks (Eudora Bryce), Matt Dempsey (Curtis Hallerbread), Scarlett Strallen (Mavis Jessup), Julia Sutton (Franny Lovecraft), Chris Holland (Frank Ogden), Alison Forbes (Mabel Ogden), Maurice Lane (Dr Henry Pattison), Jean McGlynn (Marcy Wills)
Commentaires : Based on John Updike’s novel and the film version starring Jack Nicholson, the musical version initially earned mostly positive reviews, but failed to fill the vast Drury Lane auditorium. After seven months it was replaced with a scaled-down version and moved to the more intimate Prince of Wales Theatre. A number of scenes were re-written and the song “Who's the Man?1” was replaced with a rousing gospel number, “The Glory of Me”. At the same time Ian McShane left and was replaced by his understudy, Earl Carpenter. At the end of its first year a general cast change saw Clarke Peters take over as Darryl van Home and Josefina Gabrielle and Rebecca Thornhill replaced Lucie Arnaz and Maria Friedman. On Oct 27th, 2001 the show closed after a 15 month run. There had been a disastrous drop in ticket sales, attributed to a downturn in tourism following the September 11th Twin-Towers attack in New York.
Presse : SHERIDAN MORLEY for TELETEXT says, "This is in every possible sense a magical show; written, composed, choreographed, designed, directed and played to within inches of perfection." He goes on to say, " The Witches of Eastwick is the musical that starts the 21st century, and it will be a hard act to follow."

EDWARD SECKERSON for THE INDEPENDENT, says "The enjoyment factor is high, the production values sky-high." He goes on to say it is a "likeable and beautifully mounted show".

MATT WOLF for REUTERS/VARIETY, also generally liked the show, saying, "As long as its leading ladies join forces vocally, not to mention aerially, the show flies.. As it happens, that's often enough to keep director Eric Schaeffer's production mostly airborne, despite some dead patches in the second act and a game if underpowered leading man..... When he's not attempting to sing or dance, McShane cuts an attractive roue who matches up perfectly to the ``bearish, dark man'' described in Updike's novel."

BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES, says, "Dana P. Rowe's music remains refreshingly tuneful, whether it opts for the energetic and brash or for the soft and slightly soppy. John Dempsey's rhymes are never feeble or silly, though seldom very clever. But I caught myself wishing for a dash of Sondheim or Weill, a pinch more toughness and acerbity, along with the fingernails and frogs in the witches' brew."

NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD gave the show a mixed review saying, "Of the 20 songs, some inspiring frenetic choreography by Bob Avian and Stephen Mear, just one, the witty Dirty Laundry, boasts the impact of a hit. And Maria Friedman also plays powerful, poignant vocal gymnastics in Words, Words Words. But though Rowe's score achieves snatches of symphonic excitement and drama, this is a musical where the scenes between songs and music provide most of the fun and amusement."

ROBERT HEWISON for THE SUNDAY TIMES says,"There are many things to be enjoyed in The Witches of Eastwick."

MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "Devil of a good sex fantasy set to music." He goes on to say "Ian McShane as the devil may not have all the best tunes but, after a long absence from the stage, he overflows with energy and a leering, saloon bar smuttiness." Billington goes on to say that "Maria Friedman is outstanding...Joanna Riding is also sharply funny."

SUSANNAH CLAPP for the OBSERVER says, "It's a bubbling cauldron, but it's not spellbinding. The Witches of Eastwick, the catchy and colourful new musical production from Sir Cameron Mackintosh, has lots to recommend it. What it lacks is an original pulse, and a dynamic leading man."

CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "WHAT a relief. After a string of duds this year, the West End finally has a new musical worth making a song and dance about."

Version 2

Witches of Eastwick (The) (2001-03-Prince of Wales Theatre-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Prince of Wales Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 7 mois 1 semaine
Nombre : 251 représentations
Première Preview : 23 March 2001
Première: 23 March 2001
Dernière: 27 October 2001
Mise en scène : Eric Schaeffer •
Chorégraphie : Bob Avian • Stephen Mear •
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Avec: Ian McShane (Daryll Van Horne), Lucie Arnaz (Alexandra Spofford), Joanna Riding (Jane Smart), Maria Friedman (Sukie Rougemont), Rosemary Ashe (Felicia Gabriel), Stephen Tate (Clyde Gabriel), Caroline Sheen (Jennifer Gabriel), Peter Jöback (Michael Spofford), Gee Williams (Fidel), Sarah Lark (Little Girl), Jasna Ivir (Gina Marino), Tim Walton (Joe Marino), Anne Marie McCormack (Gretta Neff), Kevin Wainwright (Raymond Neff), Lisa Peace (Marge Persley), Shaun Henson (Homer Persley), Earl Carpenter (Reverend Ed Parsley), Kathryn Akin (Brenda Parsley), Jocelyn Hawkyard (Rebecca Barnes), Nick Searle (Toby Bergman), Valda Aviks (Eudora Bryce), Matt Dempsey (Curtis Hallerbread), Scarlett Strallen (Mavis Jessup), Julia Sutton (Franny Lovecraft), Chris Holland (Frank Ogden), Alison Forbes (Mabel Ogden), Maurice Lane (Dr Henry Pattison), Jean McGlynn (Marcy Wills)
Earl Carpenter replaced Ian McShane as Daryll Van Horne on March 23, 2001 / Clarke Peters replaced Earl Carpenter as Daryll Van Horne on July 1, 2001 / Josefina Gabriel replaced Lucy Arnaz as Alexandra Spofford on July 1, 2001 / Rebecca Thornhill replaced Maria Friedman as Sukie Rougemont on July 1, 2001 / Paul Spicer replaced Peter Jobak as Michael Spofford on July 1, 2001 / Elizabeth Yeats replaced Jasna Ivir as Gina Marino on July 1, 2001 / Christopher Howell replaced Kevin Wainwright as Raymond Neff on July 1, 2001 / Amanda Villamayor replaced Kathryn Akin as Brenda Parsley on July 1, 2001
Commentaires : Based on John Updike’s novel and the film version starring Jack Nicholson, the musical version initially earned mostly positive reviews, but failed to fill the vast Drury Lane auditorium. After seven months it was replaced with a scaled-down version and moved to the more intimate Prince of Wales Theatre. A number of scenes were re-written and the song “Who's the Man?1” was replaced with a rousing gospel number, “The Glory of Me”. At the same time Ian McShane left and was replaced by his understudy, Earl Carpenter. At the end of its first year a general cast change saw Clarke Peters take over as Darryl van Home and Josefina Gabrielle and Rebecca Thornhill replaced Lucie Arnaz and Maria Friedman. On Oct 27th, 2001 the show closed after a 15 month run. There had been a disastrous drop in ticket sales, attributed to a downturn in tourism following the September 11th Twin-Towers attack in New York.
Presse : Most of the popular press like the new version better than the original... BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, “The show has been somewhat rejigged…… I thought the music was still bright and brisk, if not acerbic or inventive enough, the lyrics remained above-average, and the repartee funnier than I recalled.”

CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, “Now it has transferred to the smaller Prince of Wales, McShane has been replaced by the great Clarke Peters, and The Witches of Eastwick looks like a brimmingly confident smash hit.” THE DAILY MAIL says, “Did I enjoy it more this time round? Well, yes, actually. Not a lot, but a bit. “

THE EVENING STANDARD says, "This comic operetta has been given a shot in the erogenous zones through its casting of Clarke Peters as the devilish seducer....Eric Schaeffer’s production bustles with ardent singing, dancing brio and broad humour."

SHERIDAN MORLEY for TELETEXT says, "It still looks, a year on, like work in progress and that is what gives it such fascination: in here somewhere are about five quite different musicals."

ROBERT HEWISON for THE SUNDAY TIMES says, "Josefina Gabrielle, Joanna Riding and Rebecca Thornhill are warm and sexy." He goes on to say, Clarke Peters is "entertaining", but "what had been a musical comedy has become a comedy musical".

RHODA KOENIG for THE INDEPENDENT was not too impressed saying, “After his promising entrance, Peters turns out to be about as sexy and subversive as Burt Reynolds trying to embarrass a female guest on a chat show.”

Version 3

Witches of Eastwick (The) (2002-08-Princess Theatre-Melbourne)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Princess Theatre (Melbourne - Australie)
Durée :
Nombre :
Première Preview : 19 August 2002
Première: Inconnu
Dernière: 17 November 2002
Mise en scène :
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Star(s) :

Version 4

Witches of Eastwick (The) (2003-03-Kinoaktyor Theatre-Moscou)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Kinoaktyor Theatre (Moscou - Russie)
Durée :
Nombre :
Première Preview : 27 February 2003
Première: 12 March 2003
Dernière: Inconnu
Mise en scène : Janusz Josefowicz •
Chorégraphie : ???? ???? •
Producteur :
Star(s) :

Version 5

Witches of Eastwick (The) (2007-06-Signature Theatre-Arlington)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Signature Theatre (Arlington - Etats-Unis)
Durée : 1 mois 1 semaine
Nombre :
Première Preview : 05 June 2007
Première: 05 June 2007
Dernière: 15 July 2007
Mise en scène : Eric Schaeffer •
Chorégraphie : Bob Avian • Stephen Mear •
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Commentaires longs: The authors made numerous changes to the show. Numbers were abbreviated (Eastwick Knows), cut (I Love A Little Town) and added (Your Wildest Dreams). Scenes and songs were re-arranged, and the production received positive notices.
Presse : The Washington Post reviewer wrote that "The musical adaptation has way more kick than the wispy 1987 film…. It's on the technical level that [Eric Schaeffer]'s production still has kinks to work out, for until the actresses are airborne… the mechanics look and feel clunky." BroadwayWorld.com stated that "director Eric Schaeffer certainly pulls The Witches of Eastwick all together… does it ever succeed." CultureVulture.net commented that the show is "full of body-shaking thunder, raunchy behavior, and surprises. Gut reaction based on the performance seen June 17 says this show will make it to Broadway and be reasonably successful there." Talkin' Broadway wrote that the "Broadway actors… give memorable and funny performances in the four lead roles…. Choreographer Karma Camp gets a chance to show off in this production."

Version 6

Witches of Eastwick (The) (2008-08-UK Tour)

Type de série: UK Tour
Théâtre: UK Tour ( - Angleterre)
Durée : 8 mois 2 semaines
Nombre :
Première Preview : 23 August 2008
Première: 23 August 2008
Dernière: 09 May 2009
Mise en scène : Nikolai Foster •
Chorégraphie : Geoffrey Garratt •
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Commentaires longs: This entirely new production incorporated many of the changes made for the American Premiere as well as making yet more (re-expanding Eastwick Knows and a new reprise of Dance with the Devil to bring the exorcism scene to a close).