Attempts at intellectual discussion
Okay so two points before we begin... Firstly, I'm not sure 'discussion' will be quite accurate as it'll probably just be me going on a bit of a meander and I'm not figuring on anyone else weighing in, though of course feel free should the mood take you. Secondly, I did say 'attempts', lets not kid ourselves that this will be a definite resounding success in such regards.
Today's subject comes from a very quick discussion Dario and I had last night sitting in the front row at the Apollo waiting for our Ruthie to appear... err I mean, for the play to start. I happened to mention some of the new shows coming to the West End I'm looking forward to seeing, when I got to Ghost Dario pulled a face at me not too unlike contempt. I may have swayed him slightly with my bit of impassioned defence but the discussion then encompassed the impact of film adaptations and juke-box musicals on the West End and new British theatre.
My defence of film adaptations in principle is this: musicals have always been divided as 'Original' or 'Adaptation'. Either they are a completely new story (the book) with new lyrics written and new orchestrations scored. Or they are a reworking of something we already know, add in a bit of music and away we go. Of course traditionally adaptations came from the source material of novels and plays, but as we have come to include film and television in our forms of media then of course it should follow that stories from those forms be fair game for adaption to the stage. Adaptations for stage are not 'remakes', or at least they shouldn't be! The purpose, the goal, for these shows should be to bring something new to a known story that couldn't be achieved any other way than with it being told through live performance and music.
Three of our most recent film adaptations to grace the West End are Legally Blonde, Sister Act and Flashdance; essentially they are all show stoppers with heart. The first two I was none too impressed by the idea of them based solely on their being film adaptations but was won over when I saw them. I suspect what was different in my initial reaction to Flashdance was firstly that I had not seen the movie, but more importantly that I had learned from the previous two to judge each show on the merits of watching/listening to it rather than where the story came from.
However, there is a downside if adaptations are made purely because they are a recognizable commodity. I'm gonna go with my own personal opinion here that that's how Thriller and Dirty Dancing not only managed to claw their way in to the West End but the fact that they are still holding out. Just because something is popular with the masses (in the case of DD the women on drunken nights out and for Thriller the MJ fans still after a fix) and turns over quite a bit of cash does not intrinsically give them any artistic or creative value.
I hold out hope that Shrek does not fall into this category. I'm not especially keen on the music purely from the recording but have been assured by those who've seen the Broadway production that it is a fine show. My feelings remain mixed for the West End transfer, mostly due to quite a bit of what appears to be 'stunt casting' of well know names to the lead roles. Of course they could be great stage talents perfectly suited to the show so I shall hold out judgment (though we all remember the disappointment that was Lee Mead's Fiyero).
Spiderman (though not a direct adaption of the film(s) but certainly fuelled by its success) appears to be all commercial grandstanding. No I haven't seen it, but comments I make are based on a wide variety of sources reporting on both the good and the bad of Spidey's somewhat haphazard stage life so far. It has no story whatsoever, even the traditional and basic origins of Spiderman story (pretty much the first film as I recall) has been abandoned in favor of some drivel that would never have even made the pages of the comic book. Apparently this is presented through just as dire dialogue and unexpectedly bad music from U2. We can only hold out hope that the latest re-writes (after actually halting the never ending preview shows) can breath new life into it in the way that the few weeks shutdown dedicated to the reworking of dialogue and staging over at Love Never Dies seemed to have done. Having read up on the set design alone I am desperate to see the constructed cityscape and skyline and watch it transform as though turning a comic book page; then of course there are the much talked about aerial stunts, but I don't want all this at the expense of a heart. I want a story that makes me feel something beyond the spectacle, I want dialogue with words that sink in to your brain, that grip you and won't let go. I want music that stays with me as an experience not just noise buzzing round inside my head after I leave the theatre.
Another worry is that this worst type of adaption, the big sell, may also breed the idea that a star name is 'required' for a show. I’m not knocking all ‘celebrities’ that have trod the boards, I have huge personal love for many survivors of our theatrical themed reality TV shows and escapees from soapland. Even those with less stage experience have inevitably learned the fundamentals of stage acting, singing and dancing in the course of their training, they’re just lucky enough that a little bit fame can give them the extra boost for that chance to shine. What I don’t approve of is the ‘stunt casting’ of those people (I hesitate to say actors cos most are just dregs of celebrity culture) who don’t seem suited to a role at all, or simply have no talent what-so-ever, getting jobs at the expense of hardworking and gifted ‘unknown’ actors simply because their name on a poster will flog more tickets.
I find I have a greater personal aversion to the concept of Juke-Box musicals as a whole over film based ones... well, at least to those I consider to be 'bad' Juke-Box musical (and they seem to be easier to come by in this sub genre than in any of the others) This may be because I am a great fan of not just new music but of music that is specifically shaped to a story and to its characters. What I want to hear from musical theatre is a libretto that has its own continuity running through it. I don't just like 'songs' from shows, it's the score, the recurring themes, the fact that it alone should be able to convey the emotion and feel of a show even on it’s own without the Book or even the lyrics. If you can achieve that from one genre or group or artist's catalogue of music then I am most definitely impressed. I think We Will Rock You achieves this in its molding of such vastly different songs, and especially the vivid language, to its very own world. And I adore Priscilla Queen of the Desert (a film adaptation and Juke-Box musical! Surely the spawn of the devil?)
I think the whole discussion, all the good and the bad, is exemplified by the production of Love Story that just recently finished it’s short run at the Duchess in it’s West End transfer from the Chichester Festival. It is a film adaption, though this in itself was an adaption of a novel. However it was a marvelous showcase of great new British writing for the music, retelling a story most people would know or at least be aware of, led by young up and coming acting talents Emma Williams and Michael Xavier. However it was pushed out of the west end too soon for lack of commercial success, though it earned 3 Olivier Award nominations. Tragically taken from us too soon, guess we can all see the irony there.
So, any conclusions? Yes, I will continue to see film adaptations. I’ll go see the ‘all singing, all dancing, all (insert whatever new trick they’ve come up with now here)’ shows. But I’ll also see the concerts of new writers and composers and anxiously await their next project. I’ll see cabarets showcasing an array of spectacularly talented actors and singers. I’ll see the short runs of original musicals both British and American in venues like Trafalgar Studios and the Donmar, tucked away in between the flash of the main West End theatres. I’ll see Off West End revivals I’m too young to have seen first time round and tryouts of hopeful little shows wanting to make it big. I’ll drive my ass to regional theatres to see tours of the shows I’ve seen before, that I miss not being on my doorstep anymore; and shows that I can’t be certain will ever make it to London Town.
Those who choose to only go to see (or are only ever aware of) the first type of show are the ones missing out on the best experiences theatre has to offer. All you can hope is that that first show inspires them enough to wander off the beaten path a little and discover what else is out there. A show that can do that is always worthy of being in the West End no matter its origins.