Why Andrew Lloyd Weber is a Genius

I wanted to take the time this week musical theatre enthusiasts to argue a point to the converted. Andrew Lloyd Weber is a genius, despite his many idiosyncrasies.

Simon Morris readers if you are really musical theatre enthusiasts you must know about Andrew Lloyd-Weber. Even people who don’t like musicals know him. He’s the man responsible for some of the greatest musical productions in history. He’s the man responsible for my own personal favourite, Evita.

However he isn’t universally praised. There are a lot of people, both in the industry and out in the public, who have a less than favourable view of the musical theatre icon and this has, in some eyes, tarnished his reputation. This is for two reasons.

The first is how difficult his productions can be on their stars. Patti LuPone played the original Evita and she had a lot to say about the production’s creator. She often said that he must hate women to make a part that difficult; a part that required so much singing and dancing and provided no relief whatsoever.

So the first criticism is that he doesn’t consider the needs and capabilities of those people attached to his projects. There’s certainly been evidence over the years to support this type of claim.

The second reason is that he is very hit and miss. He created the masterpiece that is the Phantom of the Opera; a musical that has gripped minds and hearts throughout every single land in this world. The Phantom of the Opera is often touted as one of his best works and many think that it will live on long after his death.

However he decided to write a sequel for this much loved production. The sequel, Love Never Dies, was the biggest flop of his career. It was unbelievably awful. Nobody, not even his most ardent of fans could stand it. It was so bad it was actually offensive.

So does this make Andrew Lloyd-Weber as maligned a figure as his critics would have him? No, I don’t think it does, He certainly has his faults but all the best artistic geniuses do. You don’t reach perfect without screwing up. You don’t reach perfect without playing it safe.

That’s the key to Lloyd-Weber’s success; he doesn’t play it safe. It means that whilst he fails and does so drastically, when he succeeds, he creates something that is destined to entrance audiences for generations to come. 

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Why Celebrities Shouldn’t Take on Broadway

One of my pet peeves is when a classic musical production decides to do a little stunt casting and ropes in a celebrity. It infuriates me. This is why this week, Simon Morris readers, I want to take the time to rail against celebrity stunt casting.

Don’t get me wrong, it really can work and when it does it’s amazing. Hugh Jackman, for example has taken to the stage numerous times and it works; he’s a genius when it comes to musical theatre. Same with Neil Patrick Harris; he’s born for the stage. Even Nicole Sherzinger’s two day turn as Maureen in Rent is one I liked.

But that’s because these people were trained in musical theatre. They spent years learning their craft and it’s often where they started out their careers. This means that even though they are now famous for other areas of their career, they have the talent and charisma to take on these iconic roles and make them their own.

However there are so many instances of celebrity casting where the celebrity in question does not have the acting ability or the vocal chops to take on the role in question. It’s clear that they’ve been casted purely to draw people in and I believe that this damages the integrity of the production.

Take Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame as an example. Even in that she was terrible and then she was assigned the role of Mimi in the two day production of Rent at the Hollywood Bowl in LA. Complete disaster. She should be ashamed of herself for the performance she gave.

Then there are the timing issues. These celebrities don’t have a lot of time in their calendar. Most musical theatre stars spend months, if not a year or two in the role. This is good because it allows them to settle into the role and make it their own.

However celebrities are known for only staying in these roles a short time. Take Martine McCutcheon, who won the role of Eliza Doolittle. Her performance rate was 48%, it was pathetic. Despite rave reviews it’s clear she couldn’t commit to the role and this left many patrons disappointed.

There are some celebrities who can take on a musical theatre role and make it their own. However there are some that really can’t. These people should never again darken the stages of some of our most beloved productions. 

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Anne Hathaway Killed It and This is Why

Anne Hathaway managed to bring a new dimension to classic show tune ‘I dreamed a dream’ in the movie version of Les Miserables and I want to explain why her performance breathed new life into one of musical theatre’s most enduring hits.

People were sceptical when Anne Hathaway won the pivotal role of Fantine in the long awaited movie version of popular musical Les Miserables. They doubted that her vocal ability, despite being good, was up to the performance of Fantine’s signature tune.

It’s easy to see why people may believe that; this song has been belted out by some of the best in the business. Theatre icons including but not limited to Barbara Streisand, Patti Lu Pone and Idina Menzel have all at some point in their careers tackled this song and brought people to tears with their renditions.

If Hathaway had chosen to emulate these icons she would have fallen flat on her face; she can’t belt like they can. However she didn’t and in my opinion it was this that made it work. More, her haunting rendition of the track breathed new life into it and brought it to a whole new generation.

When the song is usually performed it is a waling lament; the big notes are almost screamed to the heavens and the leading lady takes on an air of the hysterical. Hathaway could easily have tried to cast her version of Fantine in this light.

However she chose to make her Fantine a more broken creature. The version she sang of the song was quiet, withdrawn and purely broken hearted. She made Fantine less of a hysterical melodramatic character and more one that had just been broken by all the horrific things she had been through in her life.

Quite frankly I thought it was a very real interpretation. Fantine was a woman with a little girl to support who had lost all her chances in life. ‘I dreamed a dream’ is her absolute lowest point, she can’t take it anymore and Hathaway’s muted notes reflect this. She just gives up.

The great thing about musical theatre is that you can interpret the characters over and over again. You don’t have to have one as gospel truth and this allows you to get a fresh perspective on the show you are watching, Simon Morris readers, every single time a new actor comes to fill those large shoes. 

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Why Madonna Really Was the Perfect Choice for Evita

One of the biggest questions people ask when talking about musicals that have been made into movies is one I want to address today. Was Madonna really right for the part of Evita?

As a fan of the film I have to say that she was. I know that this is a hotly contested opinion so I’ll start with why the reasons people think she shouldn’t have taken the role aren’t that important.

The big issue is obviously the vocal ability. Madonna does not have the range, by far, of original Evita, Patti Lupone. However movie musicals inherently require less belting; after all belting is for theatres so people at the back can hear. The movie medium means this isn’t necessary (see Anne Hathaway and ‘I dreamed a dream.’

The other issue is Madonna’s acting ability, which has often been called into question in the past. However I would contest that Madonna wasn’t really acting so much as bringing an element of her own personality forward for the role.

There’s a reason that Madonna won a Golden Globe for the role. I believe this was because the material girl could identify with the role of Eva Peron. In acting if you can find a bit of yourself in the role it makes it a whole lot easier.

We all know that Madonna is probably one of the most ambitious women on the planet. Eva Peron was too. This innate thirst for success has seen both women establish reputations for pushing the boundaries no matter the cost. Both women are often considered both saints and sinners.

I also believe that Madonna’s ability as a performer did her credit. No one knows how to put on a show like her. Have you ever been to one of her live shows? From start to finish you fall under a trance as she seduces you into her world. She brought this skill and flare for the dramatic to the role of Eva Peron and you could see it shine through right from the first note of ‘Eva Beware of the City.’

This highlights a key point, Simon Morris readers, about how to turn musicals into movies. You have to believe what you’re seeing on screen. This is why Madonna was the perfect choice for Evita; she made us believe the story.

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