28 February 2014

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...

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...

27 February 2014

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...

11 February 2014

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...