One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
#1One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/21/12 at 7:14pm
But No West End Show, where did it go wrong?
Updated On: 4/21/12 at 07:14 PM
Jonwo
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/16/06
#2One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/21/12 at 7:41pmAida was extremely expensive to run and barely made money. I imagine any West End transfer would have too costly and a risk although I do wonder whether they did look for a West End theatre for Aida before deciding against it.
#2One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/21/12 at 9:18pm
I;ve always been surprised they never managed to do it in London, I can;t see why it would be so expensive though, the set is not that technical, and the US tour managed to effectively scale down things.
I always just assumed posh people would snub it and laugh at how they changed up the story so drastically, I also preferred this to Billy Elliot by leaps and bounds.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27199361@N08/ Phantom at the Royal Empire Theatre
#3One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 1:44am
One of the cast recordings i do frequently listen too. I vaguely remember talk of this trying to come over a few years back but nothing happened.
For fun
Radames - Ramin Karimloo
Aida = Landi Oshinowo (sadly Heather is too old now)
Amneris - this role I struggle with casting, maybe Louise Dearman
#4One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 3:29am
I think the right theatre wasn't available at the right time.
Disney also feared a more sniffy attitude in the UK to an adaptation of the opera.
Beautiful set. Overly repetitive score, for me.
#5One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 4:07amThe Adelphi would be perfect for it
#6One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 5:20am
also Dame Elton has never really got praise for his musical theatre writing; the score is pretty dull for Aida (and Billy Elliot, Lestat and Lion King).
Shame, though, as it looks like a beautiful production - Bob Crowley is very good!
Nick Hutson
Co-Presenter/Producer
MusicalTalk - The UK's Musical Theatre Podcast
http://www.musicaltalk.co.uk
#7One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 7:18am
In fairness both Jonwo and Justin D are correct the show doesn't cost a fortune to operate, but it did take a long time to recoup, I guess this is due a very expensive try out that was scrapped pre-Broadway at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, with a very 'elaborate' set with a six tonne giant golden pyramid that could be spun in all directions, however this jaw dropping feature often broke down, the set was scrapped at a cost of $10m, another successful tryout at the Cadillac Palace, Chicago, happened a year later.
However a cost of a show is in the development, which producers wouldn't have to face in London, I would of thought if you done Aida spectacularly with a big name, it could of done 18 months at the Palladium or Drury Lane.
#8One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 10:29am
"the score is pretty dull for Aida (and Billy Elliot"
As always, it's down to individual tastes and opinions, but I could not disagree more with that statement! lol
I think both scores are full of great songs - VERY strong on melody and, in Aida in particular, some stunning lyrics.
IMO Billy Elliot is the best musical currently running in the West End and Aida is far stronger than many that are currently running.
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
#9One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 11:26am
I saw it with the original cast in New York and found it to be kind of a plodding affair. Amneris (Sherie Rene Scott) totally stole the show with "My Strongest Suit" simply because the number was so lively and fun in the context of so much soul-searching gloom.
Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!
#10One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 11:49amI found it dull, sorry
Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna
#11One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 11:52am
Yes - Billy Elliot is great musically - but Elton just scribbled down some tunes and handed them over to Martin Koch (notice how Martin won a Tony and Elton didn't?). The staging, direction and lyrics in BE - are amazing - and it's certainly the 2nd best British musical on at the moment, in my opinion.
The chordal and harmonic patterns in AIDA are all a bit too simplistic - often revolving around 1950s chord patterns... (I, vi, IV and V.. repeat; my strongest suit is an example of that).
I just don't think it has enough appeal for Mr and Mrs Jones from Dunstable to come and spend £60 on a show with their children. The draw of the composer and lyricist is not enough... which is why Billy Elliot is brilliant!
Nick Hutson
Co-Presenter/Producer
MusicalTalk - The UK's Musical Theatre Podcast
http://www.musicaltalk.co.uk
#12One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/22/12 at 12:34pmBased on CDs alone, personally I think Billy Elliott is better than Matilda
#13One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 2:58am
Yes, well Billy Elliot IS better than Matilda.
And Martin Koch deserves all the praise he can get. The man has been brilliant throughout his career and should be recognized as a key player in the evolution of the British musical!
#14One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 7:56am
I think the Matilda score is better than Billy Elliot, but the choreography is out of this world on the later, the best I have ever witnessed.
Billy Elliot doesn't really have songs that I can connect emotionally with, where Matilda has 'This Little Girl', 'When I Grow Up' and 'My House' which are all AWESOME, however I concede that board-member will say how wrong I am, which in turn they are not wrong, as at the end of the day, it is all down to the nuances of personal preference.
#15One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 9:04amYou're right, POL. It's all down to personal preferences and tastes etc. To me, the biggest sttrength in Billy Elliot is that it is full of songs that I feel emotionally moved by, while I found the songs in Matilda totally emotionless and melodically bland and boring. In fact I felt nothing at all when I saw Matilda - left me totally cold on every level and I didn't care about any of the characters, while both times I've seen Billy Elliot I was moved by its great emotional core, which emanates both from the dramatic strength of its book and the haunting beauty of the music.
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
#16One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 11:19am
The score was the only thing I liked about Aida. I thought the show was an uneven mess on Broadway. Sherie Rene Scott ran away with the show and Heather Headley was only strong when she was belting. Her acting was nothing more than mumbling or distracting wildly affected speech. The staging was ridiculous and bookending the show in the museum made zero sense when nothing in the show resembled the "ancient Egypt" referenced in the opening and finale. Sherie was the only reason I stayed for the second act, though I wish I could forget seeing the "laser love triangle". Ugh.
I didn't fall in love with Billy Elliot's score from the recording, but when I finally saw the show, it completely worked for me on every level. Unfortunately, it was up against Next to Normal that year. Otherwise, it probably would have won a Tony for score.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Updated On: 4/23/12 at 11:19 AM
#17One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 11:49am
Wish I'd gotten to see Sherie in Aida! Though, to be fair, Mandy Gonzalez (who I saw as Amneris) was superb. Michelle Williams was Aida and I preferred her vocals to Heather Headley. Would also have loved to see Adam Pascal as Radames, though again Will Chase was very good.
I agree with you, Mister Matt, that Aida as an entity was somewhat lacking in focus - but the score is SO good, I would love to see it again.
And yes, Billy Elliot did not stand a chance of the Tony for Best Score when up against N2N, which is one of the greatest scores of all time IMO.
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
#18One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 1:08pmBob, I agree with you completely re: Matilda, though I have not seen Billy Elliot. I have to say, however, that other than a couple of good songs, I find AIDA completely boring.
#19One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 2:51pm
It generally is a good idea to see a show, when advocating its merits against another.
I love Billy Elliot, it's one of my all time favourite musicals and have seen it 9 times now, Whilst the lyrics are very good, but not exceptional, there are songs that are funny, i.e. Grandma's Song, 'Born To Boogie' and 'Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher'. I cannot think of one song that yanks you in emotionally? The music is very mundane.
#20One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 3:08pmNot really if you are talking about music, its all on CD.
#21One Massive British Composer + One Colossal British Lyricist = One Gargantu
Posted: 4/23/12 at 3:46pm
"I cannot think of one song that yanks you in emotionally"
LETTER - heartbreakingly emotional
HE COULD BE A STAR - again highly emotional, filled with pathos
ONCE WE WERE KINGS - about as emotionally powerful as a song can get
ELECTRICITY - one of the most emotionally affecting songs I've ever heard
All the above songs made me CARE about the characters and their situations. There was not one second in Matilda when I was even vaguely tempted to care about anyone lol.
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
