London Musicals 2000-2004.pub - overthefootlights.co.uk

THE VILLAINS’ OPERALondon run: Lyttleton Theatre, April 11 th – June 10 th (repertoire)Music: Stephen WarbeckBook & Lyrics: Nick DearAdapted from The Beggar’s Opera by John GayDirector: Tim SuppleChoreographer: Jane GibsonMusical Director: Neil McArthurCast: David Burt (Peachum), Alexander Hanson (Macheath),Madeleine Worrall (Polly), Elizabeth Renihan (Lucy),Oliver Cotton (Inspector Lockit), Beverley Klein (Mrs Peachum),Clive Rowe (Mr Big), Sally Ann Triplett (Anne)2000Story: Set in contemporary London, where Mr Peachum is a Woolwich magistrate, pub-owner and fence for abunch of small-time villains headed by Macheath (Mack the Gun). Macheath has secretly married Peachum’sdaughter, Polly, and at the same time impregnated Lucy, daughter of Police Inspector Lockitt. Macheath, aiminghigh, uses a garden fork to puncture both the ego and person of the drugs- and crime- baron, Mr Big – but ends upbetrayed and on his way to the scaffold.Notes: Clearly yet another “update” on “The Beggar’s Opera” this one fell flat on its face. With expensive andlavish scenery, a 30-strong company , a ten-piece band, and a composer who had just won an Oscar for his score of“Shakespeare in Love” it should have worked – but it didn’t. It was generally regarded as inferior to the original andto the Brecht/Weill “Threepenny Opera”, and for most critics it was “brash, crude and ultimately offensive”, and“doesn’t possess a single redeeming quality”.4THE KING AND I (6 thRevival)London run: London Palladium, May 3 rd – (691 performances)Music: Richard RodgersLyrics & Book: Oscar Hammerstein IIDirector: Christopher RenshawChoreographer: Jerome RobbinsMusical Director: John Owen EdwardsProducers: David Ian, QDOS, etc.Cast: Elaine Paige (Anna), Jason Scott Lee (King), Taewon Yi Kim (Lady Thiang),Aura Deva (Tuptim), Sean Ghazi (Lun Tha), Robin Kermode (Sir Edward), Richard Avery,Miguel Diaz, Ho YiThis production originated in Australia in 1995, then moved to Broadway with Donna Murphyand Lou Diamond Phillips and Taewon Yi Kim. After 780 performances in New York ittransferred to London, and opened “to the largest box office advance in theatrical hyperbole”.It was described as lavish and sumptuous, though the sheer weight of the spectacle, parades and displays tended toslow down the show, giving it a running timein excess of three hours. After 3 months JasonScott Lee left because of family problems andwas replaced by his understudy, PaulNagauchi. In April 2001 the principal roleswere taken by Josie Lawrence and Yeo. Theshow ran for a year and 8 months, finishing atthe beginning of January, 2002.Notes: See original London production,Drury Lane, June 19531st revival: Adelphi, October 19732nd revival: London Palladium, June 19793rd revival: Sadler’s Wells, Feb & June 19914th revival: Freemason’s Hall, May 19955th revival: BAC Main, December 1998Elaine Paige & Jason Scott LeePhoto by Michael Le Poer Trench