west_london

Whatever else you say about him, you surely have to concede that ALW has always been surprising with his choice of subject matters. If he'd listened to every person who told him "That's a terrible name/idea for a musical" over the years he'd probably never have made a penny."

I'm sure ALW has no expectations of this running for 20 years but clearly the subject matter interests him. Perhaps after the roasting he got over Love Never Dies he likes the idea of working on a show for which there is no huge expectation.

lesterf, on 27 February 2013 - 02:42 PM, said:

What you say makes no sense. The whole point of the show is to get the audience to connect with these 'faceless' ensemble members but this would never happen if there were the proverbial falling chandeliers and helicopters taking off to disctract us. When I saw the show last week, the whole audience was drawn in to point that at times you could hear a pin drop in the auditorium. The moment at the end when the lights around the proscenium came on (the simplest stage effect imaginable) produced a gasp and a cheer because it was like a tension had been released.  This is simply one of the most moving and at times devastating musicals in the West End at the moment...and you write it off because it doesn't have a flying car.

If 2013 audiences struggle with A Chorus Line then I think it says more about how lazy and fickle we have all become rather than how dated this show is.

I'm always very moved by Fantine's admission that she has literally screwed all her dreams:
"I'd Reamed a Dream in time gone by..."

Oh...and the touching 'There's Something About Mary' moment between Eponine and Marius:
"Oh God, it's everywhere...!"

Bricabrac, on 06 October 2012 - 06:32 PM, said:

I've heard this will be a David Ian production...

I feel so sad every time I imagine Tim Rice sat at home wondering how his musical could have come to this. JCS is respected and loved by just about everyone I have worked with and to see it reduced to a crass, money-making circus must be devastating for the poor man. Come on Tim...If you're reading this I dare you to boycott an episode and hit ALW on the forehead with a dessert spoon!