Bee Gees Back With New Stage Musical???

The Bee Gees are still staying alive and, post-Saturday Night Fever, readying another stage attack with a compilation musical based on their greatest hits. Brother Robin Gibb confirmed the status of the project this weekend while unveiling a green plaque at the former London home of the band’s manager and producer Robert Stigwood, where they wrote songs including “Chain Reaction” and “Heartbreaker”. He said that the new musical, which has been in the works for a few years (See The Goss, 27 Jun 2003), should be ready to hit the West End stage within 12 to 18 months.

Saturday Night Fever had its world premiere at the West End’s London Palladium in May 1998, marking the 21st anniversary of the release of the 1977 film, which starred John Travolta and effectively defined the disco age (See News, 21 Oct 2007). Adapted for the stage by Stigwood, it featured Bee Gees songs from the original Grammy Award-winning motion picture soundtrack, including “Staying Alive”, “Night Fever”, “Jive Talkin’” and “How Deep Is Your Love” as well as two songs – “Immortality” and “First and Last” – written for the production by the brothers Gibb. After its original two-year West End run, Saturday Night Fever toured the UK and returned to London in 2004 for another two years at the Apollo Victoria.