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Tim Rice attacks 'ghastly' West End musicals
By Rashid Razaq, Evening Standard 06.11.06
Tim Rice has criticised the stage version of Eighties' film Dirty Dancing
Awar-winning lyricist Sir Tim Rice has criticised "ghastly" musicals dominating the West End.
The one-time collaborator of Andrew Lloyd Webber called recent stage versions of Eighties' film Dirty Dancing and The Lord Of The Rings cynical, financially driven productions robbing young writers of opportunities.
Sir Tim, 61, who is planning a resurrection of his Blondel, which bombed on its original outing, said: "A lot of musicals are pretty awful... most of them are pretty ghastly.
"You think 'why bother, other than to make money?'" The writer of Evita enjoyed success with Elton John on The Lion King and also wrote the lyrics to Beauty And The Beast.
However, in The Times he praised shows such as Billy Elliot, Spamalot and The Producers.
Sir Tim began working with Lord Lloyd- Webber in 1965. They fell out after Evita in 1978 but he raised the prospect of a professional reunion.
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Reader views (2)
The slightly sensationalist summary of Tim's interview in The Times misses his very valid point that as a nation we are not encouraging young talent. The last great (British) team was Lloyd-Webber and Rice- 30 years ago, and that, Tim believes, is a real shame.
- Pete, Reading
The theatres need bums on seats to stay open and if the producers choose to go with safe options who can blame them.
A local theatre manager I know was asked why he booked Chubby Brown at a meeting I was at and he said because he could put on three orchestral concerts at subsidised prices for every night he could book Chubby.
- Mike, Bedford
