Gone With the Wind - The biggest flop? Not yet anyway! April 20, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Gone With the Wind, opinion , trackback
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Well, according to the Guardian arts section, that’s what Gary Cooper said about the movie. I think it’s not really fair to judge the musical yet. It’s still on previews. Press night and the official opening night on April 22nd will give us a better idea.
At the moment it’s still a bit long, three and a half hours at last count but more cuts are promised. It’s billed as ‘a play with music’ rather than a musical as such. Still it will probably be the most expensive West End production of the year and a huge gamble in a year that’s seen the closing of that other vastly expensive behemoth, LOTR.
If you’ve ever read Margaret Mitchell’s 1,000-page novel about the American Civil War you’ll be slightly stunned by the thought of trying to fit it into such a short time. It’s more like a Wagernian epic than your average simple musical plot. Even so it’s not quite as long as LOTR and I can sort of see how the basic story might be made to work on stage. Trevor Nunn is no idiot. He has a great track record and lots of people thought Les Mis would be a disaster.
Margaret Martin, who wrote the stage play and music has no stage or music experience. She’s a doctor! I’d love to know how she managed to convince people to back her. No, really 
The Guardian seems to think Darius Danesh, as Rhett Butler, and Jill Paice as Scarlett O’Hara, might have trouble competing with Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in the 1939 movie. Personally I doubt it. OK they loom large in my imagination, (“It’s me age y’know!“) but the younger West End going audience have probably never even seen more than a few clips from the movie much less read the book.
Our readers are so far divided with Michael hating it:
My Goodness! What a pity I didn’t read this article before I just wasted three hours & forty minutes watching ‘Gones with the wind’ (the most boring show I have ever had the misfortune to see on the Wesr End Stage.) I have just returned from seeing a preview performance at the Duchess Theatre & simply couldn’t wait for it to end.
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to leave.there were too many people in the row that I would have disturbed.
Simply dreadful adaptation by Trever Nunn of Margaret Martin’s lyrics & music. ( Music? is that what they call it?.
very good effort from the principal performers with such poor songs with very little melody whatever.
The applause from a practically ‘full house’ was barely audible at times & many patrons failed to reappear after the first Interval (90 Minutes.
If this show runs 90 days I’ll eat my hat.( It’s made from Candy anyway!) I had especially booked this musical production for my Mothers 84th Birthday & havin seen “Buddy” the night before she couldn’t comprehend how two west end musicals could be so wildly different.
I simply can’t wait to see what the London Theatre critics have to say after it opens officially on 22nd April.
Londoners BEWARE
And Pam off to see it for the third time:
I went on the first preview night and what an honour seing the whole uncut show…..
I did feel that things would need to be changed.
To me the second half was fast moving, good/great songs and excellent acting.
But it was the first preview and you should expect it not to be the finished product.I returned last night….many changes
The show now feels like a musical rather than a drama with music.Also went this afternoon and loved the audiences reaction at the end, they loved it.
There are going to be people who don’t like it but I think the majority will….I’m sure it will be a HUGE sucess.
I’ve been lucky enough to get tickets for press night….can’t wait!
So although the production has had more than it’s fair share of problems in this preview season I think we should really reserve judgement until after the official opening on Tuesday.
** Book Gone with the Wind musical theatre break tickets **
I went to see a preview at The New London Theatre. Maybe I saw a different show to the one Michael saw. I loved it. The story is built on in the first half and leaving before it developes in the 2nd half would not give any idea of the whole. I found it moving and emotional.
I do feel that the performers are actors who can sing beautifully as the songs are part of the action and not stand alone numbers that then pause for applause - usually, there is no space for that to happen. The preview I went to ended to a standing ovation. It sped by and, if not for trains, I could have easily sat and watched and listened to more.
I was impressed with the cast, thye worked hard and told the story with emotion. Rhett, Scarlett and Mammy were great. I certainly intend to go and see the end product in a few weeks time.
I know how the civil War ends, unfortunately! Go to Mamma Mia for a little escapism before Obama wins the presidency.
Hmm, the American Civil War always strikes me as a bit like Cavaliers and Roundheads. The Confederates were stylish but wrong and the Union were boring but right. OK, so I stole that from “1066 and All That”
I agree about Mamma Mia though, if you want a feel good night out.
BTW who is this Obama person of whom you speak? I didn’t see him on the cast list!
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