Okay, I realize that people here are probably not big musical theater fans (nor am I), but I went to see Phantom of the Opera (as performed by its national touring company) last night with my wife, and was abruptly reminded that Andrew Lloyd Webber really sucks.

His music doesn't even qualify as insipid. That would require some melody or at least something of interest, good or bad, to latch onto. It's the most uninspired drivel I've ever heard. Which is too bad, as the play itself -- the libretto, if you will (notably not written by Webber) -- is not bad, and the acting, especially the comedic bits of it, was good.

Why is his stuff so popular? If forced to go to a musical, I'd much rather see something by Sondheim, who at least knows how to write a song. But of the big slows playing near me, there are none there. At least there's a production of South Pacific. As dated as it may be, Rogers and Hammerstein knew how to write a musical.

QOTD: Almost anything that can manifest, in order to move in this dimension, can be killed. Kinda the down side to bein' here. That, and the so-called ``musicals'' of Andrew Lloyd Webber. -- Lorne (Angel)

Bitt, did you post this for the sole purpose of baiting Doug Burnside?

Never figured you for the trolling type.

I did not. I didn't honestly think Doug would have so little taste as to be enamored of Sir Andrew.

Doug would have so little taste

Oooooooo, ouch ouch ouch.

/me distances himself from ground zero before Doug logs on...

I did not. I didn't honestly think Doug would have so little taste as to be enamored of Sir Andrew.

Heretic! Blasphemer! Get out the torches and pitchforks!

Actually, truth be told, I never cared much for Phantom of the Opera, and am not a big Andrew Lloyd Webber fan.

But I am extremely enamored of the video production of CATS -- the one done in London with Sir John Mills, Elaine Paige, John Partridge, Ken Page, Phyllida Crowley-Smith, et. al.

People refer to this musical as Webber's "one-hit wonder" (the hit being the song "Memories") but I think they're missing the point. Just because many of the songs are not "tunes you can hum" doesn't mean they are not exquisite pieces of music. There's a lot of J.S. Bach that isn't particularly "hummable" as well, you know!

If you haven't seen this production (you can obtain it quite reasonably priced here ) then you owe it to yourself to do so. The choreography, the staging and production, and yes, the music, is extraordinary. While I don't have a large video collection, if on a scale of one to ten this production of CATS were a 10, the next best thing I own could be no better than a six or a seven.

tanstaafl.

Bitt,

What happened that set you off so? Did someone strap you down and force you to listen to Webber for 72 hours straight or something?

- trs

*EDIT* Oh, apparently I can't read. I see you were forced to attend Phantom of the Opera

Did your wife enjoy it?

-Zeke

The feeling is mutual, I'm sure.

Yes, she did, and truth be known, I enjoyed the production. Some of the set design stuff was quite remarkable.

But Philip Glass writes more melodic pieces than does ALW.

Not that all music has to be melodic, but Webber's stuff is less than unmelodic. There's not even a musically interesting part of it. It's the musical theater version of rap, which would actually be better.

It's the musical theater version of rap, which would actually be better.

You know, Bitt, I think we need to start calling you Bitter... You're about one or two notches below the Comic Book Store Guy on the scathing criticism-o-meter.

Worst... Musical... Ever...

Heh.

I used to work at a comic book store.

Though I wasn't the one there that looked like him. And I don't have that nasal pinch to my voice.

I hope you didn't rain on her parade then! I'm glad she liked it.

Personally I enjoy ALW, syrupy pap as it is. It's kind of like liking ABBA, or any Jim Steinman music. Mozart he is not, but it's decent pulp music (yes - I know you thoroughly disagee; you've made that pretty clear).

I agree with you about the incredible set & lighting production aspects. I saw it on Broadway many years ago and was blown away.

OTOH: Philip Glass is about as entertaining to me as Orb's Orbus Terrarum (an album made purposely to have no beat or discernable melody): i.e. CRAP.

Aside - his brother Ira is only slightly less annoying, but redeems himself by occasionally being humorous (note I do not say funny, merely humorous).

-Zeke

I like Phantom well enough, Cats only a little better, and some of his stuff has been god awful, but he made one of the best musicals of all time, Jesus Christ Superstar. Despite it's obvious 70's overtones, it has some of the best music of all time. It is my second favorite musical (behind Les Mis) and quite possibly one of my top 20 albums of all time.