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Post by PineappleForYou on Jul 2, 2024 16:04:03 GMT
Starlight Express is at the Troubadour Theatre which is waiting to be redeveloped. Lloyd Webber says he wants the revival to go up North after that.
So, totally hypothetical here:
What if ALW goes and builds his own permanent theatre in the North? Like Bochum. Initially for Starlight but after that he would have his own playground to make cheaper regional theatre. It would be a large black box space which he could do with what he likes as he's always banging on about immersive theatre these days. It would also be an ultimate legacy as his name would be plastered over it unlike his West End portfolio.
This seems to make sense in my head as it gives him complete control over everything, it would be cheaper long term and he's at the stage of his life where I'm sure he's thinking about his legacy.
Do you think he would go to these lengths and if so, where would it be located?
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Post by d'James on Jul 2, 2024 17:37:48 GMT
I think it’s a good idea. Birmingham maybe or Sheffield where Bochum is twinned with. It would need good transport links.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 2, 2024 17:54:13 GMT
Andy gets a five star review, claps his hands in delight and goes on some out of control hypothetical fantasy about a theatre in “the north” like the north is Timbuktu or something.
It won’t happen.
If it did, not Sheffield. It’s my home town and I love it dearly but no. It’s not a destination. And this would not make it a destination. It would need somewhere that people already want to visit.
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Post by blamerobots on Jul 2, 2024 18:29:06 GMT
Yes, a lot of this feels like the usual ALW hyperbole he likes to spin (not that that is bad but he seems to still be a child at heart creatively). I will however say he definitely wants more theatres to his name. Wouldn't be surprised if he built one.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 2, 2024 19:44:57 GMT
Of course he can build what he likes, assuming he get planning permission. However isnt ALW more interested in trying to get government grants to refurbish / maintain his own theatres while not digging into his own pockets ?
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Post by BVM on Jul 2, 2024 20:50:40 GMT
Andy gets a five star review, claps his hands in delight and goes on some out of control hypothetical fantasy about a theatre in “the north” like the north is Timbuktu or something. It won’t happen. If it did, not Sheffield. It’s my home town and I love it dearly but no. It’s not a destination. And this would not make it a destination. It would need somewhere that people already want to visit. LOL - I mean I go back and forth to Manchester a lot and Avanti do their level best to make it feel like Timbuktu. But yeah, can't see ALW building theatres in the fabled North. Even the chances of Starlight coming to said North at all are probs also slim. And while I'd love to see it, "hypothetical fantasy" does sound more realistic. But if it did, would have to be as you say a) a vague destination for tourists AND b) somewhere densely populated that also has a huge local population to sustain it. So think would need to be the North West really. Manchester, Liverpool or somewhere in the middle. (It's not coincidence that one of the UK's first Ikeas was in the outskirts of Warrington). Bochum isn't that big a city but the Ruhr is one of the most densely populated areas of Germany with Cologne, Dusseldorf, Duisburg, Oberhausen, Essen and Dortmund all in driving distance. It is somewhat sad though that the UK doesn't really have a decent history of open ended musical runs outside of London.... |
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Post by ceebee on Jul 2, 2024 20:55:50 GMT
Please can we have a poll so I can give this one star with no explanation?
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Post by BVM on Jul 2, 2024 20:57:24 GMT
Please can we have a poll so I can give this one star with no explanation? Fear not - ALW's written a new musical so the opportunity for this will come round in due course ;-) |
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Post by aspieandy on Jul 2, 2024 22:20:31 GMT
Jim Ratcliffe has big ideas around making a new 90K capacity Man.United stadium the 'wembley of the north' (with public funding). Plenty of land on that site. Salford Quays / Media City / The Lowry, etc. just down the way.
Thrown in a shed load of Uni accom, new campass, bob-a-job. West Ham already playing in the old Olympic Stadium
HS2 should be back up and running, as well. Well, to Euston at least .. |
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Post by Jon on Jul 3, 2024 0:05:22 GMT
I can't imagine ALW would ever cough up to build a theatre.
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Post by PineappleForYou on Jul 3, 2024 21:21:04 GMT
Everyone's made some great points here.
I do think the UK is missing large flexible spaces for theatre like the Troubadour or The Bridge Theatre especially if that is the "future". I would rather purpose built venues for these kind of productions rather than converting traditional theatres like the Playhouse for Cabaret.
I think the numbers for doing that would be better in the North. What with the Arts Council strong-arming organisations north, they might even support Lloyd Webber if he did decide to do that.
Where ever will he be able to stage his immersive production of Stephen Ward set in a actual swingers party 😂
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Post by blamerobots on Jul 4, 2024 11:19:52 GMT
Never, because another staging of Stephen Ward would violate the Geneva Convention where Stephen Ward was added under War Crimes  Disney seem to be building a purpose-built venue for Greatest Showman, in this era of building theatres for a company to do what they want with (that's disney money so not totally comparable to ALW), so who knows what the future holds. But I agree ALW would rather do it with arts funding than out of his own pocket. |
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Post by Jon on Jul 4, 2024 11:22:57 GMT
I don't think temporary theatres are the future, they're a means to an end not a replacement for physical buildings. We're had @sohoplace open in the West End two years ago and the Olympia Theatre is coming in 2025/2026 as well as The Bridge which is 5 and a bit years old.
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 4, 2024 12:47:39 GMT
The refurbishment of Drury Lane did cost something like £60 million, so it's a little unfair to accuse ALW of being unwilling to invest his own money in theatre projects.
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Post by Jon on Jul 4, 2024 17:51:46 GMT
The refurbishment of Drury Lane did cost something like £60 million, so it's a little unfair to accuse ALW of being unwilling to invest his own money in theatre projects. TBF that's an existing theatre, a new theatre would cost a lot more. |
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