SHAKSPER 2002: Re: "Romeo and Juliet, The Musical"

From: Hardy M. Cook (editor@shaksper.net)
Date: 11/25/02 

The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.2335  Monday, 25 November 2002

[1]     From:   Sean Lawrence <seanlawrence@writeme.com>
        Date:   Saturday, 23 Nov 2002 11:38:01 -0400
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.2323 "Romeo and Juliet, The Musical"

[2]     From:   Graham Hall <spookywill@hotmail.com>
        Date:   Monday, 25 Nov 2002 11:55:21 +0000
        Subj:   R&J The Musical


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Sean Lawrence <seanlawrence@writeme.com>
Date:           Saturday, 23 Nov 2002 11:38:01 -0400
Subject: 13.2323 "Romeo and Juliet, The Musical"
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.2323 "Romeo and Juliet, The Musical"

Richard Nathan quotes Variety as describing Romeo and Juliet as an
example of “The really bad British musical - a unique phenomenon".
Variety then goes on to describe the play as "an Anglicized French
import" and "Euroshlock".

Don't these claims sort of cancel each other out?  Or is all the evil of
the theatrical world ascribable to the British, like all the wrongs in
international affairs can be blamed on the US?

Yours,
Sean.

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Graham Hall <spookywill@hotmail.com>
Date:           Monday, 25 Nov 2002 11:55:21 +0000
Subject:        R&J The Musical

Richard Nathan enquires about R&J The Musical. A theatre critic of the
box office fodder persuasion responds.

If you are sixteen, think ABBA are the cat's whiskers, that the
Eurovision Song Contest is the cultural highlight of the year, that it's
fun spending a month's salary watching what appears to be the first
rehearsal of an amateur production of "West Side Story" in which the
cast have been accidentally supplied with the script of "Grease" but
think they are auditioning for "Les Miserables", and if you have
consumed more than 4 bottles of plonk at pre-show dinner, then you will
love it. If you are none of the above you will charitably consider it
rubbish. It's so awful it gives "Bad Quartos" a new lustre. You'll want
to visit the apothecary a la young Romeo when you eventually get out
post final curtain (but you will find them closed by order of The Good
Theatre Department of the British Tourist Board who are one step ahead
of you)

The only thing it has in common with Shakespeare's version is the smut
content. "Husbands should be treated like old furniture. They should be
taken out occasionally and given a good polish" being one line that got
through before I became comatose during the performance. It's still
running, but then so is that well known piece from the Shakespeare
apocrypha "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", so why should I be so
snooty?

The Web groans with reviews if you think that I am being unkind.

(Bear in mind that the British and the French were described as being
like two old spinsters who hate each other but can't live apart. This
R&J originated in France where it was a great success.)

Best wishes,
Graham Hall

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