The Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber

At some point in the last fifty years, an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical has been performed somewhere in the world. If you're reading this, you will be familiar with at least some of the titles I've listed below. I'm going to be looking at all of them, through the many recordings that Andrew has produced over the years. Luckily for me, many of these often came up second hand which helped me to build my collection. So with that said, may I return to the beginning...

1. "The Likes of Us" (1965) --- the first musical ever by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the life of Dr. Thomas Barnardo, founder of the British charity Barnardo's for vulnerable children. It was not performed until 2005 at the annual Sydmonton Festival, where Andrew workshops his new musicals in front of an audience, which was then recorded and released the same year. The effect of listening to this recording is sort of like a follow-up musical to "Oliver!" which was enormously popular at that time, and one of the most successful musicals to have been performed in London at that point. It's also incomplete, because there was no surviving script, which unlike "Joseph", "Superstar" and "Evita" was not a through-sung (that is, the entire musical was sung), but Tim Rice's narration written for the performance is as brilliant as any of his work, and I can see how this would make a fun night at the theatre. If you love their work, or you're just curious about their history, definitely check it out.

2. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (1968) --- in 1968, Alan Doggett the choir master from the Colet Court Preparatory School in London commissioned Andrew and Tim to write a short piece for his choir to be presented as an end of term concert. The result is their version of the story of Joseph and his coat of many colours. First performed in front of an enthusiastic audience in March 1968, it has become one of the most indelible musicals of Andrew and Tim's career. It seems like for the past fifty years it has been performed somewhere throughout the world, in schools, colleges, community and professional theatres, ever since. There are several recordings which trace its development, right from the beginning with the Joseph Consortium album, through to the London recording from the early 70s, the first complete album of the full score, even a version with Tim Rice as the Narrator, the Broadway album with Laurie Beechman as the Narrator, and the mega musical 90s versions with Jason Donovan, Phillip Schofield, Donny Osmond and more. I couldn't pick a favourite from any of the ones I've heard, so... why not all of them?

3. "Jesus Christ Superstar" (1970) --- Andrew sent a copy of the Joseph Consortium album from 1969 to Sefton Myers, the result of which he and Tim were offered a management contract of three years with Sefton and his associate David Land. That effectively gave them three years in which to make it. Since they were unable to get a producer interested in their next work, "Jesus Christ Superstar", they recorded an album through their connections at MCA Records. The double album of 1970 was the result, with Ian Gillan as Jesus, Murray Head as Judas, Yvonne Elliman as Mary, Barry Dennen as Pilate, and the rest of the brilliant cast. Out of all the versions I've heard over the years, including the movie with Ted Neeley (probably my personal favourite Jesus), the concept album is still my pick of the lot. There is a reason this musical, or should I say rock opera, succeeded in the way that it did, because in my estimation it's one of the greatest musicals of the twentieth century and all time.

4. "By Jeeves" (1975) --- Andrew wanted to write a musical about Bertie Wooster and his unflappable manservant Jeeves from the classic stories by P.G. Wodehouse, but Tim found himself being pulled in the direction of the story of Eva Peron, the young woman who had become the First Lady of Argentina. In the end, both musicals would be produced but with different results. Tim had struggled with Jeeves and so had resigned, leaving English playwright Alan Ayckbourn with the task of writing both book and lyrics. The first performances at the tryout in Bristol lasted a Wagnerian five hours. The director Eric Thompson was replaced, with Ayckbourn taking over the helm, and "Jeeves" managed a month at Her Majesty's Theatre in London before closing. Acting on the advice of his mentor the great American producer and director Harold Prince, Andrew decided to bank the score. That's why the original cast album only ever released on vinyl is now a collectible. "Jeeves" was rewritten and revived as "By Jeeves" in 1996, in Scarborough, where it was somewhat more of a success than the original. Judging by the 1996 cast recording, it sounds like it was a lot of fun, in the vein of "Joseph" and "Starlight Express". "Half a Moment" is one of the great underrated Lloyd Webber classics.

5. "Evita" (1976) --- his confidence shaken by his experience with "Jeeves", Andrew went back to work with Tim on what would become the musical "Evita", a tremendous success in London and New York and all around the world, including the 1996 film with Madonna and Antonio Banderas directed by Alan Parker. Originally, it was aided by a Number 1 with "Don't Cry for me, Argentina" recorded by the original Eva, Julie Covington, who never appeared in the West End production. My personal favourite of all the recordings, musically speaking in terms of the orchestrations and the production, is the 1996 Complete Motion Picture Soundtrack. As a complete piece, I prefer the American Premiere Recording with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. The original is also very good, as well as the two albums from the Michael Grandage production from 2006.

6. "Variations" (1978) --- Andrew composed his variations on a theme by Niccolo Paganini in 1978, with his cellist brother Julian Lloyd Webber playing cello with rock band accompaniment. There are two recordings that I've heard, the original and the 1986 version rescored for orchestra, which comes with a recording of William Lloyd Webber's "Aurora". If not for anything else, that's why you've got to hear the 1986 version. "Variations" for me is a joy from beginning to end.

7. "Tell me on a Sunday" (1980) --- Andrew follows up "Variations" with his 1980 one woman song cycle "Tell me on a Sunday" with Marti Webb. It was also the first time since "Jeeves" that Andrew had worked with another lyricist besides Tim. Indeed, Tim and Andrew would not work together again until 1986's "Cricket" for the Queen's 60th Birthday, which the public never really saw, and "The Wizard of Oz" in 2011 which was a partial score. Like "Variations" before it, I enjoy this piece thoroughly, with such classic Andrew Lloyd Webber songs as "Take That Look Off Your Face", "Tell me on a Sunday" and "Nothing Like You've Ever Known". The title song is one of my personal favourites of Andrew's too. The line: "Take me to a zoo that's got chimpanzees/Tell me on a Sunday please" makes me laugh. I haven't heard the Denise Van Outen version from 2003.

8. "Cats" (1981) --- "Cats" was undoubtedly the biggest risk of Andrew's career at this point. There had never really been a British dance musical before. Andrew had not had a successful musical without Tim Rice yet. Trevor Nunn hadn't directed a West End musical. He had come from the Royal Shakespeare Company. The look and feel of "Cats" was so out there on a limb that nobody really knew what to expect until the end of the first preview, by which point they knew they were on the right track. It was a risk that paid off, over and over again, becoming one of the most successful and popular stage shows of all time, as well as the beginning of the 1980s mega-musicals. Recording wise, I say watch the 1998 DVD, because we are so lucky to have a filmed version of the original production. After that, check out the Australian and London recordings. I still haven't heard the Broadway one, but from what I understand it is wonderful. I'm sure there are other great ones too. Meanwhile, what can I say about "Memory"? No words!

9. "Song & Dance" (1982) --- there was a lot of interest in bringing "Variations" to the stage but Andrew needed something to go with it. At one point, it was going to be an early version of "Cats". Eventually, Cameron found the answer. What if the first half was to be "Tell me on a Sunday" and the second half "Variations"? The first half would be sung while the second half would be danced. That way, you would get "Song & Dance", which would be a "concert for the theatre". It was only meant to run about twelve weeks at the Palace Theatre, but it lasted for about two or three years. A Broadway production followed with Bernadette Peters in the song half. Recording wise, check out the original London cast which was recorded live on opening night, as well as the TV version with Sarah Brightman which introduces "Unexpected Song". Really, you should listen to all of them if you can, because they each offer something different. The original "Variations" and "Tell me on a Sunday" are still my personal picks.

10. "Starlight Express" (1984) --- Andrew had written a musical about one of his great loves, cats, but what about a musical about trains? "Starlight Express" was intended as a concert in the style of "Joseph" but director Trevor Nunn had bigger ideas. The rest as they say is history. "Cats" had already set the bar very high, in terms of finding performers who could not only sing and act but dance as well, but now "Starlight Express" raised it, because you see all of the performers had to be able to skate as well. The result was this epic production at the Apollo Victoria in London in 1984. The cast recording followed, and personally out of all the recordings I've managed to listen to over the years, it remains my favourite. There is an energy and sound to it that I just love. I would like to hear one day the albums from the European productions. In Bochum, it's been running continually since the late 1980s. "I am the Starlight" is such an inspirational moment.

11. "Requiem" (1985) --- Andrew composed his version of the Requiem Mass in 1985, performed by Placido Domingo, Sarah Brightman and Paul Miles-Kingston conducted by Lorin Maazel. It is a deeply moving piece, from beginning to end. It's something Andrew wants to return to someday, which he revealed in his autobiography "Unmasked", because he wants to make some improvements. It would also include a string section which had been missing from the original, part of the reason why Andrew thinks the work became a bit obscure over the years. I hope he does it. He's at that stage in his life where it would probably be more powerful than it was the first time. It would make an interesting companion to the original.

12. "The Phantom of the Opera" (1986) --- "You alone can make my song take flight/Help me make the music of the night..." It really is one of the greatest musicals ever mounted. Everything about it, when it comes together, is like capturing lightning in a bottle. I could list all of the things, but you probably already know what I mean. The original cast recording released the following year is also exceptional, with some chilling performances from Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Steve Barton, and really the entire cast. There is not one weak link. It's almost like a bunch of characters from a Batman comic went into a recording studio in a Bat Cave and put together this album. When Michael starts singing with that booming voice, it's electrifying. When the Overture begins with the crashing organ chords, it's electrifying. It has been making the music of the night for decades now and I'm beginning to understand why.

13. "Aspects of Love" (1989) --- Andrew followed up "Phantom" with "Aspects of Love", a musical based on the novella by David Garnett. It's about this young man who falls in love with an actress, and they spend the weekend at the young man's uncle's house in the French countryside, where Rose the actress meets Alex's uncle, the result of which they fall in love and end up getting married. They have a daughter who one day will fall in love with Alex. There is love and hurt for everyone all round. Yes, this is the score that includes that famous song "Love Changes Everything", a Number 2 on the charts for Andrew at the time, but really there's so much more, with songs like "Seeing is Believing", "Chanson D'Enfance", "There is More to Love", "The First Man You Remember" and "Anything but Lonely". I struggle with the story, since I don't find it all that engaging, but oh my, that score. The cast recording is just great. It's the only version I've ever heard though. I'd like to see what I'd make of it in a theatre.

14. "Sunset Boulevard" (1993) --- ever since "Jesus Christ Superstar", Andrew had wanted to turn the classic Billy Wilder film into a musical for the stage. He finally had his chance in the early 90s, as he worked on what would become the blockbuster "Sunset Boulevard" in 1993 at the Adelphi Theatre. Further productions would follow in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and beyond. To me, this is one of the best scores of Andrew's career, perhaps even better than "Phantom", and it's such a shame in my opinion that this didn't run for decades the way it should have. It belongs in the company of "Cats" and "Phantom". But what can we say? These things happen. It's still a very successful piece in its own right and the recent revival with Glenn Close must have been one of the hottest tickets around at the time. I'm intrigued to see what happens with the movie.

15. "Whistle down the Wind" (1996) --- Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman had talked about working together on "Phantom", with Jim providing the lyrics. To imagine what that might have been like, have a listen to the song "A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste" from the musical they did write, first in 1996 in Washington D.C. and then in London two years later, "Whistle down the Wind" based on the classic book by Mary Hayley Bell turned into the classic film directed by Bryan Forbes. The action of the story has been relocated to the Deep South, and Swallow is on the verge of becoming a woman when she discovers the escaped fugitive in her barn who she mistakes to be Jesus, back from the dead. It is a moving tale, with a haunting and gripping score by Lloyd Webber and Steinman. I recommend both the original cast recording, which contains the full score and most of the script, as well as the 1998 album with artists ranging from Tom Jones and the Everly Brothers to Donny Osmond, Elaine Paige and Meat Loaf. There is also the Red Hill Children single "When Children Rule the World" if you can find it, and from what I understand a new recording of a Czech production which I haven't come across yet.

16. "The Beautiful Game" (2000) --- Andrew and Ben Elton join forces on this stirring and dramatic musical about a football team in the midst of the Northern Ireland Troubles in the late 1960s. This had always been one of those Lloyd Webber musicals I didn't really know that much about, until I heard the cast album one day, and now... To me, it's one of Andrew's most accomplished pieces. Recording wise, there are a few versions out there including the original from 2001. I love the song "All the Love I Have", but really there is so much more here as well. I would like to see this someday.

17. "The Woman in White" (2004) --- Andrew was in search of a subject for a new musical when the classic story of "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins reached him, and with lyricist David Zippel, book writer Charlotte Jones and director Trevor Nunn he premiered his version at the Palace Theatre in London in 2004. It was not one of his biggest successes, but it's a score I always enjoy. The atmosphere is thrilling. Listen to the beginning of the album, which is a live recording of the complete show, and you'll see what I'm getting at. "Trying Not to Notice", "All for Laura" and "Evermore Without You" are as good as any of his classics, I'd say, and then there's Michael Crawford's hilarious song as Count Fosco in the second act, "You can get away with anything", as well as his first act song "A Gift for Living Well". I would like to hear the revised version of the score someday, the one that was performed at the Charing Cross Theatre in London. I hope it gets recorded.

18. "Love Never Dies" (2010) --- how do you create a sequel to one of the most successful musicals of all time? Andrew says he always felt that "Phantom" had left things with a bit of a cliff hanger. What had become of the Phantom after the end of the musical and Raoul and Christine for that matter? The basis for this sequel was a novella by Frederick Forsyth (Andrew had composed music for a movie version of his "Odessa File") called "The Phantom of Manhattan", in which the Phantom is now living as a millionaire in Manhattan and has lured Christine a world famous soprano to perform in his opera "Angel of Shiloh". In "Love Never Dies", the Phantom is the owner of an amusement park and Christine, a world famous soprano, has been invited by Oscar Hammerstein I to perform at his Manhattan Opera House. That is how she gets drawn back into the world of the Phantom, and the rest is on the 2012 Melbourne DVD, which captures the Australian production directed by Simon Phillips. That production had everything going for it in my eyes, including a score that more than lived up to the original, but the one fault for me which unfortunately is a significant one is the storyline and the book. It's such a shame.

19. "The Wizard of Oz" (2011) --- Andrew and Tim reunited to write several new songs for a stage version of "The Wizard of Oz", one of the most beloved movies of all time. At first when I heard this news that Andrew wanted to add songs, I was horrified, but then I heard the cast album and was more or less won over by it. The song for Professor Marvel fits. So does the song for the Wicked Witch of the West. Andrew is also expanding on the classical themes which Herbert Stothart had quoted in his original score. In the end, it's a fun listen and it would be great to see what it all looks like onstage. "Already Home" is probably my favourite of the Andrew and Tim additions. Obviously this great score has "Over the Rainbow".

20. "Stephen Ward" (2013) --- Andrew reunites with Don Black and Christopher Hampton from "Sunset Boulevard" (they had also written the book and lyrics for Frank Wildhorn's "Dracula") on this musical based on Stephen Ward's involvement in the Profumo Affair of 1963. I was always intrigued by the music from the beginning, and was lucky enough to grab myself a copy of the cast album in Australia where I've never seen it on a shelf before, and sure enough it was a pretty gripping listen, especially in the second part as everything begins falling apart for Stephen. Andrew was very proud of this creation, but it didn't really work out all that well for him at the time. It probably would have worked better as a play. It also probably needs a different title. But I like this piece, and songs like "This Side of the Sky" and "Too Close to the Sun" are really very gripping.

21. "School of Rock" (2015) --- this 2015 musical rendition of the Jack Black movie "School of Rock" gave Andrew one of his biggest successes since "Phantom". It was also the first musical of his to premiere on Broadway since "Jesus Christ Superstar" in 1971. From there, it has been a hit all over the world. I only recently just heard the cast album, so I'm new to this party. "Where Did the Rock Go?" is the song I really like here, but there's more than that. I look forward to future listens.

Up next, is the "Cinderella" musical opening in the West End this year.

And that brings me to the end of my review, ladies and gents. I hope you've found it useful in some way (maybe even really useful, see what I did that) and may you continue to enjoy the man's great music of the night. It will be around I suspect for a long time to come.

Thank you for reading,

Ryan.