THE WOMAN IN WHITE - Why All The Hate?

[DEClarke]

So, I dusted off my copy of the original London Cast Recording and give it a listen again today. I find the music (for the most part) to be majestic. Why was this show hated so much? I never got to see it performed, so I've only got the double CD to go from.

The only problems I have with the show as I know it are: 1.) "Lammastide" and 2.) "Lost Souls." Neither of those numbers seem to really fit into the show on a musical level. "Lammastide" doesn't even advance plot. It's just this country idyl piece with English countryside instrumentation. It's kind of a WTF moment every time I hear it on the album. Then "Lost Souls" has that awful rehearsal piano/saloon piano sound to it. Yuck! Basically, the large chorus numbers are rubbish.

[AnythingGoes23]

It was an awful production.

Shame for Webber as again the music is actually alright, but the production was just drab. He should steer away from producing and simply do what he does and provide the songs

[Briaansmith]

the silly projected set

[Whileshesleeps]

I think the main problem was that there weren't any really big numbers you came out singing in your head. Much of the score/lyrics were really hard going with it being a totally sung through show.

The CD is much harder going to listen to than other ALW scores.

The projected sets were really a major problem for me when I saw it in London. Probably partly due to the Palace Theatre's rake from the balcony upwards, but the projections and swiftness of changes of moving pieces and aerial zooming countryside shots left me feeling dizzy and it detracted from the action/singing so at times I'd lost the intricacies of the plot.

[Princeton Returns]

i really like the cd, including those songs. the problem was the staging didnt match the story, a traditional set (ala Phantom) would have suited its gthic victorian setting. The modern projection cyclinder set just didnt work and i still laugh at them pretending to run upstairs to what is almost like a computer game. The final scene with the train was the only bit that worked. I also thought it was staged too big, if it had been done more as a chamber piece in a smaller playhouse size theatre i think it would have worked better and probably lasted longer

[tazber]

The score takes a couple of listens to appreciate. It seems like it has more recitative than his other shows.

[After Eight]

The show was very, very, dull.

And as previously stated, the projections were distracting and dizzying.

The show was also ugly.

[Brian07663NJ]

I unfortunately sat too close so when I got over the motion sickness I realized the projections were the set. Was like watching a show in front of a very large movie screen.

Was very dull and after previous Webber shows it paled in comparison.

[metropolis10111]

While I do like WIW I don't love it. I think it has great moments and then there are some scenes where you just cringe at the recitative. Ultimately I think the production was paned because the projected sets didn't fit the story. The idea of the staging was interesting and innovative but the technology wasn't up to the level that it should have been. They were a bit strange and slightly computer game-ish. I remember thinking they were fine, but nothing to write home about. Now the use of projections as the major component in Broadway sets is becoming more commonplace, back then it was a huge leap forward. I'd love for this piece to be reworked as a chamber musical because it really would work then.

[once a month]

As act one wound down, I glanced around the center orchestra and counted six sleeping strangers surrounding me. First the eyes glazed over...

[Rumpelstiltskin]

The show had the best performance by a train in a Broadway musical, but that's about it. Years later I remember the train and the visual of Michael Ball and a rat, but not an ounce of the story.

The projected screen concept was interesting and could (if less frenetic) work well with a different musical. Perhaps "On the 20th Century" or anything by Stephen Schwartz. Here, however, it was distracting and out of place.

[Justin D]

As an ALW fan, I had somewhat a rocky start with this one. It sort of had the same problems "Whistle" did for me, in that after listening to it a few times nothing really stood out. Ironically, for me, that sort of changed when he released the Woman in White suite, listening to that a few times I got to differentiate most of the songs and like it more.

I totally agree with Lamistide and the other one (what ever it is called) they are just terrible numbers. But I find that more recently, I am disliking ALW's connecting music more and more. In a way I prefered when it was more like a collection of songs (like with JCS and to some extent Evita and Phantom) the only time his connecting music really works for me was in Sunset.

I saw the show in London once, didnt like it. I love stage craft and set design, and this was just one of those things that 'sound and look good on paper' when you actually see some of the images that were projected as graphic images on screen, they are quite charming, moody and atmospheric, but this just got lost in projection. In London the turntable was VERY NOISY, constantly squeking and squealing. And although I know that most designers design for the 'good seats', I hate going to a show and sitting in one of the balconies and end up spending the whole night staring at a blank stage deck. Sure the train thing was cool, but that was about it. The white circular projection wall for really boreing to look at very early on.

Maybe done the line someone will revive it with a more 'traditional' staging and do some tweaks in the music.

Ruthie Henshall was amazing in this though.

[little_sally]

It was so darn boring. And the score, other than a few standouts, was incredibly dull and repetitive.

[doodlenyc]

It was dull, the projections were awful, distracting and nauseating (I laughed out loud when they were shimmying along a ledge that wasn't there).

The story was dull as well, and you could figure out the plot in the first 20 minutes. There was truly nothing interesting about it.

The score had a few, very few, high points, notably "All For Laura".

The cast was fine, with Bohmer the only standout for me. I wanted to punch Jill Paice in the face if she shrieked one more time.

[Chrranke]

I found the music to be really good for the most part and if Lloyd Webber had written few more stand out tunes and done some tweaking to the first act with the young lovers, I think it would be even better. In this score he takes some chances. Not the case in Whistle and the Beautiful Game.

I belive my heart is aweful. And that was the signature, song sadly. But I found Evermore without you to be really beautiful.

The opening is wonderful and creepy.

All in all I think 80% of the score is great and the rest not so much.

The production was not good but I think if this was produced on a smaller scale but with "real" sets it would work better!

[DEClarke]

While not every song in the score is great, I really love:

"Perspective" - Marian, Laura and Hartright
"I Believe My Heart" - Hartright and Laura
"A Gift For Living Well" - Fosco, Glyde, Laura, Marian, Mr. Fairlie and Hartright
"All For Laura" - Marian and Anne
"If I Could Only Dream This World Away" - Laura and Marian
"The Funeral" - Marian
"Evermore Without You" - Hartright.
"If Not For Me For Her" - Marian and Hartright (Cut from show in July 2005)
"You Can Get Away With Anything" - Fosco
"The Seduction" - Fosco and Marian.

In fact, "If I Could Only Dream This World Away" sticks with me much in the same way that "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" does. And, "Evermore Without You" stuck in my head as a memorable tune after my first listen.

But it seems that projections killed the show. And that makes sense. I really wish I could have seen this one. And I'm glad to hear that it was a set/design element that really handicapped it.

I always feared it was the bittersweet ending in which Marian's love remains unrequited and Hartright chooses Laura. Despite the kind of bummer ending, I really wish the music was more soaring in the finality. It kind of dissipates, huh?

[castlestreet]

This is too funny that you started this thread, because I was listening to the CD on my iPhone yesterday in my office! I love the score and found it to be one of the nicest scores Webber had put out in years.

I saw the show during its brief run on Broadway. I sat second row center on the aisle and found the projections to be intersting, but sometimes distracting, especially so close up.

Would love to see a more intimate version of this show done somewhere.

[metropolis10111]

In this score he takes some chances. Not the case in Whistle and the Beautiful Game.


Interesting I LOVE the score to Whistle and think it is one of his most underrated. The cast album has some issues with the acting but I saw this in DC and was just in love with it. I think it really needs a bit of tightening and a new recording but Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts is in several mixes I have on my phone.

[slmlbl]

YES! I love this show as one of my guilty pleasures.
I think at that time it was Lloyd Webber's best score in years after a few flops in a row.
I would love to see it done as a chamber musical
(bye Lammstide and Lost Souls, in fact i'm cool with losing an ensemble for this piece)

I think one thing that made it suffer is it should be a smaller, more intimate piece but because its a Lloyd Webber production was given an over the top productions using the "latest technologies" which in the end took away from what is essentially a parlour room mystery. I would love to see this done in an intimate setting/even a black box.

That being said...Why the holdup on the rights? I know ALW is notoriously slow on releasing his properties, but I for one would love to see this one released.

I always get a thrill listening to the album when (SPOILER: Marian discovers Laura in the prison... the music... beautiful. Also Laura's defiant "you're wrong i mourn for Anne, Anne Catherick" in the finale.)

[RippedMan]

I think it has such a great opening. I mean, a creepy, gothic musical? I love it! I just wish they had taken what they had done in London and tweaked it. Obviously, it did not work so great there. And the Marquis was just the wrong theater for it.

[246015]

I didn't see the production live, but I listen to the recording quite a bit and absolutely LOVE the score. I think it is one of Lloyd Webber's best in fact.

There was talk a few years ago of a downsized, chamber version of the musical touring the UK, but this is yet to materialise. Here is the story as reported by Playbill (it is quite interesting to read about some of the possible changes):

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/153341-EXCLUSIVE-Andrew-Lloyd-Webbers-The-Woman-in-White-Will-Sing-Again-in-Chamber-Version

I, for one, hope that this does indeed happen!

[tazber]

I like the score but Lost Souls is one of the worst songs he has ever written.



Conversely Evermore Without You is one of the finest songs he has ever written.