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Few
people realise that his
Phantom of the Opera has outgrossed the Titanic with
revenues of $ 3 billion worldwide. With Cats having also
grossed over $ 2.5 billion and eight productions about to be on at the
same time on the West End and Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber is
the hottest name in showbiz. That is why everyone expects his
Bombay Dreams to bring India centrestage.
Here he is, in conversation with Pritish Nandy.
At
what stage is Bombay Dreams?
Well,
we have got the basic idea in place, but a lot of work still needs to be
done. That is why I am here in Bombay. I want to look around, get a feel
of the city and spend some time with Rahman. You know, Mr Nandy, he is
simply brilliant. What you might possibly call the best. His work is
very different, very unusual and he himself is such a simple and humble
guy that it would be a pleasure for us to work with him. He will bring a
different kind of flavour to a musical production in the West.
How
did you happen to discover his work?
Shekhar. Shekhar Kapur showed me a video. I liked it immensely. So he
showed me more work. I find him very different, very creative. I think
he will make a strong impression out there in the West.
What
video was that? Do you remember its title?
Dil
Se. It was remarkable. He is an extraordinary melodic composer
whose work deserves to be heard all over the world.
It is not that I was unfamiliar with Indian composers. Talvin Singh, who
lives in London, is a friend of mine and I like his music very much. But
that is largely percussions. This is great melody. The time has come in
the West (I believe) for Asian music to make a strong presence and
Indian music is going to be at the centre of this new movement. For it
is strong on both melody and percussions. Someone like Rahman could
provide the leadership. Yes, I feel very strongly about his music.
How
will you share the creative responsibilities between yourselves?
I
wouldn't. Rahman will do all the compositions himself.
What
will you do? Write the songs?
No,
I can never write songs. I will work on the story. But I will leave
Rahman to compose the melodies. That will make it different. Different
from all the work I have done before.
What
is your most recent work?
I
am premiering this play on September 19 called The Beautiful Game.
It is based in Northern Ireland and is about a bunch of Irish kids who
love to play football, but get caught in all the violence and bloodshed
that is taking place out there. It is about civil war and the kind of
impact it leaves on the mind and spirit of young people who have
actually nothing to do with it.
It is set in the mid-'60s and attempts to show the futility of all
religious conflict. Whether it is Catholics versus Protestants,
Christians versus Muslims, Jews versus Muslims, or (for that matter)
Muslims versus Hindus as out here. All religious conflict is
meaningless, pernicious.
No, it is not a political play. It is about young people trapped by an
environment not of their own making and how that environment changes
their life entirely. It is not a happy play in that sense and I do not
even know if it will run. It could simply shut down after a day or two.
It is so different from the kind of work I have done before that I am
not even sure how it will do. I am frankly prepared for the worst, if
you ask me.
Which
is your favourite? Phantom of the Opera?
It
is difficult for me to say that. I would rather say my latest work -- The
Beautiful Game. It takes a lot of risks. Actually, I am still in
two minds over where to premiere it. London or Dublin. Initially I was
sure about Dublin, but now I am not quite sure that London should not be
the place. Anyway, as I said before, I am very uncertain about the play
and whether it will work or not. It could close down within a week for
all I know.
Why
don't you take a chance and premiere it in Bombay?
Aah,
that would be fun. I was thinking about Bombay Dreams as well.
I would be happy to premiere it here but the problem is that it might
become too expensive. We would have to bring down not just the cast but
all the properties of the show and that will not be an easy thing to do.
Why?
Are the sets too big, too complex?
That
is never the problem. The problem is that there are many other things
that need to be moved and that is not always easy. Which is why we are
also concerned about premiering in Dublin and may not eventually do so.
It could prove to be a logistics nightmare. Frankly, the sets are the
least of the problems. A play has many more complex elements that become
doubly complex when you move out of London or wherever it is that you
conceived it. But, no, I am not writing off the possibility of
premiering Bombay Dreams here. I may still do it.
How
long does it take you to write your musicals?
Normally,
two years, start to finish. I have written 18 plays in about 35 years.
But some take longer. Sometimes three years. The Beautiful Game
play took a much shorter time. Even less than a year. Bombay Dreams
too, could finish faster since Rahman will be composing all the music
and he is used to working fast for the movies.
How
do you react to Hollywood versions of your musicals? Evita, for
instance?
I
am disappointed. That is why I am happy that Shekhar is making Phantom
of the Opera. It will be different, I am sure. I am keen to develop
DVD versions of these musicals. They will be more interesting, more
faithful to the originals. Hollywood tends to get carried away and what
it produces eventually is very disappointing from my point of view.
New opportunities are now emerging to avoid Hollywood and DVD is just
one of them. I am sure many more such opportunities will come that will
not need to cater to public taste in the way Hollywood does and
compromise on the originals. Why don't I send you a DVD and you will see
what I mean? They are so much better than these big screen versions.
But
Hollywood gives your work size, spectacle, and glamour. Why cry off that
when you are in showbiz? Madonna brought Evita a certain magic.
Would you deny that?
Absolutely.
I am not interested in all that. My works must survive the test of time
and that is impossible in their larger-than-life Hollywood versions. I
would prefer to stick to DVDs. To versions that are true to the
originals.
source:
rediff news, photographs: Jewella C Miranda
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