Archiv - 2003
West End: “Madness”-Musical gefloppt
Am 16. August fällt nach 10 Monaten Aufführungszeit der letzte Vorhang für eines jener Musicals, die sich an der “Mamma Mia!”-Erlolgsstory anhängen wollten. Basierend auf den Hits der englischen Popgruppe “Madness” wurde eine Show gezimmert, die zwar im Februar 2003 einen Olivier Award als “Best New Musical” einbrachte, das Publikum aber nicht zu begeistern vermochte.
Der Produzent der Show, Peter Bennett-Jones, sieht das naturgemäß anders: “The decision was taken with a heavy heart. It is a terrific show, which well deserved its prestigious Olivier award. It continues to generate a great response from audiences, who love this entertaining and engaging show. But these are difficult times, politically and economically, and we are among the casualties. We hope those who have not yet marvelled at seeing Our House will grab the opportunity to do so during the coming weeks.” [story]
Andrew Motions “Rap”-Gedicht zu Prince Williams 21. Geburtstag
Prince William did a DJ slot during
his gap year in South America
Better stand back
Here’s an age attack,
But the second in line
Is dealing with it fine.
It’s a threshold, a gateway,
A landmark birthday;
It’s a turning of the page,
A coming of age.
It’s a day to celebrate,
A destiny, a fate;
It’s a taking to the wing,
A future thing.
Better stand back
Here’s an age attack,
But the second in line
Is dealing with it fine.
It’s a sign of what’s to come,
A start, and then some;
It’s a difference growing,
A younger sort of knowing.
It’s a childhood gone,
A step towards the crown;
It’s a trigger of change,
A stretching of the range.
Better stand back
Here’s an age attack,
But the second in line
Is dealing with it fine.
[story]
Fame - das Comeback eines Erfolgskonzepts
“Fame” - es begann alles mit einem Kassenschlager von Alan Parker aus dem Jahre 1979. “Fame - Der Weg zum Ruhm”, eine Hommage an die Jugend und den Tanz, erhielt zwei British Academy Awards, wurde sechsmal für den Oscar und viermal für einen Golden Globe nominiert. In der Folge wurde das Erfolgskonzept in einer Fernsehserie weitergesponnen.
Als Musical feierte das Konzept im Cambridge Theatre des Londoner West Ends im Juni 1995 seine Premiere. 14 Monate war die Show zu sehen, danach kam es zu diversen Londoner Revival-Produktionen (derzeit läuft “Fame” im Aldwych Theatre) sowie zu Inszenierungen in den USA, Kanada, Australien und Europa.
2003 scheint das Jahr zu werden, in dem der “Fame”-Boom einen neuen Höhepunkt erreicht. Alan Parkers Meisterwerk ist dieser Tage als DVD erschienen, der dazugehörige Soundtrack ist remastered mit Extra-Tracks neu veröffentlicht worden.
Im Herbst schließlich wird das FAME-Revival in der Broadway-Premiere einer Neuinszenierung der Show im Little Shubert Theatre gipfeln. Es ist dies gleichzeitig auch die New-York-Premiere des Musicals, denn obwohl Tournee-Produktionen durch das ganze Land reisten, erreichte keine davon den Broadway. Über das Creative Team der Produktion ist nichts bekannt, einen der Hauptdarsteller hat man jedoch fixiert. Es wird dies der/die Gewinnerin der NBC Talente-Show “Fame” sein, die derzeit in Amerika ausgestrahlt wird.
Showdown am Broadway: Letzter Vorhang für 6 Produktionen
As is the custom the week after the Tony Awards are handed out, Broadway grosses surged upward significantly last week, with all but three productions seeing gains at the box office. According to figures from the League of American Theatres and Producers, last week’s grosses were $14,452,497, exceeding last year’s total for this time frame by some $600,000. Still, attendance figures fell short: 224,701 tickets last week, versus 225,743 ducats for this week last year.
The increase in grosses can be attributed, of course, to the power of the Tonys. Still, the post-award fallout has begun, with six shows closing in June and some audiences madly scooping up seats before the final curtains fall. Prior to the awards on Sun., June 8, the producers of “A Year With Frog and Toad” announced the show would leap from its lily pad on Sun., June 15; the Roundabout Theatre Company had also announced that the poorly received “The Look of Love” would truncate a planned extension and shutter on the same day. [story]
Young Bradford über Annie Lennox’ CD “Bare”
I write today from cloudy and overcast Los Angeles in this room inthis hotel listening to Bare, a slow, sad, gospel album drenching in heartbreak and layered with ethereal voices and instruments. The album is not Diva. It is not that good. However, a sad Annie Lennox, is a real Annie Lennox. I am feeling you sister while I slowly spread my egg yolks on my english muffin and sip my morning coffee. I hope the colors of Los Angeles infuse from gray to gold. I hope for sun.
She sings of erasing people. Erasures left where people once stood and I could not stand to do that with anyone who ever let me love them. Maybe I would think differently had I been treated badly. I have not. My life has been full of love since embracing it. I may have had things not work out. I long for things I know I will not have. I won’t stop though. I will not erase anyone. Not even my father, who is physically gone from this world. I feel like a spiritual new-age hippie. Maybe I just feel like a San Franciscan this morning, but I have a piece of everyone I have ever met somewhere in the baby blue flecks of my eyes. I see the world through you each day. And I smile when I do. [story]
[Weitere Kritiken: laut.de|NDR2|metacritic.com]
Wil Wheaton - live on “Your Mac Life”
Wil Wheaton ist nicht nur einer der berühmtesten Weblogger dieses Universums, er ist nun auch ein Autor am Start zu einer großen Karriere. Sein Buch “Dancing Barefoot” hat er im Eigenverlag vor 22 Tagen veröffentlicht, und die ersten 1000 Exemplare sind bereits verschickt. Keine schlechte Leistung für einen Jungautor. Amazon.com ist bereits auf den Zug aufgesprungen und hat sein Buch ins Programm aufgenommen, weitere Firmen werden mit Sicherheit folgen.
In der Internet-”Radio-Show” Your Mac Life hat Wil vergangene Nacht die Gelegenheit gehabt, über sein Leben als Weblogger, Schauspieler, Ex-Serienstar, Vater, Ehemann, iMac-User und viele andere Dinge zu sprechen. Die Sendung kann man hier als MP3 downloaden.
Die heißesten Sexszenen der Geschichte
1 Blowup (1966) David Hemmings and Veruschka
2 Some Like it Hot (1959) Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe
3 … And God Created Woman (1956) Brigitte Bardot and Eric Carradine
4 Vixen (1968), Erica Gavin and Jon Evans
5 Last Tango in Paris (1973) Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider
6 Body Heat (1981) William Hurt and Kathleen Turner
7 The Hunger (1983) Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon
8 Walkabout (1971) Jenny Agutter and Lucien John
9 Mulholland Drive (2001) Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring
10 Sex and Lucia (2001) Paz Vega and Tristan Ulloa.
[story]
Luther Vandross - trotz Schlaganfall Nr. 1 in den USA
NEW YORK (AP) — Luther Vandross’ new album, released as he lay in a hospital recovering from a stroke, has debuted at No. 1, according to industry figures released Wednesday.
Dance With My Father sold more than 440,000 copies in its first week of release, marking the first No. 1 album debut for the Grammy winner, whose career spans more than two decades.
The album was released by J Records on June 10, almost two months after Vandross had a stroke in his Manhattan home. The 52-year-old singer was taken to hospital April 17 in critical condition, barely conscious, and had serious setbacks; at one point, he needed a tracheotomy to help him breathe.
Although his condition was grave, family members moved ahead to release Dance With My Father as scheduled. His mother, Mary Vandross, said her son would have wanted his music to be heard and expressed confidence that it would be a success. [story]
Damen und Herren: Clay Aiken - das “wirkliche” American Idol
The top two “American Idol” contestants capture the top two spots on Billboard’s Hot 100, as Clay Aiken’s “This Is the Night” (RCA) debuts at No. 1 and Ruben Studdard’s “Flying Without Wings” (J Records) opens at No. 2. It’s the first time in the 45-year history of the Hot 100 that the top two positions are new entries.
Aiken’s “This Is the Night” is the first song to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 since 1998, and the first since chart rules were changed to allow airplay-only tracks to appear on the chart alongside commercially released singles. Those new chart policies make it almost impossible for a song to enter the chart in pole position, or in the top-5, but the massive sales on the two “Idol” singles made their historic debuts possible.
Aiken’s single sold nearly 393,000 copies and Studdard’s single moved nearly 286,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan. “This Is the Night” boasts the biggest one-week sales figures since Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997.” [story] [Clay Aiken - Coverstory “Rolling Stone”]
