Andrew Lloyd Webber "JEEVES" David Hemmings 1975 London FLOP Opening Flyer

Description

This is a rare advertising handbill (flyer) promoting the opening of the Original West End production of the ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER and ALAN AYCKBOURN musical comedy "JEEVES" at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. (The production opened April 22nd, 1975 and closed after only 38 performances.) ..... The musical starred DAVID HEMMINGS and MICHAEL ALDRIDGE and featured JOHN TURNER, BILL WALLIS, DAVID WOOD, CHRISTOPHER GOOD, GABRIELLE DRAKE, DEBBIE BOWEN, ANGELA EASTERLING and GORDON CLYDE ..... Side Note:
Jeeves
is regarded as
Andrew Lloyd Webber
's
only real flop.
Tim Rice
conceived the idea of turning
P. G. Wodehouse
's
Jeeves
stories into a musical. Originally, he was to work with his then-partner,
Andrew Lloyd Webber
,
but Rice backed out of the project. Eventually Lloyd Webber teamed up with famed British playwright
Alan Ayckbourn
,
and the two of them began work with the personal blessing of Wodehouse. Ayckbourn utilized characters and plot lines from several Jeeves and Wooster stories, notably-
The Code of the Woosters
. Unfortunately, the loyalty to the Wodehouse material made for an epic length, (four and three-quarter hours at the Bristol tryouts) and reducing the duration made for creative tensions. Regardless of book-trouble, Lloyd Webber had provided a strong period score that eschewed all traces of the pop-inflections of his "
Jesus Christ Superstar
".
The original cast album (MCA Cat. No. MCF 2726) was recorded and released, but is extremely hard to find today. Lloyd Webber, reportedly acting on the advice of American Theatre Director
Harold Prince
,
withdrew the recording in order to be able to reuse some of the musical material in subsequent shows. (Wikipedia)
..... CREDITS: Music by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER ("Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats", "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "Song and Dance", "Starlight Express", "The Phantom of the Opera", "Aspects of Love", "By Jeeves"); Book and Lyrics by ALAN AYCKBOURN based on the Jeeves stories by P. G. WODEHOUSE; Orchestrations by DON WALKER and ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER; Sets and Costumes designed by VOYTEK; Choreographed by CHRISTOPHER BRUCE; Directed by ERIC THOMPSON; Produced by ROBERT STIGWOOD in association with MICHAEL WHITE ..... DETAILS: Advertising handbills (heralds) were distributed or inserted into the playbills of other productions to help generate ticket sales for upcoming shows and events. This single page, two-sided handbill measures 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" inches and includes wonderful graphics and production credits on the front and ticket prices on the backside ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a tiny tear and creasing along the right edge, this rare handbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.