“In America there is a statue in Times Square of [playwright and composer] George M Cohan and there are stamps with Jerome Kern on. There should be a statue on Shaftesbury Avenue [of Andrew] – something for what he’s done.”Others, in the form of classical music critic Norman Lebrecht, have expressed some mild objections:
"If his bust goes up in my town, I’m outta here."On the issue of a statue, I am neutral. My only thought is that one of Sarah Brightman would be prettier.
However, on the issue of musical theatre, I'll take Don Black's opinion any day. Lebrecht falls back on some pretty hoary criticism:
"His Lordship may be a genius at selling a show..."Nice of you to say so but I suspect that much of the genius belongs to the Super Mac, Cameron Mackintosh. Lord Andy is more Boheme than businessman.
"...but he has trashed down the genre to a series of musical clichés and pop tunes."Musical cliches like title songs like in 5/8 ("Sunset Boulevard")?
"What was once a halfway house between grand opera and lowbrow music-hall has become, in Lloyd Webber’s proficient hands, a brand for safe entertainment..."Safe entertainments like shows about the Son of God, fascist dictators, cats, trains, a freak in a sewer and, oh yes, the IRA.
"...and stage technology..."Like the stage technology it took to create the successful double-albums of Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.
"...that barely engages the brain."Unlike really original and perceptive musical theatre criticism like Lebrecht's.
Black, on the other hand, hits the nose on the head, so to speak:
"The lyricist also claimed critics should try to write a musical, claiming only then would they 'realise how well Andrew knows the structure of musicals'". 'He’s studied it in a forensic way,' Black said."This is why the music critic never quite gets to grip with Lord Andy. They treat him as a composer. In truth he is a dramatist. And that is why he has been so successful.
You really don't need a statue to work that out.
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