Love Story (musical)
Encyclopedia
Love Story is a musical written by Stephen Clark with
music by Howard Goodall
and lyrics by Stephen Clark and Goodall. It is inspired by Erich Segal’s best-selling novel of the same name. Love Story transferred to the Duchess Theatre
in the West End
in December 2010 following a critically acclaimed sell-out season at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Oliver is a rich young man who meets a spirited young woman, Jenny. She is poor and of Italian heritage, but has attended Radcliffe College
and plays the piano. They fall in love and marry, against his family's wishes. Oliver, disinherited, attends law school, while Jenny works to support them. However, she contracts a fatal illness, leukemia
, and dies.
, where it ran at the Minerva Theatre
from 29 May 2010 until 26 June 2010. The cast featured Emma Williams as Jenny, Michael Xavier as Oliver Barratt IV and Peter Polycarpou
as Phil.
, officially opening on 6 December 2010 following previews from 27 November. It plays a limited 10 week engagement which will end 26 February 2011. Michael Ball
makes his producing debut in a co-production alongside Adam Spiegel and Stephen Waley-Cohen. Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, the set and costume designer is Peter McKintosh, lighting designer is Howard Harrison, and musical staging is by Lizzi Gee. The musical runs without intermission, and the music is played by an on-stage pianist and a septet
of strings.
A cast recording is available, released by Faber Music
.
In its review roundup of the musical at the Chichester Festival Theatre, theatremania.com noted the reviews "praising Goodall's score, Kavanaugh's staging and the central performances from Xavier and Williams."
'Love Story is a delightful, five-star boutique musical, artistically innovative, simple and beautiful' - Daily Mail
'You'll fall head over heels for Love Story' - Mail On Sunday
'Howard Goodall's new musical is a cause for celebration. A finely wrought mood piece that pulses with sensitivity the gorgeous was of Goodall's magnificent melodies' - Sunday Express
Chichester Festival Theatre production review: "Howard Goodall and Stephen Clark have created a terrific new musical...The show finished to a chorus of heavy sniffles, superseded by hearty applause, which I take to mean a West End transfer should be given".
music by Howard Goodall
Howard Goodall
210px|thumb|Howard Goodall at St. John the Baptist Church in Devon, United Kingdom, May 2009Howard Lindsay Goodall CBE is a British composer of musicals, choral music and music for television...
and lyrics by Stephen Clark and Goodall. It is inspired by Erich Segal’s best-selling novel of the same name. Love Story transferred to the Duchess Theatre
Duchess Theatre
The Duchess Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, London, located in Catherine Street, near Aldwych.The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 and is one of the smallest 'proscenium arched' West End theatres. It has 479 seats on two levels....
in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in December 2010 following a critically acclaimed sell-out season at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Plot
At Jenny's funeral, her family and friends flashback ("What can you say about a girl?") about her life.Oliver is a rich young man who meets a spirited young woman, Jenny. She is poor and of Italian heritage, but has attended Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
and plays the piano. They fall in love and marry, against his family's wishes. Oliver, disinherited, attends law school, while Jenny works to support them. However, she contracts a fatal illness, leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, and dies.
2010 Chichester Festival Theatre
Love Story had its world premiere at the Chichester Festival TheatreChichester Festival Theatre
Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, England, was designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, and opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Martin in 1962. Subsequently the smaller and more intimate Minerva Theatre was built nearby in 1989....
, where it ran at the Minerva Theatre
Minerva Theatre, Chichester
The Minerva Theatre is a studio theatre seating at full capacity 283. It is run as part of the adjacent Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, England, and was opened in 1989...
from 29 May 2010 until 26 June 2010. The cast featured Emma Williams as Jenny, Michael Xavier as Oliver Barratt IV and Peter Polycarpou
Peter Polycarpou
Peter Polycarpou is a British stage and TV and film actor, best known for playing Chris Theodopolopoudos in the television comedy series Birds of a Feather.-Career:...
as Phil.
2010 West End
Love Story transferred to the Duchess Theatre in the West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
, officially opening on 6 December 2010 following previews from 27 November. It plays a limited 10 week engagement which will end 26 February 2011. Michael Ball
Michael Ball (singer)
Michael Ashley Ball, born 27 June 1962) is a British actor, singer, and radio and TV presenter who is best known for the song "Love Changes Everything" and musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Edna Turnblad...
makes his producing debut in a co-production alongside Adam Spiegel and Stephen Waley-Cohen. Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, the set and costume designer is Peter McKintosh, lighting designer is Howard Harrison, and musical staging is by Lizzi Gee. The musical runs without intermission, and the music is played by an on-stage pianist and a septet
Septet
A septet is a formation containing exactly seven members. It is commonly associated with musical groups, but can be applied to any situation where seven similar or related objects are considered a single unit, such as a seven-line stanza of poetry....
of strings.
Musical Numbers
- "What Can You Say?" — Company
- "Jenny's Piano Song" — Jenny
- "Winter's Night" — Oliver, Jenny & Company
- "Jenny's Piano Song" (Reprise) — Jenny
- "The Recital" — Oliver & Company
- "What Happens Now?" — Oliver & Jenny
- "Nocturnes (Pre-Echo)" — Jenny
- "Phil's Piano Song" — Phil
- "Summer's Day" — Phil, Jenny, Oliver & Company
- "Pasta" — Jenny & Oliver
- "Everything We Know" — Oliver & Jenny
- "The Tide Has Turned" — Jenny, Oliver & Company
- "Nocturnes" — Jenny
- "Everything We Know" (Reprise) — Jenny & Oliver
- "What Can You Say" (Reprise) — Company
- "Clapping Symphony" — Orchestra
A cast recording is available, released by Faber Music
Faber Music
Faber Music is a British sheet music publisher best known for contemporary classical music. It also publishes music tutor books, and in 2005 acquired popular music publisher International Music Publications....
.
Reception
The reviewer of the Chichester Festival Theatre production wrote in indielondon.co.uk: "Stephen Clark has adapted the story into a succession of short scenes which, under Rachel Kavanaugh’s adept direction, follow on cohesively and coherently resulting in a believable and very poignant evening. Howard Goodall’s songs are integral to the action and they are beautifully performed by the principals and a chorus the rest of the cast...the two principals, Oliver (Michael Xavier) and Jenny (Emma Williams)...give superb and utterly sincere performances."In its review roundup of the musical at the Chichester Festival Theatre, theatremania.com noted the reviews "praising Goodall's score, Kavanaugh's staging and the central performances from Xavier and Williams."
'Love Story is a delightful, five-star boutique musical, artistically innovative, simple and beautiful' - Daily Mail
'You'll fall head over heels for Love Story' - Mail On Sunday
'Howard Goodall's new musical is a cause for celebration. A finely wrought mood piece that pulses with sensitivity the gorgeous was of Goodall's magnificent melodies' - Sunday Express
Chichester Festival Theatre production review: "Howard Goodall and Stephen Clark have created a terrific new musical...The show finished to a chorus of heavy sniffles, superseded by hearty applause, which I take to mean a West End transfer should be given".
Original London production
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Laurence Olivier Award | Best New Musical | |||
| Best Actor in a Musical | Michael Xavier | ||||
| Best Actress in a Musical | Emma Williams Emma Williams (actress) Emma Williams is a British actress. After, going to North Halifax Grammar School and studying at the Stage84 stage school in Idle, West Yorkshire, she has had a successful career in TV, film and on stage.... |
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