Metropolis (musical)
Encyclopedia
Metropolis is a musical based on the 1927 silent movie
of the same name that was staged at the Piccadilly Theatre
in London
in 1989. The music was written by Joe Brooks
, the lyrics by Dusty Hughes
. The show was directed by Jerome Savary
. The cast included Judy Kuhn
, Brian Blessed
, Graham Bickley
, Jonathan Adams, Paul Keown and Stifyn Parri.
After that time Joe Brooks worked with American Randy Bowser at editing the already finished musical. By 2002 they had created a more complete libretto to the show, and it was first produced at the Pentacle Theater in Salem, Oregon.
Main changes between the silent film and the musical are name changes for many of the characters (Joh Fredersen = John Freeman, Freder Fredersen = Steven, Rotwang = Warner), slightly different religious themes, a completely different ending, and a larger focus on the children.
The city was built by John Freeman, who now runs it like a despot. His son, Steven, lives the privileged life of the sons of the upper class playing games and taking his pleasures in the Eternal Gardens, ignorant of the dark secrets below the city.
Soon, he discovers a young woman from the lower depths of the city. Maria escapes briefly from "down below" in an effort to educate the children of the workers how the rich enjoy themselves. In pursuit of this vision, Steven ends up at one of the machines. Shocked by seeing how the workers suffer for no meaningful purpose, he trades places with worker 11811 (George). A group of discontented workers poised for revolution attend inspirational homilies given by Maria in the catacombs.
Meanwhile, the inventor, Warner, has developed a human-like female machine - 'Futura'. John Freeman wants to use the machine to deceive his son Steven and the workers as an attempt to break down the burgeoning resistance. Freeman wants the machine to take the form of Maria and to use it to discredit and destroy her.
Act 2
Metropolis (film)
Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and...
of the same name that was staged at the Piccadilly Theatre
Piccadilly Theatre
The Piccadilly Theatre is a West End theatre located at 16 Denman Street, behind Piccadilly Circus and adjacent to the Regent Palace Hotel, in the City of Westminster, England.-Early years:Built by Bertie Crewe and Edward A...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1989. The music was written by Joe Brooks
Joseph Brooks (songwriter)
Joseph Brooks was an American screenwriter, director, producer, and composer. He composed the song "You Light Up My Life" for the film of the same name that he also wrote, directed, and produced. In his later years he became the subject of an investigation after being accused of a series of...
, the lyrics by Dusty Hughes
Dusty Hughes (playwright)
Dusty Hughes is a British playwright and director, writing for both the theatre and television.His Grrr was first performed in Edinburgh...
. The show was directed by Jerome Savary
Jérôme Savary
Jérôme Savary is a French theater director and actor. His work has democratized and widened the appeal of musical theater in France, drawing together and blending such genres as opera, operetta, and musical comedy.- Biography :...
. The cast included Judy Kuhn
Judy Kuhn
-Life and career:Kuhn was born in New York City and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. She attended Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C.She entered Oberlin College in 1976. Although she was very interested in singing and theater, she began Oberlin in the College, not the Conservatory. After taking...
, Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
, Graham Bickley
Graham Bickley
Graham John Bickley is an English actor. He is probably best known for playing Joey Boswell in Bread from 1989, until 1991 taking over from Peter Howitt, who played him from 1986, until 1989.Career=...
, Jonathan Adams, Paul Keown and Stifyn Parri.
After that time Joe Brooks worked with American Randy Bowser at editing the already finished musical. By 2002 they had created a more complete libretto to the show, and it was first produced at the Pentacle Theater in Salem, Oregon.
Main changes between the silent film and the musical are name changes for many of the characters (Joh Fredersen = John Freeman, Freder Fredersen = Steven, Rotwang = Warner), slightly different religious themes, a completely different ending, and a larger focus on the children.
Original London cast
- Brian BlessedBrian BlessedBrian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
- John Freeman - Judy KuhnJudy Kuhn-Life and career:Kuhn was born in New York City and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. She attended Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C.She entered Oberlin College in 1976. Although she was very interested in singing and theater, she began Oberlin in the College, not the Conservatory. After taking...
- Maria/Futura - Graham BickleyGraham BickleyGraham John Bickley is an English actor. He is probably best known for playing Joey Boswell in Bread from 1989, until 1991 taking over from Peter Howitt, who played him from 1986, until 1989.Career=...
- Steven - Jonathan Adams - Warner
- Paul Keown - Jeremiah
- Stifyn Parri - George
- Lindsey Danvers - Jade
- Colin Fay - Groat
- Megan Kelly - Lake
- Robert Fardell - Marco
- Lucy Dixon - Lulu
- Kevin Power - Worker #1
- Gael Johnson - Beso
Synopsis
The city of Metropolis - around the year 2000. The workers operate vast machines below the city and power the privileged lives of the upper class on the surface of the city. Workers are forbidden to read and to learn. They never see daylight.The city was built by John Freeman, who now runs it like a despot. His son, Steven, lives the privileged life of the sons of the upper class playing games and taking his pleasures in the Eternal Gardens, ignorant of the dark secrets below the city.
Soon, he discovers a young woman from the lower depths of the city. Maria escapes briefly from "down below" in an effort to educate the children of the workers how the rich enjoy themselves. In pursuit of this vision, Steven ends up at one of the machines. Shocked by seeing how the workers suffer for no meaningful purpose, he trades places with worker 11811 (George). A group of discontented workers poised for revolution attend inspirational homilies given by Maria in the catacombs.
Meanwhile, the inventor, Warner, has developed a human-like female machine - 'Futura'. John Freeman wants to use the machine to deceive his son Steven and the workers as an attempt to break down the burgeoning resistance. Freeman wants the machine to take the form of Maria and to use it to discredit and destroy her.
Musical numbers
Act 1- 101.11 - Company
- Hold Back the Night - Maria, Jade, George, Marco & Company
- The Machines are Beautiful - Freeman
- He's Distant from Me Now - Steven
- Elitists' Dance (Instrumental)
- Children of Metropolis - Maria
- One More Morning - Steven
- It's Only Love - Steven
- Bring on the Night - Maria
- You are the Light - Maria and Company
- The Sun - George
- There's a Girl Down Below - Jeremiah
- Futura - Warner, Freeman and company
Act 2
- We're the Cream - Elitists
- This is Life - Steven, Jeremiah and Company
- Futura's Dance - Maria and Company
- If That Was Love - Steven
- Listen to Me - Steven and George
- Learning Song - Maria and Children
- Old Friends - Warner
- When Maria Wakes - Company
- Futura's Promise - Futura
- Haven't You Finished With Me? - Maria and Warner
- Let's Watch the World Go to the Devil - Futura and Company
- One of These Nights - Maria
- Requiem - Company
- Metropolis - Freeman
- Finale - Company