Too Close to the Sun
Encyclopedia
Too Close to the Sun is a musical
with a book by Roberto Trippini and music and lyrics by Trippini and John Robinson, based on a play by Ron Read. The musical is a fiction
alized account of the last days in the life of Ernest Hemingway
.
Too Close to the Sun began previews at the Comedy Theatre in London's West End
on 16 July 2009 and officially opened on 24 July. It received uniformly unfavourable reviews and closed on 8 August, bringing its planned eight-week run to an end six weeks early. Directed by Pat Garrett, the opening night cast cast included James Graeme
as Ernest Hemingway, Helen Dallimore
as Mary Hemingway, and Tammy Joelle as Louella. Citing a knee injury, Jay Benedict had withdrawn from his role of Rex early in the previews. He was replaced by Christopher Howell
who performed all of the remaining performances. Sets and costumes were designed by Christopher Woods.
, Hemingway's young secretary, Louella, is plotting to become his fifth wife and heir to his estate. Rex De Havilland, an old friend of the author and now a struggling Hollywood producer, arrives to secure the film rights to Hemingway's life. Anxious to achieve his goal by any means possible, he tries to convince Hemingway's wife Mary the project will give the ailing writer a new lease on life. Hemingway, however, fails to succumb to the charms of either Louella or Rex, and he banishes both from his home before committing suicide with a shot to his head.
Act II
rated it one out of five stars, calling it "pretty dire" and "such a muted, muddled experience, such a waste of time and talent, that there's not really much to snigger about." He described the score as "banal, borrowed and clumsy." Writing for The Guardian
, Michael Billington
also rated the "implausible and unnecessary musical" one out of five stars and cited "the instantly forgettable two dozen numbers by John Robinson that fatally clog the action." Rhoda Koenig of The Independent
similarly rated it one star, writing: "Robinson's trite music pootles about aimlessly and tunelessly, and the lyrics (a Robinson-Trippini collaboration) eschew rhyme as well as reason." In closing, she observed, "Trippini complained some years ago that West End musicals were based on 'formulas which have proved capable of attracting a steady flow of ... customers.' There seems little danger of anyone taking Too Close to the Sun for one of these." Ben Dowell of thelondonpaper
commented, "Even literary giant Ernest Hemingway would be hard pressed to summon words damning enough to capture quite how appalling, risible and offensively drab John Robinson's musical – yes musical ... is." Dowell gave it a no-star rating.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book by Roberto Trippini and music and lyrics by Trippini and John Robinson, based on a play by Ron Read. The musical is a fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
alized account of the last days in the life of Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
.
Too Close to the Sun began previews at the Comedy Theatre in London's 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...
on 16 July 2009 and officially opened on 24 July. It received uniformly unfavourable reviews and closed on 8 August, bringing its planned eight-week run to an end six weeks early. Directed by Pat Garrett, the opening night cast cast included James Graeme
James Graeme
James Graeme is a British actor and singer who trained at the Royal Manchester College of Music.In the West End, Graeme has appeared as the title character in The Phantom of the Opera, created the role of Boone in Whistle Down the Wind, and portrayed Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar...
as Ernest Hemingway, Helen Dallimore
Helen Dallimore
Helen Dallimore is an Australian actress, known for originating the role of Glinda in the West End production of Wicked.-Background:...
as Mary Hemingway, and Tammy Joelle as Louella. Citing a knee injury, Jay Benedict had withdrawn from his role of Rex early in the previews. He was replaced by Christopher Howell
Christopher Howell
Christopher Howell is an American poet, editor, and educator. He has published eight books of poetry.Born in Portland, Oregon, Howell served as a journalist for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He earned a B.S. from Oregon State University in 1968, an M.A...
who performed all of the remaining performances. Sets and costumes were designed by Christopher Woods.
Synopsis
In the summer of 1961 on the Hemingway ranch in Ketchum, IdahoKetchum, Idaho
Ketchum is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States, in the central part of the state. The population was 3,003 at the 2000 census. It is in the Wood River Valley, adjacent to Sun Valley; the two communities share many resources and both sit in the same valley beneath Bald Mountain, with its...
, Hemingway's young secretary, Louella, is plotting to become his fifth wife and heir to his estate. Rex De Havilland, an old friend of the author and now a struggling Hollywood producer, arrives to secure the film rights to Hemingway's life. Anxious to achieve his goal by any means possible, he tries to convince Hemingway's wife Mary the project will give the ailing writer a new lease on life. Hemingway, however, fails to succumb to the charms of either Louella or Rex, and he banishes both from his home before committing suicide with a shot to his head.
Musical numbers
Act I- "Prologue"
- "Just Relax-Think Good Thoughts"
- "The Ketchum, Idaho Walk"
- "Do I Make A Certain Kind Of Sense?"
- "I Do Like To Be Liked"
- "Make Yourself One With The Gun"
- "Sentimental Small-Towner That I Am"
- "Super-Eager Little Her"
- "Illusion Lyrique"
- "All Will Be Well"
- "Hollywood!, Hollywood!"
- "Havana"
- "Too Close To The Sun"
Act II
- "In The World`s Face"
- "Alabama - The Queen Of Them All"
- "Waiting In The Shadows"
- "Just Gimme Half Of Half A Chance"
- "Strong And Silent Types"
- "Can`t Think Of It Without Wanting To Cry"
- "Stormy Weather, Boys"
- "Poor Little Silly Young Me"
- "Forgive Me Wife. You`ll Understand"
- "The Regret"
- "I Did My Best"
- "Character Gives You The Man"
Critical response
The musical received unanimously unfavourable reviews. Dominic Maxwell of The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
rated it one out of five stars, calling it "pretty dire" and "such a muted, muddled experience, such a waste of time and talent, that there's not really much to snigger about." He described the score as "banal, borrowed and clumsy." Writing for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Michael Billington
Michael Billington (critic)
Michael Keith Billington is a British author and arts critic. Drama critic of The Guardian since October 1971, he is "Britain's longest-serving theatre critic" and the author of biographical and critical studies relating to British theatre and the arts; most notably, he is the authorised...
also rated the "implausible and unnecessary musical" one out of five stars and cited "the instantly forgettable two dozen numbers by John Robinson that fatally clog the action." Rhoda Koenig of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
similarly rated it one star, writing: "Robinson's trite music pootles about aimlessly and tunelessly, and the lyrics (a Robinson-Trippini collaboration) eschew rhyme as well as reason." In closing, she observed, "Trippini complained some years ago that West End musicals were based on 'formulas which have proved capable of attracting a steady flow of ... customers.' There seems little danger of anyone taking Too Close to the Sun for one of these." Ben Dowell of thelondonpaper
Thelondonpaper
The London Paper was a free daily newspaper, published by NI Free Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International...
commented, "Even literary giant Ernest Hemingway would be hard pressed to summon words damning enough to capture quite how appalling, risible and offensively drab John Robinson's musical – yes musical ... is." Dowell gave it a no-star rating.