Jesus Christ, super feud
IT HAS been one of the most successful musical collaborations of all time, producing some of the West End’s biggest hits. But 40 years after Jesus Christ
Superstar became their first success, Sir Tim Rice and Lord Lloyd-webber are publicly at odds over a new production of the show that made their name.
Sir Tim, who wrote the musical’s lyrics, has voiced his opposition to a television show to find the “next Jesus”, describing the plans as “tasteless”, “tacky” and “relentlessly downmarket”.
Lord Lloyd-webber announced last week plans for Superstar, a new ITV1 programme in which contestants will compete for the lead role in the rock musical, which tells the story of Christ’s final week.
He has previously found stars for West End productions of The Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
Oliver! and The Wizard of Oz on BBC talent shows.
The most promising prospects will perform in front of Lord Lloyd-webber and a panel of celebrity judges, with the winner decided by public vote before starring in a tour opening at London’s O2 Arena.
Lord Lloyd-webber is believed to be pursuing Nicole Scherzinger, the pop singer, to play the role of Mary Magdalene and act as a judge on the show.
Sir Tim said Lord Lloyd-webber had ignored his requests not to cast a new production of the musical via a television contest.
“I’ve had several meetings with Andrew and said that I don’t want this done, but now it appears it’s been signed and sealed,” he said.
“Andrew wants to rehash things all the time, but I really don’t think Superstar needs that tasteless reality television treatment.
“Those shows are relentlessly downmarket, which is fine if the show is a lightweight bit of fluff. I am fully behind an arena show, but I just don’t think you need another television series to do that.”
The musical, which Sir Tim and Lord Lloyd-webber wrote in 1969, features Mary Magdalene expressing her desire for Jesus. In
I think it would be ill-advised to have people voting for who should be Jesus
another scene, Jesus is shown being whipped by Roman soldiers and the musical ends with Christ’s crucifixion.
Sir Tim said the musical’s religious and political themes could become a source of ridicule in a television talent show, with the judges telling hopeful contestants: “You could be Jesus.”
“It opens up a lot of opportunities for spoofs and I think it would be ill-advised to have people voting for who should be Jesus,” he said.
“It’s just possible that it might be the most sophisticated, tasteful show hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but I doubt it. It sounds tacky and I really don’t think Andrew should do it.”
Sir Tim said he was prepared to veto the winning contestant.
“They can’t cast the show without my approval,” he said. “I have the right to veto casting, so if Andrew casts it on TV and I don’t like the person, I could say so.”
He has also written to ITV, saying he “does not feel comfortable with the concept of the show”.
Sir Tim, 67, and Lord LloydWebber, 63, began working together in 1965 on their first musical, The Likes of Us, and have since jointly written several hit musicals, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Evita. They wrote Jesus Christ
Superstar as an album in 1969 and it became a hit West End musical in 1972.
The show has since had many successful runs around the world, with recent productions in Chile, Bulgaria and Siberia. A new production will open on Broadway in New York in March.
Sir Tim has since enjoyed a lucrative career writing for Disney film productions, including
Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, for which he won an Oscar. He is currently working on a musical adaptation of the 1953 film From Here to Eternity.
Lord Lloyd-webber’s most recent projects include Love Never Dies, the sequel to Phantom of the
Opera, and his series of BBC talent competitions.
While there has long been speculation about tensions between them, the duo have, until now, been careful to stress their
amicable relationship. Lord LloydWebber said in a recent interview: “There has never been a feud. We have been great friends for a very long time.”
They most recently worked together in 2010, on two new songs for a West End production of The Wizard of Oz, which Lord Lloyd-webber also launched with a television contest show, Over the
Rainbow.
Lord Lloyd-webber’s previous musical talent shows on the BBC came under attack, with critics claiming they unfairly promoted his commercial interests.
Regional auditions for Superstar will begin next month. The programme, which may also include a public vote to find a Judas character, will air every night for three weeks on ITV1 during June and July.
Lord Lloyd-webber — who said last week that “the public lead the casting process and they’ve got it absolutely right four times already” — declined to comment on Sir Tim’s concerns.