from WOS -GWTW Cancels Preview, Shortens Running Time

Date: 14th April 2008

 

A week ahead of its scheduled press night, Gone with the Wind has cancelled tomorrow night’s preview performance (Tuesday 15 April 2008) as the creative team work to shorten the epic show’s running time.

 

Trevor Nunn’s musical adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel started previews at the West End’s New London theatre on 5 April 2008, ahead of its world premiere next Tuesday, 22 April 2008. One preview, originally scheduled for 4 April, was cancelled after Natasha Yvette Williams, the actress who plays Scarlett’s maid Mammy, injured her ankle.

 

 

At the start of previews, the show was reportedly running at over four hours, which had been cut down to three hours and 45 minutes as of late last week. Producers are aiming to bring it in at the three-hour mark. The cancellation of tomorrow evening’s performance will allow time to rehearse in proposed cuts.

 

Set in Georgia in the 1860s, Gone with the Wind follows Scarlett O’Hara’s journey from a life of luxury on her father’s plantation through the Civil War and the hardships it heaps on her and her family to the rocky post-war peace, with her love for Ashley Wilkes and the renegade Rhett Butler adding fuel to the fire. Jill Paice and Darius Danesh star as Scarlett and Rhett (picture).

 

In development for more than three years, Gone with the Wind has music and lyrics by Margaret Martin. The premiere production is directed by Nunn and designed by John Napier, who worked with Nunn on blockbuster page-to-stage adaptations of Les Miserables and Cats, the latter finishing its 21-year run at the New London in May 2002. It’s produced by Aldo Scrofani and Colin Ingram.

 

 

One of the best-selling novels of the 20th century (the only book that's sold more, apparently is The Bible), Gone with the Wind was made into one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing films, a winner of ten Oscars. It starred Leigh and Gable, whose final line – “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” – has gone down in cinematic history.

 

In addition to Paice, Danesh and Williams (See News, 21 Dec 2007), the cast of the new stage version also features Edward Baker-Duly (as Ashley Wilkes), Madeleine Worrall (Melanie) and Jina Burrows (Prissy). Others in the company include Emily Bryant, Gareth Chart, Laura Checkley, Julian Forsyth, Kirsty Hoiles, Chris Jarman, Tober Reilly, David Roberts, Tom Sellwood, Ray Shell, Savannah Stevenson, Gemma Sutton, Sue Jane Tanner, Susan Tracy and Alan Winner.

 

Customers who booked for tomorrow’s performance are being offered ticket exchanges or refunds. Amongst those affected are 250 theatregoers on our Whatsonstage.com Outing, which has been sold out for months. We will be contacting all Outing attendees today with alternative arrangements. If you have booked for the Outing, you can contact Kate Jackson on kate@whatsonstage.com or 020 7907 7020.

 

 

- by Terri Paddock

 

As I said before I wasnt worried about Darius; performance I was worried about Trevor nunns vision.

Bang goes any chance of a decent review from Wos and the goodwill of so many theatregoers from all over the country.

oh well, they do really need to get the running time down though. Hopefully it will give the WOS outing a better perception of they see a tighter preview or show.

 

best to get it right earlier rather than later!

Edited April 14, 200818 yr by prettyinpink

I can't see what else they could do. It's very late in the day though. it's a shame it was that day that was cancelled. The 4th was bad enough but, you expect that could happen with an early preview. Maybe the 15th was the day with least seats sold. Or just the next day they could do it. Monday's are never as easy and some work can be done with the show running - wednesday would mean cancelling 2 shows and then it is just too close.

I hope they don't cut anymore of Darius part. They could easily lose some of Jill's songs as she's going to be under so much pressure trying to do everything 8 times a week.

yes, I have read a lot of comments about how long Jill is on stage, where does she get the energy from? plus she did all the workshops didnt she?

it would make sense to cut a bit from her, it never does to have a show too dependant on one character imo.

Some of her songs seemed quite similar.

Why are there so many O"Hara songs before the barbecue at Twelve Oaks - surely some of those could be jettisoned easily. What is their purpose?

 

Obviously the one about the slaves desire to be free needs to stay if Margaret Martin is making that a main theme in the stage show.

Edited April 14, 200818 yr by Baytree

Well, we'll see ( or partially see) on Friday. We'll hear OK. I'd hate more of Darius' stuff to go.

What scenes do you remember Darius being in? Could you update the scene it or not thread, maybe?

Im, sorry but this has been 3 years in preparation so why has trevor nunn not realised before about the length. I think to cancel the preview on the night the WOS group are going is a bad idea especially at such short notice. I will be surprised if they change to another night. How can they afford to let 250 real theatregoers slip through their fingers when they could have arranged another night. The cast will surely be exhausted.

This show is being plagued by almost as many problems as the film was, and we all know how that turned out after the 5 day re-write and very late orchestration.

 

 

From The Stage News

 

 

Gone With the Wind is not tomorrow but another day

Published Monday 14 April 2008 at 15:50 by Matthew Hemley

 

Tomorrow night’s preview of Trevor Nunn’s musical adaptation of Gone with the Wind has been cancelled, with a spokeswoman for the show claiming the move allows for more “technical time on stage”.

 

The show’s producers are also working to shorten the running time of the production, which opened on April 4.

 

It is understood it lasted for more than four hours in its first previews and that 18 minutes have already been cut.

 

The spokeswoman said producers hoped to reduce this by another 15 minutes before the show’s opening night on April 22.

 

Regarding the cancelled preview, she said: “Because they are rehearsing by day and performing in the evening, in order to get more technical time we have to cancel a performance.”

 

Gone with the Wind is based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel and has music and lyrics by Margaret Martin.

 

It stars Darius Danesh and Jill Paice and is produced by Aldo Scrofani and Colin Ingram.

 

 

 

 

 

There's often a problem with length. This production had a very small preview run. It's far more important to get it right. Until you see audience reaction, you don't know how it's going or which bits to cut. It's one thing to grow and nuture a product and completely different thing to walk into a theatre and see the idea presented when you are not involved.

 

I'll tell you what I think sometime over the weekend. It'll only be my opinion but, you can make your own opinion heard when you've seen it.

 

It's normal to worry. Just take deep breathes.

 

He didn't cast his Rhett, Mammy or Prissy until January 31st and rehearsals didn't start until 11th February.

 

I wonder how much of the behind the scenes drama and rewrites etc. will be shown in the documentary. It should be very entertaining.

 

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Playbill News

 

 

 

Gone with the Wind Cancels April 15 Preview; Director Nunn at Work

By Andrew Gans

and Mark Shenton

14 Apr 2008

 

 

 

Director Trevor Nunn in rehearsal for Gone with the Wind.

 

photo by Catherine Ashmore

 

The April 15 preview of Gone with the Wind, the new musical version of Margaret Mitchell's epic novel at the New London Theatre, has been canceled.

 

A production spokesperson told Playbill.com that the performance has been canceled to allow time for additional technical rehearsal. Director Trevor Nunn is also looking to reduce the running time of the musical, which is scheduled to officially open in the West End April 22.

 

The new musical co-stars Guys and Dolls' Darius Danesh as Rhett Butler and Curtains' Jill Paice as Scarlet O'Hara. Joining Paice and Danesh onstage are Edward Baker-Duly (South Pacific) as Ashley Wilkes; Madeleine Worall (Cinderella at the Old Vic) as Melanie Wilkes; American NaTasha Yvette Williams (The Color Purple) in her West End debut as Mammy; and Jina Burrows (Boogie Nights and Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall) as Prissy.

 

The ensemble comprises Emily Bryant, Gareth Chart, Laura Checkley, Julian Forsyth, Kirsty Hoiles, Chris Jarman, Tober Reilly, David Roberts, Tom Sellwood, Ray Shell, Savannah Stevenson, Gemma Sutton, Sue Jane Tanner, Susan Tracy and Alan Winner.

 

The creative team for Nunn's production includes set and costume designers John Napier and Andreane Neofitou, respectively. Gareth Valentine (Wicked and Sinatra) is the musical supervisor and arranger with lighting by Neil Austin and sound by Paul Groothius.

 

Paice created the role of Laura Fairlie in Nunn's production of The Woman in White both at the Palace Theatre in London and on Broadway. Her other theatre credits include Nicki Harris in Curtains at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and on Broadway where she reprised the role opposite David Hyde Pierce. She was also the original Sophie in the Las Vegas company of Mamma Mia! and appeared in the U.S. touring company of Les Misérables. Her recording credits include the original cast recordings of Curtains, The Woman in White and The Gig as well as a featured artist on the "Andrew Lloyd Webber on Broadway" album.

 

Onstage Danesh has twice played Billy Flynn in the London production of Chicago and starred as Sky in Michael Grandage's London revival of Guys and Dolls.

 

With music and lyrics by sociologist-turned-composer Margaret Martin, Gone With the Wind has been in development for three years with Nunn, Martin and producer Aldo Scrofani of Columbia Artists, who has teamed up with London producer Coilin Ingram for the West End premiere.

 

Set in 1860s Atlanta, Georgia, Gone With the Wind takes in America's Civil War and the Reconstruction Period that followed. Mitchell's heroine is 17-year-old Scarlett who lives a life of luxury on her father's plantation and embarks on a turbulent relationship with the dashing and dangerous Rhett.

 

In an earlier statement, Nunn said, "Having now worked on adapting two vast novels for the stage, Nicholas Nickleby and Les Misérables I am drawn to the challenge of telling Margaret Mitchell's epic story through words, music and the imaginative resources of the theatre. The major turning point of American history is conveyed through Mitchell's extraordinary cast of characters, black and white, as they pursue their different ideas of the future, and of the past."

 

For more on Gone With the Wind call (0)870 890 0141.

 

I'm really looking forward to Sunday's showing of it.

At least if I forget it there's another chance to see it a few days later.

 

It's nice to see Darius listed according to his last musical theatre role same as the others, isn't it?

Edited April 14, 200818 yr by Baytree

It is - it's as it should be

There's a banner for GWTW on the wos homepage. Clicking on it takes you to the GWTWthemusical homepage.

 

Still no sounds though, megham.

Edited April 14, 200818 yr by Baytree

I noticed. It doesn't matter as much to me at the moment - it's more concern that they don't cut Darius part. This cancellations have had more of an impact than the first. Still, it is a sensible thing to do.