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They are surely the most famous names in musical theatre — and it can be revealed that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber are writing songs together again.
The pair are renowned for a trio of mighty musicals they created: Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (first performed in 1968); Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) and Evita (1978).
But they have collaborated only occasionally since — writing the song You Must Love Me for the 1996 film of Evita, starring Madonna; and with Rice contributing ‘additional lyrics’ for Lloyd Webber’s 2011 musical The Wizard Of Oz.
Now, though, they have teamed up again: to write songs for a play which Rice’s son Donald is producing.
Called Sherlock Holmes And The Twelve Days Of Christmas, it will feature the great detective puzzling over the work of a serial killer who is dispatching his victims using methods suggested by the carol — think partridges and milkmaids.
It can be revealed that Tim Rice (left) and Andrew Lloyd Webber (right) are writing songs together again
Andrew Lloyd Webber (left) and Tim Rice (right) in 1970. The pair are renowned for a trio of mighty musicals they created: Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (first performed in 1968); Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) and Evita (1978)
Sir Tim, 79, told me: ‘Andrew and I wrote one song together late last year and we are working on a couple more. The show is a comedy rather than a full musical — but we will do four or five songs in all.’
He continued: ‘Andrew and I have always got on and I have really enjoyed writing the words. The show is successful without the songs — they just add to it. The hope will be to have it on this Christmas.’
The play has been written by the comedian Humphrey Ker, along with David Reed. Ker is best known for his role in persuading Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (a friend of Ker’s since their time together on the U.S. TV show Mythic Quest) to buy Welsh football club Wrexham. News of the renewed collaboration between Rice and Lloyd Webber comes as a delightful surprise, since just over a year ago Sir Tim was playing down the possibility of their working together again. At that time, he said: ‘I’ve got a couple of ideas, which might need the odd song, but I don’t see us sitting down to do a massive mega-musical again.’
The men’s partnership began after Rice wrote Lloyd Webber, 76, a letter, describing himself as a ‘with it’ lyricist and offering his services.
But, after Evita, they went their separate ways, with Lord Lloyd-Webber creating Cats, Phantom Of The Opera and Starlight Express; and Sir Tim doing Chess and The Lion King (working with Elton John on the film and the musical).
Next month, Sir Tim is to embark on his nationwide tour: My Life In Musicals. It will be packed full of songs and will include conversations with the lyricist about his career.
Meanwhile, a new production of Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express opens in June at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
Most actors can quote a mean review word-for-word years later — and Steve Martin is no different. In the Apple TV+ documentary Steve!, out today, he recalls the anguish of being ambushed by spoof interviewer Dennis Pennis at the premiere of his 1996 film Sgt Bilko. Pennis, the creation of comedian Paul Kaye, asked him: ‘How come you’re not funny any more?’
Martin remarks: ‘It hurt, because I was at a very vulnerable part of my career.’ He is now riding high, thanks to the success of TV hit Only Murders In The Building.
Most actors can quote a mean review word-for-word years later — and Steve Martin is no different. In the Apple TV+ documentary Steve!, out today, he recalls the anguish of being ambushed by spoof interviewer Dennis Pennis at the premiere of his 1996 film Sgt Bilko
Eddie and I would never have worked… I’m just too famous
The precipitous end of Spice Girl Mel B’s 2006 liaison with Eddie Murphy took everyone by surprise. One moment they were in love, living together and she was pregnant — the next he was telling a TV reporter he wasn’t sure if the baby was his, and the whole thing was off.
Daughter Angel was later proved to be his child, after DNA testing, and the pair have co-parented largely amicably ever since.
But the reason for the bust-up with the film star and comedian, who she had called the ‘love of my life’, has never been clear.
The precipitous end of Spice Girl Mel B’s 2006 liaison with Eddie Murphy took everyone by surprise. But the reason for the bust-up with the film star and comedian, who she had called the ‘love of my life’, has never been clear
With the benefit of hindsight, the artist formerly known as Scary Spice says she was probably just too big a star to make it work. ‘You know, he’s Eddie Murphy. And I’m like: ‘Well, I’m Mel B!’ ‘ she said
Now, with the benefit of hindsight, the artist formerly known as Scary Spice says she was probably just too big a star to make it work. ‘You know, he’s Eddie Murphy. And I’m like: ‘Well, I’m Mel B!’ ‘ she said.
‘If something doesn’t feel right, if it isn’t equal, then what’s the point? Yes, Eddie Murphy’s a massive star. In my eyes — Spice Girls — so am I.
‘I have my own house, my own car, my own credit card. I don’t need to fall in line and be Pretty Woman, because I have my own life.
‘He almost wanted to just go like that. But I have a career. I’m not just going to give that up for love… to be a housewife. There’s nothing wrong with being a housewife,’ she added quickly. ‘But that wasn’t my path. It probably didn’t make sense to anybody at that time — why I would leave a relationship so full of love and giving, and almost nurturing. But I’m a strong independent woman, and it wasn’t coming together as equal as I wanted.’
Michaela Strachan’s lengthy quest for a slot on Strictly Come Dancing appears to have failed. She had thought it might be her early career as a dancer in musical theatre which was proving an obstacle to selection. The Springwatch host joked: ‘It’s a shame, but I’m now setting my sights on a guest appearance in Doctor Who, perhaps as an assistant who gets to grips with the challenge of climate change and saves the world!’ Michaela appears in the latest series of Pilgrimage, which begins on BBC2 tonight at 9pm.
Why Redford keeps ’em waiting
Here’s a novel excuse for lateness — superstition. Screenwriter David S. Ward, the man behind The Sting and The Milagro Beanfield War, says Robert Redford was always late on set… because he thought it was lucky.
Screenwriter David S. Ward, the man behind The Sting and The Milagro Beanfield War, says Robert Redford (pictured) was always late on set… because he thought it was lucky
Redford, who played con artist Johnny Hooker (pictured) in the 1973 box-office smash The Sting, was 40 minutes late every day during filming; and more like two hours late on Milagro, which he directed in 1988. ‘The rest of it was all normal and professional, and he didn’t play God,’ Ward recalled. ‘He wasn’t abusive to anybody. He had, maybe, some kind of superstition about being on time.
‘He had Cheech Marin waiting two days up in Sundance [Redford’s ranch] for his audition [for Milagro]. He brought him up on a Tuesday, and he didn’t get to him ’til Thursday. Cheech was losing his mind.’ Sadly for Marin, he didn’t get the part.
It has taken 20 years for the Broadway hit Wicked to be filmed for the big screen — and Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, and Cynthia Erivo, who is Elphaba, say the experience was harmonious in more ways than one. Pop star Grande, who fell for her co-star Ethan Slater during filming last year, said of Erivo: ‘She’s my favourite female voice. When I was watching her sing at the Oscars, I said: ‘I hope someday I get to sing with her.’ ‘
It has taken 20 years for the Broadway hit Wicked to be filmed for the big screen — and Ariana Grande (right), who plays Glinda, and Cynthia Erivo (left), who is Elphaba, say the experience was harmonious in more ways than one
How Andrew threw his toy kangaroo out of the pram
Kate Winslett’s actress daughter Mia Threapleton appears in the prestige Netflix drama Scoop — playing a Buckingham Palace housemaid who is taken to task by Prince Andrew over her arrangement of stuffed animals on his bed.
The Prince, played by Rufus Sewell, is seen angrily chiding her about the positioning of a toy kangaroo: ‘Where does he go? No clue? He’s a marsupial! Roo, as in Kanga? Put it together? What do you get?’
Kate Winslett’s actress daughter Mia Threapleton (pictured left) appears in the prestige Netflix drama Scoop — playing a Buckingham Palace housemaid who is taken to task by Prince Andrew over her arrangement of stuffed animals on his bed
Mia, playing the maid, timidly suggests: ‘Roo Kanga?’
Andrew snaps: ‘Go away!’
It’s a moment of comedy in the film, which recreates the lead-up to Prince Andrew’s infamous 2019 interview with Newsnight about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. In the drama, written by Peter Moffat, Prince Andrew tells the Newsnight team: ‘I don’t quite understand why everyone is so obsessed with my friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. I knew Jimmy Savile so much better.’ He then laughs at his joke.
Though Savile had a friendship with Andrew’s brother, the then Prince Charles — and boasted about it — it’s not clear whether he knew Prince Andrew at all.
Savile died in 2011, and only after his death was he unmasked as a prolific paedophile.
Scoop streams on Netflix from next Friday. Gillian Anderson plays Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis and Billie Piper is producer Sam McAlister, who set up the interview.
Within four days of its broadcast, the Prince announced that he had stepped back from royal duties, and was subsequently stripped of his military roles and barred from using his HRH title.
Be on your guard for T. Rexes in Hertfordshire. The next Jurassic World movie is going to start filming there this summer, at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood. And keep your eyes peeled for Scarlett Johansson, too. The actress is said to be close to signing on the dotted line to join the cast. The most recent film in the series, Jurassic World: Dominion, was filmed largely at rival Pinewood Studios.
