The other night, when I wrote the last post, I was working through something in my head. See, I’ve been listening to a lot of Broadway lately - Sondheim’s human pie making duo and Sondheim’s artist with connection issues. I go through these phases.
The other night I interrupted my scheduled showtunes with a little torn-stalkinged bad grrrl, and it hit me. Why hasn’t someone snatched up the Garbage songbook for a Broadway production? The theatricality is already written into the songs. If Broadway can turn out shitty productions of Abba and Billy Joel songs, why not Garbage?
The challenge in making it a good show would be eliminating the broad from the Broadway. I’d argue that the only truly great rock Broadway show was Hedwig and the Angry Inch*. And it wasn’t even on Broadway; it was off. Every other rock Broadway show ends up sounding silly because they cast Broadway warblers to sing rock songs. And they orchestrate the songs to a Broadway sensibility. This is a mistake. Hedwig was different because Hedwig sang hir own songs with hir own four-piece band. Sure, that’s a strange argument because Hedwig is a fictional character, but I think the argument still stands.
So what I propose is this. Get Shirley Manson to sing her own songs as a kind of Greek chorus. Or get some other angry rock goddess to sing Garbage’s songs. (Just not Alanis Morissette, please.) I suppose it’s not going to happen for the same reasons it’s impossible to get a movie completed. The costs of producing a modern musical are through the roof, and the chances of producing a hit are so slim. And in order to get Shirley up there, I would think they’d have to produce a big musical.
Ah well. Until my Garbage musical comes to fruition, I can cross my fingers that Aaron Sorkin won’t screw things up with his Flaming Lips musical. That is if it ever gets off the ground.
*I’d argue that Jesus Christ Superstar really isn’t a rock musical; it’s really a symphonic musical with rock-style singing. And yes, I think Jesus Christ Superstar is a great show.
PulpAffliction | 07-Aug-08 at 9:42 am | Permalink
The thought of Cherry Lips and Only Happy When It Rains used in a theatrical production makes me unbelievably happy in the gayest way possible.
I pretty much enequivocally hate musicals, but fffuck I’d attend the opening night of that show.
alex | 07-Aug-08 at 9:45 am | Permalink
I knew my gay brethren would see the genius in this idea.
crumpet | 07-Aug-08 at 5:05 pm | Permalink
I’ve been fulfilling my showtunes/musical quota lately by listening to a bunch of Dr Horrible songs on repeat. I can’t help myself. I looked at the playcounts on my iPod the other day and was slightly ashamed. And then I listened to them again.
Also, we’ve just received Hedwig in the post from Quickflix (our Netflix clone here in Aus). I’m so excited to finally see this… it’s really hard to find anywhere in Australia — I think I’ve been trying to see it for at least six years…
alex | 08-Aug-08 at 7:42 am | Permalink
One ought never be ashamed of listening to showtunes.
I think you’ll really like Hedwig.
crumpet | 09-Aug-08 at 5:47 pm | Permalink
Oh, I’m not ashamed of listening to showtunes, I’m just a little bit sheepish at how many times I’ve managed to listen to the same six songs in such a short period of time…