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Story and preview by Jack Foley
MICHAEL Crawford has announced his return to the West End, in
another musical by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The celebrated star of The Phantom of the Opera will star
alongside Maria Friedman in The Woman in White, which will
receive its world premiere at The Palace Theatre,
on September 15, following previews from the end of August.
It’s been 18 years since Crawford appeared in The Phantom
of the Opera, although the actor is no stranger to the stage,
having made his debut, some 40 years ago, in Come Blow Your
Horn, at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
He also found fame in television, appearing as Frank Spencer
in the popular comedy series, as well as fleeting Hollywood appearances,
most notably as Condorman.
But his stage work remains his best love and his appearance in
Phantom turned him into an international star, after which he
concentrated his career on concerts, recordings and other solo
projects.
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The one true disappointment in his career, thus far, has been
the disastrous Broadway show, The Dance of the Vampires,
last year, which was critically derided, forcing it to close after
56 performances, with an estimated loss of $12 million.
That experience did force him to consider retirement, but the
chance of reuniting with Sir Andrew proved too big an opportunity
to miss, particularly as fans will, no doubt, rush to see it.
The play will find Crawford as a charismatic Italian, Count Fosco,
whom two sisters and their art tutor must outwit to solve a near-perfect
crime. Sir Andrew describes the character as ‘one of the
best villains in Victorian fiction’.
His co-star, Friedman, will play the heroine of the piece, and
arrives on the project fresh from her success in last year’s
Ragtime, for which she won her third Olivier
award last week.
The much sought-after part was originally played, in workshops,
by Laura Michelle Kelly, although she has since signed to appear
in Cameron Mackintosh’s lavish musical, Mary
Poppins, in the title role.
The Woman in White was originally written by Wilkie Collins
and has been adapted by playwright, Charlotte Jones (Humble
Boy), with lyrics, for Lloyd Webber’s score, by David
Zippel (City of Angels). Trevor Nunn will direct, design
by William Dudley. It will be co-produced by Sir Andrew’s
Really Useful Theatre Company and Sonia Friedman Productions.
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