Shaftesbury theatre, London
The musical version of James Jones's army novel is executed with skill – but you're left wondering, why make it now?
"Highly professional". Those are the words that come to mind watching this new musical, based on James Jones's 800-page novel about life on a Hawaiian army base in the runup to the attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941.
But, for all the dedication of the creative team, which includes Tim Rice as lyricist, Stuart Brayson as composer and Bill Oakes as bookwriter, one is left asking two questions: why now, and what does music add to the story?
The first question is the harder to answer. In Oakes's version, the story is certainly a lot grittier than in the 1953 Fred Zinnemann movie as it follows the intertwined fortunes of three soldiers.
Robert E Lee Prewitt is a tough private who suffers for his refusal to...
The musical version of James Jones's army novel is executed with skill – but you're left wondering, why make it now?
"Highly professional". Those are the words that come to mind watching this new musical, based on James Jones's 800-page novel about life on a Hawaiian army base in the runup to the attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941.
But, for all the dedication of the creative team, which includes Tim Rice as lyricist, Stuart Brayson as composer and Bill Oakes as bookwriter, one is left asking two questions: why now, and what does music add to the story?
The first question is the harder to answer. In Oakes's version, the story is certainly a lot grittier than in the 1953 Fred Zinnemann movie as it follows the intertwined fortunes of three soldiers.
Robert E Lee Prewitt is a tough private who suffers for his refusal to...
- 10/24/2013
- by Michael Billington
- The Guardian - Film News
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