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Andrew Lloyd Webber

March 5, 2012 by · Comments Off on Andrew Lloyd Webber 

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Andrew Lloyd Wbber’s “Love Never Dies”
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Edwards San Marcos 18; Regal Cinemas 16, Oceanside; Temecula 15; Edwards Mira Mesa 18

Tickets: $18

Info: fathomevents.com

Let the Andrew Lloyd Webber offensive begin.

The famed British composer of “The Phantom of the Opera” seems to be everywhere this season with the revivals of “Evita” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” (which just finished up a run at La Jolla Playhouse) opening soon on Broadway, and his “Phantom” sequel, “Love Never Dies,” hitting cinemas around the world this week.

“Love Never Dies” will be shown on movie screens in San Marcos, Oceanside, Temecula and Mira Mesa at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

It’s hard to believe that the celebrated composer —- who has multiple Tony Awards —- was nearly down for the count last year when critics and audiences delivered a knockout punch to “Love Never Dies” during its London run. The highly anticipated sequel received mixed to negative reviews and closed earlier than expected in August.

Lloyd Webber said in a recent phone interview from New York that the London staging “didn’t work” and that the recent Australian version that opened in Melbourne “worked triumphantly,” though he acknowledged that “my involvement in Australia was that of an observer.”

The London production was staged by Jack O’Brien, the award-winning Broadway director and former artistic director of The Old Globe in San Diego. There were rumors that Lloyd Webber and O’Brien had a falling-out over the musical, and they have since parted ways. The Australian version is directed by Simon Phillips.

“There’s not a lot in terms of rewriting —- no new music was written for Australia, but one or two things have been rethought,” Lloyd Webber said. “Very small things can make a difference. One of the things I’ve learned in my career is that the fine line between something being huge or not is very small.”

The Australian production hit cinemas in the U.S. starting Tuesday. It is the first time that U.S. audiences will have a chance to see the musical. Lloyd Webber said he isn’t concerned that the screenings could erode the chances of a Broadway transfer.

“No, not at all,” said the composer. “It’s the other way around. I have the luck of having ‘War Horse’ run at one of my theaters in London. And we’ve seen attendance rise since the movie came out.”

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