Theatre from my Head: 18/10/2009

Nine the Musical is coming out this December but there are a couple of things about this production that make me worried, very worried.

Ok so if I told you that there was a musical that would star Daniel Day Lewis as the lead coming out this year you would probably already know and still be thinking 'What on Earth?'. A renowned Method Actor he is probably the last possible choice I would make for a musical, after all he has no proven track record for singing and was only cast after he sent the production team a copy of him singing. Apparently it impressed because instead of going for the actor who won the drama desk award for his portrayal of the lead on Broadway in 2003, Antonio Banderas, they pick Lewis to replace the burnt out Javier Bardem. The mind boggles at such a casting decision, of course many would argue that Lewis is the leading film actor of our age and as such the reports that he has been using his method technique to immerse himself in the character is a great sign. However whether or not he can carry a musical lead has yet to be seen and it opens him up for a lot of criticism.

The rest of the cast is slightly curious as well, the choices of Nicole Kidman and Kate Hudson in particular are interesting to say the least. After all whilst Kidman has had a number one single in the UK and was a massive box office success in Moulin Rouge let us not kid ourselves she is a mediocre singer at best who does not really have the vocal range to pull off a musical. It is probably good then that her role within the film is not too big, Catherine Zeta-Jones pulled out of the project because the director wouldn't expand the role for her, and that she will most likely be able to show off her talent in one or two big numbers and that is all. Kate Hudson I believe has sung in only one film, the romcom 'How to lose a guy in 10 days' and I believe that was only a few bars, she is however an accomplished trained musician playing both Guitar and Piano so maybe she will be fine with her voice. I like Kate Hudson the roles she gets given in films are just archetypes and she plays them well but I hope she is given the chance to expand range a little.

Fergie from Black Eyed Peas will be in this movie portraying a prostitute, her role is a minor one but despite her obviously powerful voice as a non actor I have reservations over whether or not this is a good idea. The rest of the cast reads quite well but its nothing amazing or mind blowing. Judy Dench showing her excellence, Marion Cotillard building on her reputation from La Vie En Rose, the ever talented Penelope Cruz and legendary actress Sophia Loren. The cast in any other film for me would be a smash hit all the way but the fact that its a musical taints it a little for me.

Then we have the subject matter, the original source material for 9 the musical was a film called 8 and a Half by Fellini. A Metafilm this production portrayed a film within a film and was about a director who had creative issues and artistic blocks. Now that theme has carried over into the Musical and having read the synopsis (go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_(musical)) I think there are going to be big issues with this film. Lets be honest musicals are big business right now High School Musical smashed the door open being quickly followed by Hairspray and Mamma Mia all films with a distinctly light tone although Hairspray does try to tackle race relations. Even musicals that had come before including Chicago had a light entertaining feel yet this musical has to me a darker tone. I don't believe there will be many ensemble songs making you want to dance, it won't appeal to tweenagers, teenagers or the younger audience member. I remember having high hopes for the concept that Repo the Opera had but that was misgiven and was a huge flop even though it has gained a cult following.

Now onto my biggest worry, its been delayed. The original date of its release has been pushed back now that can mean only two things really. One that the film is awful and they are attempting to recut it to make it better or some such tactic or two, the film is going to be put up for Oscar nomination and therefore needs to be released at the end of the year. Either way it has made musical fans confused, they have been looking forward to the film and now its pushed back with no explanation.

So just what is going to happen? Well the negatives, it has an unproven (in musicals) lead actor in a film that is not really very commercial in its content. It seems a bit arty to me and whilst that may work in the theatre, when it gets to the big screen you could find yourself alienating your potential audience.

However saying all that the trailer is entertaining, 'Be Italian' the track featured in the trailer and the choreography makes it look top notch. Plus the director's previous musical Chicago stayed very true to the revival of the production so hopefully we will get that with this film and it will be a success as a filmic depiction of a stage play. I think having watched the trailer that the film will be a moderate success and will be a decent adaptation of a musical but if its put into the Oscar chase, which lets be honest is the most likely reason for the setback after all Lewis is VERY picky about what roles he does, it will become a smash hit. It would be good to see an Oscar go to a musical once more but hey lets see what happens come December.

So whats going on? I guess the answer is nobody actually knows and conjecture will get us no where, unfortuanately the people who are losing out in the end are the fans of the play who have wanted to see this film for a while and the fans who love the trailer and want to see the movie who now have to wait longer than before. I personally am now looking forward to Nine and I hope it proves my doubts wrong, but this in my opinion has the potential to be a huge flop which would be a massive shame.

Oh deary me, things are not so great for Sienna Miller the latest Brit to hit Broadway. Performing 'After Miss Julie' a couple of theatres down from former boyfriend Jude Law and fellow Brit Actor Daniel Craig everything could have been set for a British domination of the American stage that would have proved that once again England is setting the acting standard, alas it was not to be. Whilst Johnny Lee Miller is getting good solid reviews for his part in the production the same cannot be said of Sienna. Critics have called her 'Wooly' in this country being kind to a woman who is no veteran of the stage but in America they have savaged her. Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal said:

"A model turned second-tier movie star, all she does is stalk around the stage striking vampy poses. She has no more business playing a classic stage role than I have posing for the cover of Vogue."

High praise indeed but not as high as the praise the New York Times gave her, critic Ben Brantley says:

"If Julie is written as clashing chords of conflicted impulses, Ms Miller plays them like a novice at a piano, plunking down each note loudly and individually."

So poor Sienna Miller, she still has till the 6th of December in the show, providing it doesn't get shut first, and I get the feeling more American criticism is on its way.