Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals the real reason he could never write another musical
WEST END legend Andrew Lloyd Webber says political correctness is hindering him from creating another musical.
The British creator of a string of hit musicals was told he now couldn't write about someone from another country - which would have ruled out ever penning the likes of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Phantom of the Opera or Jesus Christ Superstar.
Lord Lloyd Webber, 75, also said he wouldn’t be able to write his hit show Evita now because neither he nor his co-writer Tim Rice are Argentinian.
Talking on the podcast, he said: “There’s another factor that has come in now which is all this business about.
"I’ll put it to you this way, if I were to be doing Evita today - Tim and I were doing Evita - I think there would be a lot of people to say well they’re not qualified to do this because they’re not Argentine. This is a factor that is staggering.
“There was a subject that I really wanted to consider doing, but everybody was saying to me, ‘You can’t do this because you’re not from that country.’
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“You’re sort of thinking, hang on a moment, that means most of the shows that have been written, most of the operas that have been written wouldn’t be allowed today because they weren’t written by the nationality of the composer the subject is about.
"I promise you that you’re dealing with this sort of thing.”
Webber was dismayed when someone suggested to him that he create a musical on a “safe subject like Pride and Prejudice”, something that holds no creative interest for him.
He said: “Somebody said, ‘Why don’t you pick a safe subject like Pride and Prejudice?’
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“I said, ‘Why would I want to make a musical out of Pride and Prejudice?’
“I don’t know whether one has to just sort of plough on regardless.
“I’m sure I will find something. I have masses of music bursting out at the moment but they’re like homeless waifs and strays.“
Lord Webber added: “I’m working with Michael Harrison now and the next show I do, if I do one, will be in partnership with him because he’s a very experienced but younger producer.
“I always say if, because the word if it is important.
“Right now I’m looking for a story and I’ve been looking for a story for the last 18 months and I can’t find a story that I think is right.
"It might just be that I could go out this afternoon and suddenly think, ‘Wow, there’s the story.’ Without the story I’m nowhere because I’m a musical dramatist at the end of the day and the story is the most important thing."