Rasputin (musical)

Rasputin
MusicDavid Tydd
Mike Wade
LyricsDavid Lucas
BookDavid Lucas
Premiere22 August 1987: State Theatre, Sydney

Rasputin is a 1987 Australian musical. The original production was directed by Stephen Hopkins and reportedly cost $3 million.[1] It was backed by South African computer entrepreneur Patrick Shaw.[2][3][4][5]

Premise

Rasputin goes to Moscow and rises in power.

Original cast

  • Jon English as Rasputin
  • Karyn O'Neil
  • Angry Anderson as Lenin
  • Robbie Krupski as Tsar Alexander
  • Terry Serio

Reception

H.G. Kippax of the Sydney Morning Herald called it "a fine achievement."[6] Bruce Elder in the same paper declared it was "just not good enough" with lyrics "so inept as to make Johnny Rotten look like Shakespeare."[7]

Pat Bishop of the Sun Herald thought there was "a script woefully lacking in dramatic punch" and "in general the music is unexciting."[8]

References

  1. ^ "Prayer for monk". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 August 1987. p. 23.
  2. ^ "Snippets". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 January 1987. p. 17.
  3. ^ "Crocodile Dundee of theatre?". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 April 1987. p. 12.
  4. ^ "Show goes on with much Russian about". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 August 1987. p. 2.
  5. ^ "The evolution of a $3 m monster". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 July 1987. p. 20.
  6. ^ Kippax, H.G. (24 August 1987). "A production to be cheered". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 16.
  7. ^ Elder, Bruce (24 August 1987). "A musical of mediocrity". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 16.
  8. ^ Bishop, Pat (30 August 1987). "Rasputin beats the odds". The Sydney Sun Herald. p. 106.