West End Wednesday: Aspects of Love
Aspects of Love is a musical based on the book of the same name by David Garnett. The musical chronicles the amorous affairs of actress Rose Vibert when she becomes entangled with a family over the course of seventeen years. The musical is an exploration of the many forms love can take.
Initially, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice were approached to pen a few songs for a potential musical film adaptation of the show. This, however, fell through and director Trevor Nunn suggested that they work together to produce a stage adaptation of the novella. Twelve years after their initial introduction to the material and with Rice having left the creative process and Don Black and Charles Hart having come on board, Aspects of Love opened at The Prince of Wales Theatre on 17 April 1989. It was directed by Trevor Nunn and choregraphed by Gillian Lynne. The production starred Ann Crumb as Rose, Michael Ball as Alex, Kevin Colson as George, Kathleen Rowe McAllen as Giulietta and Diana Morrison as Jenny. Ex-James Bond actor Roger Moore had initially been cast to play George; however he stepped out of the production a fortnight prior to opening night citing his lack of technical experience in singing would hinder the show, so his understudy took over.
The musical transferred to Broadway with the same creative team and many of the cast opening on 8 April 1990 at The Broadhurst Theatre. However, the reviews for the show were far from positive and it closed less than a year later. It lost its entire $8 million investment making it one of the greatest flops in Broadway history.
In 1993, a reimagined version of the show toured the UK before transferring back into the West End. It was directed by Gail Edwards and choreographed by Jo Anne Robinson, starring Kathryn Evans as Rose and Alexander Hanson as Alex.
Nikolai Foster directed a 2007 tour starring David Essex, Matt Rawle and Shona Lindsay.
The next major London revival was produced by the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2010 with David Willetts as George, Rosalie Craig as Giulietta, Katherine Kingsley as Rose and Broadway star Michael Arden as Alex. This production was directed by Trevor Nunn, revising his own direction of the original production.
The latest production was seen in July 2018 at The Hope Mill Theatre with Jerome Pradon as George, Felix Mosse as Alex and Olivier Award nominated actor Kelly Price as Rose. The musical enjoyed critical acclaim and transferred to the Southwark Playhouse the following year for a limited run.
FACTS:
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics: Don Black and Charles Hart
Book: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Theatre: The Prince of Wales Theatre
Run: 1,325 performances
TONYS:
(NOMINATED) Best musical, Best book of a musical – David Garnett, Best original score – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Best performance by a featured actor in a musical – Kevin Colson, Best performance by a featured actress in a musical – Kathleen Rowe McAllen, Best direction of a musical – Trevor Nunn
