The Woman in White is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel, and a book by Charlotte Jones. It is based on the 1860 novel by Wilkie Collins, as well as on elements of the 1866 short story "The Signal-Man" by Charles Dickens.Austin, Jeremy (2004). "Interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber". The Woman in White: Education Pack. pg 14
It ran for nineteen months in the West End and three months on Broadway, making it one of Lloyd Webber's shortest-running shows.
Production history West End The musical was produced in a workshop at Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival (Hampshire, England) in July 2003."Sydmonton Workshop" ovrtur.com, accessed 16 March 2016Gans, Andrew. "Lloyd Webber to Musicalize Wilkie Collins' 'Woman in White' for Sydmonton Premiere" Playbill, 20 January 2003
The musical opened in London's West End, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Charlotte Jones, freely adapted from the novel. Directed by Trevor Nunn, it opened 15 September 2004 at the Palace Theatre.Allen, Morgan. "Marquee Value. 'The Woman in White' at London's Palace" Playbill, 20 April 2004Bird, Allen. The Woman in White londontheatre.co.uk, 20 September 2004The Woman in White thisistheatre.com, accessed 17 March 2016
The London production received mixed reviews from critics, with several reviewers noting that Lloyd Webber's score was weaker than in his previous works. Paul Taylor in The Independent said that "too many of the songs emit the generic pop-opera sound of Lloyd Webber-land."Taylor, Paul. "The Woman in White, Palace Theatre, London" The Independent, 19 September 2004 In the Evening Standard, Nicholas De Jongh wrote, "I came out humming with boredom: there is just one catchy song - the lovely I Believe My Heart."De Jongh, Nicholas. "Not all White" Evening Standard, 16 September 2004 However, Quentin Letts argued that Lloyd Webber's music, "never before so classical and operatic, becomes hypnotic and slowly unveils its melodies. You have to work for it but it's worth it."Letts, Quentin. "New Lloyd Webber show divides critics" BBC News, 16 September 2004 De Jongh criticised Jones' book, noting "If only Lloyd Webber had realised Charlotte Jones's free adaptation of Collins's original was preposterous." In his three-star review for The Guardian, Michael Billington praised David Zippel's "deft and neat" lyrics but, like De Jongh, took issue with Jones' book. He said, "I don't object to Jones excising minor characters or altering the story's structure: that inevitably happens when you turn a novel into a musical. What I find objectionable is that, in trying to give the story a modern spin and show all Victorian women as social victims, she actually deprives Marian of much of her odd, independent quirkiness that makes her one of the most original characters in fiction."Billington, Michael. "The Woman in White, Palace Theatre, London" The Guardian, 16 September 2004 Some critics noted the show's set design, which employed the innovative use of projections rather than traditional scenery. Allen Bird wrote: "William Dudley’s set design (or should I say video design) is magnificent; the opening projection of a foggy station on which the woman in white first makes her ghostly appearance is spine tingling."
At the end of 2004 Michael Crawford was taken ill, as a result of oversweating in the fat suit he wore to play the grossly obese character Count Fosco (originally reported as having the flu).Guilfoyle, Lizzie. "Michael Ball to stand-in for Michael Crawford" indielondon.co.uk, accessed 16 March 2016 From late December until early February 2005, Steve Varnom, the understudy, played the role. Michael Ball then took over on 21 February 2005 until early May.Inverne, James. "Michael Crawford Won't Return to 'Woman in White'; Andrews to Follow Ball, Henshall Succeeds Friedman" Playbill, 11 April 2005"Michael Ball Steps in for Ailing Michael Crawford in 'The Woman in White'" broadway.com, 28 January 2005 Ball received praise for his portrayal because he had reinvented the role. Nick Curtis, in his review for The Evening Standard, wrote: "If Ball's Fosco lacks the extravagant comic flair of Crawford's original, there is a commensurate gain in menace. Arguably, this is no bad thing for a Victorian melodrama. Where Crawford was delightfully clownish, Ball's Fosco is altogether more sleek and dangerous. His wooing of the show's feisty heroine Marion...has a nasty edge to it."Curtis, Nick. "Fat suits this second Michael" The Evening Standard, 22 February 2005
On 9 July 2005, the final original London Cast (except with Fosco being played by Anthony Andrews) appeared on stage. It was also the final performance of the "first" version. The "second" version opened on 11 July 2005, with an almost completely new cast including Ruthie Henshall (Marian),"Anthony Andrews & Ruthie Henshall to Join London's 'Woman in White'" broadway.com, 8 April 2005 Alexandra Silber (Laura), Damian Humbley (Hartwright), and Michael Cormick (Glyde).Gans, Andrew. "Henshall, Humbley, Silber, Collett and Cormick to Join London's 'Woman in White'" Playbill, 16 June 2005 Many original ensemble members remained, along with Andrews and Edward Petherbridge, who played Mr. Fairlie.
Simon Callow made his musical theatre debut as Count Fosco in August 2005."Simon Callow to star as 'Count Fosco' in 'The Woman in White' from 29 Aug 2005" londontheatre.co.uk, 1 August 2005 According to Really Useful, "Trevor Nunn and Andrew Lloyd Webber initiated creative changes during rehearsals for the new West End cast. There will be a press night on Monday 19th September.""New star for 'Woman in White'" reallyuseful.com, 2 August 2005
The production was received with more enthusiasm though feelings were still mixed. The show reportedly received some cutting, but still took roughly as long because of an extended ending which almost filled in the time saved earlier. Ian Shuttleworth noted that "I can identify no specific instances of revision... but in general Trevor Nunn's production now feels tighter and more narratively driven...Ruthie Henshall as Marian is appealing as ever,...she is almost equalled by Alexandra Silber, who makes a magnificent debut as her sister Laura....[Simon Callow] eschews the wild prosthetic jowls of his predecessors in the role, ...using only a slightly exaggerated nose and a little padding, and makes up in immense brio what he lacks (sometimes sorely) in tunefulness."Shuttleworth, Ian. "'The Woman In White' New cast opened 7 October, 2005" Financial Times, (cix.co.uk), accessed 16 March 2016
On 20 January 2006, it was officially announced by producer Sonia Friedman and Really Useful that the show would close in London on 25 February 2006 after a run of 19 months."Webber's 'Woman in White' to close" bbc.co.uk, 20 January 2006"'Woman in White' London news" reallyuseful.com, accessed 16 March 2016
Broadway The Broadway production was shortened far more than the Version 2.0. Verses were cut from "Perspective" and "The Seduction," along with "If Not for Me, For Her" (also cut in Version 2.0). The scenery was improved further. William Dudley's curved walls were no longer perfectly round, but oval shaped (it made the images feel more encompassing). The walls also had their doors fixed. The London production (through its end in 2006) had the doors aligned with the walls on only one side, so whenever they were spun around to the audience, there was roughly four inches of excess space between the wall and the door within. The Broadway production solved this problem by attaching the doors to tracks inside the walls so that they would move to the other side whenever the walls were spun.
The Broadway production opened on 17 November 2005 at the Marquis Theatre"'The Woman in White' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed 16 March 2016 to mixed critical reaction. In his The New York Times review, Ben Brantley wrote: "It's not a terrible show, but it's an awfully pallid one." Howard Kissel (New York Daily News) wrote: "The use of projections, stunningly designed by William Dudley, enables the scenes to fly by. Sometimes the images seem blurred and the pace is dizzying. But even in the quiet scenes, there is a sense of tension and momentum. Lloyd Webber's score is entirely focused on keeping the story moving. In the early scenes, in which there are a few duets and trios, there is a shimmering delicacy to the music... What gives Woman its dramatic power is Maria Friedman's shattering performance as the sister of the unlucky bride... " David Rooney, reviewing for Variety, wrote: "the melodrama feels sadly hollow... Lloyd Webber's music, while it tempers the syrupy romanticism of his melodies by weaving more complex, discordant textures that echo the story's troubled moods, fires off almost its entire arsenal in the first act and then remains stuck in repetitive overdrive.""Were Broadway Critics Spooked by 'The Woman in White'?" broadway.com, 18 November 2005
This followed much publicity after the show's star, Maria Friedman, who had created the role of Marian Halcombe in the original London production, was diagnosed with breast cancer during previews. She underwent treatment and returned for the Broadway premiere."'The Woman in White' Star Maria Friedman Temporarily Out of Show" broadway.com, 14 December 2005McKinley, Jesse. "Ailing 'Woman in White' Star Will Take More Time Off" The New York Times, 20 January 2006 Lisa Brescia performed the lead role during Friedman's several absences on Broadway.Gans, Andrew. "Judy Kuhn to Fill in for 'Woman in White' 's Maria Friedman" Playbill, 20 January 2006"Judy Kuhn Fills in for Star Maria Friedman in 'The Woman in White'" broadway.com, 20 January 2006 Judy Kuhn was announced to fill in for Friedman starting on 12 February 2006, but, since the show closed on 19 February, those plans changed and Friedman stayed until the closing."Broadway's 'Woman in White' to Shutter February 19 at Marquis" broadway.com, 3 February 2006
The Broadway production closed earlier than the London production on 19 February 2006, having played 109 regular performances and 20 previews. The producers cited Friedman's frequent absences (as well as the negative reviews) as difficult obstacles to overcome.Jones, Kenneth. "Into the Mist: Broadway's 'Woman in White' Will Close Feb. 19" Playbill, 3 February 2006
Really Useful group noted that a tour was planned to open in Milton Keynes in January, 2007, but the tour failed to materialise.
2017 London revival On 20 November 2017 a new production, with a revised score, opened at the Charing Cross Theatre in London. It was directed by Thom Southerland, and starred Anna O'Byrne as Laura, Chris Peluso as Sir Percival Glyde, Carolyn Maitland as Marian, Ashley Stillburn as Walter Hartright, Greg Castiglioni as Fosco, and Sophie Reeves as Anne. It closed on 10 February 2018."The Woman in White" accessed 17 February 2018