Could David Bowie Have Pulled Off "Nineteen Eighty Four - The Musical"?

Sleazus

For those who don't know, back in 1973, David Bowie was working on a musical adaptation of Nineteen Eighty Four. He claimed to have written as many as twenty songs and the script would have been written by Tony Ingrassia. Of the musical, Bowie said: "I shall look very different in it, and there's a lot of good music in the show. Some of it as much as three years old. I kept a lot of songs back because I wanted them for some kind of show."

Bowie would have starred in the piece as Smith. Though Bowie wouldn't make his Broadway debut until 1980 in The Elephant Man, when he did, he garnered universal praise. However, George Orwell's widow refused to give him the rights. So Bowie took his creative energies and focused them on arguably his most theatrical album "Diamond Dogs". Pieces that would have been included in the show are likely "Big Brother" "We Are the Dead" and, of course, the funktastic "1984".

So, do you think he could have done it?

nosmo

Sweet

Jesus

No..

The serious tone of the book would be completely invalidated by singing.. and Bowie of all people? I love the guy, but... No

s0l

Woah, 1984 the musical...
I get the feeling it would be a smash hit just like how a musical about nazi's would be.

Havelock

Oh anything can be transfered to musican, look at Les Miserable. A serious topic, powerful and acclaimed. It would have to have been some of the same ilk, but it could be done.

It wasn't me!

The thought not only scares me to the depths of my soul, but.....
I'm so not finishing that sentence.

Liquorice

No, it would never work as a musical, too dark. It may work as a play or a film, though. But a musical? Not a hope in Hell. But if it was possible for anyone to pull it off as a musical, it would probably be Bowie.

claire h

YES. David Bowie can do anything. For he is Bowie. And we must worship him.
[/scary obsessiveness]

'Diamond Dogs' is one of his best albums... I think the musical of '1984' would have worked. Sure it would have been glitzy and glittery and fabulous and less serious than the book because of that, but... oooh, the prettiness.

Liquorice

It would be cool to see Nineteen Eighty-Four in a glitzy way, but it would never, ever, EVER work, and would be a HUGE insult to Orwell. The book is too dark, serious and even, in a way, depressing to have people singing about. Even singing dark, serious, depressing songs. I love David Bowie, and OF COURSE we must worship him, but he would add too large a touch of glamour to Nineteen Eighty-Four, and the world Orwell described had no glamour, no glitz. Could work as a play, though.

article6

No, no.

"Animal Farm", maybe. I can see potential in some of that, if it was like Cats. But never "Nineteen Eighty-Four". How could you make a musical featuring the Ministry of Love? Too difficult, even for the great man himself.

Genki

Thank you Darren for raising a topic of such epic importance, one of great relavence. I, for one, will sleep better knowing that this issue is receiving the attention it so sorely deserves. Thank you for the chocolate! And don't dismiss all poetry. Please?

Sleazus

I though culture was always of epic importance. And you're welcome.

NeoSlicerZ

Genki = Niamh Skelly?

I'm fairly sure it's one of the people who took Japenese

s0l

I saw this awhile ago and I thought it was pretty cool
No music and dancing, but while on the subject of Orwell, what the heck.

It wasn't me!

Someone <Twitchingly glances at a certain mod> deleted my pirates thread! Mean! I never evn got to see if anybody replied!

Sleazus

Quite a few responded. Atari Jaguar was in the lead 7 to 3 and there was a lot of random fist-smashing against the keyboards in response. 'Twas great, while it lasted. They decided to take advantage of your post for all sort of weird and abstract spamming.

Liquorice

WOO!! I was the one who smashed her fist against the keyboard! WOO!! Go me.

nosmo

http://www.studentsfororwell.org/

I'm still laughing

It wasn't me!

I told them to do the weird and abstract spamming thing! That was why I made it! Did Neil delete it or is it moved somewhere I can at least see it. This should be good.

Raphael

The weird thing is neil endorsed it, so maybe he wasn't actually the one who deleted it.
Hmmmmmm, curioser and curioser

Barry Aldwell

/me checks the ctyi board mod list, to save myself from embarassment.

If it wasn't Neil then it was an admin. If admins even read this board then I fear for their mental health.

Crash

hehe, actually i was stoned and as i sobered up it became less amusing.

It wasn't me!

So you did delete it?