Andrew Lloyd Webber has ‘withdrawn’ his music from a production he was working on with Sir Tim Rice, who says the pair may never work together again.
The pair are renowned for the creation of some of musical theatre’s biggest hits such as Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (first performed in 1968), Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) and Evita (1978).
They have collaborated only occasionally since – writing the song You Must Love Me for the 1996 film of Evita, starring Madonna, and with Sir Tim contributing ‘additional lyrics’ for Lloyd Webber’s 2011 musical The Wizard Of Oz.
And last year, they unexpectedly reunited to create Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas, which premiered at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
But now it has been reported that Lloyd Webber has cut ties with the production, ahead of its revival at Alexandra Palace in north London next month.
Sir Tim revealed that Lloyd Webber’s songs had been ‘ditched’ after claiming that the 78-year-old Oscar-winning composer withdrew his score.
Speaking to The Times, he said: ‘Andrew really didn’t want to continue with the show.
‘He basically withdrew his score. He really did not feel it was the sort of thing he wanted to do. Andrew is more concerned with much bigger productions.’
Andrew Lloyd Webber (left) has ‘withdrawn’ his music from Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas, a production he was working on with his friend and collaborator Sir Tim Rice
Despite this, Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas is set to return to Alexandra Palace in north London next month
Lloyd Webber and Rice in 1970… the dynamic duo are renowned their musicals: Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1968); Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) and Evita (1978)
Lloyd Webber has disputed the claims and said that the show’s producers Donald and Eva Rice, who are the children of Sir Tim, had ‘decided not to use the music I composed for the Birmingham production for two reasons’.
The composer said he was told there ‘needed to be further work’ on the show which, due to his schedule, it would have been ‘impossible’ to take part in.
Lloyd Webber added in a statement that he was asked to sign the rights of the music way in advance for five years ‘without any right of approval over its use in a production [he] hadn’t seen’.
‘The two felt unable to allow me this basic approval which even a rookie writer would expect,’ he said.
Sir Tim added that the production was ‘not up [Lloyd Webber’s] alley’ and said he is now reworking the songs with the composer Howard Goodall.
Asked if the new songs were better than those Lloyd Webber had composed, Sir Tim responded by saying: ‘I have no comment to make on that.’
Lloyd Webber wished ‘the charming show every success’ and that ‘Howard Goodall is a great composer and a really great choice to replace me.’
Sir Tim, who also wrote the lyrics for The Lion King, was unable to say if he and Lloyd Webber would work together again in the future.
Their legendary creative partnership started in the 1960s after Sir Tim Rice wrote a letter to a young Andrew Lloyd Webber offering his services as a lyricist.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was the pair’s first publicly performed collaboration at the 1972 Edinburgh International Festival, before it opened in London and transferred to Broadway.
The duo’s next production, Jesus Christ Superstar, began life as a 1970 concept album. It was an immediate success, which led to it being revived numerous times in the West End and on Broadway, as well as being adapted for the big screen.
Another huge success came in the form of Eva Perón, the former first lady of Argentina. Evita opened on the West End in 1978 with Elaine Paige in the title role.
The show has been revived on multiple occasions, with most recently Rachel Zegler taking up the lead role at the London Palladium last year.
The trio of musicals were all adapted for film and, between them, won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards, translated into numerous languages and performed in more than 80 countries.
After Evita, they went their separate ways, with Lord Lloyd-Webber creating Cats, Phantom Of The Opera and Starlight Express; and Sir Tim doing Chess and The Lion King (working with Elton John on the film and the musical).
Lloyd Webber, who also owns six London theatres, is said to have built up a £516million fortune. Sir Tim was estimated to be worth £150million by The Sunday Times Rich List in 2020.
