World Courant
EXCLUSIVE: Rock icon Bob Geldof is collaborating on a stage musical in regards to the international phenomenon that was Reside Support. The present, known as Simply For One Day, devised and directed by Luke Sheppard (& Juliet), could have its world premiere on the Previous Vic Theater in London early subsequent yr.
Reside Support was a live performance like no different, organized by Geldof and fellow rock ‘n’ curler Midge Ure in July 1985 to boost funds and consciousness for the famine disaster then going down in Ethiopia.
Simply For One Day will run on the Previous Vic from January 26-March 30.
The UK leg of Reside Support kicked off at Wembley Stadium the place the likes of Queen with frontman Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Elton John, George Michael, Sting, Sade, The Who, Paul McCartney, U2, Geldof’s the Boomtown Rats, Ure, Paul Weller and tons of others rocked and raved within the presence of 1000’s of spectators — together with Charles and Diana, then generally known as the Prince and Princess of Wales.
I used to be there too. It is the largest gig I’ve ever lined.
Throughout the pond at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Mick Jagger sang with Tina Turner; Madonna, Bob Dylan, Neil Younger, Corridor & Oates and others additionally carried out.
Tina Turner and Mick Jagger
Paul Natkin/WireImage
Led Zeppelin re-formed for the event; Phil Collins performed at Wembley then boarded the Concorde so he may play drums with Zeppelin, changing the group’s late drummer John Bonham.
Lots of the songs carried out that day might be included in Simply For One Day.
I requested Sheppard whether or not actors will painting the rock stars who performed Reside Support.
Luke Sheppard
Shaking his head, he defined that Simply For One Day wouldn’t be a Stars in Their Eyes affair.
Geldof might be a personality within the present “nevertheless it’s not performed in a form of Stars in Their Eyes manner. It is not individuals dressing up because the artists and doing it as a tribute — we have moved very far-off from that,: he mentioned. “It is all of the extraordinary music from that day, nevertheless it’s sung by this fierce technology of musical theater artists, who simply blew the roof off.”
Sheppard and guide author John O’Farrell (Hen Run: Daybreak of the Nugget) are putting Reside Support “within the fingers of the individuals who made it, who had been there, who skilled it, even the truth that my mum was there and he or she’s advised me loads about it. That is actually influenced one of many characters in there as nicely. So, it is Reside Support for the individuals basically, versus a form of tribute act model of the present,” Sheppard careworn.
The present, Sheppard mentioned, appears at Reside Support “from all angles, together with from the technicians who’re attempting to drag off this satellite tv for pc broadcast to the first-aid employee who was operating the first-aid tent.”
After I talked about that I used to be at Wembley that day, Sheppard’s eyes lit up and he mentioned, “so possibly we should always discuss whether or not there is a journalist character that I am lacking. I ought to get your data on that.”
Yeah, nicely, I do not assume the world wants a rock ‘n’ roll Baz Bamigboye singing on stage. I imply, the creators need individuals to remain of their seats, not go away. Proper?
Sheppard mentioned that “we additionally have a look at it via the eyes of a man known as Bob who occurred to be on the heart of all of it.”
“Look, Bob Geldof is a really specific individual. And so the character who embodies Bob on stage has discovered inside him, I believe, an analogous form of fiery spirit and an analogous form of angle on that stage. So while you watch the present, Bob, he is immediately recognizable,” Sheppard mentioned.
Actor Craige Els (Physician Who, RIPD 2: Rise of the Damned, Nationwide Theater Reside: Antigone) takes on the Bob Geldof character.
Craig Els
Picture by Pip
One other key function might be carried out by Naomi Katiyo, who has appeared in UK productions of musicals Treason, Ain’t Too Proud and What’s New Pussycat.
Sheppard mentioned Katiyo got here into an early workshop and “she’s simply created this sort of half alongside us that could be a actually integral half within the present. And I believe she’s a very thrilling younger expertise to observe. And I am actually excited for this to be her form of main function debut.”
Naomi Katiyo
YellowBellyPhoto
Sheppard got here up with the concept for the present after assembly with West Finish producer Jamie Wilson through the pandemic. When the Reside Support live performance got here up throughout their conversion, Sheppard recalled his mom telling him in regards to the occasion she had attended.
“She at all times talks about it as this second in her life the place it is just like the world stopped nonetheless. And ever since I used to be a child, she’s at all times tried to elucidate to me what it was prefer to be there, and the facility of the music and the facility of humanity coming collectively for one trigger. And so I instantly noticed this present in my head that might communicate to my mom and have a good time what that second was, but in addition assist a brand new technology perceive the context of what that occasion was and what it meant to have all of that music in a single place ,” Sheppard advised me.
After 5 workshops, Sheppard despatched a video to Previous Vic creative director Matthew Warchus.
Sheppard labored as Warchus’ affiliate director on Matilda the Musical, which Warchus directed within the West Finish and on Broadway.
Initially, Warchus advised Sheppard he did not have an out there slot for Simply One Day.
However 24 hours later, he known as Sheppard and advised him he’d cleared area for it.
Sheppard mentioned working with Geldof “has been extraordinary. We do not at all times have the identical opinions, and that is actually thrilling and we’re not afraid to argue that out and never draw back from disagreeing about issues within the present. At each element, we’re interrogating and we’re taking a look at it from all completely different angles.”
The director noticed that a few of these angles would come with criticisms that had been made about Reside Support and the way the thousands and thousands of {dollars} that had been raised had been distributed. “We’re into all of that,” Sheppard mentioned.
He added that Geldof has been open and respectful “about letting us do what we need to do. He’ll inform us if he does not prefer it, and he’ll inform us if we predict we have one thing incorrect, however he needs this to be what we think about it to be,” he mentioned. “So we got here to him with an concept. I got here to him with a imaginative and prescient for it and he mentioned, ‘Proper, go and make your model. I’ll let you know what I believe alongside the best way.’ And he does. He does. However he expects me to return again and say, ‘Okay, nicely for this reason I believe this bit’s vital or for this reason I need to have a look at it that manner.’ ”
Sheppard continued: “What I actually admire about him is he is so courageous, fearless and unapologetic as nicely. I believe that is what I would like the present to be. I would like it to be courageous. I would like it to be fearless.”
Geldof has additionally helped the manufacturing regarding music rights to a few of the hits carried out at Reside Support.
“Properly, he is a really persuasive man,” Sheppard mentioned, smiling, “in the identical manner that Reside Support occurred within the first place, it usually feels whereas making this musical, that we’re again there in that second. It is Bob and I placing on a present and it is like going again in time in a manner.”
Sheppard wouldn’t verify which precise songs can be carried out.
Nonetheless, after I began buzzing Queen’s “We Are The Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” he nodded his head.
Freddie Mercury at Reside Support on July 13, 1985
FG/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Photos
The Band Support Belief would be the manufacturing’s primary beneficiary.
“They’re the largest beneficiaries of the challenge and everybody of the inventive workforce that has come on board figuring out that that’s on the coronary heart and the middle of it,” Sheppard mentioned. “And that is additionally an enormous a part of what’s drawn to it as nicely. How uncommon do you get to do your job, but in addition do one thing that hopefully will actually make a giant distinction on the earth?
“And each time someone buys a ticket, each time someone buys a program, there’s a direct contribution” to the belief, he mentioned.
Warchus from the Previous Vic advised me he is “excited” to have Simply One Day at his celebrated theater.
“The music goes to blow the roof off this place each night time,” he mentioned.
Different casting consists of Julie Atherton, Ashley Campbell, Jackie Clune, James Hameed, Hope Kenna, Freddie Love, Emily Ooi and Rhys Wilkinson. Additional casting might be revealed later within the yr.
The present’s inventive workforce consists of: musical supervision, preparations and orchestration, Matthew Brind; choreography, Ebony Molina; set design, Soutra Gilmour; costumes, Fay Fullerton; lighting design, Howard Hudson; sound created by Gareth Owen; with video and animation by Andrzej Goulding. Casting is by Stuart Burt.
In between bringing Simply For One Day to the Previous Vic, Sheppard has directed the blockbuster tear-jerking new musical The Little Large Issues @SohoPlace in London. Producers Michael Harrison and Nica Burns, who based @SohoPlace, took a leap of religion in a brand new work by Nick Butcher, Tom Ling and Joe White.
The present’s primarily based on a memoir by Henry Fraser, who was paralyzed from the neck down in a swimming accident.
It is one of many few reveals I’ve seen in latest months that I am determined to see once more.
Reside Support Musical ‘Simply For One Day’ Set From Bob Geldof & Luke Sheppard – Deadline
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