UK: THE BEE GEES ATTEND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE STAGE MUSICAL "SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER"

Record ID: 387269

  • Title: UK: THE BEE GEES ATTEND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE STAGE MUSICAL "SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER"
  • Date: 21st October 1997
  • Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, (OCTOBER 21, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) BEE GEES SINGING "HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE" WITHOUT BACKING MUSIC
  • Embargoed: 5th November 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAGKR5EENHU9JKR5OWPMVW8M3I
  • Story Text: Twenty years after "Saturday Night Fever" hit cinema screens and launched a worldwide disco craze, the Bee Gees have teamed up with producer Robert Stigwood to recreate it for stage.

    The Bee Gees and Stigwood appeared at the London Palladium on Tuesday (October 21) to unveil their plans for the 3.5 million pound West End stage musical, set to open on May 5, 1998.

    It tells the story of New York-Italian paint store worker, Tony Manero, as he falls in love but then realises there are more important things in life than his weekly chance to strut his stuff at the disco.

    The main stars of the musical are Australian Adam Garcia playing Tony Manero, played by John Travolta in the film. Garcia trained at the capital Dance Studio in Sydney and his past theatre work includes parts in "Grease", "The Hot Shoe Shuffle" and "Tap Dogs".

    Speaking at a news conference, Garcia admitted he was a little apprehensive to be stepping into the shoes of Travolta.

    "It's a bit daunting, he did create probably one of the most memorable film performances in history...but I'm really looking forward to it," he said.

    Fellow Australian Anita Louise Combe is taking the role of Stephanie Manjano (Tony's more sophisticated dance partner). Combe has worked internationally in stage productions such as "Sunset Boulevard", "Les Miserables" and "Evita" but this is set to be her first lead role on London's West End stage.

    A relative unknown from London, Alexia Leontiou, has landed the part of the mistreated dance partner Annette.

    The music for the show is taken from the original film score written by the Bee Gees, however the group have added two new tracks "Immortality" and "First and Last".

    "Immortality" will be covered by French/Canadian artist Celine Dion on her forthcoming album.

    When the Bee Gees originally released the music from the movie in 1977, it sparked a cultural phenomenon as well as a succession of number one hits for the brothers Maurice, Andy, Robin and Barry Gibb.

    The soundtrack became the biggest selling soundtrack ever and to date, it has sold close to 50 million copies worldwide.

    Barry Gibb spoke of the group's amazement at the seventies revival currently sweeping Britain.

    "We find it very unusual that the culture we're in today seems to be looking back to the seventies after going through a period of forgetting it", he said.

    The costumes and sets will have a seventies feel but small changes will be made to keep it in line with nineties retrospective fashion, according to Director/Choreographer Arlene Phillips.

    This year the Bee Gees celebrated 30 years in the music industry but say they still admire plenty of artists like Brandi and Celine Dion.

    Barry Gibb joked that their love for female artists may be connected with their style of singing, falsetto. The band first experimented with falsetto on a song called "Nights on Broadway" as a joke. It worked so well they decided to take it further.

    "I volunteered to try it and discovered that I could scream in tune.. and that's how it came about and from then on we thought this sort of works, why don't we try singing a whole song with the falsetto voice and that led to the whole fever thing," Barry Gibb said.

    The Bee Gees received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Brit awards earlier this year.

    They have released a new album, "Still Waters" and theirnew single of the same name is set to be be released on October 27.

    Robert Stigwood is the one time partner to Beatles' manager Brian Epstein but has since become recognised as a producer. His film credits include "Grease", "Tommy" and "Evita". His stage credits include "Evita" and "Jesus Christ Superstar".

    In addition, he launched the recording careers of the Bee Gees and Eric Clapton.

    Director and choreographer Arlene Phillips has worked in film, television and theatre and has worked with Aretha Franklin, The Bee Gees, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross.

    She is currently director of Michael Flately's Lord of the Dance".
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