Нэн Найтон отвечает на вопрос об изменениях, внесенных во вторую версию, на своем офсайте:
From Judith in East Hampton, NY:
Nan, the first version of "You Are My Home" in the first show was incredibly real and powerful. The love between brother and sister really worked throughout the story. I found myself sobbing during that song in the prison. The acting was amazing. I will always miss that first run. [Christine] Andreas played Marguerite with the energy that was true to the character in text. I always wondered why the story changed so much. I know there was a new director, but why did he change the strength and conviction of Marguerite? Why did they cut so much of her music? Did you always agree with the changes? And finally, will it ever come out on video as other productions have? Thank you.
Thursday, 22 July 2004
Dear Judith,
There is no simple answer to all of your questions. The first version of "Pimpernel" was just plain going to die unless we made changes. It also needed changes. I agree with you that the original "You Are My Home" worked better as a brother/sister song in the prison and I wrote it for exactly that. However, when we started "Pimpernel 2", the decision was made to reinstate the song "I'll Forget You", which was only heard on the original concept album and was the primary reason that Rachael York wanted to do the show. All of us struggled mightily to find the right spot for "I'll Forget You", and it always came back to the prison. No one wanted to cut "You Are My Home", and so the decision was made to make "You Are My Home" the new wedding song. I was essentially OK with this decision because I had heard of many couples using "You Are My Home" for their wedding song, but I sorely missed (and still do) the original wedding song, "Believe".
I can't say that I agree with you that Marguerite's strength and conviction changed in "Pimpernel 2", and I believe that she actually had more music in version 2 since we did the full version of "Storybook" and added "I'll Forget You". Story changes were necessary in order to create a more vibrant show with better pacing and momentum. As far as my agreeing with changes, rest assured that in the theatre no one can change a single word of the script without the writer's approval. All changes made were done by mutual agreement between Bobby Longbottom and myself, and, of course, Frank Wildhorn if it was a musical change. One is not always thrilled with every change, but the basic reality of musical theatre is collaboration and compromise, and sometimes suggested changes unexpectedly blossom into magic. For example, I wanted to keep "The Creation of Man" exactly as it was in version 1, with the Prince of Wales present throughout, but Bobby had a totally new conception of the number. I compromised on this and the result was what is now probably the most gloriously funny sequence in the show.
To answer your last question, the show was only shot on video for the Lincoln Center archives, and they did thankfully do videos of both "Pimpernel 1" and "Pimpernel 2". The only possibility of a VHS/DVD of "Pimpernel" would be if there was another new major production and a company such as HBO or PBS wanted to shoot it. Let's hope!
Judith, thank you for your really thoughtful questions. My best to you,
Nan
http://www.nanknighton.com/questions/index.shtml
Ну что... Creation of Man в конечном варианте вышел ЛУЧШЕ, ИМХО. В первой версии это, ИМХО, просто на грани бесвкусицы, а в последующих версиях появился, блин, смысл.
Насчет You Are My Hоme - соглашусь. Для брат+сестра эта песня работает выигрышнее. Это что-то прочное, основательное - каменная стена. А сП и Марго в начале друг другу никакой не home. :D Кроме того, тогда реприза этого номера в исполнении Марго и Армана начинает звучать как-то инцестуально.
С I'll Forget You связан один баг в текстах песен.
Офигительный баг, между прочим. Возьмем номер She Was There. В этом номере имеется строчка: "No, I never pulled her in, // Still her tenderness was everywhere" - а в I'll Forget You имеется строчка: "I won't remember arms that pulled me in soft and slow."
Что получается? Получается либо то, что I'll Forget You адресовано Шовлену, а вовсе не сП :D (т.к. с Шовленом у Марго такие, эээ, отношения имели место, а с сП - нет), либо то, что автор лириксов не думая употребил любимое выражение to pull somebody in и не обратил внимания на то, что при возвращении во вторую версию номера I'll Forget You (который, в отличие от She Was There имелся на концепте) вышло такое противоречие. Или это не противоречие и I'll Forget You - это действительно о Шовлене, а сП - чисто пассажир? :D Теоретически возможно - но полное безобразие! :D