‘Lost’ Lloyd-Webber musical recovered

Press, 9 June 1986, Page 10

‘Lost’ Lloyd-Webber musical recovered

From Robin Charteris in London A long-lost LloydWebber musical has been unearthed and will be performed for only the second time in London’s West End next month. It is not an early prefame and fortune piece by the prolific superstar Andrew, however, but the work of his father, the late Dr William LloydWebber. Written during World War 11, it is a version of “Pinnochio” designed for children. It was Dr LloydWebber’s only attempt at a musical and was staged in 1946 by students of the Royal College of Music. Over the years much of the score and all the lyrics disappeared, but they have now been pieced together again by the composer’s widow, Mrs Jean Lloyd-Webber. She has prepared the show for performance by talented youngsters from the Children’s Theatre with the help of a few professionals.

Dr Lloyd-Webber was one of Britain’s most eminent musicologists, being director of the Royal College before he died in 1982, but his family says he has been under-rated as a composer.

“My father wrote some delightful works,” says Andrew Lloyd-Webber. “I’m delighted ’Pinnochio’ will be performed and I'm sure it will be successful. He was too melodic and lyrical for the fifties when he was writing and that’s why he’s never been popular.” Both his famous sons are doing their best to rehabilitate Dr LloydWebber’s reputation. His cellist son, Julian, has performed some of his works in concert and Andrew has arranged for the London Philharmonic to record some of his father’s finest pieces later this year. Andrew LloydWebber will also make available the Palace Theatre, owned by his theatre company, for “Pinocchio’s” one performance.

As for Mrs LloydWebber, she believps her sons’ gifts are oweft much from her late huslfand.

“There’s much of the style of ‘Evita’ and ‘Cats’ in ‘Pinocchio’,” she says. “Andrew’s sense of orchestration and melody are directly inherited.”