It has been a busy couple of weeks in the already action packed life of Andrew Lloyd Webber. As if holding down a multi-million pound theatre empire, working on the Phantom sequel and lording it over the destiny of dozens of hopeful young actors is not enough for one man. Webber has also popped over to Deutschland, received yet another award and seized control of a small island off the coast of Haiti with the intention of forming a workforce of almost-Nancy’s and not-quite-Oliver’s to carve a 70 foot likeness of his face into an active volcano. Ok I made the last bit up, Mr Webber has not invaded anywhere, yet, but he has been a very busy chap.

On May 21st Webber received the Woodrow Wilson award for his services to the arts through music at a Gala in London’s Guildhall. The honour is given out several times a year by the US Smithsonian Institution to both business and public figures who they feel have shown exemplary commitment to the values of twenty-eighth US president Woodrow Wilson, whose dreams of the dynamic exchange of knowledge and opinion are the basis of the awards.

Now lets just stop there for just a second. It may just be me but doesn’t that sound just the tiniest bit stuffy? Surely the free exchange of opinion is covered in the knighthood Mr Webber received in 1992 but hey, another award can’t hurt I suppose. The Woodrow Wilson award seems to slightly lack validity this side of the pond, what with Woodrow Wilson being quite an obscure reference over here. Fair enough being the first person to receive it in the UK is a honour for Webber but with a Hollywood star and scores of Grammys and Tonys under his belt I think it is unlikely that Webber will be clearing space in his bulging award cabinet for the little known American trophy. Perhaps a nice spot in the downstairs loo or maybe eBay, even Webber must enjoy positive feedback.

No doubt Mr. Webber was pleased to attend a far more interesting Gala in Bochum, Germany with the delightful Arlene Phillips on Sunday. Webber attended the 20th anniversary of Starlight Express at the Starlighthalle, a venue built especially to stage the show in 1988. Starlight Express has been showing near continually since the venues record breaking one year construction and it has been seen by more than 12 million people. It is clear that even after 20 years Starlight Express is still a firm favourite with German audiences. Recently a television casting show called “Musical Showstar 2008″ was aired to find the next Rusty and Pearl for the Starlighthalle production of Starlight Express.
It must be a real pleasure for Mr Webber to see something he created so long ago still flourishing, guaranteeing a leisurely retirement on an island just off Haiti….with a volcano.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008 at 9:56 am and is filed under Theatre. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.