Matador (English musical)
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''Matador'' is the title of a 1991
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
by
Mike Leander Michael George Farr (30 June 1941 – 18 April 1996), known professionally as Mike Leander, was a British arranger, songwriter and record producer. He worked variously with The Beatles, David McWilliams ("Days of Pearly Spencer"), Gary Gli ...
and Eddie Seago, with a book by
Peter Jukes Peter Jukes (born 13 October 1960) is an English author, screenwriter, playwright, literary critic and journalist. He is the co-founder and executive editor of ''Byline Times''. Early life Jukes was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, and atte ...
, which tells the story of the rise and fall of a fictional matador, loosely based on Manuel Benitez,
El Cordobes EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American p ...
. The show featured stunning choreography in traditional
Flamenco Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
style by Rafael Aguilar, and the show won an
Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
as a result. Several dancers were cast directly from Spain, making their West End debuts. The bulls for the fighting sequences were performed by a
phalanx The phalanx ( grc, φάλαγξ; plural phalanxes or phalanges, , ) was a rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pikes, sarissas, or similar pole weapons. The term is particularly use ...
of black-clad dancers, moving as one. The work began life in 1987 as a
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
, starring Tom Jones. Jones was keen to play the lead on stage, and gave up his
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cabaret shows to return to the UK for that purpose. The musical was initially unable to attract the financial backing required, but Jones did get his first UK top ten hit after a fifteen-year dry spell, with his single, ''A Boy From Nowhere'', lifted from the Matador concept album. Eventually financial backing was secured, and the show opened at the Queen's Theatre in London on April 16, 1991. Audiences and most critics were positive, but the 1991 London theatre season was heavily impacted by the
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and the subsequent drop in tourism. The production folded after three months. The London production starred
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrow ...
as Domingo Hernandez and
Stefanie Powers Stefanie Powers (born November 2, 1942) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Jennifer Hart on the mystery television series ''Hart to Hart'' (1979–1984), for which she received nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards a ...
as American actress Laura Jane Wilding, a character based on actress
Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her perform ...
.
Nicky Henson Nicky Henson ( Nicholas Victor Leslie Henson; 12 May 1945 – 15 December 2019) was a British actor. Early life Nicholas Victor Leslie Henson was born in London, the son of Harriet Martha ( Collins) and comedian Leslie Henson. Adam Henson, a fa ...
and Caroline O'Connor costarred. After the failure of the London production, the authors returned to America and made revisions to the book and score during productions in regional and college theatres.


List of songs on the concept album

#"Overture" #"There's No Way Out of Here" #"To Be a Matador" #"I Was Born to be Me" #"Only Other People" #"
Manolete Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez (4 July 1917 – 29 August 1947), known as Manolete, was a Spanish bullfighter. Career Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez was the son of a bullfighter (who also went by the name Manolete) and his wife An ...
! Belmonte!
Joselito Joselito is the name for: ;First name / given name * Joselito (singer), Spanish 1950s child actor and singer *Joselito Agustin (1976–2010), also known as Aksyon Lito, Filipino journalist * Joselito Altarejos, Filipino film and television directo ...
!" #"A Boy from Nowhere" #"Wake Up Madrid" #"I'll Take You Out to Dinner" #"This Incredible Journey" #"Don't Be Deceived" #"I'll Dress You in Mourning" #"Dance with Death" #"A Panama Hat"


List of songs used in the London production

#"Overture" #"A Panama Hat" #"There's No Way Out of This Town" #"Moon in the Sky" #"Pastures at Night (The Bull)" #"There's No Way Out of This Town (Reprise)" #"Manolete, Belmonte, Joselito" #"I Was Born To Be Me" #"This Incredible Journey" #"A Panama Hat (Reprise)" #"A Boy From Nowhere" #"I'll Take You Out to Dinner" #"I'll Dress You in Mourning" #"What Is There More Than Love?" #"To Be a Matador" #"Only Other People" #"Children of the Sun" #"A Boy From Nowhere (Reprise)" #"I Can Get By" #"I'll Dress You in Mourning (Reprise)" #"Corrida/I Am You, You Are Me" #"A Boy From Nowhere (Reprise)/Finale" #"Bows/Exit Music"


Discography

A cast recording was planned, but cancelled the day before it was due to be recorded. The show's star,
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrow ...
, recorded two songs from the score ("I Was Born To Be Me" and "I'll Dress You In Mourning") which were released as 45 RPM and CD singles timed to coincide with the London opening. Barrowman later recorded "A Boy From Nowhere" on his solo CD, Reflections (released by JAY records). *"Matador" – Various Artists (album, Epic VIVA 1) *"A Boy from Nowhere" – Tom Jones (Epic OLE 1) *"To be a Matador" – John Springate (Epic OLE 2) *"I'll Dress You in Mourning" – Tom Jones (Epic OLE 3) *"Born To Be Me" – Tom Jones (Epic OLE 4) *"I Was Born To Be Me" –
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrow ...
(Epic 6567332) *"I'll Dress You In Mourning" – John Barrowman (Epic 6567332) *"A Boy From Nowhere" – John Barrowman (JAY)


References

{{Reflist 1991 musicals British musicals West End musicals