''Which Witch'' is a
musical written by Norwegian singers/composers
Benedicte Adrian and
Ingrid Bjørnov.
The storyline for ''Which Witch'' was derived from the
witch finder's manual ''
Malleus Maleficarum
The ''Malleus Maleficarum'', usually translated as the ''Hammer of Witches'', is the best known treatise on witchcraft. It was written by the German Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer (under his Latinized name ''Henricus Institor'') and first ...
'',
and the original script was written by Adrian and Bjørnov's manager
Ole A. Sørli. The lyrics of the early concert versions were written by Helen Hampton in collaboration with Adrian, Bjørnov and Sørli.
The first performance was in
Grieghallen
Grieg Hall ( no, Grieghallen) is a 1,500 seat concert hall located on Edvard Griegs' square in Bergen, Norway.
Grieghallen was named in honor of Bergen-born composer Edvard Grieg, who served as music director of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra ...
,
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...
on May 27, 1987, with Adrian playing the female lead, and Bjørnov as musical director.
[ The material was constantly developed throughout a period of eight years, resulting in several national and international tours presenting continuously updated concert versions of the musical.
The "Operamusical" ''Which Witch'' opened at the ]Piccadilly Theatre
The Piccadilly Theatre is a West End theatre located at 16 Denman Street, behind Piccadilly Circus and adjacent to the Regent Palace Hotel, in the City of Westminster, London, England.
Early years
Built by Bertie Crewe and Edward A. Stone ...
in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
on October 22, 1992 and ran for 76 performances, after a critical savaging. It has been described as "the second worst West End musical of all time",Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
tour, and further performances of a Norwegian version in Holmenkollen
Holmenkollen () is a mountain and a neighbourhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. It goes up to above sea level and is well-known for its international skiing competitions.
Overview
In addition to being a residential area, the are ...
, Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
during the summer of 1994.
''Which Witch'' has, since its premiere in May 1987, been performed a total of 142 times in concert version in the following countries: Norway, Canada, USA, the Netherlands, England, Spain, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. The total attendance figure is approx. 276,000.
Recordings
*''Which Witch- the original studio album'' (released 1987).
*''Which Witch på Slottsfjellet'' live concert double album (released 1990).
*''Which Witch - London Cast Album'' (released 1993).
Total record sales are in excess of 110,000 units. Licensed productions have been staged in several European countries.
References
{{Reflist
External links
''Witch Witch'' - The Operamusical
- Official website.
1986 musicals
Musicals based on secular traditions
Norwegian musicals
Rock operas
West End musicals