It isn't normal for Madrid to put
on a world premiere of a musical like El último jinete (The Last
Horseman): an ambitious project in which a large team, led by
director Víctor Conde is racing against the clock. This speaks
volumes about the main keys of the show.
Once upon a time there was a young
Bedouin called Tirad, whose dream was to find the horse to ride
towards glory. Not just any horse but one that chooses him as its
rider. In keeping with an old legend of the desert, each man is
predestined to find the horse of his life. At the end of the
19th century, Tirad will travel half the world pursuing
the stead he believes is predestined to accompany him on his path
to glory. His quest takes him from Arabia to Egypt then to England,
on a journey full of adventures in which he will cross paths with a
spiritual poetess, a war-like English lady, dancing camels,
warriors and even chattering locusts A tall tale? No, it is rather
the synopsis of a new musical, with the spirit of a fable,
conceived and created in our country (Spain). An extraordinary
challenge in the times we are going through, brought about by
producer Andrés Vicente Gómez, a veteran of Spanish cinema who has
been seduced - like all of us- by the world of musicals. This, his
first endeavor, isn't a small one as he has taken on this ambitious
undertaking thanks to the support of investors from the Middle
East. "Andrés could explain this to you in more detail," explains
Víctor Conde, the busy director of the musical, who devotes some
time to us during a break in the rehearsals. " He went there
searching for financing for an animated movie, and one of the
investors proposed that he create a musical about the birth of the
kingdom of Saudi Arabia. That is why some of the characters in the
musical are real although our leading protagonists are fictional.
"
A novelty
The challenge is great, but the
capacity to create is infinite, and that is what motivates most all
of those involved. "It is a totally new show, not based on a film
or a book." To attend a novelty musical is also very stimulating
for theater lovers. "We are trying out all sorts of things on a
day-to-day basis, introducing changes as we rehearse. You see, we
have no precedents. " Over a year ago, Andrés Vicente Gómez offered
the possibility of directing El último jinete to Víctor
Conde, who didn't take long to accept the offer. "At the time, Ray
Loriga had already written a first draft. I thought it was going to
be a very different musical from those we were used to seeing, with
a mystical and poetic component that was most unusual." Loriga's
task was to create a fable based on facts about the history of
Saudi Arabia and on its oral tradition. The writer and filmmaker
got carried away by an adventure that starts where the adventures
of Lawrence of Arabia ended. "The actors were very surprised when
they read the text for the first time. They said they had never
performed in a musical in which the dialogues resembled those of
Shakespeare..."
Conde, soon enough, became
convinced that he wanted to create: "A musical show about
adventures, with romance and mystery. Astride between the old films
of Michael Curtiz with Errol Flynn and the movies about adventures
from the 1980s such as The Princess Bride and The Empire Strikes
Back, I am thrilled about the idea." A nine million euro budget is
available with which to put together a cast that is weathering
itself in disciplines like scenic fighting, fencing and flying.
"The first weeks of rehearsal were like going to school; they had
to learn sword skills and many other things that the actor of a
musical usually doesn't need to do." Víctor Conde, who has worked
in small musicals like Pegados and in large ones like Les
Misérables, has also undergone his own personal learning. "I've had
to learn to trust an artistic team in which there is room for
fencing teachers and flight technicians. As I really love classical
adventure movies, I had a clear idea about the style the musical
should have: something in between Robin Hood and Raiders of the
Lost Ark. On the other hand, we had to play around with all the
imagery of old Arabia which is so magical. We needed to combine
that with Victorian London, where part of the action takes place.
Mixing Arab mysticism with Victorian esthetics has resulted in
something that is very curious and different."
The singing
A basic pillar of this show, which
is full of exoticism, is obviously the music - all of it original.
The combination of two very different authors who have been
involved in creating the music: John Cameron and Albert Hammond.
Cameron, with his vast experience of having been the original
musical arranger for Les Miserables and Hammond because of his pop
background. "Hammond composed, among many other songs, A Moment in
Time, by Whitney Houston," Conde recalls. "It is awesome to see him
during the rehearsals at the piano, composing and arranging songs.
He contributes with the pop music and commercial side and
John with his great knowledge of musical theater. The resulting
combination is very interesting; their two worlds coexist perfectly
within the show," says the director. One of the songs that bears
the stamp of Albert Hammond, The Girl Has Everything, was sung for
the first time by Susan Egan last September 25 in the concert she
gave in Madrid. The originalBelleof Beauty and the Beast in
Broadway was excited at the privilege of being the first to
interpret it on a stage and didn't hesitate to say she was sure
about the song's great potential. A fantastic way of warming up for
the premiere. In this regard, Conde adds: "When I first listened to
it before the public, I confirmed the emotional impact which such a
song has. And the fact that she told me she had really enjoyed
rehearsing it gave me confidence."
Risk-proof
Víctor Conde is confident, although
at the same time cautious, about the enormous risk the world
premiere in Madrid poses. "It is always good news when one hears
original musicals are being developed and I think all lovers of the
genre share that view." Albert Boadella was equally excited at the
prospect and offered Andrés Vicente Gómez a public space for the
premiere: The Canal Theaters. Due to programming limitations, the
show will only be on for one month, until January 6, 2013. Although
obviously the whole team dreams that its success will result in
another run at another theater. Also, it is envisaged that in the
near future The Last Horseman will premiere in the West End of
London. "Work was done in both languages - Spanish and English, as
the show was being created," Víctor says. Although for the time
being he doesn't even want to think about the possibility of also
directing the show in London. He already has enough stress. Victor
does emphasize though that everyone involved shares the excitement
of knowing that what they're working on has never been seen before.
"We all feel we are part of the creation; the artists and
technicians are all contributing in the process. It is really
nice." And the longer the excitement lasts the better. "Look, I set
up The Mouse Trap for an impasse in a theater and now it's been
showing in Madrid for four seasons, something we never imagined
could happen. It is therefore better not to make plans and let the
show do its own thing. Let it take over, because all shows have a
life of their own. The Last Horseman will tell us where it is
heading."
The show's director admits that his
nerves before the premiere often make him "unbearable", impossible
to deal with, although he is really enjoying the experience. Such
an experience in a way resembles the maiden journey of the
protagonist searching for his horse which "like all great adventure
stories becomes the search for his destiny." A genuine adventure
for the members of a cast who are subjected to the strains of
intensive daily rehearsals. "When the real show starts all of them
are going to be in great physical shape." How about the director?
"I will be very, very thin because I use up a lot of energy; my
physical condition won't be as enviable as theirs, I'm afraid,"
Victor replies.
AT THE HEAD OF THE ADVENTURE
Three are the leading characters of
El último jinete, interpreted by actors with vast experience in
musical theater. The director, Víctor Conde, speaks very well about
them.
Tirad (Miquel Fernández) (Photo
2).
"Miguel bears the burden of the
show, because this warrior in search of his destiny is in every
scene. He has been a friend of mine for years [he has participated
in musicals like We Will Rock You, Hoy no me puedo levantar and
Jesus Christ Superstar, and he premieres in cines Fin] and there
are days when I feel bad because I think that I don't treat him
well: I make him hang from ropes, his character gets beaten up, he
has sword fights in the rehearsals all the time... He ends up
exhausted every day, but he has an incredible capacity for work and
never stops smiling."
• Al Kahnsa (Marta Ribera) (Photo
3).
"She is the spiritual guide of
Tirad in his journey, the Obi-Wan Kenobi of El último jinete. It is
an absolute luxury to count on Marta, one of the most brilliant and
complete actresses in this country. She has worked in West Side
Story, Grease, Falsettos, Jekyll & Hyde, Cabaret. Working with
her allows me to sit down in the rehearsals and enjoy watching her
perform."
• Lady Laura (Julia Möller) (Photo
4).
"She plays the role of an English
lady who gets hold of the horse which Tirad dreams to ride. A
character inspired on the classical work of Maureen O'Hara and the
Marion in Raiders of the Lost Ark; one of those amazing female
characters, way ahead of her times. Julia is a bomb, a
multi-faceted actress who can be involved in many different genres
and has incredible charm and strength. At the personal level, for
me she is the great surprise of this show."
THE MUSICAL EL ÚLTIMO JINETE (THE
LAST HORSEMAN) WILL PREMIERE on DECEMBER 5 IN THE CANAL THEATERS
(C/CEA BERMÚDEZ, 1) IN MADRID, AND WILL BE ON UNTIL JANUARY
Interview : AGUSTÍN GOMÉZ
CASCALES.