Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Beckham, The Musical

The soccer fans revere David Beckham’s right foot, the fashionistas fawn over Victoria Beckham’s Giambattista Valli-clad left. The power couple has succeeded in reaching their diverse fan bases through numerous business ventures: soccer gear, Rock & Republic collaboration, fragrances, and even Hollywood. Now it’s onto the theater buffs?

According to the Telegraph, lyricist David Archer is in talks with producers to bring Beckham’s life story onto a West End stage in musical form.

“Beckham’s story is a modern-day fairytale of heroes, villains, love, Manchester United and what it means to lead your country,’’ said Archer. “His rise from obscurity to international stardom, his universally acknowledged gifts as a supreme sportsman, and his Hollywood lifestyle all have the elements of an aspirational fable.”

The musical’s gospel-rock soundtrack of songs like “The Promised Land” and “Villain of the Peace” make it sound like a sporty stage-reincarnation of The Prince of Egypt – and rightfully so, according to Archer:

With football and celebrity now firmly established as new secular Western religions, The Theatre of Dreams is set within a cheering football stadium – the modern-day church. The music is powerful, gospel-like rock to establish clearly football and Manchester United as a religion.”

The Beckhams have yet to sign off on the idea. But if they do, maybe Victoria will design the stage jerseys and clad her character in delicious Hervé Léger. That alone might be worth watching for.
-Grace Bahk

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