Kazuo! Kazuo! Kazuo! The Remains of the Day – the musical!

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In “weirdest story of the day” category …. Gilbert & Sullivan, Sondheim, Lloyd Webber and now Ishiguro? Apparently somber love story The Remains of the Day has been approved by author Kazuo Ishiguro to become a musical. Personally, I can’t quite see it, but then perhaps that’s because I’m a bit of a literary snob-nazi and taking a quiet, powerful, introverted and heart-achingly sad love story with no happy ending, and turning it into an all-singing, all-dancing extravaGANza seems somewhat… odd, to say the least. There aren’t perhaps better suited book choices?
But I should reserve judgement. And for my final pun… I know I think Ishiguro’s writing is lyrical but… (bada boom).

4 thoughts on “Kazuo! Kazuo! Kazuo! The Remains of the Day – the musical!”

  1. I think it sounds like an extremely interesting and credible idea. Being not only an avid reader and book lover who works in publishing, but also someone who frequents theatre, and ‘musicals’ in particular, I can more than see this working. Who would have though, twenty five years or so ago, that ‘Cats’ would have worked and been the International success it has become? I have read some of the initial press about this project and I get the feeling that with Ishiguro ‘on board’, it’s hardly going to be an ‘extravaganza’… he simply wouldn’t allow that to happen… there’s a considerable amount of scope to develop an interesting piece of ‘musical drama’ with this, which is not a ‘musical’… folks need to understand the difference… maybe we should all reserve judgement and see what these guys come up with. I for one am glad that someone out there is making a challenging choice, rather than continuing to churn out the same banal material. Just out of curiosity, you mention there might be ‘better suited book choices’ for a musical. What would your suggestions be?

  2. Hi Catherine, firstly thanks for your comment! You are right, and I did say I should reserve judgement – and I will. I guess “subtle” is just not a word I associate with musical theatre, but is a word I would associate with this book, and being, to my mind, such a deeply internal and interior book it seems a really odd choice.

    For better suited books I would have thought more plot-driven would be a good place to start. However, the total musicals I have produced in my life – 0, so I have no problem conceding the people who have come up with this idea are way more experienced at this than I, and at least have vision I don’t! A fantastic book, a fantastic movie – maybe a fantastic musical? That would be a great thing. Plus, as you say, Ishiguro’s behind it. And that has to say something.

    Could you maybe elaborate on the difference between musical drama and musicals? It’s definitely not my area so that’s caught my interest. Thanks again!

  3. My experience of musical theatre is that although plot is important, many are character and motive driven, hence why I do think this is an interesting choice. It is all a matter of personal taste I guess. Over the years we have become used to ‘musicals’ like ‘Grease’, ‘Saturday Night Fever’, ‘Annie’, ‘Oliver!’ etc etc, where you have action, song, dance, action… applause at the end of a number. There are many ‘musicals’ which fall into the musical drama category that work on the basis where you might have a scene between two people that would segue into an underscore, with dialogue over the top, then back to maybe a verse, to movement, returning to song… so it is an ‘effortless’ transition between music, movement [not dance] and dialogue that moves the plot forwards by fusing words, song, lyric and movement together. On many occasions there isn’t even a ‘break’ given for applause at the end of a song as it isn’t appropriate. I see this happening with ‘Remains’, a gentle approach that relays its story, but using music, lyric and movement as a means by which to show emotion. I think it can only enhance the emotions that Ishiguro has created. Also, people often confuse the parameters of ‘choreography’. This isn’t necessarily about folks donning tap shoes and doing high-kicks. It can be about the movement on the stage of two people, almost balletic if you like. There is such scope to be achieved with musical drama, scope that has been overshadowed by one style of ‘musical’ that is constantly duplicated for the mainstream the world over. Again, just my thoughts.

  4. Yes, when I think of “musical” I definitely think of Grease, Annie, Mamma Mia, Phantom, etc, etc, etc… big productions really. Hence my vision on hearing musical+Remains of the Day is Anthony Hopkins doing the step-kick on a chorus line (perhaps because I have seen The Simpsons too many times – Planet of the Apes – The Musical!). Which is very far from the truth, but also rather a funny image.

    The kind of musical drama you describe isn’t something I’ve seen, but does sound much more appropriate. I renounce my doubting ways! There were no doubt plenty of people who thought it couldn’t be made into a good movie either, and they were proved wrong. The article I linked to also mentioned it had been mooted as a play previously, which I thought was also an interesting idea, with a lot of potential in the right hands and with the right production. For me though, I feel a certain sense of ownership (which I know in reality I don’t have) over Ishiguro books because I always have such an intense emotional connection with them when reading, so I just want to say “Don’t ruin it, for god sakes!”… :)

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