The War of the Worlds — from 1970s Concept Album to Stage Musical (with a little bit of David Essex Stardust) and thrilling 21st Century Immersive Experience.
In the 1970s, concept albums became a popular way of creating themed stories through music. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice used the concept album on several occasions to introduce us to their musicals such as Evita, Tell me on a Sunday, and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat to name but a few. One of the most iconic, however, is perhaps Jeff Wayne’s rock musical of The War of the Worlds which was first produced in 1978. The album, unlike other musical concept works, included not only spectacular and evocative music, but also narrative from the original book by HG Wells.
Many concept albums became theatre and film productions, but The War of the Worlds has endured in popularity, not least because it has moved with the times from 1978 with new and innovative creations. The original recording featured a star-studded cast, many of whom Jackie readers would have idolised. Hot from his success in Godspell, twinkly eyed David Essex took the part of the artilleryman; Julie Covington, who some may remember from the series, Rock Follies, played the part of Beth on the album (she also voiced Eva Peron on the original Evita album). Other musical luminaries included Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy), Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) and Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band) who played respectively Parson Nathaniel, the sung voice of the journalist (Richard Burton narrated the spoken voice of the journalist) and The Voice of Humanity.
One track released from the album, Forever Autumn, sung by Justin Hayward, reached №5 in the UK Charts in August 1978, its haunting melody and lyrics, sung against the background of the terrifying Martian invasion, reminding us that life and love is transient and laments the loss of the journalist’s love.
Since its glorious inception in 1978, Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds has gone through several incarnations. It became the subject of computer games; the album was re-worked in 2012 adding, appropriately, A New Generation, to the title, and re-launched for an entirely new market with cast members including Liam Neeson, Gary Barlow, Joss Stone and Ricky Wilson.
The War of the Worlds musical finally came to the stage in 2006 and has been performed on various tours ever since. As a long-time fan of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, I was excited to see the show at the Dominion Theatre in London. As it was a surprise Valentine’s Day present, I hadn’t read up on who was in the cast. Well, for a lass of the Jackie generation, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when, seated in a box and served champagne and ice-cream, I read through the programme to discover that David Essex — yes — THE David Essex was starring as the Voice of Humanity alongside Jimmy Nail as Parson Nathaniel.
My heart was alight as the orchestra (led by Jeff Wayne himself), burst forth with the opening upbeat song, The Eve of the War, and the stellar cast took to the stage amongst spectacular scenery, stunning animatronics and effects. The Martian, massive, moving, and terrifying, shot out its heat rays and the accompanying sound effects, often miraculously produced from synthesisers and other musical instruments, chilled the audience to the bone. Uuuulaaaah!
When David Essex took to the stage, a ripple of excitement and applause went through the auditorium. I wouldn’t mind betting that many of the audience were there just to catch a glimpse of him. Gone were the dark, tangled locks of yesteryear, under which David famously smouldered with his alluring, yet roguish smile. He is much matured with short grey hair and perfectly groomed facial hair and yet no less charismatic than when he was the young, blue eyed, leather jacketed pin up for 70s and 80s teenagers. He commanded the stage in his performance as The Voice of Humanity and demonstrated his talent, well beyond his musical achievements.
It must have been a strange experience for Essex, given his performance on the first ever recording of The War of the Worlds as the Artilleryman, a part for which he would now be considered too old to play. Notwithstanding his lack of musical involvement in the show, it was, for one who’d never seen Essex in concert, a thrill, then at the ripe old age of fifty-six to see him standing below, almost within touching distance on the stage and feeling the same heart thudding excitement as I would have done at age sixteen.
Now, you might think that seeing Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds as an ageing fan girl might have pinnacled at the Dominion Theatre, but having a thoughtful partner who sought to find me yet another nostalgic experience, led to one of the most terrifying, hilarious, wondrously entertaining evenings I’ve ever known. Back in London again, said fabulous man had, as a Christmas Present, booked us into the War of the Worlds Immersive Experience. I couldn’t have imagined just how immersive the event would prove to be.
Entering through the ‘Spirit of Man’ Bar and Restaurant (which serves great cocktails and food), the scene is set with a life size, smoke billowing Martian fighting machine and steampunk scenery and props. Music from the album provides the soundtrack and when coloured steam, matching a bracelet you are given when registering, blasts out of the Martian machine, it’s your turn to go through the door.
We’re in groups of no more than 12 people and we wait in line until the group before us emerges, eyes shining, excited, laughing, some just a bit shell shocked. Actors in Victorian dress invite us through the door, giving us dire warnings of the horrors within. Immediately, we are transported to Victorian England into an unforgettable experience in which actors guide us through twenty-four scenes from the story, the iconic music playing throughout.
We are treated not only to immersive theatre, in which we become the Martians’ quarries but experience the terror first hand, courtesy of amazing virtual and augmented reality, holograms, pyrotechnics and more. We view Horsell Common bursting into flames, climb through the window of a house where we are greeted by a terrified resident, and experience some heart thumping moments within. We’re urged by actors into boats and wearing VR headsets, we escape from London on the most incredible journey over the River Thames, bouncing against waves and towered over by Martian fighting machines that threaten to vaporise us with heat rays. It’s impossible to describe just how real the experience is — you really do think you are travelling over water at speed. Take a look at your partner next to you on the boat! That’s quite an experience too!
We travel on hot air balloons (virtually), we’re harangued by the Artilleryman whose descent into madness is palpable and I won’t tell you about Parson Nathaniel’s confessional, but it’s quite the experience. We’re treated to gory sights, authentic smells and an entire two hours of thrills and spills, the like of which I have never experienced. If you’re a fan of the Musical War of the Worlds, this is an event not to miss. In 1978, when the very first concept album appeared, we, as teenagers could never, in our wildest dreams have imagined where it could take us, as fifty or sixty somethings. The technology is truly breath-taking and not to be missed.
Finally, talking of David Essex, well, he’s back on tour in 2024 and this time, I’m planning to see him as an aged fan girl. I’m certain I’ll be transported in time to my teenage years, when I could only dream about seeing him perform.
ESSEX APPEAL — MEMORIES FROM JACKIE MAGAZINE
In the Jackie Special Collector’s Edition, published in 2009, an article was reproduced from one of the weekly editions, entitled, ‘Essex Appeal.’ David Essex was born in 1947 and he was noted as being 23 in the Q&A piece, therefore it must have appeared in Jackie in 1970. He had been on the music scene for a while, without, it seems, much success. However, his fortunes were expected to change having just been cast in Godspell. Jackie magazine asked David a series of questions about his likes and dislikes, the latter of which included a dislike of people who didn’t pull their weight, girls who were fake and/or smoked, and buying new clothes! With a million pounds he would buy a house and donkey and other farm animals! David went on to say that his gipsy blood made him superstitious and if he saw mauve and yellow together, he’d believe he was in luck. Patience, he said was his virtue and as a youngster, he played football for West Ham Boys. What would you ask David today, if you had the chance?
