UK: LONDON: STAGE MUSICAL SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER PREMIERES

(6 May 1998) English/Nat The lavish stage musical Saturday Night Fever got a royal seal of approval at its world premiere in London on Tuesday night. The Duchess of York was joined by a plethora of seventies rock stars. The musical is based on the hit seventies film of the same name which made John Travolta an overnight star in a white-flared suit. Often derided as the height of 1970s bad taste, "Saturday Night Fever" made a roaring return to London's West End for the world premiere of its stage version. Crowds had to be restrained by police as the stars of the 1970s disco rolled up to see how the classic movie score had been reworked by its original producer, Robert Stigwood. The biggest cheer of the night went to the members of the band, The Bee Gees when they entered the auditorium at the start. UPSOUND: (English) "The kids have got them all - well this is the first time right now - I'll tell you after." SUPER CAPTION: Barry Gibb, Bee Gees member The three Gibb brothers, Barry, Robin and Maurice, who make up the Bee Gees have written two new songs for the stage version -"First and Last" and "Immortality". The production received accolades from the most prestigious figure in the world of musical production, composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I loved it in the first place, fantastic - one of the greatest scores ever, ever written for a musical film. (Q. It wasn't really a musical, was it ?) It was a fantastic thing, and old Robert, well he's scored again." SUPER CAPTION: Andrew Lloyd-Webber, composer The lavish musical faithfully recreates the 1970s Brooklyn of the film. Even a version of the famous Brooklyn bridge, so crucial to the film, is brought on to the stage. The revival of the fortunes of 1970s rock is also tempting perhaps the best-known disco band of all, A-B-B-A into the stage limelight. SOUNDBITE: (English) "No way, but a musical next year, this time...in this city - it's going to happen" SUPER CAPTION: Bjorn, former A-B-B-A member Meanwhile inside, dancers in full 1970s outfits, down to the tank tops and flat-fronted trousers, executed big production numbers - to Night Fever, You Should Be Dancing and Jive Talking - with verve. Adam Garcia, an Australian who has previously featured in Birdie, Grease, and Tap Dogs in the West End, shone as a Tony Manero, the lead role famously taken by John Travolta in the movie. The female lead is taken by fellow Australian, Anita-Louise Coombe. Both actors said that they were having to make a conscious effort not just to imitate the acting in the classic movie. SOUNDBITE: (English) "No, no I deliberately didn't. I mean he's a wonderful actor, and it 's going to be quite easy to chameleon someone who for the film made the right choices in his acting, so I tried not to - to see where I went basically because it's a slightly different format for a theatre performance, so you have to design it yourself." SUPER CAPTION: Adam Garcia, lead actor SOUNDBITE: (English) "Yes, it's very different when you take it from movie onto stage." SUPER CAPTION: Anita-Louise Coombe, lead actress The 1977 movie has won over fans even amongst royalty. At a party held in the Hippodrome club afterwards, the Duchess of York, who accompanied producer Robert Stigwood to the premier, was gushing about the results. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Well you see I think Robert has been brilliant the way he managed to get John Travolta and now he's got Andy Garcia - that's serious talent. But not forgetting the man (Robert Stigwood) who deserves a huge, huge accolade" Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...