Editing Return to the Forbidden Planet

{{short description|Musical}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox musical
| name        = Return to the Forbidden Planet
| subtitle    =
| image       = Returntotheforbiddenplanet.jpg
| caption     = 
| music       = Various Artists
| lyrics      = Various Artists
| book        = [[Bob Carlton]]
| basis       = ''[[The Tempest (play)|The Tempest]]'' by [[William Shakespeare]]<br /> 1956 film ''[[Forbidden Planet]]'' written by: [[Cyril Hume]], Irving Block and [[Allen Adler]]
| productions = 1983 London<br />1989 [[West End theatre|West End]] <br /> 1991 [[Off-Broadway]] <br /> 2000/01 [[The English Theatre Frankfurt]] <br /> 2009 [[St. Louis, MO]]

<!-- Please do not include production-specific (acting, directing, etc.) awards -->
| awards      = [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical]] 1989 & 1990
}}
'''''Return to the Forbidden Planet''''' is a [[jukebox musical]] by [[Bob Carlton]] based on the 1956 science fiction film ''[[Forbidden Planet]]'', which, in turn, is loosely based on [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[The Tempest (play)|The Tempest]]''. The show features a score of 1950s and 1960s [[rock and roll]] classics and dialogue largely adapted from well-known passages from Shakespeare.

Often billed as "Shakespeare's forgotten rock and roll masterpiece",<ref>{{Cite web|title=Return To The Forbidden Planet {{!}} The List|url=https://www.list.co.uk/event/1416937-return-to-the-forbidden-planet/|access-date=2021-03-09|website=www.list.co.uk}}</ref> ''Return to the Forbidden Planet'' has been performed all over the world since its premiere in [[London]] in the 1980s. It won the [[Laurence Olivier Awards|Olivier Award]] for Best New Musical for both 1989 and 1990.

Conceived for a cast of actor-musicians, the space ship sets conceals keyboards and drums. The campy sci-fi setting consists of silvered space suits and the robot, Ariel, is performed by an actor on roller skates, with a costume reminiscent of the original movie's [[Robby the Robot]]. There is a part for narrator (known as "the newsreader") on pre-recorded video, who has been performed by celebrities including <!-- Not knighted until the 2001 NYH -->[[Patrick Moore]], [[Brian May]], [[Richard O'Brien]] and [[Neil deGrasse Tyson]].

==Plot==
===Act 1===
The bosun of the [[starship]] Albatross welcomes the audience as passengers aboard a routine survey flight, departing momentarily under the command of Captain Tempest. After takeoff, Captain Tempest converses with the ship's new Science Officer, who is a woman, and they argue about the importance of men and women on earth. During their argument, the ship gets caught in a meteor shower. The Science Officer suggests that they use the shuttle craft and abandon ship, but Captain Tempest insists on flying through the storm. During the confusion, the Science Officer escapes the ship via shuttle craft. Their spaceship is drawn mysteriously to the planet D'Illyria where the crew meet mad scientist Doctor Prospero, who has been marooned on the planet since his wife and science partner Gloria sent him and their daughter Miranda into space. Doctor Prospero offers to help repair the broken starship and he, his daughter, and their robot Ariel come aboard. The ship's cook, Cookie, is instantly taken by Miranda's beauty and falls in love with her, a love he thinks she returns. In fact she has fallen in love with Captain Tempest, against the will of her father. During discussions about locating the missing Science Officer, Ariel reveals information about Doctor Prospero's new formula 'X Factor’, which can enhance the brain and mind. After an argument with his daughter over her love for the captain, Doctor Prospero takes the draught of 'X Factor'. Soon afterwards, the ship is attacked by a foul monster, but during the attack it is revealed that Ariel is in the airlock with the missing Science Officer. To save them both, Captain Tempest orders the airlock opened, which allows the monster to gain access to the ship. During the confusion of the attack it is revealed that the Science Officer is Doctor Prospero's wife Gloria, who is then taken by the monster, as its tentacles attack the rest of the ship.

===Act 2===
The story continues with the attack unfolding again, but this time Gloria isn't kidnapped by the monster, and Ariel the robot is able to attack the monster to make it retreat. After the attack, more is revealed about Doctor Prospero and Gloria's past. Captain Tempest puts Gloria under ship arrest for her crimes against her husband. She forms a quick alliance with Cookie, whom she persuades to release her and help steal the recipe for Doctor Prospero's 'X Factor' in exchange for helping him win over Miranda's heart. Gloria talks to Cookie, as Bosun, the ship's First Mate, talks to Captain Tempest about how to gain the love of Miranda. When the monster returns, it is revealed that it is created by Doctor Prospero's mind due to his having taken the 'X Factor'. Gloria tells Doctor Prospero that what she did to him was so that he could keep himself and their daughter safe from the 'X Factor'. Doctor Prospero has no choice but to leave the ship and sacrifice himself to save the others. Once Doctor Prospero has left, it is then revealed that D'Illyria is nothing other than a figment of Doctor Prospero's imagination, as it starts to destroy itself once the doctor has died. The ship escapes.  Once again in space Gloria blesses the union of Miranda and Captain Tempest, and Cookie is pardoned for his behaviour towards Miranda and Captain Tempest. The show ends with the crew safe and well with their Science Officer back and Captain Tempest with a new bride.

==Productions==

=== United Kingdom ===
''Return to the Forbidden Planet'' was first performed by the [[London Bubble Theatre Company|Bubble Theatre Company]] in a tented theatre in [[Blackheath, London]], on 23 May 1983.<ref name="auto">{{Cite book|last=Carlton|first=Bob|title=Return to the Forbidden Planet|publisher=Josef Weinberger Limited|year=2005|pages=4}}</ref> Following revisions to the material, versions of the show followed at the [[Everyman Theatre, Liverpool|Everyman Theatre]], Liverpool<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-10-26|title=Forbidden Planet - Production Notes|url=http://www.henleycol.ac.uk/henleycollege/courses/arts/drama/reviews/planet/planetprod.htm|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026174403/http://www.henleycol.ac.uk/henleycollege/courses/arts/drama/reviews/planet/planetprod.htm|archive-date=2007-10-26|access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref> and the [[Tricycle Theatre]], London, before opening, on 18 September 1989 at the [[Cambridge Theatre]] in London's [[West End theatre|West End]].<ref name="auto"/> The London production won the [[Laurence Olivier Awards|Olivier Award]] for Best New Musical for both 1989 and 1990. A West End cast album was released in 1990 by [[Virgin Records]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000007UEF/|title=Return To The Forbidden Planet|via=Amazon}}</ref>

The show was revived for touring productions in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1999, 2001 and 2002, with <!-- Not knighted until the 2001 NYH -->Patrick Moore reprising his pre-recorded role as the newsreader. A new production toured the UK in 2006 with [[Brian May]] as the newsreader.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/forbidden-planet-tour-merchant-almeida-cast_36326.html|title=Cast: Brian May in Return to the Forbidden Planet and full cast Almeida Merchant of Venice &#124; WhatsOnStage|website=www.whatsonstage.com|date=3 November 2014 }}</ref>

In August and September 2012, a revival of ''Return to the Forbidden Planet'' played the [[Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch]]. The production was directed by the show's creator, [[Bob Carlton]], who was then the theatre's artistic director. [[Richard O'Brien]] appeared as the newsreader. The production's musical supervisor was Julian Littman, the musical director was Greg Last, and the choreographer was Frido Ruth.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-08 |title=Return to the Forbidden Planet at Queen's Hornchurch |url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/return-to-the-forbidden-planet-at-queens-hornchurch |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=London Theatre |language=en}}</ref> In November 2014, the production returned to the Queen's Theatre for the a 25th anniversary prior to a UK tour.<ref>{{cite web|title=UK Tour|url=http://www.forbiddenplanetreturns.com|access-date=10 November 2014|website=www.forbiddenplanetreturns.com}}</ref>

=== Australia ===
When the musical opened in Sydney, Australia, the beginning of a national tour, the newsreader was played by [[Clive Robertson (journalist)|Clive "Robbo" Robertson]], who performed a futuristic parody of his own late-night TV news show, "Newsworld". An Australian cast album was released in 1991 by ATA Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://castalbums.org/recordings/Return-to-the-Forbidden-Planet-1991-Australian-Cast/2734|title=Return to the Forbidden Planet - 1991 Australian Cast|via=castalbums.org}}</ref>

=== North America ===
On September 27, 1991, ''Return to the Forbidden Planet'' opened [[Off-Broadway]] at the Variety Arts Theatre, the first theatrical production in a former [[nickelodeon movie theater|nickelodeon]]. The cast included [[Julee Cruise]], known to audiences from her role in ''[[Twin Peaks]]''.  The newsreader was [[James Doohan]], known for his role as "Scotty" in ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]''. It was nominated for two [[Outer Critics Circle Award]]s, but played to mixed reviews from critics and closed, after 243 performances, on April 26, 1992.

In [[Los Angeles]], the [[ARK Theatre Company]] mounted a production of the musical in 2004, under the direction of [[Vanessa Claire Smith]].<ref>[http://www.curtainup.com/returntotheforbiddenplanet.html Curtain Up - ''Return to the Forbidden Planet'' review] curtainup.com</ref>

[[New Line Theatre]] in [[St. Louis, MO]] staged the show in March 2009. Critic Paul Friswold of [[The Riverfront Times]] wrote about the production, “[[Bob Carlton]]'s whimsical take on ''[[The Tempest]]'' as refracted through a 1950s sci-fi prism features a galaxy's worth of fantastic rock & roll songs, punning wordplays on snippets of Shakespearean monologues and intentionally ‘Pigs in Space’ costuming. But this is no parlor trick of a musical; there's a rich vein of Shakespeare's favorite ingredient — the wondrous depths of the human heart — that elevates the show from cunning stunt to artful meditation on the destructive nature of power and the redemptive power of love.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newlinetheatre.com/rttfppage.html|title=New Line Theatre 2008-2009 -- Return to the Forbidden Planet|website=www.newlinetheatre.com}}</ref>

In 2019, Red Bull Theater mounted a one-night-only concert performance at [[Symphony Space]] in New York, benefitting the theater's upcoming productions. The production featured Tony Award nominees [[Steven Boyer]], [[Robert Cuccioli]], [[Patrick Page]], [[Mary Testa]], Kim Exum, Kevin R. Free, Jo Lampert, [[Amy Spanger]], Charlotte Maltby, Jeffrey Eugene Johnson, [https://www.benjonessinger.com Ben Jones] and Salisha Thomas, with direction by [[Gabriel Barre]] and Music Direction by Greg Pliska. Astrophysicist [[Neil deGrasse Tyson|Neil Degrasse Tyson]] also made a special appearance.

==Musical numbers==
The score has varied since the show was first performed. This list reflects the show as it is currently licensed for performance.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Carlton|first=Bob|title=Return to the Forbidden Planet|publisher=Josef Weinberger Limited|year=2005|location=London|pages=6}}</ref>{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
Act 1
* "[[Wipe Out (instrumental)|Wipe Out]]" - Orchestra
* "[[Albatross (instrumental)|Albatross]]" - Orchestra
* "[[It's a Man's Man's Man's World]]" - Gloria and Tempest
* "[[Great Balls of Fire]]" - Company
* "[[Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood]]" - Prospero
* "[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind (soundtrack)|Theme from 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind']]" - Orchestra
* "[[Good Vibrations]]"- Ariel, Tempest, Miranda and Company
* "[[Yeh, Yeh]]" <small>(replaced "[[The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)]]" in earlier versions of the show)</small> - Cookie and Bosun
* "Ain’t Gonna Wash For a Week" - Cookie
* "I'm Gonna Change the World" - Tempest, Prospero and Ariel
* "[[Teenager in Love]]" - Miranda
* "[[Young Girl (song)|Young Girl]]" - Tempest, Miranda and Cookie
* "[[She's Not There]]" - Cookie
* "[[Shakin' All Over]]" <small>(replaced "[[All Shook Up]]")</small> - Tempest, Prospero and Miranda
* "[[Gloria (Them song)|Gloria]]" - Company {{col-2}}Act 2
* "[[5-4-3-2-1]]" / "Gloria" - Company
* "[[Who's Sorry Now? (song)|Who's Sorry Now?]]" - Ariel
* "[[Tell Him (Bert Berns song)|Tell Him]]" <small>(as "Tell Her")</small> / "[[Gimme Some Lovin'|Gimme Some Lovin'&nbsp;]]" - Gloria, Bosun, Cookie, Navigation Officer, Tempest and Company
* "[[Oh, Pretty Woman]]"
* "War Paint"
* [[Robot Man (song)|"Robot Man"]] ([[Connie Francis]] version)
* "[[Shake, Rattle and Roll]]"
* "[[Go Now]]"
* "[[Only the Lonely]]"
* "[[The Young Ones (song)|The Young Ones]]"
* "[[Born To Be Wild]]" <small>(replaced "[[We Gotta Get out of This Place]]")</small>
* "[[Wipe Out (Surfaris song)|Wipe Out (Reprise)]]"
* "[[Mr. Spaceman]]"
* "[[I Can't Turn You Loose]]" / "[[Monster Mash]]"
* "[[Great Balls of Fire|Great Balls of Fire (Reprise)]]"

;Encore songs (variously)
* "[[I Heard It Through the Grapevine]]"
* "[[Johnny B. Goode]]"
* "[[It's So Easy! (The Crickets song)|It's So Easy!]]"
* "[[Join Together (The Who song)|Join Together]]" and "[[When Will I Be Loved (song)|When Will I Be Loved]]" <small>(performed at the beginning of the Basingstoke run only)</small>
* "[[Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree]]"
* "[[Telstar (song)|Telstar]]"
{{col-end}}

== Casts ==
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Character
! colspan="3" |Production
|-
!Blackheath, 1983<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|last=Carlton|first=Bob|title=Return to the Forbidden Planet|publisher=Josef Weinberger Limited|year=2005|location=London|pages=4}}</ref>
!West End, 1989<ref name="auto1"/>
! Queen's Theatre, 2012 
|-
|Captain Tempest
|colspan=2 align=center|John Ashby 
|Sean Needham
|-
|Doctor Prospero
|Colin Wakefield 
|Christian Roberts 
|James Earl Adair
|-
|Ariel the Robot
|Nigel Nevinson 
|Kraig Thornber 
| [[Fredrick Ruth]] ([[Frido Ruth]]) 
|-
|Cookie
|colspan=2 align=center|Mathew Devitt 
| Mark Newnham 
|-
|Science Officer
|colspan=2 align=center|Nicky Furre 
|Jane Milligan
|-
|Bosun
|Alan Barker
|Anthony Hunt 
| Simon Jessop 
|-
|Navigation Officer
|colspan=2 align=center|Kate Edgar 
| Greg Last 
|-
|Miranda
|Annie Miles
|Allison Harding 
| Natasha Moore 
|-
|Newsreader
| [[Magnus Pike]] 
| [[Patrick Moore]] 
| [[Richard O'Brien]] 
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
===Original London production===
{| class="wikitable" width="95%"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="20%"| Award
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Nominee
! width="10%"| Result
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1989
| rowspan="2"| [[Laurence Olivier Award]]
| colspan="2"| [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical|Best New Musical]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical|Best Actor in a Musical]]
| Matthew Devitt
| {{nom}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.samuelfrench.com/p/1686/return-to-the-forbidden-planet/ US Licensing Details at Samuel French]
*[http://www.josef-weinberger.com/musicals/musical/return-to-the-forbidden-planet.html UK Licensing Details at Josef Weinberger]
*[http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9D0CE4D7143FF937A25753C1A967958260 New York Times review of Off Broadway production]

{{The Tempest}}
{{OlivierAward Musical}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:West End musicals]]
[[Category:1989 musicals]]
[[Category:Musicals based on films]]
[[Category:Musicals based on plays]]
[[Category:Jukebox musicals]]
[[Category:Laurence Olivier Award–winning musicals]]
[[Category:Plays and musicals based on The Tempest]]
[[Category:Science fiction musicals]]
[[Category:British musicals]]
[[Category:Rock musicals]]