Jeff Wayne’s innovative The War of the Worlds will celebrate 40 years since the original double album was released with a major arena tour in 2018.
Tickets will have gone on sale for the spectacular new incarnation of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds – Alive on Stage which will debut at Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena on 30 November 2018.
Wayne will return to conduct the nine-piece Black Smoke Band and 36-piece ULLAdubULLA strings with Liam Neeson once again appearing in 3D holographic form as The Journalist.
Mixed live in Surround Sound, the production will bring the audience closer to the action like never before with a giant arched bridge running through the centre of the arena helping to create an immersive experience.
The production will feature an (as yet unconfirmed) all-star cast and full supporting company of performers; a 100-foot-wide Animation Wall with two hours of cutting edge CGI; the iconic three tonne 35-foot-tall Martian Fighting Machine; and a range of spectacular special effects.
After Glasgow, the Live Nation Entertainment tour will visit Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bournemouth, London and Brighton.
Based on HG Wells’ much-oved sci-fi novel, The War of the Worlds was adapted by Doreen Wayne with music by Jeff Wayne, and lyrics by Gary Osborne, Paul Vigrass and Wayne.
Since its inception in 1978, Jeff Wayne’s star-studded original double concept album has become one of the most ground-breaking and bestselling musical works of all time. Over 15 million copies have been sold and the album has spent 330 weeks in the UK Album charts to date. It has also hit the No. 1 spot in 11 countries, spawned two international hit singles and a No. 1 music DVD. The hit concert version has toured the world’s arenas for eight years.
Ahead of the latest UK arena tour, Sony Music will re-issue the original 1978 double vinyl album digitally re-mastered for its 40th anniversary.
Commenting on his creation’s landmark birthday celebrations, Wayne said: “In June 1978 my original double album was released. I had no idea if it would vanish as quickly as one can say… ‘ULLAdubULLA’! But here I am today, soon to be celebrating its 40th anniversary throughout 2018, culminating in what I believe will be the most exciting arena tour we’ve ever performed. No one would have believed…”
Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds has also won two UK Ivor Novello Awards and the US Best Recording in Science Fiction and Fantasy (the judges included Alfred Hitchcock, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg). The piece’s success also helped win Wayne a Classic Rock’s ‘Showman of the Year’ Award.
HG Wells’ original classic novel, first published in 1898, was widely seen as the inspiration for generations of science fiction writers. An international phenomenon, The War of the Worlds describes the invasion of Earth by ruthless Martians with superior intelligence, incredible machines and devastating weaponry.
Further details of casting and production team are yet to be announced.
Angela Thomas
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