Wicker Man: The Musical
Back in 2006 I reported that Robin Hardy, director of the 1973 cult-classic The Wicker Man, was “very committed” to making a musical production of the film for the stage. Now it looks like plans for a musical stage adaptation are well underway.
In the woods there grew a tree…
“Innovative theatre company, The Motion Group, have the rights to stage The Wicker Man in the UK. Working with the 1973 screenplay and music they are adapting the film for the stage with Robin Hardy and Gary Carpenter. They may even use some of the original cast. The aim is to realise the original film on the stage in as loyal and exciting a way as possible. Artistic director Andrew Steggall believes that in its essence the story is inherently theatrical – being about a ritual as it is, and including so much ‘role-playing’ and music.”
To make the production happen, The Motion Group is approaching funding in a unique manner. They are urging fans and supporters to purchase a piece of the play.
“We are selling “pieces” of the Wicker Man to you! Each “piece” (like a share) costs 100 pounds and could earn you a return on your investment based on later ticket sales.”
There are 400 shares/pieces available for purchase, those who buy ten shares or more will be invited to a pre-production party featuring stars from the film in attendance. The Motion Group says they are coming from a place of “sincere belief in the theatrical brilliance of the original movie”, so terrifying visions of a singing Nicolas Cage can be put aside.
In other Wicker Man-related news, actress Britt Ekland, who appeared in the original film as the free-spirited Willow, recently told television host Jonathan Ross that she regrets refusing to appear fully nude in The Wicker Man. Eklan’s resulting body double, now said to be a local stripper from Glasgow, had an inferior posterior according to the actress.
“‘I didn’t want to show my bottom but I shot myself in the foot,’ Ekland said on BBC1’s Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. ‘They put in the ugliest, biggest bottom in the world. Mine was much smaller and much nicer. I recently found out it was a stripper from Glasgow’ … 65-year-old Ekland said she was less than pleased with her mystery body double and wished she had felt confident enough to bare all.”
Ekland’s famous nude dance-scene has elicited quite a bit of speculation over who the body-double was. Many fans believe the double was a local by the name of Jane Jackson, while Gary Carpenter insists the double is Lorraine Peters, an actress who appeared elsewhere in the film.
In a final note, director Robin Hardy has released more information about his forthcoming “re-imagining” of The Wicker Man entitled Cowboys For Christ. Joan Collins has signed on to replace Vanessa Redgrave, and folk musician Keith Easdale has been tapped to produce music for the film.
