Derived from the 1970s musical The Time Lord by Soames and Daniels, it focuses on contemporary rock musician Chris Wilder, who has been transported with his backup singers and band from a concert to the High Court of the Universe in the Andromeda Galaxy. In light of mankind's strides in space exploration, the Time Lord Melchisedic (loosely based on the title character in the BBCscience fiction series Doctor Who) has decided the time has come to examine Earth's people to determine what role they will play in the quest for universal peace, and Wilder and his band are called upon to defend their planet.[2]
Productions
The heavily amplified multi-media event relied heavily on special effects, including a huge projected floating head named Akash (billed by the show's producers as a hologram) that served as a narrator throughout the show. The interior of the Dominion Theatre in London, where the show first ran, was gutted and reconstructed to accommodate the massive steel set with hydraulic lift designed by John Napier.[2]
Lord Melchisedic's Retinue – Gary Co-Burn, Brad Graham (left due to injury) Neil Gow-Hunter, Kazimir Kolesnik, Alan Meggs, Dave Trevors, Steve Mondey, Simon Shelton, Simon Marlow, Neil Reynolds
Captain Ebony – Clinton Derricks-Carroll
Captain Ebony's Retinue – Heather Robbins, Linda Mae Brewer, Rosemary Ford, Robin Clever, Ian Stewart and Sparky (Later replaced by Kim Rosato, Stacey Haynes, Sandra Easby, Annabel Haydn, Ian Stewart, Cavin Cornwall)
The album was never released on CD but in 2012 Time – The Musical was made available for digital download from iTunes. It featured both acts of the show, the 13 single releases, new edits and several alternate mixes not on the original vinyl record or cassette release. The recordings were restored and remastered by Adam Vanryne and produced by Dave Clark. The re-release was timed to commemorate the musical's 25th anniversary. A 20-page color booklet accompanied the album.
Within My World (added to opening of act II at cast change in 1987)
Because I Love You
Move the Judge
What on Earth (removed from act II in 1987)
She's So Beautiful
If You Only Knew
We're the UFO
The Theme from Time
Harmony
The Return
Time (Reprise)
It's in Everyone of Us
Critical reception
"If present trends go on, John Napier and his team will doubtless one day find themselves re-creating the entire state of Iowa for a rock musical about the Little Red Hen, or reconstructing the Alps for one about Heidi; but until then Time can claim it has provided the most sensational contrast between mountainous spectacle and molehill content the musical theatergoer has seen."[2]
"It's like a science-fiction Sunday-school lesson. London critics had a field day sneering at its greeting-card philosophy and 1960s flower-power platitudes. But children, the young at heart, tourists with little English and any lover of sheer spectacle will be enraptured."[6]
"But its actual genius is the man who invented its gravity-defying, sense-bombarding scenic effects, the modern theater's most astounding designer. His name is John Napier."[7]
"The worst of it, though, are the philosophical speeches from The Time Lord who sounds like Captain Highliner after transcendental meditation. If vinyl ever deserved to be melted..."[4]
