The Merchants of Bollywood
Encyclopedia
The Merchants of Bollywood is an Australia
n musical
written and directed by Toby Gough. The show is about the history of the Bollywood
film industry, and it is named after Hiralalji Merchant and his grand daughter Vaibhavi Merchant
, two notable India
n choreographers. The set design was by Elizabeth Berry and the costumes were designed by Falguni Thakore and Bipin. The musical has been described as "an Indian version of the Billy Elliot
story" and is choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant.. It was the first ever Bollywood
production to tour straight from Film City
in Mumbai
. When the show reached Australia in February 2008, there had been 400 performances seen by 500,000 patrons. The show toured the United Kingdom
, and various parts of Europe
, the United States
, Australia
and Canada
.
music and arts promoter
Harvey Goldsmith
presented a three month tour of The Merchants Of Bollywood in UK during 2006. The show's Premier was at the Alexandra Theatre
Birmingham
on 24the October 2006 and the final show of the UK tour took place at the Apollo Theatre
, London on 21 December 2006. A six month tour of Europe followed in 2007.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
written and directed by Toby Gough. The show is about the history of the Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film industry, and it is named after Hiralalji Merchant and his grand daughter Vaibhavi Merchant
Vaibhavi Merchant
Vaibhavi Merchant is a well-known Bollywood dance choreographer, the granddaughter of pioneering choreographer Shri B. Hiralal, her maternal grandfather. She is the younger sister of Shruti Merchant.-Career:...
, two notable India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n choreographers. The set design was by Elizabeth Berry and the costumes were designed by Falguni Thakore and Bipin. The musical has been described as "an Indian version of the Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
story" and is choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant.. It was the first ever Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
production to tour straight from Film City
Film City
Film City is an integrated film studio complex situated near Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Goregaon, Mumbai in India. It has several recording rooms, gardens, lakes, theatres and grounds that serve as the venue of many Bollywood film shootings. It was built by the state government to provide...
in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. When the show reached Australia in February 2008, there had been 400 performances seen by 500,000 patrons. The show toured the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and various parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Harvey Goldsmith
The EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
music and arts promoter
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
Harvey Goldsmith
Harvey Goldsmith
Harvey Goldsmith CBE is a British performing arts promoter. He is best known as promoter of rock concerts, charity concerts, television broadcasts for the Prince's Trust and more recently the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall.During early 2007 he appeared on the Channel 4...
presented a three month tour of The Merchants Of Bollywood in UK during 2006. The show's Premier was at the Alexandra Theatre
Alexandra Theatre
The New Alexandra Theatre, commonly known as The Alex, is a theatre on Station Street in Birmingham, England.Construction of the theatre commenced in 1900 and was completed in 1901. The architects were Owen & Ward. The theatre was opened on 27 May 1901 as the Lyceum Theatre on John Bright Street;...
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
on 24the October 2006 and the final show of the UK tour took place at the Apollo Theatre
Apollo Theatre
The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. Designed by architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfield, and the fourth legitimate theatre to be constructed on the street, its doors opened on 21 February 1901 with the American...
, London on 21 December 2006. A six month tour of Europe followed in 2007.
2006 Tour Schedule
- BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
Alexandra TheatreAlexandra TheatreThe New Alexandra Theatre, commonly known as The Alex, is a theatre on Station Street in Birmingham, England.Construction of the theatre commenced in 1900 and was completed in 1901. The architects were Owen & Ward. The theatre was opened on 27 May 1901 as the Lyceum Theatre on John Bright Street;...
- 24 October to 4 November 2006 - Manchester Opera HouseManchester Opera HouseThe Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England is a 1,920 seater commercial touring theatre which plays host to touring musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is the sister to the Palace Theatre which is a similar venue in nearby Oxford Street at its junction with Whitworth...
- 6 to 11 November 2006 - Newcastle Upon TyneNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
Journal Tyne Theatre - 13 to 17 November 2006 - GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
Clyde AuditoriumClyde AuditoriumThe Clyde Auditorium, familiarly known as "The Armadillo", is an iconic concert venue in Glasgow, Scotland. The building sits on the site of the now infilled Queen's Dock on the River Clyde, adjacent to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre....
- 20 to 26 November 2006 - Bradford St George's HallSt George's Hall, BradfordSt George's Concert Hall is a grade II* listed Victorian building located in the centre of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Originally designed with a seating capacity of 3,500, the Hall seats 1500 people....
- 28 November to 2 December 2006 - Cambridge Corn ExchangeCambridge Corn ExchangeThe Cambridge Corn Exchange is a concert venue in Cambridge, England. It is also used as an examination hall for students at Cambridge University.-Building the venue:...
- 5 to 9 December 2006 - Wales Millennium CentreWales Millennium CentreWales Millennium Centre is an arts centre located in the Cardiff Bay area of Cardiff, Wales. The site covers a total area of . Phase 1 of the building was opened during the weekend of the 26–28 November 2004 and phase 2 opened on 22 January 2009 with an inaugural concert...
CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
- 12 to 17 December 2006 - London Apollo TheatreApollo TheatreThe Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. Designed by architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfield, and the fourth legitimate theatre to be constructed on the street, its doors opened on 21 February 1901 with the American...
- 21 December 2006 to 7 January 2007
Publicity
- Asian magazine AIM Anon 7 July 2006
- The Merchants of Bollywood Anon 10 November 2008. Thisistheatre.com
- the Merchants of Bollywood Editors choice 18 December 2006. Ethnicnow.com
- The Merchants of Bollywood Arifa Akbar 7 July 2006. The Independent.com
Reviews
- The Merchants of Bollywood Perth Now (Australia) 13 February 2008
- The Merchants of Bollywood Richard Edmonds 27 October 2006.Stage review.
- The Merchants of Bollywood Mike Smith 18 December 2006. Theatreinwales.com
- The Merchants of Bollywood Kashif Naveed 7 November 2006. EntertaimnmentManchester.com
- The Merchants of Bollywoood Sam Marlowe 23 December 2006. Thetimesonline.co.uk
Further reading
- http://www.merchantsofbollywood.com.au The Merchants of Bollywood]"The first authentic Indian music and dance spectacular, direct from film city Bombay. The magic of Bollywood alive on stage"