Lily Allen's 'West End Girl' Album Could Become Sensational Stage Play
Lily Allen is currently in discussions to transform her latest album, 'West End Girl', into a fully-fledged stage play. This move follows her recent tour of theatre venues, where she performed the album in its entirety, culminating in shows at the iconic London Palladium. These performances have provided a tantalising glimpse into what a theatrical adaptation might entail, blending music, drama, and personal storytelling.
Theatrical Roots of 'West End Girl'
The album 'West End Girl' is semi-autobiographical, with theatre at its very core. Even the visualisers for the songs feature pierrot costumes and a marquee on St Martin's Lane, offering a tongue-in-cheek nod to classics like 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. The plot includes Allen being cast in a West End production, mirroring her assured debut in '2:22: A Ghost Story' in 2021. While she is not the first pop star to venture into theatre, it remains refreshing to hear lines such as 'I got the lead in a play!' within an album context.
Rather than a backstage drama, 'West End Girl' delves into the forensic detail of a marriage implosion. Through its songs, the album demonstrates a mastery of dialogue, characterisation, and narrative. Allen has cited the cinematic storytelling of Mike Skinner on the Streets' album 'A Grand Don't Come for Free' as an inspiration, positioning 'West End Girl' as a theatrical equivalent that explores emotional depth and relational complexities.
Dramatic Potential and Characterisation
The first song on the album transitions into drama midway through, as Allen recounts settling into a new life in the US before tensions arise with her partner over a job offer. Although we never hear his voice directly, Allen skillfully conveys his tone through the hurt and frustration in her own voice, with silences that carry significant emotional weight. Later, the narrative reveals his suggestion to open their marriage, juxtaposed with his hidden philandering, symbolised by items like a Duane Reade bag containing sex toys and the mysterious figure of Madeline.
Potential characters for the play include Lily herself, a performer nearing 40; her husband, depicted as a manchild with a double life; and Madeline, the other woman associated with 'love and light'. Settings could range from a New York brownstone on 'the perfect street' to a London hotel room and the Pussy Palace, adding layers of location-based storytelling.
Adaptation Approaches and Tour Insights
Allen could adapt the album as an intimate monologue, preserving the immediacy of the songs, which are largely addressed to her ex. This bare-bones approach, possibly with a simple stool-on-stage setting, would match the concentrated force of the album, echoing the outrage and fury found in works like Sarah Manguso's novel 'Liars'. Alternatively, a more elaborate production with supporting actors could explore nonlinear narratives, similar to plays like Pinter's 'Betrayal' or Jason Robert Brown's 'The Last Five Years'.
During her tour, Allen performed the album in sequence with a distinctive two-act structure, including an interval. The first half featured earlier songs by a string trio, while the second half saw Allen emerge from behind curtains to sing the title track, interrupted by a retro red telephone. However, audience interruptions during traumatic scenes highlighted the challenges of blending personal narrative with live performance, as fans engaged intimately with the material, partly due to viral content like the Architectural Digest video of her Brooklyn townhouse.
Set Design and Theatrical Elements
The tour's set design, by Anna Fleischle, who also worked on '2:22', slowly revealed different mise-en-scenes for each song, accompanied by outfit changes styled by Mel Ottenberg. Elements included an elegant chaise longue for 'Sleepwalking' and inventive videography for 'Tennis', creating an illusory effect of caressing arms. The staging of discoveries, such as the Duane Reade bag, was handled with a sad and grubby realism, though merchandise like butt plug-shaped USB drives added sardonic humour.
Theatrical touches in the concert included gun fingers and flickering lights for 'Madeline', raw delivery in 'Relapse', and a spectacular sequence for '4chan Stan' where Allen appeared draped in a sheet printed with receipts, symbolising credit card expenses from the affair. These elements suggest that a stage adaptation could lean into performance art, enhancing the album's blend of modern and baroque aesthetics, as seen in the cover art by Nieves González, now displayed at the National Portrait Gallery.
Future Prospects and Cultural Impact
If realised, the play could attract new audiences to theatre, offering a fresh alternative to the trend of adapting films and TV series for the stage. It might even spark a trend for album adaptations, with potential for other artists like Ethel Cain to follow suit. Directed by Matthew Dunster, who has experience with classics and modern updates, the adaptation promises to leverage Allen's storytelling skills, creating a compelling drama that resonates with contemporary themes of betrayal and resilience.
