The composer of the musical version of The War of the Worlds said adapting the story “takes up so much” of his time that he is unable to write more music for other works by HG Wells.
Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds will tour arenas across the UK and Ireland next year, and the musical experience that began as a musical album in 1978 continues to draw huge crowds.
The show series has grown over the years: it started with six production trucks in 2006, and after 19 years of touring it will grow to 12 trucks in 2025.
Wayne, 80, told the PA news agency: “After The War of the Worlds came out and hit the charts and got a lot of attention, I got approaches from, I think, two different publishers who controlled all of HG Wells’ stories and the first editions, saying, ‘Do you fancy doing this one of HG’s, another musical work?’
“And some of them are brilliant and probably adaptable in the same way that I adapted The War of the Worlds, but The War of the Worlds has taken up such a big part of my life, and it’s not like I haven’t done a lot of other things.
“But when I did ‘The War Of The Worlds’ it was about a three-year commitment and I don’t think I’d have three more years now because ‘The War Of The Worlds’ is going to take up so much of our time and certainly mine for the next few years, as it has since the original double album came out, but you never know, and because he’s written some great stories.”
New York-born Wayne had success writing commercial music for television shows and commercials before releasing the album, which features Welsh actor Richard Burton as narrator and Thin Lizzy star Phil Lynott as a guest.
Wells, one of the pioneers of 19th century science fiction, also published The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The Island of Dr. Moreau.
When asked what he thought of other adaptations of War of the Worlds that were not set in 19th-century England, Wayne said most were “big blockbusters or television series, and most were set in modern-day America.”
He added: “There was a BBC TV series a few years ago set in the Victorian era, but, with no offence, it was heavily criticised for not being very faithful to history. All I know is that I promised Frank Wells that we would be faithful to his father and I think we did that. And I’ll leave it at that.
“A lot of work goes into every production, and if it’s good, then it’s good.”
A 2019 BBC adaptation starred Pete Versus Life star Rafe Spall and Poldark actress Eleanor Tomlinson, while a 2005 film starred Tom Cruise.
In the musical, directed by Wayne, Northern Irish actor Liam Neeson can now be seen in a 3D hologram as a “journalist” who tells his story of surviving the Martian invasion in 1898.
Wayne said that the “very loyal fans from the beginning” had passed the reputation of the production on to their families, so that new people keep coming and the next tour will be “a huge step forward in terms of excitement and emotion”.
He also said that the continued relevance lies in the fact that the work’s themes go beyond the alien invasion.
“All of the rights to HG Wells have been in the public domain for about eight years,” Wayne added.
“My rights, all the music and artwork I have created, everything about it, is subject to copyright and will remain so until I live my life in 70 years.
“Anyone who wants to make a musical version can do that, they definitely can, they just have to be careful not to interfere with our domain, image and sound. Otherwise I’ll get on their nerves.”
For more information, visit thewaroftheworlds.com.
