MOST musicals are “pretty ghastly” and seem to be motivated by a desire to make money rather than art, Sir Tim Rice, one of the leading exponents of the genre, has told The Times.

Britain’s most prominent living lyricist, whose CV includes musicals such as Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, said that the apparent revival of musicals in London’s theatres should be regarded with a critical eye because none was written by budding young writers.

He cites Dirty Dancing, which reportedly broke boxoffice records with a £12 million advance, as an example of uninspired programming.

“You think why bother, other than to make money? Now Dirty Dancing may be brilliant for all I know, but there’s not much excitement in it for me.

“The Lord of the Rings? There’s nothing I’d like to see less than a Lord of the Rings musical. It’s just: ‘What’s big? Let’s make a musical out of it’. ”

Sir Tim, 62, confirmed that Andrew Lloyd Webber, his former collaborator, was correct when he suggested that the lyricist did not enjoy musical theatre. “I went right off musical theatre for a while. I thought, I can’t see what people like in it . . . A lot of musicals are pretty awful. A good musical, yes, but I’m not obsessed. I don’t go to every musical that comes out and a lot of them are pretty ghastly.”

Musical theatre has rarely been more buoyant in London, with 25 productions on show and reports of box-office records — such as Wicked earning nearly £800,000 in its first week. But while Sir Tim praised shows such as Billy Elliot and Blood Brothers, he said that there is no evidence of a new generation of writing talent.

“These guys are all our age. Where is a single young team or young writer writing fresh new musicals that are successful? I can’t think of one.”

Despite a 28-year gap since his last original musical with Lloyd Webber, the lyricist suggested that they may collaborate again. The pair fell out after their success with Evita in 1978. Sir Tim regarded Cats as a “wacky idea”. Lloyd Webber declined to participate in Chess, Sir Tim’s idea that was later set to music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, formerly of Abba.

He suggested that their recent reconciliation — with the relaunch of Evita earlier this year — could lead to more projects, but both men wanted to find the ideal material.

“We might well do something together. I always said there was a danger that if it wasn’t any good it would make people say: ‘Oh, we always knew they weren’t any good, the others were all crap, too’. ”

TRACK RECORD

With Andrew Lloyd Webber Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cricket

With Stephen Oliver Blondel

With Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of Abba Chess

With John Farrar Heathcliff, Tycoon (English adaptation of Michel Berger/Luc Plamondon musical Star Mania)

With Alan Menken King David, Beauty and the Beast

With Elton John The Lion King, Aida

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