Andrew Lloyd Webber withdraws music from Tim Rice musical

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has withdrawn his music from the upcoming London production of ‘Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas’ at the Alexandra Palace Theatre. The musical, a collaboration with longtime partner Tim Rice, was scheduled for a revival next month following its premiere at the Birmingham Rep last year.

The two creators have provided conflicting accounts regarding the withdrawal. Tim Rice stated that Lloyd Webber chose to pull his score because he preferred to focus on larger-scale theatrical projects.

Conversely, Lloyd Webber claims the decision was made by the show’s producers, Donald and Eva Rice—Tim Rice’s children—through their company, Heartaches Limited. Lloyd Webber alleged that he was asked to transfer his music rights for five years without oversight regarding how the music would be used in a production he had not seen, and that producers refused to grant him standard approval rights.