Tim Rice

Although his major passion has always been pop music, Tim Rice is in certain respects the most successful British lyricist in musical theatre history. But what exactly is a ‘Tim Rice musical’? It turns out that the lyricist with a unique voice is most prominently at work in those musicals which he conceived himself and which investigate themes such as the plight of individuals who stand out from the crowd because of their talent and the way they are treated by the people that admire them—or tear them down. This ‘pop star scenario’ also addresses such aspects as the unpredictable behaviour of the crowd, the discrepancy between public and private image, the danger that the latter will be consumed by the former, personal ambition and its price, as well as the dissatisfaction and potential downfall that follows after early success.