Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is the stage adaptation of the 1978 album of the same name – which, in turn, is based on H. G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds (1898). The novel has been both popular (having never been out of print) and influential, spawning half a dozen feature films (including the 2004 film, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise), radio dramas, a record album, various comic book adaptations, a number of television series, and sequels or parallel stories by other authors. It was most memorably dramatised in a 1939 radio programme, directed by and starring Orson Welles that allegedly caused public panic among listeners who did not know the Martian invasion was fictional. The novel has even influenced the work of scientists, notably Robert H. Goddard, who, inspired by the book, helped develop both the liquid-fuelled rocket and multistage rocket, which resulted in the Apollo 11 Moon landing 71 years later! So, yeah, it’s a pretty big deal.
The plot follows a Martian invasion of Earth, in which Martians attempt to turn our planet into a colony. The novel has been variously interpreted as a commentary on evolutionary theory, British imperialism, and generally Victorian superstitions, fears, and prejudices. Wells said that the plot arose from a discussion with his brother Frank about the catastrophic effect of the British on indigenous Tasmanians. What would happen, he wondered, if Martians did to Britain what the British had done to the Tasmanians?
So, The War of the Worlds is much more than a sci-fi epic, it’s a commentary of real-life, with themes still pertinent in today’s society. Jeff Wayne’s musical adaptation (or ‘version’) of the novel has enjoyed massive success. In the UK, it peaked at number 5 and has sold over 2.7 million copies here since its release. In 2018, it was the UK’s 32nd best-selling studio album of all time. Worldwide, it has sold an estimated 15 million copies.
