The Greatest Showman #1274 - The Holiday Is Over

Renly was not a typical filmmaker.

Professional producers often keep tight control over the final product, making key decisions to ensure quality. Figures like Harvey Weinstein and Jerry Bruckheimer exemplify this approach.

But Renly wasn't following that path. He was trying to give Damien Chazelle more creative freedom, entrusting him with the direction and allowing the director to have the final say. At his core, Renly and Damien were both artists, not businessmen.

Renly wasn't trying to be a qualified filmmaker. He had a limited understanding of Hollywood's inner workings—enough to grasp the basics but not enough to be deeply involved. He delegated most business matters to Andy Rogers. Despite this, Renly understood the importance of creative freedom in art films. The competition in Hollywood was fierce, but there was still room for choice when it came to artistic endeavors.

Renly hoped Damien could direct Boom Drummer on his own terms.

Andre observed Renly's smile, acknowledging his understanding but not fully agreeing. While they were friends, this was a professional matter, and different considerations had to be made. Ultimately, finding the right partner to collaborate with on production was the priority. Andre believed that if he could secure the right partner, Boom Drummer would be his. He had enough confidence in his relationship with Renly to believe even the major Hollywood studios couldn't compete. As for the final say, they would strike a balance.

To Andre's surprise, Renly wasn't swayed by the turmoil among the top six studios in North America. Andre couldn't help but wonder how Barry Mayer and Ron Mayer would feel when they realized Renly had moved on from them.

"So, when does the holiday end?" Andre asked, changing the subject.

"The day after tomorrow," Renly replied with a stretch. "Please, don't remind me. I'm still trying to enjoy the last bit of my holiday."

Andre laughed, "You can vacation as long as you want. The real question is, can you stand being lonely?"

"Like you can ever stand being alone, right?" Renly shot back, a playful smile on his face. Andre rolled his eyes and groaned in mock exasperation, "I thought you were going for the subtle route."

When people compare London and New York, each person's perspective is different, but for Renly, the two cities shared a certain temperament: irritating, chaotic, and noisy, yet somehow endearing once you got used to it.

The South Island of New Zealand was clear and expansive, the mint-blue sky stretching endlessly as if it could embrace the universe itself. In contrast, London was murky and turbulent, the gray sky suffocating and the air thick with the heat of the crowd. Yet, after a long flight, when Renly's feet hit the ground at Heathrow, the familiar discomfort of the city hit him—a feeling he both resented and missed.

Renly hadn't expected to return to London so soon. After everything with Edith and Arthur, he had assumed he'd be on a long break, enjoying some time to relax and reflect. But life had a way of surprising him, and when the opportunity came, he found himself back on a plane to London.

It had only been five months since his last visit, but this time, he couldn't shake the feeling that London had left an indelible mark on him.

The West End had called Renly back.

Since his departure from the cast of Les Miserables, John Codd's version of the play had seen several cast changes and continued to run at the Almeida Theater to great success, drawing a large audience.

Renly's version of Les Miserables had aired on BBC TV last Christmas. With a runtime of six hours, the production was split across two days, creating a ratings frenzy. The broadcast attracted record-breaking viewership, setting a new benchmark for drama programming after the millennium.

The success didn't stop there. In the U.S., the rights to broadcast Les Miserables sparked a bidding war between three cable networks and one public broadcaster, with HBO ultimately winning. The network's promotional push before the Oscars helped the broadcast break viewing records, igniting a buzz on social media.

Though British audiences typically outpace their American counterparts when it comes to TV broadcasts of stage dramas, Les Miserables had garnered equal acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic.

This success extended to the DVD release in early 2013, where Les Miserables shot to the top of sales charts in the U.K., U.S., France, Germany, Austria, and other countries. Even as the theater industry faced a decline in physical media sales, Les Miserables defied expectations and continued to perform admirably.

Despite the success, critics were quick to voice their concerns. Some saw the phenomenon as a fleeting curiosity, an effect driven by Renly's star power rather than a genuine revival of theater. They feared the public's enthusiasm could be misguided, leading to unrealistic expectations and hindering the future of the genre.

However, the ongoing success of the Almeida Theatre's production, with its fresh cast and consistently high attendance, hinted at a possible shift in the industry. The once-declining West End was showing signs of life again, attracting a younger audience eager for artistic experiences. Whether their interest was driven by curiosity or a newfound appreciation for fine art, Renly's influence was undeniable.

While the Almeida Theatre's attendance couldn't compare to the Queen's Theatre version, maintaining an 80% attendance rate was an impressive achievement—one that reflected the remarkable impact of Renly's involvement.

Thanks to Les Miserables's success, the West End saw a resurgence in interest, with new funds being allocated for independent productions and youth training programs. Renly's influence had helped rekindle the vitality of London's theater scene.

However, the grueling schedule of Les Miserables, with its six-hour performances and six-day weeks, was taking a toll on the cast. To mitigate this, the Almeida Theatre planned to shuffle the cast in June, marking the first anniversary of the production.

Emma Feidin had hoped Renly's original cast would return for the anniversary celebration, but their schedules were too demanding. The theatre had to let go of this idea, though they still extended an invitation to the actors, hoping they could return for the commemorative event.

As Les Miserables continued to make waves, it became a focal point of the 2013 Olivier Award nominations. The play's success, fueled by Renly's involvement, was the talk of the industry.

After two months of isolation, Renly reappeared at Heathrow Airport, ready to return to the public eye and face the whirlwind of attention that was sure to follow.