[Mithalwen]

Actually, I think it could work - and balance out a lot of my quibbles about the lack of psychological depth in the film (seeing the programme about Acorn Antiques lat night is making me feel benevolent about musicals).

I don't think that many of the original songs would be appropriate even if they have the authority to use them, but one of the great advantages of the format is that it is perfectly acceptable to have a narrator ( cf the Auden/ Britten opera/musical "PAul Bunyan") and for characters to soliloquise. This enables an awful lot of "cutting to the chase". The radio version used music and song to move the plot on very effectively. Also, even otherwise mediocre productions can have huge impact with staging. Obviously it could not show everything, but I think you could fit in more than you might expect. there is an awful lot of description in the books which can be evoked by music, lighting etc . Anyway... I am tempted to give it a crack...