On Christmas Day 2020, streaming giant Netflix released the opulently rendered, vintage Regency romance “Bridgerton.” It was an instant hit and appeared to be just what TV needed during the global COVID blackout. It included hot sex and explicit nudity and was beautifully dressed. It was also multiracial and LGBTQ-friendly. According to Netflix, the series was viewed by 82 million homes in just four months.
It was postponed last week at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a performance of “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical,” a fan-created passion project that was influenced by the play. The Kennedy Center was sold out a few days prior to the unlicensed production. After patiently tolerating the TikTok-born musical, Netflix sued the creators of the show to terminate it.
Get the horse-drawn carriage ready, and don your jewels, for Daphne Bridgerton and her gorgeous Duke of Hastings are headed to court.
The lawsuit
Simply the most recent in a long line of similar ones, this legal conflict between creators and creatives over ownership and interpretation of works of art.
As social media becomes more common and pop culture further immerses itself, fans are taking liberties. For example, the Door McAllen church in Texas hosted a performance of the “Hamilton” parody earlier this month that equated homosexuality to drug addiction. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the play’s creator, tweeted the following on August 10: “I appreciate all the comments on this unauthorized, illegal production that were sent my way. Currently, lawyers are employed.”
This September, the US Supreme Court will consider a case involving the alleged theft of a photographer’s work by artist Andy Warhol.
These cases revolve around complicated legal issues such as fair use, trademark infringement, and intellectual property ownership. The gap between the roles of the audience and the artist is also being erased.
The Unofficial Bridgerton musical being contested in court
The launch of Bridgerton and the rise of TikTok coincided. How about if Bridgerton were a musical? In January 2021, before starting to sing, he emailed admirer and vocalist Abigail Barlow. They were a touring piano prodigy by the name of Emily Bear.
The two American women, both in their 20s, began to write and perform songs influenced by the program, frequently verbatim quoting conversation.
Because Barlow and Bear were absent, Lerner & Loewe produced a simple yet charming score: “If I was a guy, I would go to Japan. Instead, playing in the sand, I spent my summers in Cannes.”
The duo’s popularity with fans was greatly influenced by the fact that TikTok allowed for comments, involvement, and recommendations. It appeared to be a unique work of crowdsourcing art.
Netflix was, if anything, delighted by the first fan outcry, and it was unquestionably effective marketing. After some time, Netflix declared that it was “completely blown away” by the Bridgerton musical being shown on TikTok and gave Barlow “a standing ovation.” The album was later updated with 15 additional songs. Discs were made available.
A rather unexpected Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album was given to that album in November 2021. However, its victory over contenders Burt Bacharach, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Stephen Schwartz, all of whom had much more background and experience, made the feat even more unlikely (“Wicked”). So instead, it was decided to host a charity performance.
Late in July, Barlow & Bear performed with The National Symphony orchestra at the Kennedy Center in their heretofore secret “Unofficial” performance. A meet-and-greet with Barlow and Bear costs $149, making it the most expensive ticket.
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Netflix then filed a complaint, claiming copyright infringement, unjust enrichment, and trademark infringement. It also stated that the production was “false origin,” which implies that Netflix had approved it when it had not.
Jane Quinn added her comment and emphasized her enthusiasm for the books she created that chronicled the bizarre love lives of the Bridgerton siblings and served as the basis for the Netflix series.
There is a complaint against Netflix “Netflix offered Barlow & Bear a license that would allow them to perform live as planned at the Kennedy Center and Royal Albert Hall, continue to distribute their album, and continue to perform songs inspired by Bridgerton live as part of larger programs. Barlow and Bear objected.”
Netflix’s legal counsel did not answer Email inquiries for comments. Neither did Barlow and Bear’s CAA, or Creative Artist Agency, agents.
Season three’s filming has just started in Bath and London, UK. In the fourth volume of the series, Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton, a friend she has known her entire life and who has subsequently developed feelings for her, are introduced.
