The Royal Theater in Demark put a lot of work into its play about the life and times of Amy Winehouse, but unfortunately, fans of the singer and her body of work won’t be privy to a theatrical rendition of her life anytime soon. The play was set to premiere in January of 2013, but unfortunately, the troupe of performers have not been able to ascertain the rights to the late singer’s music.
It was actually Amy Winehouse’s father, Mitch Winehouse, and his team of lawyers who put the kibosh on the planned play. Since the word “no” came down the chain so late, it’s hard to tell who is to blame for the copyright flub, but the Danish copyright agency, Koda, offers some explanation. In a statement to The AP, Nicolaj Hylten-Cavallius says the agency assumed the format was alright, that is, until it wasn't.
"We acted in good faith when we gave them the permission for the performance. We believed that the format — a theater play — was OK. We were told by her father and the lawyers around him that we can forget all about the rights for the music, the photos, branding and everything."
Eleven playwrights put the Danish endeavor together. It was set to premiere in a 220 person theater in Copenhagen and would have featured interview clips, concerts, letters Winehouse wrote in her lifetime, and newspaper articles speaking of the woman—a giant collage of pop culture meant to tell the story of the late, loveable, and often disastrous pop star who perished in 2011.
