London Musicals - Over The Footlights

1991
11
CHILDREN OF EDEN
London run: Prince Edward Theatre, January 8th (103 Performances)
Music & Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz
Book: John Caird
Director: John Caird
Choreographer: Matthew Bourne
Musical Director: David Firman
Cast: Ken Page (God), Martin Smith (Adam), Shezwae Powell (Eve),
Richard Lloyd-King (Snake), Adrian Beaumont (Cain), Kevin Colson (Noah),
Ruthie Henshall, Frances Ruffelle
Songs: In pursuit of Excellence, In Whatever Time We Have, Let There Be, A
World Without You, What is He Waiting For?, Ain’t it Good?
Notes: A “new biblical musical” told the story of the Old Testament from the Creation until just after the
Flood. In a kind of throwback to the earlier success of Stephen Schwartz’s “Godspell”, the characters appeared
in cute costumes, some of them appearing as cute, furry little animals. God and Eve were portrayed as jolly
black performers, and Cain’s slaying of Abel was performed “in the humdrum context of a family spat”. The
scenery was domed scaffolding, with disco and laser effects, and according to one critic: “The Garden of Eden
was decorated in tatty hanging drapes and was like unto the current state of Liberty’s in its carpet and fabric
sales department”. With very mixed critical reaction, the general cry was “Where is the nearest Exodus”? The
show lost all its investment and closed after ten weeks.
THE KING AND I (3rd Revival)
London run: Sadler’s Wells, February 12th – March 6th
Return visit: June 6th – July 13th (Limited runs)
Music: Richard Rodgers
Lyrics & Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Director: James Hammerstein
Choreographer: Yuriko
Musical Director: Alan Bence
Cast: First season: Susan Hampshire (Anna), Koshiro Matsumoto IX (King), Sandra Browne (Lady Thiang),
Grace Kinirons (Tuptim), William Michaels (Lun Tha)
Cast: Second season: Susan Hampshire (Anna), avid Yip (King), Sandra Browne (Lady Thiang),
Jane Arden (Tuptim), William Michaels (Lun Tha)
This was a limited run, prior to a national tour. Koshiro Matsumoto IX was Japan’s leading actor, and a much
praised legend in his homeland. By the time the tour made a repeat visit to Sadler’s Wells, the role of the King
had been taken over by
David Yip, who received
excellent notices.
Notes: See original London
production,
Drury Lane, June 1953
First London revival:
Adelphi, October 1973
Second London Revival,
London Palladium, June
1979
Left: David Yip
Right: Koshiro Matsumoto IX
And Susan Hampshire
1991
12
42nd STREET (1st Revival)
London run: Dominion Theatre, 27 February (61 Performances)
Music: Harry Warren
Lyrics: Al Dubin
Book: Michael Stewart & Mark Bramble
Director: Mark Bramble
Choreographer: Randy Skinner
Musical Director: Simon Lowe
Producer: Apollo Leisure
Cast: Jenna Ward (Peggy Sawyer), Elaine Loudon (Dorothy Brock),
Kenneth Nelson (Julian Marsh), Richard Cuerden (Billy Lawlor),
Meg Johnson (Maggie Jones), Graeme Henderson, Bob Sessions
This was an eight week season before the tour moved on for the Summer at Blackpool
Notes: See Original London Production: Drury Lane, August 1984
SHOWBOAT (3rd Revival – Return visit)
London run: London Palladium, March 13th (77 Performances)
Music: Jerome Kern
Lyrics & Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Director: Ian Judge
Choreographer: Lindsay Dolan
Musical Director: Wyn Davies
Cast: Sally Burgess/Marilyn Cutts (Julie), Peter Savidge/Richard Halton (Ravenal),
Janis Kelly/ Jan Hartley Morris (Magnolia), Bruce Hubbard (Joe), Geoffrey Hutchings, Margaret Courtenay,
Philip Gould, Karla Burns, Anna Daventry
This was a return visit of the same production which had played the Palladium for 9 weeks in 1990. In the interim
– and following – it would be on a UK tour.
Notes: Original London production: Drury Lane 1928; First revival: London, 1943
2nd revival: Adelphi, June 1971; 3rd revival: London Palladium , July 1990 (and again, March 1991)
CARMEN JONES
London run: Old Vic, April 8th (730 Performances)
Music: Georges Bizet
Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Book: Based on the opera
Director: Simon Callow
Choreographer: Stuart Hopps
Musical Director: Henry Lewis
Producer: Carmen Jones (London ( Ltd
Cast: Wilhelmina Fernandez/Sharon Benson (Carmen), Damon Evans/Michael Austin
(Joe), Gregg Baker (Husky Miller), Karen Parks (Cindy-Lou), Clive Rowe,
Llewellyn Rayappen
Songs: Dat’s Love, You Talk Just Like My Maw, Dere’s a Café on De Corner, Beat Out
Dat Rhythm on a Drum, Stan’ Up and Fight, Whizzin’ Away Along De Track, Dis Flower,
My Joe
Notes: Using all the music from the opera “Carmen”, Oscar Hammerstein II provided
completely new lyrics and a new setting. All the characters are Negro workers in a southern parachute factory
during World War II. It is the story of Joe, an army corporal, and his love for the temptress, Carmen Jones, which
ends with him stabbing her to death after she leaves him for the boxer, Husky Miller. The show was first produced
on Broadway in December 1943 where it ran for 502 performances. This was its British premiere and it received
something of a mixed reaction from the critics – mainly feeling the production and staging were a bit
unadventurous, although the music and lyrics were much appreciated. However, it ran for one year and nine
months and won several awards. During the course of its run the part of Joe was taken over by Gary Wilmot.
1991
13
DAYS OF HOPE
London run: Hampstead, April 12th (59 Performances)
Music & Lyrics: Howard Goodall
Book: Renata Allen
Director: John Retallack
Musical Director: Paul Smith
Producer: Hampstead & Oxford Stage Co
Cast: John Turner (Carlos), Una Stubbs (Maria), Carla Mendonca (Sofia),
Nicholas Caunter (Stanley), Phyllida Hancock (Teresa), Darryl Knock (Pablo),
Danny Cerqueira (José)
Songs: Can you Hear Us Frederico Garcia Lorca?, Viva la Muerte, Democracy, If Not Today, Market Day
Story: Carlos and Maria are a married couple on completely opposing sides in the Spanish Civil War. It is
Valentines Day, 1939, and Franco has won. It is also the wedding day of their daughter to Stanley, an English
Republican Brigade volunteer, but while the families gather to celebrate, German bombers prepare to flatten a
republican village, and a guerrilla murders a Falangist fellow-traveller. In all this turmoil the newly-weds with the
bride’s parents prepare to escape by boat to safety in Stanley’s home town, Scarborough.
Notes: This small-scale musical – two guitars and a piano – was on a UK tour, with this stop-over in London. It was
felt that Howard Goodall had already written one very good musical (“The Hired Man”) and one very poor musical
(“Girlfriends”). This third attempt was generally placed very firmly in the latter category.
MATADOR
Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench
London run: Queen’s Theatre. April 16th (119 Performances)
Music: Michael Leander
Lyrics: Edward Seago
Book: Peter Jukes
Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Choreographer: Arlene Phillips,
Flamenco Choreography: Rafael Aguilar
Musical Director: Kevin Amos
Producer: Laurence Myers & Sony Records
Cast: John Barrowman (Domingo Hernandez),
Stefanie Powers (Laura-Jane Wilding), Nicky Henson (El Panama),
Jackie Dunn (Graciella), Caroline O’Connor (Consuelo),
Alexander Hanson (Tomas), Kevin A.J. Ranson (Miguel),
Franciso Perez Arevalo (The Bull)
Songs: A Boy From Nowhere, Panama Hat, No Way Out of This Town, I
Was Born to Be Me, Paseo and Corrida, Children of the Sun, Or I’ll Dress
You in Mourning, I’ll Take You Out to Dinner
John Barrowman
Story: Told in flashback by Tomas, a cynical, down-at-heel, cast-off former
friend, this is the story of the matador, Domingo Hernandez. In spite of a background of deep poverty and illiteracy
in an obscure village in Andalucia, Domingo becomes the most successful and richest bullfighter in all Spain. His
rise to the top is assisted by his crafty manager, El Panama, in return for a commission of 50% of his earnings. On his
way to the top he rejects his childhood sweetheart, Graciella, in favour of an American film-star, Laura-Jane
Wilding. (In real-life El Cordobes was said to have had a torrid affair with Ava Gardner).
Notes: Based on “Or I’ll Dress You in Mourning”, the biography of the Spanish
bullfighter El Cordobes by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, this show began as a
concept album recorded by Tom Jones in 1987. Originally Tom Jones was planned to star
in a stage version, but this did not work out, and his role was taken by John Barrowman.
The show had spectacular sets and superb flamenco dancing, and everyone agreed it was
one of the best dance shows ever seen on the London stage. However, with animal rights
protesters outside the theatre each night claiming the show glorified bullfighting, the
controversy surrounding the show did not help. Neither did a much derided scene in which
the matador and bull sing a duet in which they declare that they have much in common,
both being trapped, exploited and destined for death. It closed after three months with
losses of around £1million.
1991
14
RE-JOYCE (1st Revival)
London run: Fortune Theatre, April 16th (63 Performances)
Music: Richard Addinsell
Lyrics: Joyce Grenfell
Book: James Roose-Evans & Joyce Grenfell
Director: Alan Strachan
Musical Director: Denis King
Producer: Michael Codron
Cast: Maureen Lipman (Joyce Grenfell), Denis King (her accompanist)
Notes: See Original London production: Fortune Theatre, September 1988
JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR
DREAMCOAT (5th Revival)
London run: London Palladium, June 12th (1,077 Performances)
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics: Tim Rice
Director: Steven Pimlott
Choreographer: Anthony van Laast
Musical Director: Michael Dixon
Producer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Cast: Jason Donovan (Joseph), Linzi Hateley (Narrator),
Jason Moore (Benjamin), David Easter (Pharaoh), Nicolos Colicos,
Aubrey Woods, Paul Tomkinson, Patrick Clancy, Nadia Strahan
Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench
This was a much enlarged and re-thought production given “the full works” and
had a very long run of some two and a half years. During the run Jason Donovan was replaced by Philip
Schofield. The show ran until the first week of January, 1994.
Notes: See original London
Production, Albery Theatre,
February 1973
First revival: Westminster
Theatre, November 27th 1978
Second revival: Westminster
Theatre, November 1st 1979
Third revival: Vaudeville
Theatre, December 1981
Fourth Revival: Royalty
Theatre, December 1986
David Easter & Jason Donovan
1991
15
70 GIRLS 70
London run: Vaudeville Theatre, June 17th (112 Performances)
Music: John Kander
Lyrics: Fred Ebb
Book: David Thompson & Norman L. Martin
Director: Paul Kerryson
Musical Director: Jo Stewart
Producer: Michael Codron & John Newman
Cast: Dora Bryan (Ida Dodds), Brian Greene (Walter), Shezwae Powell (Melba),
Buster Skeggs (Fritzi), Joan Savage (Gert), Stephanie Voss (Ethel/Sadie) ,
Len Howe (Harry), Jo Stewart (Lorraine), James Gavin (Eddie) ,
Pip Hinton (Eunice), Bill Bradley, Peter Edbrook,
Songs: Broadway My Street, Coffee in a Cardboard Cup, Hit It Lorraine, See the Light, Boom Ditty Boom,
The Elephant Song, Just Believe
Notes: Based on the play “Breath of Spring” by Peter Coke,
the original Broadway production was a five-week flop in
1971, though many felt a rather good show had suffered by
opening the same time as “Follies” – another show about old
theatricals. This British version originated in Chichester in
1990 and was updated, produced very much as a tongue-incheek send-up of other West End Musicals and centred round
a totally over-the-top performance from veteran hoofer, Dora
Bryan. It received very mixed reviews, but they all loved
Dora. It managed a three month run.
Photo by John Haynes
Story: The Sussex Arms is a seedy, run-down hotel in New York, inhabited by a collection of retired, old-time
performers. One of them, Ida Dodds, is so offended by rude
treatment from local traders that she forms a shop-lifting gang
to get revenge. The resulting profits enable the gang to
upgrade their activities to bank-robbing, and to upgrade their
hotel and take in more deserving old folk. But during one not
so quick get-away, Ida is caught – but before the police can
put her away, she drops dead
Len Howe & Dora Bryan
THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE (1st Revival)
London run: Open Air Theatre , July 24th – September 5th (Limited season)
Music: Richard Rodgers
Lyrics: Lorenz Hart
Book: George Abbott
Director: Judi Dench
Choreographer: Kenn Oldfield
Musical Director: Catherine Jayes
Photo by Alastair Muir
Cast: Peter Woodward
(Antipholus of Syracuse),
Jenny Galloway (Luce),
Louise Gold (Adriana),
Gillian Bevan (Luciana),
Richard O’Callaghan
(Dromio of Syracuse)
Gavin Muir (Dromio of Ephesus),
Bill Homewood
(Antipholus of Ephesus)
See Original London Production:
Drury Lane, November 1963
Emily Raymond, Bill Homewood, Anna Nicholas & Jo Montgomery
1991
16
A TRIBUTE TO THE
BLUES BROTHERS
London run: Whitehall Theatre, August 12th
(360 Performances)
Music: Various
Director: David Leland
Choreographer: Carole Todd
Musical Director: Tony McCormick
Cast: Con O’Neill (Jake),
Warwick Evans (Elwood),
Greg Brown, Ian Robert, Liza Spenz (The Bluettes).
Songs: Hey Bartender. Sweet Home Chicago, Jailhouse
Rock, Rawhide, Two Little Boys, Minnie the Moocher,
Under the Boardwalk, Stand By Your Man.
Notes: The Blues Brothers never existed in real life:
Con O’Neill & Warwick Evans
they were characters played by John Belushi and Dan
Ackroyd in the 1980 film of the same name. Over the years Belushi acquired posthumous cult status and the film
itself inspired this spin-off. Neither a concert nor a performance, and rather oddly Anglicised so that it was
emphatically a “tribute” to the Blues Brothers rather than a breach of any American copyright, the critics generally
thought the backing chorus (The Bluettes) were the best thing about the show. However, audiences loved it, and the
show ran for ten months before going on a UK and European tour. It then came back into the West End in
September 1994.
GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY
London run: Arts Theatre, September 4th (141 Performances)
Music: Various
Book: Bob Eaton
Director: Bob Eaton
Choreographer: Debbie Norman
Musical Director: Greg Palmer
Cast: Sarah Mortimer (Molly), Steven Granville (Grandad), Lyn Whitehead (Lucille),
Mark Brignal (Ronnie Angel), Carl Proctor (Stevie), Ray Burnside, Graham Fellows, Frances Fielding,
Timothy Weston, Edward York.
Photo by Alastair Muir
Songs: Memories Are Made of This, This Old House, Twist and Shout, Dancin’ in the Street, My Girl, Chapel of
Love, Shakin’ All Over, We Shall Not Be Moved
Story: Molly lives with her Mum and Grandad in Stoke on Trent where Grandad is a hardline Socialist embittered
by the Conservative victory in 1951.Molly’s sister
Lucille becomes pregnant, so Grandad is determined
to shield Molly from boys and rock’n’roll. However,
he fails, and she becomes a groupie of the local band,
Ronnie Angel and the Devils, and takes up with
Stevie, the flare-trousered, dope-taking, proto-Hippie.
The story moves on in time, embracing Gary Glitter
and the miners’ strikes of 1973 and 1983, and ends
with them all realising their roots in the community
are the only worthwhile things in life. The finale is a
reunion concert of the ageing pop-group and the older
Molly, staged as a fund-raiser to prevent their old
housing estate being re-developed by the Council.
Lynne Whitehead, Sarah Mortimer & Frances Fielding
Notes: Nostalgia and Left-Wing politics made an
unusual mix in this show which had originated at the
New Victoria, Newcastle under Lyme in 1989. It had
a mixed reaction, though most critics agreed the
songs were well performed. It ran for four months.
1991
17
A SWELL PARTY
London run: Vaudeville Theatre, October 3rd (204 Performances)
Music & Lyrics: Cole Porter
Book: John Kane
Director: David Gilmore
Choreographer: David Toguri
Musical Director: Chris Walker
Cast: Nickolas Grace, Maria Friedman, Angela Richards,
David Kernan, Martin Smith
Notes: A review of Cole Porter’s life and songs to mark the centenary of his birth.
It achieved a six month run.
THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK
London run: Prince Edward Theatre, October 24th (60 Performances)
Music & Lyrics: Mike Batt
Director: Mike Batt
Choreographer: Jo-Anne Robinson
Musical Director:
Cast: David McCallum (Lewis Carroll), Kenny Everett (Billiard Maker),
Philip Quast (Bellman), Mark McGann (Baker), Jae Alexander (Bandmaster),
David Firth (Banker), Veronica Hart (Beaver), Peter Ledbury (Broker),
Allan Love (Barrister), Gary Martin (Bishop) , John Partridge (Butcher)
Songs: Children of the Sky, Hymn to the Snark, Who’ll Join Me on this
Escapade?, The Pig Must Die, As Long as the Moon Cab Shine, Dancing Towards
Disaster.
Notes: This project began in 1987 as a concept album narrated by John Gielgud and featuring a host of star
names, followed by a
semi-staged concert
version performed in
Australia. This stage
production cost over
£2 million
and
contained a 50 piece
orchestra and hi-tech
computerised scenery
and projections. The
sheer spectacle and
technical achievement
were praised, but the
show itself
was a
v e r y
g r e a t
disappointment and
considered to be one
man’s egotistic folly.
It ran just over seven
weeks.
Photo by Robert Workman
Story: Based on Lewis Carroll’s epic nonsense poem, and supposedly narrated by Lewis Carroll himself, this
is the tale about the Jabberwocky and the search for an improbable beast. The search involves the Bellman and
his crew, consisting of the Beaver, Butcher, Barrister, Baker, Banker, Bandmaster, Broker, Bishop and Billiard
Maker.
1991
18
NOEL & GERTIE (2nd Revival)
London run: Duke of York’s, December 3rd (63 Performances)
Music & Lyrics: Noel Coward
Book: Sheridan Morley
Director: Sean Mathias
Musical Director: Jason Carr
Choreographer: Eleanor Fazan
Producer: Bill Freedman & Knightsbridge Productions
Cast: Edward Petherbridge (Noel Coward), Susan Hampshire (Gertrude Lawrence)
Notes: Following its West End production over Christmas 1989/90 the planned post London tour, with
Edward Petherbridge and Susan Hampshire had been cancelled because of the illness of the leading lady. Now,
almost two years later the proposed partnership was re-created, but it failed to make much of an impression on
either the audiences or the critics.
Original production King’s Head 1983
First revival : Comedy Theatre, December 1989
Ken Hill’s
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
London run: Shaftesbury Theatre, December 18th (131 Performances)
Music: Various
Book: Ken Hill
Director: Ken Hill
Musical Director: Alasdair MacNeill
Producer: Churchill theatre, Bromley
Notes: Ken Hill’s comedy musical predated Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version by two years. In fact, it was said
that the 1984 production at the Theatre
Royal, Stratford East was the
inspiration for Lloyd Webber’s later
world-wide success. In this version
the music is provided by Verdi,
Offenbach, Gounod and the like, with
irreverent lyrics by Ken Hill. From
the opening when the ballet mistress
misses her step and shouts “Shit”, to
the finale where the dying Phantom
gasps enough breath for an overlong
swansong, this is clearly a very
different show to the Lloyd Webber
one. This is a camp journey via an
enormous codpiece on Faust’s tights,
and a chandelier that collapses on top
of the soprano (“Well that’s cured her
nodules”).
Comparing the two
versions of the story was said to be
choosing between cod and chips and
smoked salmon – both very tasty
Peter Straker and Christina Collier
dishes. It had a four month run.
Photo by Rik Walton
Cast: Peter Straker (The Phantom), Christina Collier (Christine Daae),
Reginald Marsh (Opera House Manager), Steven Pacey (Raoul), Toni Palmer (Madame Giry),
Tracy Gillman (Carlotta), Gary Lyons (Remy)