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1 THE LILY WHITE BOYS London run: Royal Court, January 27 th (45 Performances) Music: Tony Kinsey & Bill Le Sage Lyrics: Christopher Logue Book: Harry Cookson Director: Lindsay Anderson Choreographer: Eleanor Fazan Musical Director: Anthony Bowles Cast: Albert Finney (Ted), Monty Landis (Razzo), Philip Locke (Musclebound), Georgia Brown (Jeannie), Shirley Anne Field (Eth), Ann Lynn (Liz) Songs: The Song of Reasonable Ambition, The Young Hero Sings a Song of Self-Understanding, A Youth Leader Advises Neutrality and Respectfulness, Jeannie on the Price of Ethics Story: The three lily-white cosh-boys, Ted, Razzo and Musclebound, are three young thugs who in the course of the story move into bigger thuggery – by becoming businessmen, lawyers and politicians. Their three girlfriends, Jeannie, Eth and Liz provide some light relief, and a group of upright citizens commenting on the action lend the show a kind of Brechtian revue feeling. Notes: This was the latest in a wave of “angry” social comment musicals which included “Fings”, “Make Me an Offer” and “Espresso Bongo”. FINGS AIN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE London run: Garrick Theatre, February 11 th (897 Performances) Music and Lyrics: Lionel Bart Book: Frank Norman. Director: Joan Littlewood Musical Director: Ronnie Franklin Producer: Donald Albery Cast: Glynn Edwards (Fred), Miriam Karlin (Lily), Barbara Windsor, Toni Palmer, Yootha Joyce, James Booth Songs: Fings Ain’t What They Used to Be, Contemp'ery, G’night Dearie, The Ceiling’s Coming Dahn, Where Do Little Birds Go? Story: This is a Guys- and-Dolls-ish story about Fred Cochran, who runs a grubby spieler and hopes to become a big-shot again. After winning a big bet on a horse-race he has his place re-decorated, but his opening night party is ruined when he is beaten up for failing to pay his protection to the police. Eventually he marries his long-time girlfriend, Lily. Notes: Originally created at the Theatre Royal Stratford East for a limited season in February 1959. This was revived at Stratford for Christmas 1959 and then transferred to the West End in February 1960. Originally Frank Norman, a former member of the Soho underworld, wrote the piece as a straight play, but Joan Littlewood decided to make it a musical. As was the policy of the Theatre Workshop Company, the cast was responsible for much of the dialogue and action in their improvisation sessions. 1960 Photo by John Cowan Albert Finney Yootha Joyce, George Sewell, Tom Chatto, Barbara Windsor and Toni Palmer Photo by Jeff Vickers
14

1960-1961

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Page 1: /1960-1961

1

THE LILY WHITE BOYS London run: Royal Court, January 27th (45 Performances)

Music: Tony Kinsey & Bill Le Sage

Lyrics: Christopher Logue

Book: Harry Cookson

Director: Lindsay Anderson

Choreographer: Eleanor Fazan

Musical Director: Anthony Bowles

Cast: Albert Finney (Ted), Monty Landis (Razzo),

Philip Locke (Musclebound), Georgia Brown (Jeannie),

Shirley Anne Field (Eth), Ann Lynn (Liz)

Songs: The Song of Reasonable Ambition, The Young Hero Sings a Song

of Self-Understanding, A Youth Leader Advises Neutrality and

Respectfulness, Jeannie on the Price of Ethics

Story: The three lily-white cosh-boys, Ted, Razzo and Musclebound, are

three young thugs who in the course of the story move into bigger thuggery

– by becoming businessmen, lawyers and politicians. Their three girlfriends, Jeannie, Eth and Liz provide

some light relief, and a group of upright citizens commenting on the action lend the show a kind of Brechtian

revue feeling.

Notes: This was the latest in a wave of “angry” social comment musicals which included “Fings”, “Make Me

an Offer” and “Espresso Bongo”.

FINGS AIN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE London run: Garrick Theatre, February 11th (897 Performances)

Music and Lyrics: Lionel Bart

Book: Frank Norman.

Director: Joan Littlewood

Musical Director: Ronnie Franklin Producer: Donald Albery

Cast: Glynn Edwards (Fred), Miriam Karlin (Lily), Barbara Windsor, Toni Palmer,

Yootha Joyce, James Booth

Songs: Fings Ain’t What They Used to Be, Contemp'ery, G’night Dearie,

The Ceiling’s Coming Dahn, Where Do Little Birds Go?

Story: This is a Guys-

and-Dolls-ish story about Fred Cochran, who runs a

grubby spieler and hopes to become a big-shot

again. After winning a big bet on a horse-race he

has his place re-decorated, but his opening night

party is ruined when he is beaten up for failing to

pay his protection to the police. Eventually he

marries his long-time girlfriend, Lily.

Notes: Originally created at the Theatre Royal

Stratford East for a limited season in February

1959. This was revived at Stratford for Christmas

1959 and then transferred to the West End in

February 1960. Originally Frank Norman, a former

member of the Soho underworld, wrote the piece as

a straight play, but Joan Littlewood decided to make

it a musical. As was the policy of the Theatre

Workshop Company, the cast was responsible for

much of the dialogue and action in their

improvisation sessions.

1960

Photo by John Cowan

Albert Finney

Yootha Joyce, George Sewell, Tom Chatto,

Barbara Windsor and Toni Palmer

Photo by Jeff Vickers

Page 2: /1960-1961

2

THE DANCING HEIRESS London run: Lyric Hammersmith, March 15th (15 Performances)

Music & Lyrics: Murray Grand

Book: Jack Fletcher & Murray Grand

Director: John Heawood

Cast: Lally Bowers (Evelyn Longtree), Millicent Martin (Marian la Verne) ,

Jill Ireland (Libby Longtree), Irving Davies (Tom Manning),

Anthony Howard (Reeves), Leon Cortez (Sergeant O' Toole)

Songs: Life is Peaches and Cream, The International, I'm Gonna Wind Up With

You

Story: Libby Longtree, an heiress, is loved by Tom Manning, who is part of a

dancing double-act with Marian la Verne. Evelyn Longtree, a grand society hostess and Reeves, her butler,

together with Sergeant O'Toole are involved in this send-up of the all-talking, all-singing, all-colossal movies

of the early thirties.

Notes: Swiftly condemned, in spite of great praise for Millicent Martin and a lot of money spent on the show,

the show closed within two weeks.

FOLLOW THAT GIRL London run: Vaudeville Theatre, March 17th (211 performances)

Music: Julian Slade

Book & Lyrics: Dorothy Reynolds & Julian Slade

Director: Denis Carey

Choreographer: Basil Pattison

Musical Director: Julian Slade Producer: Linnit and Dunfee

Cast: Peter Gilmore (Tom), Susan Hampshire (Victoria), Patricia Routledge (Mrs Gilchrist),

James Cairncross (Mr Gilchrist) , Philip Guard (Tancred), Robert McBain (Wilberforce),

Marion Grimaldi, Newton Blick

Songs: Where Shall I Find My Love?, Three Victorian Mermaids, Doh Ray Me, Taken for a Ride, Shopping in

Kensington, Evening in London, Lovely Meeting You at Last.

Story: This is a “play within a play”: Tom, a young author, has written a play set in the late Victorian era, a

play in which his girlfriend Victoria is the heroine, and himself the hero. As he reads the play to her, they

assume the fictitious characters and portray their made-up roles where her parents are forcing her to marry one

of two wealthy business men – Wilberforce or Tancred. She decides to run away and with her parents and

suitors in pursuit she experiences a hectic series of adventures, finally trying to escape by jumping off Albert

Bridge. She is rescued by a heroic young policeman, Tom himself, who not only takes her into custody, but

marries her .

Notes: Along the

way there is a scene

with three Victorian

mermaids and a

modern-day scene

about the various

means of London

transport – buses,

tubes, taxis and

trains – which has

nothing whatsoever

to do with the plot,

but which turned

out to be the hit of

the show.

1960 Photo by Houston-Rogers

Page 3: /1960-1961

3

FLOWER DRUM SONG London run: Palace, March 24th (464 Performances)

Music: Richard Rodgers

Music: Oscar Hammerstein II

Book: Oscar Hammerstein II & Joseph Fields

Director: Gene Kelly, re-staged by Jerome Whyte

Choreographer: Carol Haney, re-staged by Deirdre Vivian

Musical Director: Robert Lowe Producer: Williamson Music

Cast: Yau Shan Tung (Mei Li), Yama Saki (Linda Low), Tim Herbert (Sammy

Fong), Ida Shepley (Madam Liang), Kevin Scott (Wang-Ta)

Songs: You Are Beautiful, I

Am Going to Like it Here, I Enjoy Being a Girl, Love Look

Away, A Hundred Million Miracles.

Story: The theme is the conflict between the traditions of

the older Chinese-Americans in San Francisco and their

younger, more Americanised offspring. Mei Li, a “picture

bride” from China, arrives in San Francisco to undergo an

arranged marriage with nightclub owner, Sammy Fong.

However, Sammy is in love with Linda Low, a stripper in

his club (who clearly enjoys being a girl). The problem is

resolved when Sammy's friend, Wang-Ta, conveniently

falls in love with Mei Li and agrees to marry her.

Notes: Based on the novel by Chin Y. Lee, this was the

only Broadway musical to be directed by Gene Kelly.

JOHNNY THE PRIEST London run: Prince’s Theatre, April 19th (14 Performances)

Music: Anthony Hopkins

Lyrics & Book: Peter Powell

Director: Norman Marshall

Choreographer: Anthony Bateman

Cast: Jeremy Brett (Highfield), Stephanie Voss (Mary), Bunny May (Johnny), Hope Jackman,

Frances Buckeridge

Songs: Beyond These Narrow Streets, The Little Box, Johnny Earn Peanuts, Charge Me, Rooftops, Vicarage

Tea

Story: The Revd Highfield runs a youth club at his church in London’s

Docklands. His efforts cause a clash with the older church members, but

Highfield and his wife, Mary, work with great energy. A young delinquent,

Johnny, is one of their successes and Highfield’s efforts manage to get him into

the Navy. But he steals a telescope and is accused of assault. Johnny asks

Highfield to save him by giving him a false alibi. Highfield struggles with his

conscience and Johnny’s future is in the balance.

Notes: This was originally produced at the Players Theatre and was adapted

from R.C.Sherriff’s play “The Telescope”.

1960

Photo by Tom Hustler

Linda Low and Chorus

Page 4: /1960-1961

4

THE MOST HAPPY FELLA London run: Coliseum, April 21st (288 Performances)

Music & Lyrics: Frank Loesser

Book: Frank Loesser

Director: Jerome Eskow

Choreographer: Ralph Beaumont

Music Director: Kenneth Alwyn Producer: H. M. Tennent Ltd

Cast: Inia Wiata (Tony), Helena Scott (Rosabella), Art Lund (Joe),

Libi Staiger (Cleo), Jack de Lon (Herman), Nina Verushka (Marie)

Songs: Somebody Somewhere,

Standing on the Corner, Joey-

Joey-Joey, Happy to Make Your Acquaintance, Warm All Over,

My Heart is So Full of You, How Beautiful the Days

Story: Tony, an ageing wine-grower in California's Napa

Valley, proposes by mail to Rosabella , a San Francisco waitress

and she accepts, partly because Tony sent her a photograph of

Joe, his handsome ranch foreman. Rosabella is so upset at

finding Tony old and fat, that she allows herself to be seduced by

Joe on their wedding night. Once it is discovered that Rosabella

is to have Joe's child, Tony throws her out, but he eventually

takes her back and is prepared to raise the child as his own.

Notes: Based on Sidney Howard's “They Knew What They

Wanted”, this is a near operatic musical with more than 20

separate numbers including arias, duets, trios, quartets and choral

passages and some recitative.

THE GOLDEN TOUCH London run: Piccadilly Theatre, May 5th (12 performances)

Music, Lyrics & Book: James Gilbert & Julian More

Director-Choreographer: Paddy Stone

Musical Director: Maurice Miles Producer: Michael Codron

Cast: Cec Linder (Krikor Atagian), Evelyne Ker (Gogo Atagian),

Frank Thornton (Bishop Zog of Nixos) Sergio Franchi (Yanni),

Gordon Boyd (Paul Simpson)

Songs: Isles of Greece, Athens in My Blue Suit, Art for My Sake, Beatnikology,

Lemon on a Tree, Battle Hymn of the Colony, Not Enough of Her to Go Round

Story: A mixture of beatniks and big business on a Greek Island sees Krikor Atagian, a tanker tycoon, trying

to take over the island to convert it into a free port in which to register his fleet of tankers. He finds it inhabited

by a group of loose-living, beatnik, art-for-art's sake types, led by his own daughter, Gogo. The fight between

Art and the Philistines is enlivened by Gogo's romance and the interference of an Archbishop Makarios type,

Bishop Zog of Nixos, as well as Yanni and Paul Simpson – two local singers.

Notes: The dancing in this show was much acclaimed, and did a great deal for Paddy Stone's reputation as a

choreographer – though the show itself was too complicated and possibly too much of an “in-joke” about the

Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis and his daughter, Christina and on to catch on.

1960 Photo by Angus McBean

Art Lund and Inia Wiata

Page 5: /1960-1961

5

CALL IT LOVE London run: Wyndham’s Theatre June 22nd (5 performances)

Music & Lyrics: Sandy Wilson

Book: Robert Tanitch

Director: Toby Robertson Producer: Donald Albery

Cast: Lally Bowers,

Nicholas Meredith,

Norman Warwick,

Ann Saker, Richard Martin,

Terence Knapp

Songs: Love Song in Rag, I

Know-Know-Know, Hate Each Other Cha-Cha, Call it

Love, Love Play.

Story: This was four elongated sketches satirising the

British attitude to love and marriage at different time

periods, beginning with a mass of pseudo-Wilde epigrams

in the 1880s to the present, with five songs linking the

playlets and Lally Bowers playing a succession of scatty-

minded elderly ladies.

Notes: The booing started as soon as the curtain went up on

Act Two. One critic wrote “Call it Trite, Call it Trash, Call

it what you like. .. it belongs on the West End garbage

heap”. It lasted 5 performances.

INNOCENT AS HELL London run: Lyric Hammersmith, June 29th (13 Performances)

Music: Andrew Rosenthal

Lyrics & Book: Andrew Rosenthal

Director: Vida Hope

Choreographer: George Erskine

Musical Director: Gordon Franks Producer: Andrew Rosenthal

Cast: Anne Francine (Octavia Brooks), Hy Hazell (Inez Packard),

Susan Irvin (Marianne), Griffith Jones (Lincoln), Barbara Evans (Sally-Lee Polk)

Songs: I Want That

Story: Octavia Brooks and Inez Packard are two middle-aged women, life-long friends, fighting for possession

of the same man. A younger love interest is provided by Octavia's daughter, Marianne and her son, Lincoln and

their respective amours. Sally-Lee Polk, a colourful man-chasing South American, together with miscellaneous

exotic holiday makers on the look-out for a good time further complicate the story.

Notes: With an exaggerated murder plot and an interpolated ballet number, the show was described as a vanity

production for the man who wrote the music, lyrics and book, and put up most of the finance himself. He lost

it all in less than two weeks.

1960

Ann Saker, Richard Martin, Terence Knapp Photo by Alec Murray

Page 6: /1960-1961

6

OLIVER London run: New Theatre, June 30th (2,618 Performances)

Music, Lyrics, Book: Lionel Bart

Director: Peter Coe

Choreographer:

Musical Director: Marcus Dods Producer: Donald Albery

Cast: Ron Moody (Fagin), Georgia Brown (Nancy),

Danny Sewell (Bill Sykes), Keith Hamshere (Oliver),

Martin Horsey (Artful Dodger), Paul Whitsun-Jones (Mr Bumble),

Hope Jackman (Widow Corney), Barry Humphries (Mr Sowerberry)

Songs: As Long as He Needs Me, Consider Yourself, Where is Love,

You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two, I’d Do Anything, Reviewing the

Situation

Story: An orphan boy, who dared to ask for

more food, is sold to an undertaker. He

escapes but is caught up in a gang of child-

thieves organised by the villainous Fagin, and enlivened by the leading juvenile

pick-pocket, the Artful Dodger. A sub-plot involves the murderous Bill Sykes, who

is loved by kind-hearted Nancy, in spite of his ill-treatment of her. Oliver eventually

is discovered to be related to the wealthy Mr Brownlow and is rescued .

Notes: Based on the novel “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. On November 20th

1966 this became the longest- running musical in the history of the London stage up

to that time.

JOIE DE VIVRE London run: Queen’s Theatre, July 14th (4 Performances)

Music: Robert Stolz

Lyrics: Paul Dehn

Book: Terence Rattigan

Director: William Chappell

Choreographer: Ross Taylor

Musical Director: Michael Steyn

Producer: H. M. Tennent

Cast: Donald Sinden (Brian Curtis)

Joanna Rigby (Diana Lake), Barrie Ingham (Alan Howard),

Jill Martin (Jacqueline Maingot), Anna Sharkey (Marianne),

Joan Heal (Chi-Chi)

Songs: There’ll Always Be a Navy, Grab It While You Can, ‘Allo Beeg Boy, Scottish Can Can, The Girl I’m

Intending to Marry

Story: Set in a “cram school” for adults needing to learn French for business reasons, the chief humour comes

from Franglais phrases and schoolboy misunderstandings of the French language. The young men, of course,

are far more interested in pursuing the girls, one of whom, the predatory Diana Lake, is a young vamp who

intends to seduce as many of the men as possible.

Notes: Based on Rattigan’s play “French Without Tears”, the linguistic misunderstandings were considered

extremely funny in 1936 when the original play was written, but were nothing like as amusing nearly a quarter

of a century later. To add to the problems, Donald Sinden, the leading man, couldn't sing. The very last lines of

the show were spoken by Barrie Ingham and were: “Stop laughing, you old bag. It's not funny, it's a total

disaster”. At this point the entire gallery howled in derision, shouting agreement and booing furiously. The

show ended after 4 performances.

1960

Photo by Alec Murray

Ron Moody as Fagin

Photo by Angus McBean

Barrie Ingham, Jill Martin and Anna Sharkey

Page 7: /1960-1961

7

ROSE MARIE (2nd Revival) London run: Victoria Palace, August 22nd

Music: Rudolf Friml & Herbert Stothart

Lyrics & Book: Otto Harbach & Oscar Hammerstein II

Director: Freddie Carpenter

Choreographer: Ross Taylor Producer: Tom Arnold

Cast: Stephanie Voss (Rose Marie), David Whitfield (Jim Kenyon),

Maggie Fitzgibbon (Lady Jane), Ronnie Stevens (Hardboiled Herman),

John Martin (Edward Hawley), Gillian Lynne (Wanda)

Songs: Rose Marie The Mounties, Indian Love Call, Totem Tom-Tom, The

Door of Her Dreams, Only a Kiss.

Story: Rose-Marie La Flamme, a singer, and

fur-trapper Jim Kenyon are in love, but a

jealous suitor tries to pin a false murder rap on

Jim. True to tradition the Mounties get their

man (who turns out to be a woman!) and Rose-

Marie and Jim go off into the sunset.

Notes: The fact that there was a murder in this

musical caused quite a stir at the time – as it

was felt a most unsuitable thing in a “musical

comedy”. The London première was at Drury

Lane in 1925 with Edith Day and Derek

Oldham. It was revived at the Stoll Theatre in

1942 with Marjorie Brown and Raymond

Newell..

THE PRINCESS London run: Strand Theatre, August 23rd (44 Performances)

Music & Lyrics: Mario Braggiotti

Book: Jo Anna

Director: Ted Kneeland

Choreographer: Jo Anna

Cast: Violette Verdy, Pierre Lacotte, Jo Anna, Claudia Cravey,

Keith Beckett

Notes: A new musical in ballet and song, originally staged in Palm

Beach, Florida. With a company of 70, this was a very arty re-

working of the Sleeping Beauty story, with the singers mostly out of

sight while the story was told by dancers. The critics hated it and the

advance was non-existent, so the management offered free tickets to

everyone for the first week of the show. In return each person was

asked to fill in a questionnaire. Out of 4,000 takers in the week, 3,550

recorded that they “loved” the show. However, this did little good.

1960

Stephanie Voss and the Mounties Photo by Dezo Hoffmann Ltd

Photo by Houston-Rogers

Pierre Lacotte amd Violette Verdy

Page 8: /1960-1961

8

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS London run: Adelphi, September 20th (38 Performances)

Music: Mary Rodgers

Lyrics: Marshall Barer

Book: Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer & Dean Fuller

Director-Choreographer: Jerome Whyte

Musical Director: Robert Lowe

Cast: Jane Connell (Princess Winnifred),

Robin Hunter (Prince Dauntless),

Thelma Ruby (Queen Agravain),

Milo O'Shea (King) Peter Grant (Minstrel), Max Wall (Jester),

Bill Kerr (Wizard), Peter Regan (Sir Studley)

Songs: Many Moons Ago, In a Little While, Shy,

Happily Ever After, Very Soft Shoes

Story: Princess Winnifred arrives dripping in the throne room

of an ancient kingdom because, as she explains, “I swam the moat”. She is there as a contender for the hand of

Prince Dauntless the Drab, whose domineering parents, the King and Queen Agravain, have decreed that he

will wed only a true princess of the royal blood. Winnifred passes the test, being unable to sleep on a pile of

mattresses with a pea on the bottom – though, as the finale reveals, her sleeplessness was really caused by a

helpful minstrel who had filled her bed with all sorts of uncomfortable objects.

Notes: The show began as a one-act musical by Mary Rodgers (the daughter of Richard Rodgers) created for a

summer-camp entertainment. It was expanded into a full-length show and the Broadway production marked

the highly successful debut of Carol Burnett.

MR BURKE, M.P London run: Mermaid Theatre, October 6th (114 Performances)

Music & Lyrics: Gerald Frow

Director: Sally Miles

Choreographer: Denys Palmer

Musical Director: The Vipers

Cast: Peter Clegg (Mr Burke),

Duncan McIntyre (Randall Macadam),

Raf de la Torre (Josiah Stirwell) , Sally Miles (Public Opinion),

Wally Whyton (Narrator)

Songs: It’s a Rat Race, I’d Move to the Jungle, 95% of Me Loves You,

You’re Going to be Caught

Story: The story concerns an attempt to represent the apes as a

downtrodden race, to campaign for their equality and to elect one of

their number to Parliament. The somewhat reluctant campaign sponsor

is newspaper editor Randall Macadam, who is motivated by the

subsequent boost in circulation and the manipulations of Josiah

Stirwell, a super-crook who finds manipulating public opinion more

profitable than his old-fashioned rackets.

Notes: The show contained eleven songs performed by Wally Whyton

and the Vipers, a skiffle group who had been popular a few years

earlier and were now making a kind of “come-back”. .

1960

Sally Miles and Peter Clegg Photo by John Miles

Jane Connell

Photo by Tom Hustler

Page 9: /1960-1961

9

HOORAY FOR DAISY London run: Lyric Hammersmith, December4 20th (51 Performances)

Music: Julian Slade

Lyrics: Julian Slade & Dorothy Reynolds

Director: Denis Carey

Choreographer: Basil Pattison Producer: Linnit and Dunfee

Cast: Eleanor Drew (Priscilla Vernon), Robin Hunter (The Stranger),

Dorothy Reynolds (Georgina Cosens), Angus Mackay (Lawrence Pewsey)

Songs: She's Coming on the 4.48, I Feel as if I'd Never Been Away,

Soft Hoof Shuffle, See You on the Moon, Ting-a-Ling, Let's do a Duet.

Story: Priscilla Vernon, the long-departed lady of the manor, returns to her

home village of Milbury and attracts every man in sight, though she herself is attracted to a mysterious

stranger with a habit of falling asleep in odd places. Meantime Georgina Cosens, a nice middle-aged widow,

falls hopelessly in love with Lawrence Pewsey, the curate. But then, in a village life which includes coffee

mornings and whist drives, something strange happens during a rehearsal for the annual pantomime - a tin of

beans does some strange things, and enables the villagers to climb a magic beanstalk, and save a cow named

Daisy.

Notes: The show had been a success at Bristol, but somewhat mystified the London audience, who found its

whimsical provincial charm a bit too sugary.

CINDERELLA (Revival) London run: Adelphi, December 22nd

(101 performances)

Music: Richard Rodgers

Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Director: Freddie Carpenter

Choreographer: Sidonie Darrell

Cast: Jan Waters (Cinderella), Joan Heal,

Jimmy Edwards, Arthur Howard, Bill Newman,

Ted Rogers, Gillian Lynne, Betty Bowdon,

Richard Wakeley, Ted Durante, Graham Squire.

Notes: See December 1958 for details of the original

London production.

1960

Jimmy Edwards, Jan Waters and Arthur Howard

Photo by Central Press Ltd

Page 10: /1960-1961

10 Photo by Houston-Rogers

KING KONG London run: Princes Theatre, February 23rd

(201 Performances)

Music: Todd Matshikiza

Lyrics: Pat Williams

Book: Harry Bloom

Director: Leon Gluckman

Choreographer: Arnold Dover

Musical Director: Stanley Glasser

Cast: Nathan Mdledle (King Kong),

Lemmy “Special” Mabaso (Penny Whistler),

Ben Masinga (Popcorn)

Songs: Sad Times Bad Times, In the Queue, Gumboot Dance, Crazy Kid, Wedding Hymn

Story: An all-African jazz opera, King Kong had an all-black cast and portrayed the township life of a

heavyweight boxer, Ezekiel Dlamini, known as "King Kong". After a meteoric boxing rise, his life

degenerated into drunkenness and gang violence. He knifed his girlfriend, asked for the death sentence during

his trial and instead was sentenced to 14 years hard labour. A sub-plot involved a street-boy, Penny Whistler,

and “Popcorn”, an ice-cream vendor.

Notes: This all-black cast musical was a hit in South Africa in 1959, and had a cast of 72, mostly amateur

performers. It was based on the real-life of an idolised boxer whose career ultimately went to pieces leading to

two murders and his own suicide. The song “Sad Times, Bad Times” was a reference to the infamous South

African treason trial in Pretoria, where the accused included Albert Luthuli and Nelson Mandela.

THE MUSIC MAN London run: Adelphi, March 16th (395 Performances)

Music: Meredith Willson

Lyrics & Book: Meredith Willson

Director: Morton da Costa, re-staged by Robert Merriman

Choreographer: Onna White, re-staged by James Barron

Musical Director: Gareth Davies Producer: Harold Fielding

Cast: Van Johnson (Harold Hill), Patricia Lambert (Marian Paroo),

C. Denier Warren (Mayor Shinn), Ruth Kettlewell (Mrs Paroo),

Bernard Spear (Marcellus Washburn), Denis Waterman (Winthrop Paroo)

Songs: Rock Island, Trouble Goodnight My

Someone, Seventy-Six Trombones, Gary Indiana,

Till There Was You.

Story: The scene is middle-America in 1912, when

Harold Hill, a traveling salesman of musical

instruments, invades River City, Iowa, and fleeces

the citizens into believing that he can teach their

children how to play in a marching band. Bu the

love of a good woman, Marian the Librarian, makes

Harold repent, and the show ends with the children,

miraculously, being able to play the instruments.

Notes: This was a very early West End appearance

for Denis Waterman in a juvenile role.

1961

Patricia Lambert, Denis Waterman, van Johnson Photo by Barnet Saidman

Page 11: /1960-1961

11

BELLE OR THE BALLAD OF DOCTOR CRIPPEN London run: Strand Theatre, May 4th (44 Performances)

Music & Lyrics: Monty Norman

Book: Wolf Mankowitz

Director: Val May

Choreographer: Michael Charnley

Musical Director: Arthur Tatler Producer: Wolf Mankowitz, Bob Swash & Kenneth Wagg

Cast: Jerry Desmonde (George Lasher), George Benson (Dr Crippen),

Virginia Vernon (Ethel le Neve), Rose Hill (Belle), Nicolette Roeg (Jenny Pearl),

Davy Kaye (Mighty Mick)

Songs: A Pint of Wallop, Bird of Paradise, Meet Me at the Strand, The Devil's

Bandsmen, The Dit-Dit Song.

Story: Dr Crippen and his mistress Ethel le Neve, on run from the British police, were arrested on a ship off

Canada after the Captain had become suspicious and radioed Scotland Yard. The pair became known as the first

suspects to be caught by radio. Back in London the police found the remains of Crippen's wife, Belle Elmore,

buried underneath Crippen's cellar floor. She had been a second-rate music-hall singer, so this musical was set as a

melodrama presented in music-hall style with George Lasher, the genial “chairman” introducing Crippen, Ethel,

Belle and Jenny Pearl – a Vesta Tilley type performer, and Mighty Mick – a kind of Little Tich.

Notes: Based on the play by Beverley Cross, this became one of the West End's legendary flops, savaged by the

critics and surviving just 44 performances.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC London run: Palace, May 18th

(2,385 Performances)

Music: Richard Rodgers

Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Book: Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse

Director: Vincent J. Donehue,

re-staged by Jerome Whyte

Choreographer: Joe Layton

Musical Director: Robert Lowe Producer: Williamson Music

Cast: Jean Bayless (Maria),

Roger Dann (Captain von Trapp),

Eunice Gayson (Elsa),

Harold Kasket (Max Detweiler),

Constance Shacklock (Mother Abbess),

Barbara Brown (Liesl), Nicholas Bennett (Rolf), Olive Gilbert (Sister Margaret)

Songs: The Sound of Music, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi,

Sixteen Going on Seventeen, The Lonely Goatherd, Edelweiss, Climb Every Mountain,

Story: Set in Austria in 1938, Maria Rainer, a postulant at Nonnberg Abbey, takes a

position as governess to the seven children of the widowed Captain von Trapp. Maria

and the Captain fall in love and marry, but their happiness is threatened with the invasion

of the Nazis which forces the family to flee over the Alps to Switzerland.

Notes: Based on Maria von Trapp's book “The Trapp Family Singers” and its German

film version. The London production ran nearly 1000 performances more than the

original Broadway run. This was the last show written by Oscar Hammerstein who died

less than a year after the first night in New York. The film version became one of the

highest grossing successes of the era, and the original recording remains the best selling

show album of all time. Ivor Novello's “The Dancing Years” (1939) was another

musical which dealt with the German invasion of Austria.

1961

Photo by Tom Hustler

Page 12: /1960-1961

12

BYE BYE BIRDIE London run: Her Majesty's, June 15th (268 Performances)

Music: Charles Strouse

Lyrics: Lee Adams

Book: Michael Stewart

Director-Choreographer: Gower Champion

Musical Director: Alyn Ainsworth Producer: H. M. Tennent Ltd

Cast: Marty Wilde (Conrad Birdie), Peter Marshall (Albert Peterson),

Chita Rivera (Rose Grant), Sylvia Tysick (Kim MacAfee),

Angela Baddeley (Mae Peterson), Clive Endersby (Hugo Peabody),

Robert Nicholas (Mr MacAfee), Mary Laura Wood (Mrs MacAfee)

Songs: An English Teacher, The Telephone

Hour, Put on a Happy Face, A Lot of Living to

Do, Kids, How Lovely to be a Woman

Story: The pop-singing idol, Conrad Bird, is

managed by Albert Peterson, who with Rose

Grant, his secretary, contrives a publicity stunt

involving Kim MacAfee kissing Birdie on Ed

Sullivan's TV show just before he is drafted into

the army. Complications involve Kim's jealous

boyfriend and her exasperated father, as well as

Albert's querulous mother, Mae, and his

relationship with Rose who wants him to get out

of the music business and become an English

teacher.

STOP THE WORLD – I WANT TO GET OFF London run: Queen’s Theatre, July 20th (478 Performances)

Music, Lyrics & Book: Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse

Director: Anthony Newley

Choreographer: John Broome

Musical Director: Ian Fraser Producer: Bernard Delfont

Cast: Anthony Newley (Littlechap),

Anna Quayle (Evie Littlechap)

Songs: What Kind of Fool Am I?, Gonna Build a

Mountain, I Wanna Be Rich, Glorious Russian,

Typische Deutsch, All American, Meilinki

Meilchick

Story: An allegory set in a circus-tent: a clown-like Everyman, Littlechap,

marries his boss’s daughter , rises in business and politics, does a bit of cheating

with girls of other nationalities (all played by Anna Quayle), and ends his life

reflecting on the shallowness of his ambitions.

Notes: The show used a seven-member all-girl Greek chorus to comment on

and take part in the action. The show transferred to Broadway, where Anthony

Newley was eventually succeeded by Joel Grey.

1961

Photo by Angus McBean

Photo by Angus McBean

Page 13: /1960-1961

13

WILDEST DREAMS London run: Vaudeville Theatre, August 3rd (76 Performances)

Music: Julian Slade

Lyrics & Book: Dorothy Reynolds & Julian Slade

Director: Nicholas Garland

Choreographer: Basil Patterson

Musical Director: Julian Slade Producer: David Hall

Cast: Dorothy Reynolds (Harriet Grey), Angus MacKay (Stephen Bent),

Anna Dawson (Carol Arden), John Baddeley (Mark Raven), Edward Hardwicke

Songs: Please Aunt Harriet, You Can’t Take Any

Luggage, There’s a Place We Know, I’m Holding My

Breath, Girl on the Hill, This Man Loves You

Story: Harriet Grey and her niece, Carol Arden, two

ladies in the sleepy village of Neldenham, have their own

wild dreams of romance, but eventually settle for

something more practical – Stephen Bent, a reformed

composer of arty folk songs, and Mark Raven, a local

journalist

Notes: By now the whimsy of the Julian Slade/Dorothy

Reynolds musicals was beginning to wear a bit thin.

Although “Salad Days” was still a great favourite, the

critics were beginning to get their knives out!

THE FANTASTICKS London run: Apollo Theatre, September 7th (44 Performances)

Music: Tom Jones

Lyrics & Book: Harvey Schmidt

Director: Word Baker

Musical Director: Raymond Holder Producer: Toby Rowland

Cast: Stephanie Voss (Luisa), Peter Gilmore (Matt), Terence Cooper (El Gallo),

Timothy Bateson (Bellamy), Michael Barrington (Hucklebee), John Wood (Henry the actor),

John Cater (Mortimer), Melvyn Hayes (The Mute)

Songs: Try to Remember, Soon it's Gonna Rain, It Depends on What you Pay, I Can See It, Plant a Radish

Story: The story is of rebirth and the seasons, and of a neighbouring boy and girl

whose fathers pretend they do not want them to marry precisely because children

will do the exact opposite of what their parents want. The fathers even hire El

Gallo to perform a mock rape scene with two actors so that the boy may act

heroically and prove his valour to the girl. The lovers, however, learn of the hoax

and quarrel. After the boy runs away and suffers various indignities, he returns to

the waiting girl. They are disillusioned, but older and wiser and they have thus

found love and maturity

Notes: The original American production , albeit in a 150-seat theatre, ran for an

astonishing 42 years, ending its non-stop run in 2002 after 17,162 performances.

The show was then revived off-Broadway in 2006, where it marked the 50th

Anniversary of its opening in 2010 and is still running in 2011. The first London

production survived just 44 performances

1961

Angus McKay and Dorothy Reynolds

Photo by David Sim

Page 14: /1960-1961

14

DO-RE-MI London run: Prince of Wales, October 12th (169 Performances)

Music: Jule Styne

Lyrics: Betty Comden & Adolph Green

Book: Garson Kanin

Director: Bernard Gersten

Choreographer: Marc Breaux & Deedee Wood

Musical Director: Burt Rhodes Producer: H. M. Tennent, Leslie Macdonnell & Bernard Delfont

Cast: Max Bygraves (Hubie Cram), Maggie Fitzgibbon (Kay Cram),

Harry Ross (Brains Berman), Danny Green (Fats O'Rear),

David Lander (Skin Demopoulos), Jan Waters (Tilde Mullen),

Steve Arlen (John Henry Wheeler)

Songs: It's Legitimate, I Know About Love, What's New at the Zoo, The Late Late Show, Make Someone

Happy

Story: Hubie Cram, a would-be big-shot, persuades three retired slot-machine mobsters, Brains Berman, Fats

O'Rear and Skin Demopoulos, to muscle in on the jukebox racket. Though this does not make him the

fawned-upon tycoon he has always dreamed of becoming, Hubie does succeed in turning a waitress, Tilda

Mullen, into a singing star, but she is poached by rival businessman John Henry Wheeler, sparking off a bitter

jukebox war. Eventually Hubie decides it is better to settle down with his wife, Kay, and go for the quiet life.

Notes: The Broadway production

brought Phil Silvers back to the stage

after 10 years as TV's Sergeant Bilko,

with his co-star, Nancy Walker playing

his wife some 20 years after she had

scored a huge hit in Broadway's “High

Button Shoes”. The combination was a

great hit and got a decent run. However,

the London production with Max

Bygraves in his first appearance in a

musical did not catch on, running just

over five months.

SALAD DAYS (1st Revival) London run: Princes Theatre, December 26th (46 Performances)

Music: Julian Slade

Lyrics & Book: Julian Slade & Dorothy Reynolds

Director: Julian Slade

Choreographer: Diana Murdoch

Musical Director: Julian Slade

Revival Cast: Alan Hockey (Tramp), Sheila Chester (Jane),

Derek Holmes (Timothy), Bob Harris (Troppo), Pat Michael, Richard Fraser

Notes: See Original London run: Vaudeville Theatre, August 1954.

1961

Max Bygraves ,Harry Ross,

Danny Green & David Lander

Photo by Jeff Vickers