1991musicals

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

1991

Left: David Yip

Right: Koshiro Matsumoto IX

And Susan Hampshire

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 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

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

John Barrowman

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14

David Easter & Jason Donovan

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

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

1991 P

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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

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

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-in-

cheek 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.

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

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

1991

Len Howe & Dora Bryan

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John H

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Emily Raymond, Bill Homewood, Anna Nicholas & Jo Montgomery

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Ala

stair

Muir

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:

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.

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.

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

Con O’Neill & Warwick Evans

Lynne Whitehead, Sarah Mortimer & Frances Fielding

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Ala

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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.

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.

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.

1991

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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

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)

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

dishes. It had a four month run.

1991

Peter Straker and Christina Collier

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Rik

Walt

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