1994musicals

46

CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF London run: Theatre Royal Stratford East, Feb 10 – March 19 (Limited run)

Music: Ian Armit & Carl Zeller

Book: Ken Hill

Director: Ken Hill

Choreographer: Lindsay Dolan

Musical Director: Alasdair MacNeil

Cast: Steven Pacey (Old Baron), Robin Nedwell (D’Arcy),

Judith Bruce (Mrs Bancroft), Reginald Marsh (Dr Bancroft),

Diana Morrison (Kitty), Toni Palmer (Ingeborg)

Terence Hardinam (Professor Steiner) Bogdan Kominowski (Inspector Kruger)

Songs: We’re Going to Have some Fun, A Meeting by Moonlight, Every Walpurgisdorfer Knows, The Moon

is Full, Who Needs the Words?

Story: Dr and Mrs Bancroft, with daughter Kitty, are visiting an old friend from medical school, who now

lives and works with mental patients in a crumbling castle in a part of Germany swarming with wolves.

Daughter Kitty is much taken with the dishy Baron – but she ought to have known. . . it’s always the dishy ones

you have to look out for. . .

Notes: With yodelling lederhosen-clad chorus boys, and fluffy rabbits and squirrels swaying in the trees,

singing along to the music of 19th Century opera composer Carl Zeller and new lyrics by Ken Hill, this was a

pantomime-type romp (similar in style to Ken Hill’s “Phantom of the Opera” – the pre-Lloyd Webber version.)

HOT SHOE SHUFFLE London run: Queen’s Theatre, March 22 (175 Performances)

Music: Various

Director: David Atkins

Choreographer: David Atkins & Dein Perry

Musical Director: David Stratton Producer: Helen Montagu

Cast: David Atkins, Dean Perry, Kevin Coyne, Christopher Horsey, Sheldon Perry,

Dale Pengelly,

Adam Garcia, Rhonda Burchmore, Jack Webster

Songs: Putting on the Ritz, Birth of the Blues, It Don’t Mean a Thing, Little Brown

Jug

Story: Seven brothers and

their newly discovered

sister must learn their late

father’s tap-dancing

routines in order top

inherit millions. Starting

off comically bumping

into each other a lot, and

ending up dancing with

tremendous vitality and

flair – the show is an

excuse for a song and

dance exhibition “which a

generation ago would

have been a speciality act

in a revue and is now

elevated to an entire

evening’s entertainment.”

1994

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THE BOY FRIEND (3rd Revival) London run: Players Theatre, April 14 – May 8

Music & Lyrics : Sandy Wilson

Director: Maria Charles

Choreographer: Geoffrey Webb

Musical Director: Geoffrey Brawn Producer: Dominic le Foe for Players Ventures

Cast: Jane Stoggles (Hortense),

Gemma Page (Polly Browne),

Oliver Hickey (Tony),

James Davies (Bobby van Husen),

Karen Clegg (Maisie),

Judith Bruce (Mme Dubonnet)

This was a 40th Anniversary production at the

venue where the show was first created in 1954.

Notes: See Original London production,

Wyndham’s, January 1954

First revival: Comedy Theatre,

November 1967

Second Revival: Old Vic/Albery July

1984

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE London run: Lyric Hammersmith, April 20 – May 7

Music: Various

Book: David Graham

Director: David Graham

Choreographer: Laurel Ford

Musical Director: Grantley Buck Producer: DGM Productions

Cast: Mike Berry (Archie), Georgina Field (May-Ellen), Grantley Buck (Frankie), Julie Livesey (Sherry),

Jack Pinder (Eddie), Jason Baron (Ritzi), Miles Danso (Dumbo), Mark Sangster (Skunk)

Songs: Personality, Walk Right Back, All I Have to do is Dream, Lipstick on your Collar, Only You

Story: The Romantics are a rock group aspiring to

stardom under the management of moronic Archie,

whose office happens to be a diner, and whose

“secretary” is the diner-waitress, May-Ellen. The

Romantics consist of reptilian Eddie, cute Ritzi, dim

Dumbo, and redneck Skunk. They audition by giving a

concert in the diner. And that is that!

Notes: From the Evening Standard: “ (At one point). . .

Archie yells jubilantly ‘Are we gonna have some fun

tonight or what?’ I’d say it falls into the ‘or what’

category.”

1994

Jason Baron & Jack Pinder Photo

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48

COPACABANA London run: Prince of Wales, June 23rd (525 Performances)

Music: Barry Manilow

Lyrics: Bruce Sussman & Jack Feldman

Book: Barry Manilow, Bryce Sussman & Jack Feldman

Director: Roger Redfarn

Choreographer: Dorian Sanchez

Musical Director: Andy Rumble

Cast: Gary Wilmot (Tony/Stephen), Nicola Dawn (Lola), Richard Lyndon (Rico),

Anna Nicholas (Conchita), Howard Attfield (Sam), Jenny Logan (Gladys),

Duncan Smith (McManus)

Songs: Who Needs to Dream, Sweet Heaven, Dancin’ Fool, Man Wanted, Just Arrived, Jump Shout Boogie,

At the Copacabana

Story: Set in the 1940s, struggling composer Stephen writes a song (“Copacabana”), about the ambitious Lola

arriving in Manhattan from Oklahoma, intent on becoming a showgirl. In the song she is kidnapped by Rico

and whisked off to Havana. But all

ends happily when she is rescued by

the heroic Tony who shoots Rico and

gets his girl.

Notes: A lavish production with

loads of feathers, glitz and

computerised effects, said to be filled

with girls with pineapples on their

heads and fruit around their genitalia

– the critics praised the cast, but hated

the show. The legions of Barry

Manilow fans kept it running for

fifteen months, although the business

fell away once Gary Wilmot left the

cast (he was replaced by Darren Day

towards the end of the first year).

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (2nd Revival) London run: London Palladium, June 28 - September 3

Music: Jerry Bock

Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick

Book: Joseph Stein

Director-Choreographer: Jerome Robbins (re-produced by Sammy Dallas Bayes)

Musical Director: Nick Barnard

Cast: Topol (Tevye), Sara Kestelman (Golde), Margaret Robertoson (Yente),

David Bacon (Lazar Wolf), Peter Darling (Perchick), Jacquelyn Yorke (Tzeitel),

Neil Rutherford (Motel), Adi Topol-Margalith (Chava), George Little (Innkeeper),

Millie Kieve, Alastair Bull

It had been 27 years since Topol first played Tevye in London, and it was reckoned

he had now played the role some 1,500 times. Back in 1967 at the age of 31 he had

to leave the role to return to Israel to fight in the Six Day War – and his understudy, George Little, took over

for the duration. George Little was also in this current revival, playing the part of the Innkeeper. This time,

too, Topol’s daughter, Adi, was in the show, playing his stage daughter.

Notes: See original London production, Her Majesty's, February 1967

First revival: Apollo Victoria June 1984

1994

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49

ROCKY HORROR SHOW

(2nd Revival) London run: Duke of York’s Theatre , June 29

(69 Performances)

Music & Lyrics: Richard O’Brien

Director: Christopher Malcolm

Choreographer: Stuart Hopps

Musical Director: Dave Brown Producer: Christopher Malcolm, Rocky Horror London Ltd

Cast: Nicholas Parsons (Narrator),

Jonathan Morris (Frank-n-Furter),

David Ingram (Rocky Horror), Paul Collis (Brad),

Sophie Lawrence (Janet), Kraig Thornber (Riff-Raff),

Patricia Quinn (Magenta), Joanne Redman (Columbia),

Peter Gallagher(Eddie/Dr Scott)

This was back in the West End to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the show’s opening. It was more or less the

same production from 1990, and had been touring.

Notes: See original production: Theatre Upstairs (Royal Court), June 19th 1973

Transferred to the Comedy Theatre, April 1979; First revival: Piccadilly Theatre, July 1990

SHE LOVES ME (1st Revival) London run: Savoy Theatre, July 12th (407 Performances)

Music: Jerry Black

Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick

Book: Joe Masteroff

Director: Scott Ellis

Choreographer: Rob Marshall

Musical Director: Robert Scott

Cast: Ruthie Henshall (Amalia Balash),

John Gordon-Sinclair (Georg Nowack),

Tracie Bennett (Ilona Ritter), Gerard Casey (Steven Kodaly),

David de Keyser (Zoltan Maraczek),

Barry James (Ladislaw Sipos)

This much-praised revival ran until the start of July, 1995 –

almost one year.

See Original London run: Lyric Theatre, April 1964

THE CARD (1st Revival) London run: Open Air Theatre, August 1 – September 6

Music & Lyrics: Tony Hatch & Jackie Trent

New lyrics: Anthony Drewe

Book: Keith Waterhouse & Willis Hall

Director: Ian Talbot

Choreographer: Gillian Gregory

Musical Director: Catherine Jayes Producer: Cameron Mackintosh

Cast: Peter Duncan (Denry Machin),

Jane Lowe (Mrs Machin), John Turner (Mr Duncalf),

Hayley Mills (Countess of Chell) ,

Jessica Martin (Ruth Earp), Jenna Russell (Nellie Cotterill)

Notes: Following its open air season the production went

on a UK Tour. See Original London production: Queen’s

Theatre, July 1973

1994

Patricia Quinn, Kraig Thornber & Joanne Redman

John Gordon Sinclair & Ruthie Henshall

Peter Duncan & Hayley Mills

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50

THE OFFICIAL TRIBUTE TO THE BLUES BROTHERS

(1st Revival) London run: Comedy Theatre, September 21st (46 Performances)

Music: Various

Director: David Leland

Choreographer: Carole Todd

Musical Director: Tony McCormick

Cast: Mark White (Jake), Giles New (Elwood), Doreen Chanter, Paul Murphy, Mary Pearce (The Bluettes).

Notes: This was back in the West End after its UK tour. The show now had a new title: “The Official Tribute

to the Blues Brothers” suggesting that somewhere along the way it had received approval from the Belushi

family.

ONLY THE LONELY London run: Piccadilly Theatre, September 27 1994 – October 14 1995

Transferred to the Whitehall Theatre, October 19 1995 – March 10, 1996

(Performance total: 611 Performances)

Music: Various

Book: Shirlie Roden & Jon Miller

Director: Bill Kenwright/Ian Kellgren

Musical Director: Keith Hayman Producer: Bill Kenwright

Cast: Larry Branson (Roy Orbison), James Carroll Jordan (Bobbie Blackburn), Stephen Tremblay (Wesley

Orbison), Martin Glyn-Murray (Bruce Springsteen), Catherine Porter (Claudette, Mrs Orbison) Sophy

Ackroyd , Paul Besterman, Shelley Blond, Rob Jarvis, Kevin Jones, Dave Mayberry, Anne Smith

Songs: Running Scared, It’s Over, Pretty Woman, Blue Bayou, Only the Lonely.

Story: The late Roy Orbison’s life story is told to his son Wesley by his father’s best friend, Bobbie

Blackburn. His real-life story was a dramatic one: young wife killed in a motorcycle accident, infant children

die in fire, fame, followed by 20 years in the Wilderness, then back on top again, only to suffer a heart attack.

During his career he appeared alongside artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Dusty Springfield, Bob Dylan,

Patsy Cline and the Beatles – and various cast members shared these roles, creating a gripping life-story and

some great music.

Notes: Larry Branson bore an uncanny resemblance to Roy Orbison and had toured the USA for several years

in a tribute show. In May 1995 the cast was joined by P. J. Proby with his own 15 minute spot, and the show

underwent a few changes, being re-named “The Roy Orbison Story”. The show transferred to the Whitehall

Theatre in October 1995 and finally closed on March 10th 1996.

1994

Larry Branson Roy Orbison

51

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND London run: Royalty Theatre (renamed “Island”), September 28th (145

Performances)

Music: Stephen Flaherty

Lyrics & Book: Lynn Ahrens

Director: David Toguri/Gwenda Hughes

Choreographer: David Toguri

Musical Director: Martin Lowe

Cast: Lorna Brown (Ti Moune), Anthony Corriette (Daniel),

P.P.Arnold (Erzulie, goddess of Love), Sharon D. Clarke ( Asaka, goddess of Earth),

Clive Rowe (Papa Ge – Death) , Trevor Michael Georges (The Water God),

Suzanne Packer, Shezwae Powell, Mark Vincent, Johnny Worthy

Songs: We Dance, One Small Girl, And the Gods Heard Her Prayer, Forever Yours, Mama Will Provide, Why

We Tell the Story

Story: During a terrible thunderstorm the following

story is told in an effort to calm a frightened young

girl: Once on this island in the time of black slaves and

Creole aristocrats, the orphan Ti Moune fell in love

with the well-born mulatto landowner Daniel as she

nursed him following a car accident. However, they

could never marry: his skin colour was creamy coffee,

hers was black jet. Ti Moune made a pact with the

local gods – her life for Daniel’s. He survived to marry

another, and she died of grief, but the gods turned her

into a palm tree and she was able to provide shelter for

Daniel’s home for all his life.

Notes: Based on the novel “My Love, My Love” by

Rosa Guy, this is basically an all-black adaptation of

Hans Christian Andersen’s “Little Mermaid” story.

The musical originally opened on Broadway in

October 1990 and ran for 469 performances. The

British premiere opened at the Birmingham Rep in July

1994 and immediately transferred to the West End.

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN London run: King’s Head, November 21 – December 18 (Limited run)

Music & Lyrics: Thomas Morgan & Kevin Meatcher

Director: Dan Crawford

Choreographer: Irving Davies

Musical Director: Nick Finlow

Cast: Gary Cady (Peter Carter), Fiona Sinnott (June), Martin Connor (Conductor),

Simon Clark (Abraham Farlan), Michael Medwin (Dr Reeves), Brogden Miller (Bob

Trubshaw),

Godfrey Kenton (Judge)

Songs: Everyone’s a Fool for Love, What Keeps Dreamers Awake

Story: In the last week of the Second World War, Peter Carter, a British airman, bales out over the Channel

without a parachute, having previously made radio contact with June, an American girl at the base. He should

have died. Perhaps he did. The divine authorities had their eye off the ball and did not record the event. Thus

he is stuck in limbo, torn between going to Heaven or returning to earth with the girl. A Heavenly conductor is

sent down to sort things out, appointing Abraham Farlan to prosecute on behalf of the laws of the Universe, and

Doctor Reeves to defend, arguing that “Love is the Law”

Notes: Based on the film “A Matter of Life and Death” by Michael Power and Emeric Pressburger which

originally starred David Niven and Marius Goring, this show won the 1994 Vivian Ellis Best New Musical

Award.

1994

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52

OUT OF THE BLUE London run: Shaftesbury Theatre, November 23rd (20 Performances)

Music: Shub-Ichi Tokura

Book & Lyrics: Paul Sand

Director: David Gilmore

Choreographer: John Combe

Musical Director: Simon Lee Producer: Tokura Productions UK

Cast: James Graeme (Father Marshall), Greg Ellis (Young James),

Meredith Braun (Hideko), Simon Burke (Young Hiyashi),

David Burt (Old Hiyashi), Stephanie Lao (Young Hana) , Paulette Ivory

(Grown up Hana), Michael McCarthy (Dr Akizuki)

Story: The story moves backwards and forwards between 1945 in Nagasaki and 1970 in Boston and tells of

John Marshall, an American prisoner-of-war , who, after the war, married Hideko, the Japanese sister of his

brutal camp commandant, Hiyashi. Hideko bore him a child but succumbed to radiation sickness, and then

Hiyashi informed Marshall that Hana, the child, had also died. Marshall returned to the USA and became a

Catholic priest. On the 25th anniversary of the Nagasaki bomb Father Marshall meets Dr Akizuki, on a lecture

tour for Peace, and is persuaded to make his first return visit, only to discover that Hana survived, as did his

brother-in-law, unforgiving, still fighting a personal war against America.

Notes: This was a sung-through soft-rock piece, and the programme contained a heartfelt plea for nuclear

disarmament from the Mayor of Nagasaki. However well intentioned the piece, the critics unanimously agreed

the whole show was a total, confused mess, offering trite lyrics, and bland and dull music. However, the show

had been performed with enormous success throughout Japan.

CALAMITY JANE London run: BAC Main, December 9 – January 21 (Limited run)

Music: Sammy Fain

Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster

Book: Charles K. Freeman

Director: Phil Willmot

Choreographer: Jack Gunn

Musical Director: Annemarie Lewis Thomas Producer: The Steam Industry

Cast: Leigh McDonald (Calamity Jane),

Jason Griffiths (Wild Bill Hickok),

Nigel Denham, (Lieutenant Danny Martin),

Tina Deen (Adelaide Adams), Michelle Bissell (Katie Brown),

Matthew Woolcott (Francis Fryer)

Songs: The Deadwood Stage, I Just Blew in from the Windy City,

Black Hills of Dakota, A Woman’s Touch, Secret Love, ‘Tis

Harry I’m Planning to Marry

Story: The rootin’ tootin’ cowboys of Deadwood City are

drooling over cigarette cards of singer Adelaide Adams, so the pistol-toting, Calamity Jane, always eager to be

one of the boys, promises to go to Chicago and bring back this star performer to perform in Henry Miller’s bar.

She returns in triumph, but doesn’t realise she has brought back Adelaide’s humble maid, Katie Brown, instead

of the real thing. Troubles grow because Calamity has her heart set on Lieutenant Danny Martin, but Danny

hits it off with Katie/Adelaide instead. However, it’s been clear from the start that Calamity really should end

up with the much more suitable Wild Bill Hickok – and, once all the misunderstandings, mistaken identities

and so on are sorted out – that’s exactly what happened.

Notes: This stage version was adapted from the Doris Day/Howard Keel film screenplay by James O’Hanlon

1994

Leigh McDonald & Michelle Bissett

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OLIVER (4th Revival) London run: London Palladium,

December 8,1994 - February 21, 1998

Music, Lyrics, Book: Lionel Bart

Director: Sam Mendes

Choreographer: Matthew Bourne

Musical Director: Martin Koch Producer: Cameron Mackintosh

Cast: Jonathan Pryce (Fagin), Sally Dexter (Nancy),

Miles Anderson (Bill Sykes),

Gregory Bradley/James Daley (Oliver),

Paul Bailey/Adam Searles (Artful Dodger),

James Saxon (Mr Bumble), Jenny Galloway (Widow Corney),

David Delve (Mr Sowerberry)

This £3.5 million lavish production was praised as the ultimate

version, and went on to become the longest-running show in the

history of the London Palladium.

Subsequent Fagins included George

Layton, Jim Dale, Russ Abbott, Robert

Lindsay and Barry Humphries.

Subsequent Nancys included Claire

Moore, Ruthie Henshall and Sonia

Swaby. A huge success.

Notes: See original Production,

New Theatre June 1960

First revival: Piccadilly Theatre, April 1967

Second revival: Albery Theatre, December 1977

Third revival: Aldwych Theatre, December 1983

FLORA THE RED MENACE London run: Orange Tree, December 5th (65 Performances)

Music: John Kander

Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Book: David Thompson

Director: Sam Walters

Choreographer: Christine Ling

Musical Director: Matthew Strachan

Cast: Lucy Treager (Flora), Dale Rapley (Harry), Elizabeth Mansfield (Charlotte), Christopher Staines,

Colin Farrell, Nicola Fulljames, Graeme Henderson, Julie-Ann Ward, John Hudson

Songs: Dear Love, All I Need is One Good Break, Knock Knock, Sing Happy, Palamino Pal, Not Every Day of

the Week, Express Yourself.

Story: In the 1930s Depression years, Flora, a naïve young girl, encouraged by Harry,

her boy friend, joins the Communist Party. However she is not really committed to the

cause, unlike Charlotte, who is far more dedicated to the Red cause and even more

committed to Harry himself. Harry resists her advances, and he and Flora get back

together.

Notes: The original Broadway production in 1965 featured 19 year old Liza Minelli and

lasted only 87 performances, though it won Liza a Tony Award for best actress. The

original show had a book by George Abbott and Robert Russell. Over 20 years later the

show was given a new book by David Thompson and several additional Kander and Ebb

songs and the new version was presented off-Broadway in 1987. This was its London

premiere (though it had been performed at the Arts Theatre in Cambridge in 1992)

1994

Jonathan Pryce

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THE THREEPENNY OPERA (3rd Revival) London run: Donmar Warehouse, December 14th (109 Performances)

Music: Kurt Weill

Lyrics & Book: Bertolt Brecht (trans. Robert David MacDonald)

New lyrics: Jeremy Sams

Director: Phyllida Lloyd

Choreographer: Quinny Sacks

Musical Director: Gary Yershon

Cast: Tom Hollander (Macheath), Tom Mannion (Peachum),

Beverley Klein (Mrs Peachum) ,Sharon Small (Polly),

Natasha Bain (Lucy Brown),

Tara Hugo (Jenny), Ben Albu,

Simon Walter, Jeremy Harrison

This production was much praised for Jeremy

Sams’ new lyrics which were felt to reflect the

contemporary spirit intended by Brecht’s

original. It was set in the future – 2001 – with

the coronation of Britain’s next king, William V.

Notes: See Original London production, Royal Court, February 1956.

First revival: Prince of Wales, February 1972

Second revival: Olivier Theatre, March 1986

PETER PAN – THE BRITISH MUSICAL London run: Cambridge Theatre, December 20 – January 21 1995

Music, Lyrics & Book: Piers Chater-Robinson

Director: Pier Chater Robinson

Choreographer: George May

Musical Director: Chris Summerfield Producer: Elly Mercer

Cast: Ron Moody (Capt. Hook/Mr Darling),

Nicola Stapleton (Peter Pan),

Debbie Wall (Wendy),

Rosemary Williams (Mrs Darling),

Pinky Amador (Tiger Lily),

Harry Dickman (Smee),

David Anthony (Nana)

Notes: Apart from the welcome reappearance of Ron Moody in the West End

after a long absence, there was hardly anything to recommend this new

musical version of J.M.Barrie’s famous story. The Times said: “This

dreadful musical hovers, or rather wobbles, between the insufferably

twee and the lethally stupid”. The Sunday Telegraph: “. . there are naff

tunes, naffer lyrics, and dowdy sets. . .”

1994

Tom Mannion & Beverley Klein

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Ron Moody & Nicola Stapleton