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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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