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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2019 22:24:55 GMT
Remember a musical called 70 Girls 70 about a group of OAP fur-thieves who are trying to raise funds to buy out their retirement home(yes,really),which I saw at the Oldham Coliseum originally.I believe it transferred to the Vaudeville with Dora Bryan but only ran for a few months.I particularly remember a lovely song from it called ‘Well-Laid Plans’.The director was the wonderful Paul Kerryson.
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Post by horton on Mar 16, 2019 22:36:15 GMT
Emma Finch is a great Kander & Ebb number, as is Coffee in a Cardboard Cup!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2019 23:03:32 GMT
Remember a musical called 70 Girls 70 about a group of OAP fur-thieves who are trying to raise funds to buy out their retirement home(yes,really),which I saw at the Oldham Coliseum originally.I believe it transferred to the Vaudeville with Dora Bryan but only ran for a few months.I particularly remember a lovely song from it called ‘Well-Laid Plans’.The director was the wonderful Paul Kerryson. Was that the same production that had Shezwae Powell in?? If so i remember seeing it, was it really the Vaudeville? My memory is playing tricks, i could have sworn it was the Cambridge! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2019 23:54:36 GMT
Just dug out my programme in the attic which says it was at the Vaudeville in 1991 and yes,did indeed feature Shezwae Powell with James Gavin,Peter Edbrook,Pip Hinton,Joan Savage and Buster Skeggs amongst others.According to the web it only ran for 35 performances on Broadway and one of the performers (David Burns)had a heart attack in the previews in Philadelphia whilst on stage and died soon after.I do remember another of Kerryson’s transfers from the Oldham Coliseum at the Cambridge which was a jukebox musical called Hot Stuff and featured David Dale and Peter Straker and was a real hoot! I was a resident in Oldham and saw some amazing Kerryson projects such as Hello Dolly,Godspell and a very graphic Sweeney Todd all produced on a shoe- string budget.How amazing that a tiny backstreet theatre in a Northern industrial town could deliver West End transfers which myself and others felt proud to follow South to support.
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Post by horton on Mar 17, 2019 1:40:34 GMT
I remembered it being at the Fortune, but the Vaudeville is quite similar. (Both were glorious flea pits).
Dora Bryan was a legend.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2019 7:40:56 GMT
Agreed.Dora Bryan was a real trooper and had fabulous stage presence.Not sure if they ‘make them like that anymore.’
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Post by musicallady on Mar 17, 2019 15:30:14 GMT
Remember a musical called 70 Girls 70 about a group of OAP fur-thieves who are trying to raise funds to buy out their retirement home(yes,really),which I saw at the Oldham Coliseum originally.I believe it transferred to the Vaudeville with Dora Bryan but only ran for a few months.I particularly remember a lovely song from it called ‘Well-Laid Plans’.The director was the wonderful Paul Kerryson. I saw this production when it was on tour at Billingham Forum and loved every minute. Dora Bryan was outstanding. Somewhere I have the cassette cast recording. |
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Post by tonyloco on Mar 17, 2019 16:53:55 GMT
I loved it too ('70 Girls 70') and saw it several times at the Vaudeville. The Kander and Ebb score was classic and Dora Bryan was terrific. I remember one of my theatrical friends saying the production betrayed its provincial origins but it gave me much pleasure.
After what had happened in the American production, there was always a possibility that one of the ancient performers on stage would not survive the performance but that just added to the fun wondering whether anybody would keel over before the end!
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Post by sf on Mar 17, 2019 17:30:48 GMT
Remember a musical called 70 Girls 70 about a group of OAP fur-thieves who are trying to raise funds to buy out their retirement home(yes,really),which I saw at the Oldham Coliseum originally.I believe it transferred to the Vaudeville with Dora Bryan but only ran for a few months.I particularly remember a lovely song from it called ‘Well-Laid Plans’.The director was the wonderful Paul Kerryson.
Directed by Paul Kerryson, but at Chichester rather than the Oldham Coliseum. It played at the Opera House in Manchester, I think between Chichester and the West End, and that's where I saw it. Charming show, and Dora Bryan was terrific in it.
(I'm from Oldham. I was in the sixth form at the time, and I saw everything at the Coliseum. In 1990-91, their musicals - also directed by Paul Kerryson, who was their artistic director at the time - were revivals of Company and Sweeney Todd and Kerryson's 60s and 70s jukebox musicals, Hold Tight it's 60s Night and Hot Stuff.)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2019 18:38:38 GMT
Dug out my old programme collection the other night and yes you are right 70GIRLS70 was staged in Manchester.Do you remember a show called RAVING BEAUTIES at the Col which had a young Minnie Driver in the cast?Also I am reminded of great productions of PIAF,BREAKING THE CODE and many more.I think Kerryson left to go to one of the Leicester theatres.There is a book about the Col called THEY STARTED HERE apparently which I keep meaning to order as stars like Driver and Ralph Fiennes along with Thora Hird,Kathy Staff and half of the cast of Corrie seemed to get their big break at the theatre.We were well served in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas with the Col,Opera House,the Palace,the Octagon,the Contact and perhaps most strangely the King’s Hall in a funfair/zoo complex called Belle Vue where I saw my first ever Panto as a youngster featuring Stanley Baxter or so I am told.The King’s Hall was also a concert venue and was used for Boxing and Wrestling.There was also a smaller venue in Oldham called the Grange Arts Centre which I remember doing a Drama festival at.
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Post by sf on Mar 17, 2019 18:44:04 GMT
The Grange Arts Centre is still there. It's part of Oldham College, but they hire the venue out to other productions too.
I must have seen Raving Beauties but I have no memory of it. Somewhere in the house there's a copy of They Started Here, but I've no idea where it is.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2019 21:00:38 GMT
In my old programmes collection have found a brochure-type programme for a show called A SLICE OF SATURDAY NIGHT which I can’t remember a thing about.I must have seen it on tour, perhaps in Manchester.Any recollections? Did it bomb?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2019 21:24:31 GMT
A Slice of Saturday Night has done the rounds a few times now. I believe one of the more recent tours starred Sonia (The Mersey!)
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Post by Someone in a tree on Mar 18, 2019 21:27:46 GMT
A Slice of Saturday Night has done the rounds a few times now. I believe one of the more recent tours starred Sonia (The Mersey!) Errrrm yeah! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2019 16:44:54 GMT
It ran for a couple of years in London (off West End).
Best forgotten, but I saw it in Manchester when the tour starred Gary Glitter.
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Post by horton on Mar 21, 2019 14:09:53 GMT
There are plenty more to dig up.
I rather enjoyed Spin of the Wheel.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2019 14:38:51 GMT
There are plenty more to dig up. I rather enjoyed Spin of the Wheel. I'd never heard of that one so had to look it up. Thankfully it's on Maria Friedman's website. It definitely was a blink and you miss it show. It didnt even last a month.
I didnt move to London until 1990, so just slightly before my time here.
It sounds.... interesting. Was it a comedy??
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Post by horton on Mar 21, 2019 16:12:59 GMT
Yes but that song was very catchy! And it was at the Comedy Theatre. The COMEDY.
I went along expecting much more audience participation, but it was a tame rom-com.
The only song I remember is the one where the guy is being given the answers before the quiz- hence the butterfly reference. I liked that song- wasn't it the Act 1 closer?
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Post by horton on Mar 22, 2019 16:37:19 GMT
Digging deep into the late 80s/ early 90s: how about Nunsense at the Fortune?
Pip Hinton was in that too. (She was David Burt's mother btw)
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Post by esteveyb on Mar 23, 2019 20:10:01 GMT
Oh loved Mrs Henderson Presents! I mean, Emma and Tracie, that is WINNING in my eye! Was this actually a flop? I assumed it was a limited engagement - it didn't close early? I secretly enjoyed Viva Forever - I saw it in previews and was underwhelmed, but then I saw it a few days before it closed and was pleasantly surprised by the changes they made. They clearly did not workshop it enough - it needed an out-of-London run in Manchester or somewhere. Made In Dagenham is the most upsetting flop for me. I LOVED Gemma Arterton in it - she made that show, and not even the ropey lyrics (This Is America was dire) and some bits of the book failing stopped me loving it. I've since seen the Hornchurch/Ipswich actor-musician version as well, and quite a few amateur local versions of it and I do think it was massively under-appreciated here. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 7:55:20 GMT
In my old programmes collection have found a brochure-type programme for a show called A SLICE OF SATURDAY NIGHT which I can’t remember a thing about.I must have seen it on tour, perhaps in Manchester.Any recollections? Did it bomb? I saw this on tour in the late 80s or early 90s. It’s actually pretty good - from the synopsis you might assume it’s a jukebox musical but actually the songs are pastiches of 60s pop and (judging by “I Fancy You” which is the one I remember as a highlight) the lyrics are quite witty |
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Post by Tibidabo on Mar 24, 2019 8:35:17 GMT
I've just dug out my programme as I have a strong memory of this (not sure why!) from circa 1989/90. I do wish programmes would say where I saw it, as I couldn't honestly say. However, it began life at The Nightingale, Brighton, then went to The King's Head and on to the Arts (first perf 27 September 1989) and the Shaftesbury (where I'm pretty certain is where I saw it.)
I remember it being an up-beat, fun show and I have fairly strong recollections of the title song, which sounded like something a cross between The Bay City Rollers and Kenny (remember them?!) could have churned out.
I could be doing them a disservice, but I don't recognise any of the cast names, although one of them was in Brookside and, because his face in the programme looked vaguely familiar, I researched further and discovered he was latterly in Hollyoakes, The Bill, Emmerdale, etc. etc. and was also husband number ? of Denise Welch.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 9:08:11 GMT
If this was revived by Southwark or similar I’d be there!
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Post by johartuk on Mar 25, 2019 11:52:04 GMT
I've just dug out my programme as I have a strong memory of this (not sure why!) from circa 1989/90. I do wish programmes would say where I saw it, as I couldn't honestly say. However, it began life at The Nightingale, Brighton, then went to The King's Head and on to the Arts (first perf 27 September 1989) and the Shaftesbury (where I'm pretty certain is where I saw it.) I remember it being an up-beat, fun show and I have fairly strong recollections of the title song, which sounded like something a cross between The Bay City Rollers and Kenny (remember them?!) could have churned out. I could be doing them a disservice, but I don't recognise any of the cast names, although one of them was in Brookside and, because his face in the programme looked vaguely familiar, I researched further and discovered he was latterly in Hollyoakes, The Bill, Emmerdale, etc. etc. and was also husband number ? of Denise Welch. David Easter? He was Pharaoh in Joseph at Palladium (1991). |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2019 12:13:02 GMT
Did anyone else catch Always - The musical about Edward and Mrs Simpson?
It ran at the Victoria Palace from May - July 1997.
Although it bombed massively, i rather enjoyed and and saw it twice. There were parts of it that were truely dreadul but some of the score is good and i still listen to some of it. The lyrics are sometimes basic, and you can see the rhymes coming a mile off, but some good melodies. Clive Carter, Jan Hartley, Shani Wallis and Sheila Ferguson (who shouldnt do musicals again after this and The Man In The Iron Mask)
Best Song: The Reason To Live is to Love, sung by Shani Wallis and Worst Song: Carousel of Love (Sheila Ferguson)
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