1776

I don't know. But the recording was one of my lockdown finds. Such a great score and I'd love to see it on stage.

The London recording of the score is good. David Kernan's Molasses to Rum is a standout. Terry Mitchell, David Firth and Ritchie Stewart sing Momma Look Sharp.

The show itself is one where the book may be better than the songs but it is such a favourite of mine, I wouldn't want to say. But the book, by Peter Stone, is very good and there are times you wonder if there'll be a successful vote for the declaration.

Despite the great stage recordings, I tend to gravitate to the film soundtrack, which has Howard Da Silva as Franklin - he wasn't able to record the Broadway version (I also like to hear the pay-off line at the end of Cool Considerate Men, which is only on the soundtrack. Such an unimportant thing, but I like it). I always go to the London version for Momma Look Sharp.

Sorry to be pedantic but the theatre was called the New Theatre before the Albery (1973) and Noël Coward (2006).

The New London Theatre (now the Gillian Lynne) opened 1973 but is a different theatre.

Ive seen 1776 only once in 1998 at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway. 1970 was just before even my lengthy theatre-going lifetime! I figured I may never see it in London so seized the chance to see it in NY and I was really pleased I did. The outstanding moment was at the end of the first act when the actors reproduced on stage the famous John Trumbull painting Declaration of Independence. Utter magic.