21st January - 24th January 1998
The
Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
For
it's inaugral production, Elmbridge Youth Theatre chose
Sandy Wilson's classic 1920's set musical 'The
Boyfriend' containing the hit songs 'It's nicer in
Nice', 'It's never too late to fall in love' and of
course the title song 'The Boyfriend'. First
presented at the Player's Theatre, London, in 1953, the
show was an overnight success. Early in 1954, it
transferred to Wyndham's Theatre, where it enjoyed a
record breaking run. It achieved equal success on
Broadway, with Julie Andrews making her debut as Polly
Browne. In 1971, Ken Russell directed a film version
starring Twiggy and then in 1984, the show was revived,
firstly at the Old Vic and later at the Albery Theatre.
8th July - 11th July 1998
The Playhouse,
Walton-on-Thames
Our next production was the comedy 'The Bread and
Butter Trade' by acclaimed playwright Peter Terson.
Originally presented by the National Youth Theatre in
1976, EYT gained special permission from the author
to present an updated version of the play.
Set in the
two star Victoria Hotel in Bayswater, London, the play
featured a stream of wonderful characters - "assorted"
guests and hotel staff that combined to produce a hugely
enjoyable fast paced comedy.
26th January - 30th January 1999
The
Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
For the groups' third major production, the
company picked 'Crazy for you' the musical based around
the hits of the Gershwin brothers, George and Ira.
The show premiered on Broadway in 1992, but
technically speaking it began life 70 years earlier with
the writing of I'll Build A Staircase To Paradise, a
passage of which is featured in scene 6 when the girls
arrive in Deadrock. The producers of Crazy For You,
Roger Horchow and Elizabeth Williams, both big fans of
Gershwin, decided to develop a new Broadway show based
loosely on the plot of Girl Crazy. Having received the
approval for the project fom Ira's widow Leonore shortly
before her death, they had the entire Gershwin back
catalogue from which to choose. Director Mike Ockrent
and author Ken Ludwig built the score around old
favourites, classical pieces and even introduced two
previously unpublished songs - Tonight'sThe Night and
What Causes That. Girl Crazy provided many of the other
songs including I got Rhythm and Embraceable You. The
book Crazy For You is completely new; however Ken Ludwig
admits to having been inspired by the musical comedies
and films of that period to create a script that isn't
at odds with the music. The compilation of these superb
songs into one spectacular musical for the 90s, is
testament to their longevity and popularity.
30th July - 3rd July 1999
The Playhouse,
Walton-on-Thames
Based on Henry Fieldings classic novel, 'Tom Jones'
is faithful to the spirit of the great picaresque book,
and at the same time imbues it with a contemporary sparkle.
Following the fortunes of the hero, Tom as he falls victim
to the charms of one rustic wench after another, Joan
McAlpine's riotous adaptation, which was commissioned
by the Council of Repertory Theatres, met with such success
on it's first production at the Leatherhead Theatre Club,
that it was transferred to the West End, where Keith Barron
starred as Tom.
25th Jan - 29th Jan 2000 The Playhouse,
Walton-on-Thames
"Do-si-do and away we go!" That square dance call
inspired the title of a new musical being assembled
by Broadway Producers 'The Theatre Guild' in 1942, based
on a folksy play entitled Green Grow The Lilacs. As
Away We Go, the show went into rehearsals early in 1943
and played out-of-town engagements where the normal
changes were made, including dropping one song and shifting
the order of others. In a last minute decision, the
title of the show was changed and as Oklahoma! it premiered
on 31st March 1943 at the St James' Theatre in New York.
The opening was a triumph - not only for the show itself
but also, in retrospect, for what it meant for the musical
theatre.
Oklahoma! was hailed as revolutionary, an odd word perhaps
to describe a musical play about plain and simple territory
folk. But the revolution was simply that all the elements
- music, spoken words, sung words, dancing, scenery
and costumes, etc. were blended into one cohesive artistic
whole for the very first time. The team of Rodgers &
Hammerstein was born and the musical theatre was never
the same again.
The film version was released in 1955 and won two Academy
Awards, while on stage, Oklahoma! has continued to be
performed in theatres and halls around the world, culminating
in the outstanding revival by the Royal National Theatre
in 1998.
28th June - 1st July 2000 The Playhouse,
Walton-on-Thames
A Chorus Line is a celebration of the unsung
heroes of Musical Theatre - the chorus dancers. Set in
the 1970s, the story takes the audience on a
heart-rending, nail biting roller-coaster of emotions as
the final gruelling auditions for a new musical are held
- the long line of hopefuls know they will be cut down
to four boys and four girls! In the process, each
performer is asked to give a personal history of how
they came to be in show business and what are their
hopes and aspirations. From childhood on, their memories
emerge, blending into a seamless series of musical
numbers and monologues, some humouress, some poignant.
The show enjoyed record-breaking runs both on Broadway
and at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and in 1985 was
directed for the 'Silver Screen' by Richard
Attenborough, with Michael Douglas in the role of Zach,
the theatre director.
24th January - 27th January 2001 The
Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
Half A Sixpence opened at the Cambridge Theatre,
London on 21st March 1963 to the rapturous acclaim of
both critics and public. The show was the first
collaboration of David Heneker and Beverly Cross (both
with individual records of many successes in London and
New York) and was commissioned by the Theatre Impresario
Harold Fielding as a vehicle for Tommy Steele, one of
the leading 'rock-n-roll' singers of the day. The
writers began their work in 1961 and, after a long
winter session in the remote fishing village of Hope
Cove in Devon, they went to Liverpool and performed the
piece to Tommy Steele. It was late at night in a dim and
smoky jazz club, Tommy was tired after two theatre shows
and the authors were exhausted after a long journey, but
there in a dark basement, the play began to live for the
first time. David Heneker repeated number after number
and towards morning, Tommy began to sing and his
enthusiasm was infectious. "Half A Sixpence" was
born! The show ran for 677 triumphant performances in
the West End and later took Broadway by storm, opening
there in 1965. "Half A Sixpence" was transferred to the
'silver screen' in 1967 and proved to be a stunning
success.
28th June - 30th June 2001 The Playhouse,
Walton-on-Thames
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole 13 ¾, based on
the internationally best selling book, was created for
the Phoenix Arts, Leicester where it received its first
production in September 1984. It was subsequently staged
at Wyndham's Theatre, London, in December 1984 starring
Simon Schatzberger in the title role. Sue Townsend
born in 1946, became one of the decades best selling
authors after her 1982 debut novel about the thirteen
year old Adrian, and its sequel The Growing Pains of
Adrian Mole. Since then she has written a string of
highly successful books, including Rebuilding Coventry,
The Queen And I, and the acclaimed Ghost Children. More
recently, she adapted her latest book, Adrian Mole The
Cappuccino Years into a BBC television series. Ken
Howard's and Alan Blaikley's songwriting and composing
partnership has resulted in over forty international
hits, including The Legend of Xanadu, Bend It, and Have
I The Right? They were the first British composers to
write hits for Elvis Presley (I've lost You, and Heart
of Rome) and they have been presented with many gold
discs for sales of over one million. Their output
includes several television musicals, the West End
production Mardis Gras and award winning television
scores such as By The Sword Divided and Miss
Marple. Adrian has remained the country's most famous
comic diarist since his first appearance nearly twenty
years ago and as sales of his books indicate, his
popularity has not declined. Before Bridget Jones there
was Adrian Mole, and in Sue Townsend's satiric writing
we had a hilarious view of 1980s suburbia. Since then a
lot has changed: Governments have been replaced,
attitudes have shifted; but the frustrations of a spotty
thirteen year old still seem to strike a chord. Like a
lot of us, Adrian is lost and confused in a strange
world he doesn't understand. But it seems a fair bet to
say that with his comic and poignant attempts to make
sense of it all, Adrian will be with us for quite some
time yet!
23rd
January - 26th January 2002
The Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
The
musical Annie is based on the comic strip Little Orphan
Annie, which began in New York in 1924 and was created
by Harold Gray. He went to Captain Patterson who owned
the New York News with the idea for a comic strip
called Little Orphan Andy about a boy. Captain Patterson
said they had enough comic strips about little boys
and that he would be interested in one about a little
girl. Little Orphan Annie was the result and it was
printed in the New York News beginning August 1924
and was almost immediately picked up by the Chicago
Tribune. It became enormously popular and was syndicated.
When Harold Gray died in 1968, the comic strip was
then drawn by various artists until April 1974, when
the Syndicate (the Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate
Inc.) began offering re-runs of the old, original
Harold Gray stories from the 1930s.
The comic strip still appears daily and Sunday in
150 American Newspapers.
After a hugely successful run on Broadway and the
West End, the show became a blockbusting film in 1984
starring Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks and directed
by John Huston.
26th
June - 29th June 2002
The Playhouse, Walton on Thames
For
their tenth major production, Elmbridge Youth Theatre
presented an evenings selection from some of the major
musicals of recent times including 'Les Miserables',
'Blood Brothers', 'Chicago', 'Sunset Boulevard', 'Miss
Saigon' and 'Evita'. Incorporating familiar songs
and scenes from the shows themselves, the production
encompassed some of the most exhilarating moments
from musical theatre.
22nd
January - 25th January 2003
The Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
There
are very few musicals that can claim to be groundbreaking,
but 'West Side Story' conforms on every level. From
its breathtaking score by Leonard Bernstein, its dramatic
script by Arthur Laurents, to its exceptional lyrics
penned by a young Stephen Sondheim, it was unlike
anything Broadway had ever seen before. Opening in
1957 under the direction of legendary choreographer
Jerome Robbins, the show was a critical triumph; it
opened at Her Majesty's Theatre in London the following
year. A stunning success, 'West Side Story', was later
turned into a film starring Natalie Wood and went
on to win her ten Oscars, including one for Best Picture. Based
on 'Romeo and Juliet' and set amongst the street gangs
of New York, fighting for their turf, the show tells
the story of Tony, lapsed lieutenant of the Jets and
his doomed love for Maria, sister of Bernardo, the
leader of the Sharks and the Jets bitterest rivals.
The violent struggle for supremacy is tearing the
couple apart and as the pair hope that their love
can survive the two gangs' thirst for revenge, lead
to an explosive finale.
Filled with unforgettable songs such as 'Somewhere',
I Feel pretty' and 'Gee Officer Krupke' whenever it
is performed 'West Side Story' is a memorable and
captivating evening in the theatre.
See press review
click
on thumbnails below to see photos from this production
A
Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum
, 2003
25th
- 28th June 2003
The Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
Featuring
the famous 'Comedy Tonight', 'Everybody ought to have
a Maid' and 'Lovely' this was Sondheim's first full
Broadway score. A massive success on opening Frankie
Howard's performance in the original London production
revitalised his career and inspired the TV series
'Up Pompeii' in which he was later to star.
It's 100BC in Rome. While Senex goes to visit his
wife's mother in the country, slave Hysterium is put
in charge of the house and guardianship of the morals
of their son, Hero. The latter, however, has already
fallen for a courtesan from the house next door. His
own servant, Pseudolus, wants to be free and will
do anything to achieve that status. It turns out that
the girl is already paid for by Miles Gloriosus, a
warrior. Pseudolus gets to work and puts it about
that this birgin comes from Crete, where there's a
plague; she could infect everyone! Let Pseudolus look
after her. With Hero's help the birgin is moved into
Senex's house. Senex returns unexpectedly and is mistaken
for her new master by the virgin, Philia, now living
there. Before long event piles on event and Pseudolus
ends up impersonating Lycus as the real Miles turns
up for his bride.
Miles is entertained in Senex's house, which he thinks
is the courtesan house. Senex's wife now returns and
suspects her husband of sexual shenanigans. Pseudolus
has to convince Miles his bride is dead and persuades
Hysterium to dress up as a corpse. Now for the burning
pyre! Hysterium is not best pleased at this turn of
events - and immediately returns to life. By the end
of the evening Miles and Philia are revealed as brother
and sister, long-lost children of Erronius, Hero and
Philia are together and Pseudolus has his freedom.
'This is the funniest, bawdiest and most enchanting
Broadway musical that Plautus, with a little help
from Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
ever wrote... Mr. Sondheim's music is original and
charming, with considerable musical subtlety but a
regard for the down-to-earth showbiz vigour that is
precisely what is needed. And, as always, his lyrics
were a joy to listen to. The American theatre has
not had a lyricist like this since Hart or Porter'
- Clive Barnes.
See press review
click
on thumbnails below to see photos from this production
28th - 31st January 2004 The Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
Based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon, the play is set mainly in New York in the 50s and brings together two improbable couples - Nathan Detroit, the operator of an illegal 'floating crap game' and his long-suffering girlfriend Miss Adelaide, cabaret star of the Hot Box Club, along with Sky Masterson, the big-time gambler and local Mission girl Sarah Brown. When 'the Good and the Bad' come together, the result is pure magic, one of the masterpieces of the musical theatre. Full of wonderful characters and unforgettable songs, including "Luck be a Lady", "I've never been in love before" and "Sit down, you're rockin' the boat", the show was filmed with Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando and revived to great acclaim at the National Theatre in the 80s with Bob Hoskins, Julia McKenzie, Ian Charleson and Imelda Staunton.
Elmbridge Youth Theatre invited audiences to ‘Consider Themselves At Home’ when the Walton Playhouse played host to their rousing production of the musical ‘Oliver’.
Since Lionel Bart first adapted Charles Dickens’ novel ‘Oliver Twist’ as a musical in 1960, it has become common-place for composers to look for inspiration in the Victorian novelist’s work. But despite many pale imitators ‘Oliver’ remains far and away the brightest of the Dickens stage adaptations. Constantly revived and turned into an Oscar winning film in 1968, this show has deservedly earned its place at the heart of musical theatre.
Packed with memorable songs such as ‘Food Glorious Food,’ ‘I’d Do Anything,’ ‘Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two,’ and ‘Who Will Buy,’ ‘Oliver’ is the perfect combination of great songs, vivid characterisation, comedy, suspense and good old fashioned story-telling.
Telling the story of orphan Oliver Twist, from his ragged beginnings in the Workhouse Orphanage to his life on the streets of London as an unwitting member of a pick-pocketing gang, the show follows Oliver’s search for security and his desperate attempts to escape from the murderous Bill Sikes.
In this vibrant production by EYT the title role of Oliver was played by nine year old Dominic Grainger who gave an accomplished performance in the demanding central role. He was joined by the wily Artful Dodger, played brilliantly by Harry Boulton, who brought just the right blend of streetwise cheek and urchin charm to one of the most memorable characters in the show.
The inimitable Fagin was played with relish by Rufus Cooper in a performance of great comic skill and superb timing that was a joy to watch.
As Nancy, Kristy Bottrall had some of the best songs in the show, and her performance of ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ was one of the emotional high points of the evening. Playing her boyfriend the menacing Bill Sikes, Neil Dicker dominated the stage whenever he appeared. Brooding, unpredictable and vengeful, Neil made the perfect villain and in his song ‘My Name,’ displayed a powerful vocal range that matched his skill in portraying one of literatures most dangerous blackguards.
With wonderful support from the marvellous Sam Fry as Mr Bumble, Jenny Hill as the frightening Widow Corney, Lorraine Wright on excellent form as Mrs Sowerberry and Alan Dudley, suitably sinister as the undertaker Mr Sowerberry, this was a cast that didn’t put a foot wrong.
A large scale musical like this offers a challenge to any group, but EYT rose to the occasion magnificently. With the support of a first class orchestra led by Ken Poole, stunning costumes and spot on choreography by Carole Andrew and the excellent sure-fire direction of Richard Davis, this was a fantastic evening’s entertainment and yet another splendid success for the versatile Elmbridge Youth Theatre.
7th - 9th July 2006 The Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames
‘A Slice of Saturday Night’ is a musical pastiche that takes you spinning back to the Swinging Sixties, to celebrate the eternal embarrassment of the teenage years and in particular the Saturday night rituals of pubescent 17 year-olds. In this smash-hit musical spoof, girls in mini-skirts and boys in tight trousers sing songs about teen trauma, that sound like all those 60s hits from Cliff and the ‘Shads’ to Bob Dylan via the Beatles! You’ll recognise (or at least think you do!) all the many great songs and laugh at the antics of the younger generation in those heady ‘Carnaby Street’ days.
A talented young cast was put through its paces by guest Director, David Rowan, who has written and directed for EYT on several previous occasions – he even appeared on stage as Officer Krupke in our production of West Side Story a couple of years ago. As usual, the play was choreographed and costumed by Carole Andrew and the Musical Director was Ken Poole.
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