Betty Blue Eyes
Encyclopedia
Betty Blue Eyes was a musical
with music by George Stiles
, lyrics by Anthony Drewe
, and book by Ron Cowen
and Daniel Lipman
. The story was based on the Alan Bennett
screenplay, A Private Function
, and was set during a celebration of the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth
to Prince Philip
.
town in 1947 the citizens endure continuing food rationing in the United Kingdom. Some local businessmen want to hold a party to celebrate the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth
to Prince Philip
and illegally decide to raise a pig
for that occasion. However, the pig is stolen by Gilbert Chilvers, encouraged by his wife Joyce to do so. Meanwhile, a food inspector is determined to stop activities circumventing the food rationing.
's "first gleaming new musical in over 10 years." When describing what drew him to the project (which he has described as "delicious"), Mackintosh said:
, London
, production opened at the Novello Theatre
on 13 April 2011, following previews from 19 March 2011. Betty Blue Eyes is directed by Richard Eyre
, with musical staging by Stephen Mear
. It features scenic design by Tim Hatley
. The original London cast comprises Sarah Lancashire
as Joyce Chilvers, Reece Shearsmith
as Gilbert Chilvers, David Bamber
as Doctor Swaby, Jack Edwards as Mr Allardyce, Ann Emery
as Mother Dear, Mark Meadows
as Lockwood and Adrian Scarborough
as Inspector Wormold. The musical closed in London on 24 September 2011, after failing to attract an audience in sufficient numbers to keep the production economically viable.
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with music by George Stiles
George Stiles
George William Stiles is an English composer of musicals for stage and screen.-Education:From 1974 to 1979, he was educated at Gresham's School, in Norfolk.George Stiles also went to Exeter University.-Collaboration with Anthony Drewe:...
, lyrics by Anthony Drewe
Anthony Drewe
Anthony Drewe is a British lyricist and book writer for Broadway and West End musicals. He is best known for his collaborations with George Stiles.-Work with George Stiles:*additional songs for the musical Mary Poppins*Tutankhamun*Honk!...
, and book by Ron Cowen
Ron Cowen
Ron Cowen is a writer and producer.-As a writer:* Queer as Folk TV Series * Sisters TV Series* The Love She Sought * An Early Frost * Paul's Case...
and Daniel Lipman
Daniel Lipman
Daniel Lipman is a writer and producer from Baltimore, Maryland, United States. His best known work to date is writing for and producing the hit American television shows Queer as Folk and Sisters.-Writer:* Leap Years...
. The story was based on the Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
screenplay, A Private Function
A Private Function
A Private Function is a 1984 British comedy film starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith. The film was predominantly filmed in Ilkley and Ben Rhydding, West Yorkshire. The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival....
, and was set during a celebration of the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
to Prince Philip
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
.
Synopsis
In a small Northern EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
town in 1947 the citizens endure continuing food rationing in the United Kingdom. Some local businessmen want to hold a party to celebrate the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
to Prince Philip
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
and illegally decide to raise a pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
for that occasion. However, the pig is stolen by Gilbert Chilvers, encouraged by his wife Joyce to do so. Meanwhile, a food inspector is determined to stop activities circumventing the food rationing.
Background
Betty Blue Eyes has received much press in being producer Cameron MackintoshCameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...
's "first gleaming new musical in over 10 years." When describing what drew him to the project (which he has described as "delicious"), Mackintosh said:
- "Well, the score was written by friends of mine, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who I've known for 25 years and [who,] of course, did all the terrific new songs for Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (musical)Mary Poppins is a Walt Disney Theatrical musical based on the similarly titled series of children's books by P. L. Travers and the Disney 1964 film. The West End production opened in December 2004 and received two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical and the other for Best Theatre...
. . . But actually, the book was written by two Americans [Cowen and Lipman], and it was their idea . . . I read it and I thought it was the most original piece I had read in a long, long time. I mean, I knew they were working on it, because the moment I heard it was a musical version of 'A Private Function' — a film I loved, by Alan Bennett, which was very, very funny and off-the-wall — I was intrigued . . ."
Productions
The West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, production opened at the Novello Theatre
Novello Theatre
The Novello Theatre is a West End theatre on Aldwych, in the City of Westminster.-History:The theatre was built as one of a pair with the Aldwych Theatre on either side of the Waldorf Hotel, both being designed by W. G. R. Sprague. The theatre opened as the Waldorf Theatre on 22 May 1905, and was...
on 13 April 2011, following previews from 19 March 2011. Betty Blue Eyes is directed by Richard Eyre
Richard Eyre
Sir Richard Charles Hastings Eyre CBE is an English director of film, theatre, television, and opera.-Biography:Eyre was educated at Sherborne School, an independent school for boys in the market town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset in south-west England, followed by Peterhouse at the University...
, with musical staging by Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear is an English dancer and choreographer best known for his award-winning work in musical theatre. In 2005, Mear and co-choreographer Matthew Bourne won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Choreography, for their work on the new West End musical Mary Poppins...
. It features scenic design by Tim Hatley
Tim Hatley
Tim Hatley is a British set and costume designer for theater and film. He is the winner of the Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design, and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Set Design.Hatley was educated at Bearwood...
. The original London cast comprises Sarah Lancashire
Sarah Lancashire
Sarah Lancashire is an English actress, probably best recognised for her role as Raquel Watts in Coronation Street. She graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1986.-Television:...
as Joyce Chilvers, Reece Shearsmith
Reece Shearsmith
Reeson "Reece" Shearsmith is an English actor and writer. He is most famous for his work as part of The League of Gentlemen along with fellow performers Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and co-writer Jeremy Dyson.-Early life:...
as Gilbert Chilvers, David Bamber
David Bamber
David James Bamber is an English actor, known for his television and theatre work. He is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.-Early years:...
as Doctor Swaby, Jack Edwards as Mr Allardyce, Ann Emery
Ann Emery
Ann Emery is a British actress. She is the sister of actor and comedian Dick Emery.Educated at Mrs Smith's School for Young Ladies and the Cone Ripman School, she excelled in tap dancing, which led to her first stage role as a Babe in Babes In The Wood at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith.During...
as Mother Dear, Mark Meadows
Mark Meadows
Mark Stephen Meadows is an attorney, former Mayor of the City of East Lansing, Michigan, and current Assistant Leader of the Michigan State House of Representatives...
as Lockwood and Adrian Scarborough
Adrian Scarborough
Adrian Philip Scarborough is an English character actor and won an Olivier award for best actor in a supporting role in 2011.Scarborough was born in Melton Mowbray, and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Chesterton Award for Best Actor.In 1993, he was nominated for the Ian...
as Inspector Wormold. The musical closed in London on 24 September 2011, after failing to attract an audience in sufficient numbers to keep the production economically viable.
Musical Numbers
Act I- Overture (Austerity Britain) —The Orchestra
- Fair Shares for All —Joyce, The Company
- A Place on the Parade —Gilbert, Joyce
- Magic Fingers —Gilbert, Mrs Roach, Mrs Lester, Mrs Turnbull
- Magic Fingers (Reprise) —Mrs Metcalf, Gilbert
- Painting by Heart —Wormold, The Company
- Nobody —Joyce, The Company
- A Private Function —Swaby, Allardyce, Lockwood
- Betty Blue Eyes —Allardyce, Gilbert
- The Riot —Wormold, Noble, The Company
- Lionheart —Joyce, The Billy Carroll Trio, The Company
- Steal the Pig —Gilbert, Joyce, Swaby, Allardyce, Lockwood, Wormold, The Company
Act II
- Entr'acte (The Pignap) — The Orchestra
- Another Little Victory —Gilbert, Joyce, The Company
- Kill the Pig (Reprise) —Joyce
- It's an Ill Wind —Mrs Tilbrook, Townswomen
- Pig No Pig —Joyce, Gilbert, Mother Dear, Wormold, Veronica
- The Kind of Man I Am —Gilbert
- A Piss Stained, Piss Poor Country —Swaby, Allardyce, Lockwood, Noble
- Betty Blue Eyes (Reprise) —Gilbert, Allardyce
- A Private Function (Reprise) —The Company
- Finale Ultimo - Confessions —The Company
- Magic Fingers (Reprise) —Gilbert, Joyce
- Goodbye Austerity Britain —The Company
Original London Cast
- Joyce Chilvers — Sarah LancashireSarah LancashireSarah Lancashire is an English actress, probably best recognised for her role as Raquel Watts in Coronation Street. She graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1986.-Television:...
- Gilbert Chilvers — Reece ShearsmithReece ShearsmithReeson "Reece" Shearsmith is an English actor and writer. He is most famous for his work as part of The League of Gentlemen along with fellow performers Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and co-writer Jeremy Dyson.-Early life:...
- Dr James Swaby — David BamberDavid BamberDavid James Bamber is an English actor, known for his television and theatre work. He is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.-Early years:...
- Henry Allardyce — Jack Edwards
- Mother Dear — Ann EmeryAnn EmeryAnn Emery is a British actress. She is the sister of actor and comedian Dick Emery.Educated at Mrs Smith's School for Young Ladies and the Cone Ripman School, she excelled in tap dancing, which led to her first stage role as a Babe in Babes In The Wood at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith.During...
- Francis Lockwood —Mark MeadowsMark Meadows (actor)Mark Meadows is a British actor.On radio, Meadows has appeared in Lost Souls and The Worst Journey in the World, both first broadcast in 2008 and directed by Kate McAll for BBC Radio 4....
- Inspector Wormold —Adrian ScarboroughAdrian ScarboroughAdrian Philip Scarborough is an English character actor and won an Olivier award for best actor in a supporting role in 2011.Scarborough was born in Melton Mowbray, and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Chesterton Award for Best Actor.In 1993, he was nominated for the Ian...
- Voice of Betty the Pig - Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...