Just-the-Ticket Productions at the Theatre Museum

 

After our production of Sail Away, we realised that to continue to do the shows in the way we wanted and the way they deserved to be restored was financially impossible, until Rex Bunnett - the Musical Theatre Consultant of the Theatre Museum in Covent Garden - asked me to start a concert series of 'forgotten' British musicals at the Museum.

I was very conscious of making a success of the Theatre Museum opportunity so that we could celebrate the shows and the writers of British Musical Theatre, but also so that the project could take off and allow us to produce many other musicals.

Concert versions of musicals have a danger to be static and dull - I wanted the shows to live! I do not want people to say that these 'forgotten' musical should be left forgotten.

I like to give the shows some simple staging - taking into account the scripts that are in the hands of the actors and the small playing area. I am not adverse to slightly snipping scenes and songs and re-working scripts slightly - if permission is sought from the writers or the estates of the writers - and that all alterations are approved and made clear to the audience.

Shows that have been 'forgotten' fall into many categories - but mainly for two reasons: (1) flop (2) unrevivable

If a show flops it is not always because the show is bad. It may be because the production values are bad, or because of a weak director, casting difficulties, funding problems, bad timing. There are many reasons. A show can be unrevivable because it was written for a specific star or the subject matter will now not work.

We are able to take a fresh look at these shows and let them be seen again.

The Theatre Museum is a lovely venue to work in and our first season was well received - proving that people do want to see these old shows. They also proved the quality of writing of this period which has almost been forgotten. With the resurgence in the restoration of the American Musical Theatre, we are trying to do 'our bit' for the British Musical Theatre with the great assistance of the Theatre Museum, Rex Bunnett, our musical director Rowland Lee, and the groups of professional actors.

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