Theatre News

WOS Radio: Creatives Ham It Up at Betty Q&A

Editorial Staff
London's West End

Over 200 Whatsonstage.com theatregoers made their way to the Novello Theatre last night (8 April 2011) to see Cameron Mackintosh present his first new musical in over a decade – George Stiles and Anthony Drewe‘s Betty Blue Eyes which opens on 13 April (previews from 19 March).

A musical adaptation of the Alan Bennett-scripted comedy film A Private Function, Betty Blue Eyes is a tale of austerity Britain, set in 1947 against the backdrop of the Royal Wedding of then Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten. The residents of a Yorkshire village find rationing presents a challenge as they seek to join in the festivities and they raise an illegal pig to be slaughtering for the event.

Directed by Richard Eyre and starring Sarah Lancashire, Reece Shearsmith and Whatsonstage.com Award winner Ann Emery, the very British musical has a book by Americans Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman. The script-writing duo, along with composer and book writers Stiles and Drewe, joined us on stage after the performance for an incredibly informative question and answer session about how the show was created.

As well as the spark which made them want to bring the famous film to the stage, the team discussed how their collaboration got started and the creative involvement of impresario Cameron Mackintosh.

To listen to the full recording of the Q&A, click the ‘play’ button below; or to subscribe and download from iTunes, click here.

For more photos and commentary from last night’s event, visit our Outings blog and for further information and booking for upcoming Whatsonstage.com Outings, click here.