Kisses on a Postcard musical gets digital release with all-star cast

A cast of over 50, including West End stars John Owen-Jones and Katy Secombe, has brought new musical Kisses on a Postcard to life.

The epic four-hour World War Two musical is written by Terence Frisby, who was responsible for the record-breaking show There's A Girl In My Soup, which used to be the longest-running West End show.

It follows two evacuees who are forced to flee London, and is now adapted, directed and produced by Frisby's son Dominic, who has penned new songs together with Martin Wheatley. Gordon Clyde is co-composer and lyricist, while childrens' casting and co-direction is by Jeremy James Taylor.

Dominic Frisby said: "This is an intensely moving musical about an extraordinary time in British history. Those who were evacuated in 1940 will be in their late 80s and 90s now, if they are still with us at all. In many ways Kisses on a Postcard is a farewell to that generation. But I played it to some friends in the car last month, and during the evacuation scenes they all said, "that's exactly what's happening now in Ukraine."

"The story remains so pertinent. Dad said he used to get letters from people in Germany who had been evacuated to escape Allied bombs. If you are anything like me, this story will disarm you in the most unexpected ways. I hope you will find yourself laughing and weeping, as I did, at just what wonderful things the kindest of human beings can be."

Appearing in the recorded poduction, which you can listen to in full at kissesonapostcard.bandcamp.com, are Jones (Les Miserables) and Secombe (Les Miserables), double Olivier award winner Marcia Warren (The Crown), Rosie Cavaliero (Wurzel Gummidge) and Evelyn Hoskins (Waitress). Also appearing are Lance Ellington, one of the vocalists from Strictly Come Dancing and soloist Simon Thomas (The Phantom of the Opera).

Also in the cast are Ian Virgo, Jame Clyde and Peter Temple, with Brandon McGuiness and Frankie Joel-Celoni playing evacuees Terry and Jack.

Other cast members and singers include, in alphabetical order, Sherry Baines, Henrietta Bess, Louise Cookman, Lynsday Danvers, Rupert Degas, Ginny Fiol, Valerie Gogan, Paul Jones, Jonathan Kydd, Helen Langford, Trevor Lock, Aideen McQueen, Cathy Murphy, Matt Price, Danny Ward, and Mary Woodvine.

Playing the American GIs are Ellington, Cordell Mosteller, Micah Touchet and Dennis Caldwell.

The kids are Safin Sheikh, Alex Braglevicz, Harlyn Price-Lewis, Rudyard Braggist, Izabella Bucknell, Lola Byrne, Lola Frisby Williams, Ferdie Frisby Williams, Arthur Hastings, Molly Hedges, Poppy Jestico, Henry Littell, Edward Planche and Sofia Rega.

A stage version of the show was seen in 2003, with a book adaptation then published in 2010. It was then produced on stage again in 2012.