Charlie Girl

Charlie Girl is a musical comedy which premiered in the West End of London at the Adelphi Theatre on December 15, 1965 and became one of the most successful theatre shows of the day, playing for 2,202 performances, closing on March 27, 1971.[1]

Charlie Girl
MusicDavid Heneker
John Taylor
LyricsDavid Heneker
John Taylor
BookHugh Williams
Margaret Vyner (Williams)
Ray Cooney
BasisStory Conceived by Ross Taylor
Productions1965 West End

Productions

Original production

The original stars were Joe Brown (Joe Studholme), Christine Holmes (Charlie Hadwell), (Dame) Anna Neagle (Lady Hadwell), Derek Nimmo (Nicholas Wainwright), Hy Hazell (Kay Connor), Jean Lloyd Grant Mostyn and Stuart Damon (Jack Connor). When Joe Brown left the show in 1968, he was replaced by Gerry Marsden (of Gerry & The Pacemakers).[2]

Production credits included:

  • Directed by Wallace Douglas
  • Choreographed by Alfred Rodriques
  • Setting by Tod Kingman
  • Costumes by Cynthia Tingey
  • Orchestrations by Arthur Wilkinson
  • Musical Direction by Kenneth Alwyn

Neagle took the show to Australia in 1971 where English co-star Derek Nimmo appeared with popstar John Farnham co-starring as Joe Studholme.[3]

Revival

The show was revived in London in 1986 starring Paul Nicholas (Joe), Lisa Hull and later Bonnie Langford (Charlie Hadwell), Cyd Charisse (Lady Hadwell), Nicholas Parsons (Nicholas Wainwright), Dora Bryan (Kay Connor) and Mark Wynter (Jack Connor), running for six months.[4]

Synopsis

Lady Hadwell, the widow of an aristocrat, is struggling to make ends meet by opening her home to the public. The youngest of her three daughters, Charlotte, known as "Charlie", is a tomboy. Their loyal assistant, Joe, is in love with Charlie. When he learns he has won a fortune on the football pools, he conceals the fact from his employers. In the meantime, her mother is hoping for an engagement between Charlie and an American millionaire. The most memorable and comic moment of the show is when in a Cinderella style takeoff, Charlie has to return her hired evening gown, and the rest of the guests at the ball also decide to cavort in their underwear.

1965 Cast Album Song List

1972 Australian Cast Recording

Charts
Chart (1972) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 29

1986 Cast Album Song List

References
  1. Encyclopedia of Musical Theater by Stanley Green
  2. East Surrey Operatic Society on Charlie Girl Archived November 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "THE UNSINKABLE ANNA NEAGLE". The Australian Women's Weekly. 39 (12). Australia. 18 August 1971. p. 8. Retrieved 19 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. 1986 revival cast information at broadwayworld.com
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 281. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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