Charlie Girl is a musical comedy which premiered at the Golder's Green Hippodrome on 25 November 1965 then transferred to London's West End at the Adelphi Theatre on December 15, 1965; it became one of the more successful theatre shows of the day running for 2,202 performances. It closed on 27 March 1971.

Productions

Original production

The original stars were Joe Brown (Joe Studholme), Christine Holmes (Charlie Hadwell), 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).

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 Johnny Farnham co-starring as Joe Studholme.

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 at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

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. In a comic moment (a parody of Cinderella), 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

1. Act I

2. Overture - Charlie Girl

3. Bells Will Ring

4. What Would I Get from Being Married

5. I Love Him, I Love Him

6. What's the Magic

7. Let's Do a Deal

8. My Favourite Occupation

9. I Was Young

10. Act II

11. Party of a Lifetime

12. I 'ates Money

13. Charlie Girl Waltz

14. Like Love

15. That's It

16. Fish and Chips

17. You Never Know What You Can Do Until You Try It

18. Charlie Girl

1972 Australian cast recording

Charts

1986 cast album song list

1. Act I

2. Overture

3. Most Ancestral Home of All

4. Bells Will Ring

5. Charlie Girl

6. I Love Him, I Love Him (Bells Will Ring)

7. What Would I Get From Being Married

8. Let's Do a Deal

9. My Favorite Occupation

10. What's the Magic

11. When I Hear Music, I Dance

12. Act II

13. I 'ates Money

14. Charlie Girl Waltz

15. Party of a Lifetime

16. Like Love

17. That's It

18. Washington

19. Fish and Chips

20. Society Twist

21. You Never Know What You Can Do Until You Try

22. Bells Will Ring/Charlie Girl (Reprise)

23. Charlie Girl (Finale)

References

External links

• The story of