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Preview by Paul Nelson
BYE Bye Birdie is actually two stories, the romance of
a composer-publisher-agent, who has ideas of being an English
teacher, and his secretary, and the drafting into the army of
their great rock-and-roll star Conrad Birdie, whose resemblance
to Elvis Presley cannot be regarded as accidental (Elvis was drafted
while the musical was being written).
When all of them descend on a small Ohio town, the complications
are hilariously involved and tuneful. The show was an instant
hit on Broadway in 1960 and was the first show written by its
authors, Charles Strouse, music and Lee Adams, lyrics.
Birdie is being managed by Albert Peterson, and Albert owes him
$50,000.
Albert's secretary Rosie wants him to give up the music business,
and go back to college to train to be a teacher. In order that
he can pay off Birdie, she dreams up a publicity stunt.
By getting Albert to write a song, One Last Kiss, which
will be sung by Birdie live on the Ed Sullivan Show before
giving one of his fan club members 'one last civilian kiss', the
song would be a hit, Albert would pay off Birdie on his royalties
and marry Rosie. Albert agrees and Rosie selects the name of the
lucky girl, Kim MacAfee, of Sweet Apple, Ohio.
Not all goes to plan. Albert's mother, Mae, does not like Rosie
and casts slurs on her Spanish American background. Kim has just
been 'pinned' (a promise to have one exclusive boyfriend) at her
high school by a boy named Hugo who is deeply disturbed about
the public 'one last kiss'.
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When the circus arrives at Sweet Apple, surrounded by reporters,
the entourage of a pop star and the members of the fan club it
transpires that no-one in the town wanted all this to happen.
There are many complications, Rosie rebels against Mae, Kim runs
away from home, Birdie joins her and the kids of the town set
out to hunt for their idol, finding him in their hangout an old
ice-house.
Pop stars, however, are not as good as the real thing and all
ends happily, the teenagers are discovered, Kim wasn't kidnapped,
she gets Hugo, a disguised Conrad is shipped off to the army on
a train along with Mae and after a bit of explanation, Albert
get Rosie (actually it's the other way round).
The songs are nearly all memorable. Put on a Happy Face
and A Lot of Livin' To Do spring to mind instantly and
I have a personal favourite, Rosie.
Paul Tate Productions was founded in 2001 with a co-production
of Little Shop of Horrors with the Landor Theatre.
This will be their third musical together; Anything
Goes at The Landor being the other one.
Associate Producer, Dympna le Rasle, and her Time of Our Lives
Theatre, are also involved.
Time of Our Lives was founded by le Rasle in 1991, and produces
music hall and musical revues for touring purposes. Its charitable
arm, Time of Our Lives Ltd, takes a subsidised show to venues
for older people and its next production will be Radio Days and
TV Times which will tour from December to May of next year.
Bye Bye Birdie by Michael Stewart, with Charles Strouse (music)
and Lee Adams (lyrics). Performances from September 16 to October
11. Presented by Paul Tate Productions in association with Dympna
le Rasle and Time of Our Lives Theatre at The Landor Theatre,
70 Landor Road, Clapham North, London SW9. Tickets 020 7737 7276.
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