Bawdy Language In Musical

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32114, 9 October 1969, Page 18

Bawdy Language In Musical

Theatre-goers at the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society’s production of “Fings Ain’t What They Used To Be” must be prepared to be shocked, according to the producer, Walter Pym.

The production, a Cockney musical written by Frank Norman, with music by Lionel Bart, will open in the Repertory' Theatre on Saturday

night for a season of one week.

The story was a satire, dealing with the Wolfenden Report and the Street Offences Act, Mr Pym said yesterday. “It is about what happened when the harlots were chased off the streets of London. Some of the language is bawdy and earthy, but it is very amusing. It is a wellwritten little piece.” There is a cast of 32, including the chorus, with eight main parts. “Everybody in the cast has a line, and there

are some very good lines,” Mr Pym said.

“Fings” had an unusual history, he said. Frank Norman wrote it as a straight play, and sent his script to Joan Littlewood, head of the famous Little Theatre Workshop in London. She saw possibilities in it for a musical, and introduced Norman to Lionel Bart. A musical version was prepared and put into rehearsal at the Little Theatre with a cast of young, unknown actors —most of them Cockneys. Suggestions made by the cast during rehearsals were incorporated in the script and the final version, far removed from Norman's original play, was performed for a long season to houses packed with Cockneys, many of whom had never been to the theatre before.

As well as the songs, the play includes dances, and for Mr Pym’s production these have been choreographed by George Williams, who was choreographer for the Christ-

church Operatic Society’s production of “The Pajama Game.”

The music will be supplied by electronic organ, bass and drums under the direction of Tony Peak. For Mr Pym, the end of “Fings” will merely mark the beginning of work on his next production. He has agreed to do “The Sound of Music” for the operatic society next April, and he will hold auditions for the main parts on November 9 and will begin rehearsals before Christmas. This will be a complex task, with a very big cast and many changes of scene. He also expects to produce another play, probably a comedy, for Repertory early in the New Year.

The photograph shows Mervyn Glue (middle) laying down the law at a rehearsal with, from left, Valerie Pendrey, Paul Sonne, Penny Nisblt, Chris Howell, Rosalie Barber, and Alf Taylor.