Cast for Tour of Betty Blue Eyes

The tour of Betty Blue Eyes opens at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester in March and is currently touring until August.

The first bit of casting  has just been announced with Haydn Oakley and Amy Booth-Steel playing the lead roles of Gilbert Chilvers and his wife Joyce (played by Reece Shearsmith and Sarah Lancashire in the West End).

They will be joined by Sally Mates/Mother Dear: Laura Baldwin/Veronica/Ensemble: Adam C Booth/Mr Lockwood / Mr Barraclough / Ensemble: Ricky Butt/Mrs Allardyce / Mrs Tilbrook / Ensemble: Rebecca Louis/Mrs Metcalf / Ensemble / Assistant Choreographer: Kate Robson-Stuart/Mrs Lester / Princess Elizabeth / Ensemble and Violin: Oliver Izod/BBC Announcer / Mr Nuttall / Ensemble and Accordion / Violin: Joe Maxwell/Mr Metcalf / Prince Phillip / Mr Cunliffe / Ensemble: Jenni Bowden/Mrs Turnbull / Mrs Cunliffe / Ensemble and Clarinet / Saxophone: Lauren Logan/Kit / Betty Puppeteer / Ensemble: Matt Harrop/Mr Allardyce / Ensemble and Kit Benjamin/Dr Swaby / Ensemble and Violin.

Betty Blue Eyes to Tour next Spring

Updated 9th November: regional premiere of Betty  is being presented by the Mercury Theatre Colchester, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Salisbury Playhouse and West Yorkshire Playhouse Dates and booking details here.
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A tour of the Stiles and Drewe musical Betty Blue Eyes which was last seen in the West End in 2011 starring Sarah Lancashire, Reece Shearsmith and an animatronic pig with the voice of Kylie Minogue is now is being planned for Spring 2014.

The creators been reworking the musical for a national tour and putting the finishing touches to it now. 

Betty Blue Eyes to close

Despite very positive reviews the new Stiles & Drewe musical Betty Blue Eyes posted its closing notices at the Novello Theatre last night.

There have been rumours circulating in the West End for several weeks that the show would close when one if its stars Reece Shearsmith leaves on 8th October, but Cameron Mackintosh decided that poor ticket sales could not sustain it until then and it is due to close on 24th September.

In a press statement the producers said: "After receiving some of the best reviews seen for a brand new musical in the past 20 years and despite an enormously enthusiastic reaction from audiences each night, the new musical has failed to attract an audience in sufficient numbers to remain economically viable.  It seems that the prevailing economic uncertainties nationally are leading audiences to take less risks on spending their money on new and unknown work and to seek refuge in safe and familiar titles and material.  It is, perhaps, significant that Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera continue to play to packed houses every night." Mackintosh  commented, "It is very curious that after such amazing reviews and positive word of mouth, no one knows the real reason why Betty couldn't find a bigger audience. We have been consistently playing to just over 50% but it just isn't enough to cover the costs.  Of course I am disappointed but I'm not despondent, I am enormously proud of Betty. I know that she will eventually have her day and another life."

I feel very sad that this show is closing after six months as new musicals are few and far between in London's West End at the moment and I really hoped Betty Blue Eyes would make it until the New Year or at least until the divine Sarah Lancashire left the show in December.

Hopefully the charming animatronic pig with the voice of Kylie will not be put back in her pen for too long and the production will tour next year.

Liza Minnelli loves Betty Blue Eyes

Broadway star Liza Minnelli recently went to see new musical Betty Blue Eyes which is previewing at the Novello Theatre in London’s West End.  Apparently she was so taken by Sarah Lancashire’s Act I showstopper “Nobody” that she has asked for permission to use the song in her act.

All the pre-opening comments I have heard on Betty Blue Eyes are good and when I saw the show this week I loved it and thought Sarah Lancashire was fantastic in the role of Joyce Chilvers really belting out the numbers. And I fell in totally in love with Cameron Mackintosh’s amazing animatronic pig which brought gasps from the audience.  I have been a fan of composers Stiles & Drewe for some time and really think this show deserves to be a huge hit for them.

Kylie is the voice of Betty Blue Eyes

The new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes is currently previewing and due to open at the Novello Theatre on 13^th April.
 
Much secrecy surrounded the animatronic pig Betty Blue Eyes and now she has finally been unveiled it has emerged that Kylie Minogue was the inspiration behind the animal’s voice

Cameron Mackintosh said "I was thinking of someone that crossed generations and would have the little girly sound that would be fitting for Betty and thought of Kylie”.

She loved the idea and agreed to make a recording for his use.

Betty Blue Eyes soon to be revealed

With Cameron Mackintosh’s new musical Betty Blue Eyes due to start previews at the Novello Theatre this Saturday 19th March photographers have yet to “bring home the bacon” (sic) and get an exclusive snap of the pig the musical is named after.

Betty Blue Eyes was created by the Melbourne-based animatronics studio Creature Technology Company who created the stars of Walking With Dinosaurs and are currently building an ape for a Broadway production of King Kong.

There is no doubt that she exists as Cameron Mackintosh says: “She steals every scene. Someone said she’s like a real pig, but with fairy dust sprinkled all over her. Part of you knows she’s not real, yet she’s so lifelike. She’s the most expensive leading lady I’ve ever had and she's worth every penny.”

But it's got to be easier than working with a real pig like they did in the film ...?

Sarah Lancashire on Michael Ball show this Sunday

Michael Ball’s Sunday Brunch at 11:00 on BBC Radio 2 this Sunday features actress Sarah Lancashire talking about her role in the new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes.

Sarah Lancashire excited about meeting Betty Blue Eyes

As previous mentioned, the animatronic pig Betty Blue Eyes was flown in from Australia yesterday.  Sarah Lancashire was talking about the new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes on the Graham Norton Show on Radio 2 this morning and said she was very excited as she was meeting her for the first time this afternoon.

She said Alan Bennett’s story “A Private Function” had been expanded for the stage and contained some rather marvellous British eccentric characters. The show is currently in rehearsal and previews next month opening on 14th April which is very timely because it is all about a Royal Wedding and opens just before the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton 

Graham Norton previewed one of her numbers “Nobody” which she described as a little bit of “Broadway in Yorkshire” from the show which she belts out and you can imagine her acting the part while she is singing it.

She went on to say it is very much an ensemble piece with some great numbers from Stiles & Drewe, with the director Richard Eyre certainly getting the best out of the cast who are mainly straight actors and not musical theatre performers.

Sarah Lancashire talking Betty Blue Eyes on Graham Norton show tomorrow

The new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes starts previews on March 19th with the opening night on 14th April.

Sarah Lancashire is playing the bossy Joyce Chilvers who is wife to hen-pecked chiropodist Gilbert Chilvers played by Reece Shearsmith. You can hear her talking about the show on the Graham Norton Radio 2 show tomorrow (Saturday 19th February) which starts at 10:00 with Sarah due to be on between 11:30 and noon.

Miss Betty Blue Eyes has arrived!

The final member of the cast for the new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes touched down yesterday flying into London first class from Melbourne.

She is the most expensive artist in the production and some would say the star.  Of course I’m talking about the animatronic pig that the show is named after.  She has been created by the Creature Technology Company in Australia.

Now come the interesting part when she has to start rehearing with the actors – never work with children or animals they say – may an animatronic will be more manageable!

Cast list for Betty Blue Eyes

Betty Blue Eyes is due to open at the Novello Theatre on 14th April (previews from March 19th)

The cast is led by Reece Shearsmith playing the  hen-pecked chiropodist Gilbert Chilvers and Sarah Lancashire as his wife. Ann Emery who played Billy’s gran in the musical Billy Elliott is playing Mother Dear with David Bamber (Swaby), Jack Edwards (Allardyce), Mark Meadows (Lockwood) and Adrian Scarborough (Wormold).

They will be joined by cast members Ian Conningham, Claire Machin, Kirsty Hoiles, Annalisa Rossi, Rachael Archer, Laura Medforth, Andy Mace, Gemma Wardle, James Barron, Dan Burton, Neil Ditt, Chris Howell, Hollie Taylor, Howard Jones, Holly Dale Spencer, Veronica Hay and Rebecca Louis.

Opening night confirmed for Betty Blue Eyes

Tickets go on sale this morning for the new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes which is based on Alan Bennett’s film A Private Function.  Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith star.

Previews start at the Novello Theatre on 19th March 2011 and the show opens on 14th April.  It is currently booking until 22nd October 2011.

New musical Betty Blue Eyes tempts Sarah Lancashire back to the stage

Sarah Lancashire has been taking time out from acting to pursue writing projects, but she put everything on hold to star in Betty Blue Eyes which is Cameron Mackintosh's first new musical in a decade.

It is based on Alan Bennett’s “A Private Function” and Lancashire is set to play Joyce which is the part Maggie Smith played in the 1984 film.

The  former Coronation Street actress (she played barmaid Raquel for a number of years) last appeared in musical theatre five years ago in Michael Grandage's award-winning production of Guys And Dolls,  but her critically acclaimed appearance was cut short by ill health as she had to pull out after a month with a chest infection.

Betty Blue Eyes opens at the Novello Theatre in March. Tickets go on sale on 29th November.

The musical has been in development for a while, and focuses on a community preparing to celebrate the royal wedding of the Queen to Prince Philip. Lancashire said: “I think William and Kate have timed their wedding superbly. The piece is extraordinarily resonant at the moment. I'm just utterly thrilled to be doing it.”

Betty Blue Eyes Preview Date and Latest Casting News

Cameron Mackintosh has confirmed that his new musical Betty Blue Eyes starts previews at the Novello Theatre on 19th March 2011 with tickets going on sale on 29th November.

It stars Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith with other casting news to date including David Bamber (Swaby), Jack Edwards (Allardyce), Mark Meadows (Lockwood), Adrian Scarborough (Wormold) and Ann Emery (Mother Dear).

The opening of the musical centres on a Royal wedding which conveniently coincides with the real wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton which was announced earlier this week.

In a statement Cameron Mackintosh said: “Even though my recent productions of Oliver!, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins and the new Les Mis have all had great success, Betty Blue Eyes is my first original musical in over ten years. As a long-time admirer of Alan Bennett’s wickedly funny screenplay for the film A Private Function, I immediately fell in love with this infectious and delicious musical treatment which has expanded on the original. It is an utterly British and suitably crackers musical and yet surprisingly was the idea of two American writers Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman – but you’d never know it! As we all face Austerity Britain and a Royal Wedding, Betty Blue Eyes proves that British pluck will make sure good times are just around the corner”

Betty Blue Eyes musical now confirmed

I have already written about the new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes which has been written by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe and is based on Alan Bennett's film A Private Function starring Maggie Smith and Michael Palin.

I can also confirm that Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith will the playing Smith/Palin parts when the show opens at the Novello Theatre next y ear - dates and booking still be be announced.

News on Betty Blue Eyes

According to Anthony Drewe (of Stiles & Drewe) their new musical Betty Blue Eyes (which is based on Alan Bennett's A Private Function) will have an "animatronic pig" on stage instead of a live one (which would be fraught with danger!). It will work in the way the dinosaurs did in Walking in Dinosaurs.  They were very realistic and if the pig is anything like their quality it will seem like it's real.

Seems like Reece Shearsmith and Sarah Lancashire are definitely signed up with Anne Emery (Grandma in Billy Elliot) and Andy Mace (Dad/Winthrop/Reporter in Legally Blonde) leaving their respective shows to start rehearsals in January for the production to open at the Novello Theatre in the early Spring next year.

This news is still "unofficial" and should be treated as such until the confirmation announcement is made by the producers, as we all know how quickly things can change in musical theatre!

Stiles & Drewe’s Betty Blue Eyes to open at Novello next April

The new Stiles & Drewe musical Betty Blue Eyes which is based on Alan Bennett’s 1984 film A Private Function is now rumoured to be coming  straight into the West End, possibly with its world premiere in mid-April 2011at the Novello Theatre (owned by the show’s producer Cameron Mackintosh).  It was previously thought that it might first be “tried out” at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Casting is now under way with  Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith already signed up to star in the roles originated by Maggie Smith and Michael Palin, while the supporting cast will include Adrian Scarborough making his musical theatre debut.

The story is set in a Yorkshire village after World War II where rationing presents a challenge for the locals who want to celebrate a Royal wedding. Betty Blue Eyes is the name of the infamous pig.

The musical will be directed by Richard Eyre and choreographed by Stephen Mear, with designs by Tim Hatley.

New Cameron Mackintosh Musical

Sir Cameron Mackintosh is producing a new musical called Betty Blue Eyes which is based on Alan Bennett's comedy film A Private Function. It is supposedly in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee which will occur the following year.

The film starred Maggie Smith and Michael Palin and  is set in post-war England telling the story of a small town organising a street party to celebrate the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip. But rationing is still in effect and the townsfolk must hide a pig which will provide the centrepiece for their wedding feast. There were three pigs used in the filiming - all called Betty - hence the name of the musical.

Betty Blue Eyes has been put together by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who Mackintosh has worked with in the past. The musical will start rehearsals in early 2011, open at the West Yorkshire Playhouse for a four-week run and then transfer into one of Mackintosh’s West End theatres by Easter 2011.