The songs reflect the times. The sixth programme in this series, celebrating 80 years of British popular music, traces the rise and fall of Lionel Bart written by TONY STAVEACRE To be a performer.
You've got to learn the way to smile You may want to cry or die, But wait a little while ... The moment you're on The pain is gone
So is it such a tragedy To be a performer Like me?
A new song by LIONEL BART has its first performance in tonight's programme, which tells the story of one of the showbiz legends of our time: charting his progress from ' the Cave ' under Waterloo Bridge where he sang with a skiffle group with Tommy Steele - to the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, where he wrote songs for Joan Littlewood 's Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'be-to the West End, where he saw three of his shows running simultaneously - to Holly-wood, to collect nine Oscars for
Oliver - to Switzerland, as a guest of Noel Coward , who advised him never to invest in his own shows - and finally to Manchester, to witness the collapse of his last musical Twang!, which Bart had supported out of his own pocket, with disastrous consequences.
Lionel Bart 's story is told, and his songs are sung, by The Songwriters' resident company. Sheila White , Marti Webb
Avril Angers , Angela Richards
Colin Bennett , Richard Denning Stephen Leigh , Aubrey Woods
Along the way, there are comments from Lionel Bart himself, talking frankly about his life and times.
Musical director KEN MOULE
Choreography GILLIAN GREGORY
Make-up artist CHRISTINE BEVERIDGE Sound ADRIAN STOCKS
Lighting DUNCAN BROWN
Designer BERNARD LLOYD-JONES Producer TONY STAVEACRE Director KEITH CHEETHAM