''Charlie Girl'' is a

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

which premiered in the West End of London at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

on December 15, 1965 and became one of the most 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 Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in the British cinema ...

(Lady Hadwell),

Derek Nimmo Derek Robert Nimmo (19 September 193024 February 1999) was an English character actor, producer and author. He is best remembered for his comedic upper class "silly ass" and clerical roles including Revd Mervyn Noote in the BBC1 sitcom ''All G ...

(Nicholas Wainwright),

Hy Hazell Hyacinth Hazel O'Higgins (4 October 1919 – 10 May 1970), stage name Hy Hazell, was a British actress of theatre, musicals and revue as well as a contralto singer and film actress. AllMusic described her as "an exuberant comic actor and lively ...

(Kay Connor), Jean Lloyd Grant Mostyn and

Stuart Damon Stuart Damon (born Stuart Michael Zonis; February 5, 1937 June 29, 2021) was an American actor and singer. He was best known for his 30-year portrayal of Dr. Alan Quartermaine on the American soap opera ''General Hospital'', for which he won an ...

(Jack Connor). When Joe Brown left the show in 1968, he was replaced by

Gerry Marsden Gerard Marsden MBE (24 September 1942 – 3 January 2021) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and television personality, best known for being leader of the Merseybeat band Gerry and the Pacemakers. He was the younger brother of fellow b ...

(of

Gerry & The Pacemakers Gerry and the Pacemakers were a British beat group prominent in the 1960s Merseybeat scene. In common with the Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein, and were recorded by George Martin. Their early successes alongsid ...

). Production credits included: * Directed by

Wallace Douglas Wallace Stuart Finlayson (15 August 1911 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – 8 August 1990 Coldwaltham, West Sussex, England), known as Wallace Douglas, was a Canadian producer, director and actor. The son of Robert Barnett Finlayson and Emiline ...

* Choreographed by Alfred Rodriques * Setting by Tod Kingman * Costumes by Cynthia Tingey * Orchestrations by

Arthur Wilkinson Arthur Wilkinson (3 September 1919 – 1968) was a British orchestral composer and arranger. He began composing while serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II, and made many contributions to film, stage shows and television. Notab ...

* Musical Direction by

Kenneth Alwyn Kenneth Alwyn (born Kenneth Alwyn Wetherell) (28 July 1925 – 10 December 2020) was a British conductor, composer, and writer. Described by BBC Radio 3 as "one of the great British musical directors", Alwyn was known for his many recordings, i ...

Neagle took the show to Australia in 1971 where English co-star

appeared with popstar

John Farnham John Peter Farnham Officer of the Order of Australia, AO (born 1 July 1949) is a British born Australian singer. Farnham was a Teen idol, teen pop idol from 1967 until 1979, billed then as Johnny Farnham, but has since forged a career as an Adu ...

co-starring as Joe Studholme.

Revival

The show was revived in London in 1986 starring

Paul Nicholas Paul Nicholas (born Paul Oscar Beuselinck; 3 December 1944) is an English actor and singer. He started out with a pop career, but soon changed to musical theatre, playing the lead role in ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' at the West End’s Palace ...

(Joe), Lisa Hull and later

Bonnie Langford Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer and singer. She came to prominence as a child star in the 1970s, when she had a notable role in the TV series ''Just William''. In the 1980s, she played c ...

(Charlie Hadwell),

Cyd Charisse Cyd Charisse (born Tula Ellice Finklea; March 8, 1922 – June 17, 2008) was an American actress and dancer. After recovering from polio as a child and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s. Her roles usually featured her abilit ...

(Lady Hadwell),

Nicholas Parsons Christopher Nicholas Parsons (10 October 1923 – 28 January 2020) was an English actor, straight man and radio and television presenter. He was the long-running presenter of the comedy radio show '' Just a Minute'' and hosted the game show '' ...

(Nicholas Wainwright),

Dora Bryan Dora May Broadbent, (7 February 1923 – 23 July 2014), known as Dora Bryan, was a British actress of stage, film and television.Mark Wynter Mark Wynter (born Terence Sidney Lewis; 29 January 1943) is an English singer and actor, who had four Top 20 singles in the 1960s, including "Venus in Blue Jeans" and " Go Away Little Girl". He enjoyed a lengthy career from 1960 to 1968 as a p ...

(Jack Connor), running for six months at the

Victoria Palace Theatre The Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station. The structure is categorised as a Grade II* listed building. History Origins The theatre began life as a small conc ...

.1986 revival cast information at broadwayworld.com
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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 In the United Kingdom, the football pools, often referred to as "the pools", is a betting pool based on predicting the outcome of association football matches taking place in the coming week. The pools are typically cheap to enter, and may encou ...

, 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 "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

''), 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

;Act I * Overture - Charlie Girl * Bells Will Ring * What Would I Get From Being Married * I Love Him, I Love Him * What's the Magic * Let's Do a Deal * My Favourite Occupation * I Was Young ;Act II * Party of a Lifetime * I 'ates Money * Charlie Girl Waltz * Like Love *That's It * Fish and Chips *You Never Know What You Can Do Until You Try It *Charlie Girl

1972 Australian Cast Recording

Charts

1986 Cast Album Song List

;Act I * Overture * Most Ancestral Home of All * Bells Will Ring * Charlie Girl * I Love Him, I Love Him (Bells Will Ring) * What Would I Get From Being Married * Let's Do a Deal * My Favorite Occupation * What's the Magic * When I Hear Music, I Dance ;Act II * I 'ates Money * Charlie Girl Waltz * Party of a Lifetime * Like Love * That's It * Washington * Fish and Chips * Society Twist * You Never Know What You Can Do Until You Try * Bells Will Ring/Charlie Girl (Reprise) * Charlie Girl (Finale)

References

{{Reflist

External links

The story of ''Charlie Girl'' at Guide to Musical Theatre
1965 musicals British musicals