The plot focuses on the trials and tribulations of a touring concert party known as the Dinky-Doos who are stranded in the English countryside when their manager absconds with the most recent box-office revenue and the lady pianist. Jess Oakroyd, an amiable man who has abandoned his shrewish wife, endears himself to the company with his homespun advice, and they invite him to join them as a carpenter, baggage handler, and dogsbody. Elizabeth Trant comes to their rescue when she decides to use her inheritance to finance the troupe and escape from her boring life in the Cotswolds.
Because of his habit of playing the piano late at night, songwriter Inigo Jollifant has been fired from his position at the Washbury Manor School in East Anglia, and he replaces the concert party's recently departed pianist, bringing with him banjo player and illusionist Morton Mitcham. As Miss Trant slowly achieves managerial authority, she encourages the troupe – which includes comedian Susie Dean and singer Jerry Jerningham – to change its name to The Good Companions.
The group continue their tour and eventually arrive at the Sandybay Pavilion, where they play to a full house when a storm forces passersby to seek shelter in the theatre. Their success leads Inigo to contact a music publisher, who buys his songs and arranges for an impresario to see The Good Companions in Sandybay. The producer signs Susie and Jerry for his new revue, and he secures the remaining members of the company bookings in high class towns like Bournemouth.
In the end, Miss Trant marries her solicitor, Susie heads to the West End, Inigo makes a fortune with his music, and Jess Oakroyd departs for Ontario, Canada to visit his daughter.
ProductionsEdit
After a tryout in Manchester, The Good Companions opened on July 11, 1974, at Her Majesty's Theatre in London and ran for 252 performances. The cast included John Mills as Jess Oakroyd, Judi Dench as Elizabeth Trant, Christopher Gable as Inigo Jollifant, Marti Webb as Susie Dean, Malcolm Rennie as Morton Mitcham, and Ray C. Davis as Jerry Jerningham. Webb replaced Celia Bannerman at short notice during the Manchester tryout when it was decided that Bannerman's singing voice wasn't up to the part. The score was orchestrated by Herbert W. Spencer and Angela Morley. An original cast album was released on compact disc by DRG in September 1992.
The concept of a concert party was foreign to American audiences, and a non-musical stage adaptation of the Priestley novel had closed on Broadway after only 68 performances in 1931 so, despite the popularity of the Previn/Mercer score, it was decided not to open a production in New York City.[1]
When a proposed West End revival failed to materialize, Warner-Chappell London granted 42nd Street Moon, a San Francisco company whose mission is to present staged concert revivals of "lost" musicals, the rights to present the American premiere of The Good Companions, which it did in August 2000.[2]
Mercer and Bing Crosby made two recordings of songs from the musical in October 1974.[3]
Musical numbersEdit
Act One
Goodbye ..... The Dinky-Doos
Camaraderie ..... The Dinky-Doos
Bruddersford ..... Jess and His Friends
All Mucked Up
The Pools
Aye, Lad
Footloose
The Great North Road ..... Jess
Fancy Free ..... Miss Trant
On My Way ..... Inigo
Pleasure of Your Company ..... Morton and Inigo
Stage Struck ..... Susie
Dance of Life ..... Miss Trant
Pleasure of Your Company (Reprise) ..... Inigo
The Pools (Reprise) ..... Jess
Good Companions .... Morton, Inigo, and the Good Companions
Act Two
Slippin' Around the Corner ..... Jerry
A Little Travelling Music ..... The Company
And Points Beyond ..... Jess and the Company
Darkest Before the Dawn ..... Miss Trant
Goodbye (Reprise) ..... The Good Companions
Susie for Everybody ..... Susie and Inigo
Ta, Luv ..... Jess
I'll Tell the World ..... Susie, Jerry, and Inigo
Stage Door John ..... Susie
Ta, Luv (Reprise) ..... Susie and Jess
Good Companions (Reprise) ..... The Good Companions
ReferencesEdit
^Mordden, Ethan, One More Kiss: The Broadway Musical in the 1970s. New York: Palgrave 2003 ISBN0-312-23953-X, pp. 85–86
^"A Bing Crosby Discography - part 1c - Commercial Recordings - Post Decca".
External linksEdit
The Good Companions at JohnnyMercer.com
Ovrtur.com Page
August 24, 2023
good, companions, musical, good, companions, musical, with, book, ronald, harwood, music, andré, previn, lyrics, johnny, mercer, based, 1929, novel, same, title, priestley, good, companionsposter, 1974, west, productionmusicandré, previnlyricsjohnny, mercerboo. The Good Companions is a musical with a book by Ronald Harwood music by Andre Previn and lyrics by Johnny Mercer It is based on the 1929 novel of the same title by J B Priestley The Good CompanionsPoster for the 1974 West End productionMusicAndre PrevinLyricsJohnny MercerBookRonald HarwoodBasisThe Good Companions by J B PriestleyProductions1974 Manchester1974 London2000 San Francisco Contents 1 Plot 2 Productions 3 Musical numbers 4 References 5 External linksPlot EditThe plot focuses on the trials and tribulations of a touring concert party known as the Dinky Doos who are stranded in the English countryside when their manager absconds with the most recent box office revenue and the lady pianist Jess Oakroyd an amiable man who has abandoned his shrewish wife endears himself to the company with his homespun advice and they invite him to join them as a carpenter baggage handler and dogsbody Elizabeth Trant comes to their rescue when she decides to use her inheritance to finance the troupe and escape from her boring life in the Cotswolds Because of his habit of playing the piano late at night songwriter Inigo Jollifant has been fired from his position at the Washbury Manor School in East Anglia and he replaces the concert party s recently departed pianist bringing with him banjo player and illusionist Morton Mitcham As Miss Trant slowly achieves managerial authority she encourages the troupe which includes comedian Susie Dean and singer Jerry Jerningham to change its name to The Good Companions The group continue their tour and eventually arrive at the Sandybay Pavilion where they play to a full house when a storm forces passersby to seek shelter in the theatre Their success leads Inigo to contact a music publisher who buys his songs and arranges for an impresario to see The Good Companions in Sandybay The producer signs Susie and Jerry for his new revue and he secures the remaining members of the company bookings in high class towns like Bournemouth In the end Miss Trant marries her solicitor Susie heads to the West End Inigo makes a fortune with his music and Jess Oakroyd departs for Ontario Canada to visit his daughter Productions EditAfter a tryout in Manchester The Good Companions opened on July 11 1974 at Her Majesty s Theatre in London and ran for 252 performances The cast included John Mills as Jess Oakroyd Judi Dench as Elizabeth Trant Christopher Gable as Inigo Jollifant Marti Webb as Susie Dean Malcolm Rennie as Morton Mitcham and Ray C Davis as Jerry Jerningham Webb replaced Celia Bannerman at short notice during the Manchester tryout when it was decided that Bannerman s singing voice wasn t up to the part The score was orchestrated by Herbert W Spencer and Angela Morley An original cast album was released on compact disc by DRG in September 1992 The concept of a concert party was foreign to American audiences and a non musical stage adaptation of the Priestley novel had closed on Broadway after only 68 performances in 1931 so despite the popularity of the Previn Mercer score it was decided not to open a production in New York City 1 When a proposed West End revival failed to materialize Warner Chappell London granted 42nd Street Moon a San Francisco company whose mission is to present staged concert revivals of lost musicals the rights to present the American premiere of The Good Companions which it did in August 2000 2 Mercer and Bing Crosby made two recordings of songs from the musical in October 1974 3 Musical numbers EditAct OneGoodbye The Dinky Doos Camaraderie The Dinky Doos Bruddersford Jess and His FriendsAll Mucked Up The Pools Aye LadFootlooseThe Great North Road Jess Fancy Free Miss Trant On My Way InigoPleasure of Your Company Morton and Inigo Stage Struck Susie Dance of Life Miss Trant Pleasure of Your Company Reprise Inigo The Pools Reprise Jess Good Companions Morton Inigo and the Good Companions Act TwoSlippin Around the Corner Jerry A Little Travelling Music The Company And Points Beyond Jess and the Company Darkest Before the Dawn Miss Trant Goodbye Reprise The Good Companions Susie for Everybody Susie and Inigo Ta Luv Jess I ll Tell the World Susie Jerry and Inigo Stage Door John Susie Ta Luv Reprise Susie and Jess Good Companions Reprise The Good CompanionsReferences Edit Mordden Ethan One More Kiss The Broadway Musical in the 1970s New York Palgrave 2003 ISBN 0 312 23953 X pp 85 86 42ndMoon org A Bing Crosby Discography part 1c Commercial Recordings Post Decca External links EditThe Good Companions at JohnnyMercer com Ovrtur com Page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Good Companions musical amp oldid 1171753336, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
