Twang!! is a musical with music and lyrics written by Lionel Bart and a book by Bart and Harvey Orkin, with assistance from Burt Shevelove. The piece, a spoof of the character and legend of Robin Hood, was a disastrous box-office failure and cost Bart his personal fortune.
After a preview in Manchester, Twang!! opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End on 20 December 1965 and closed on 29 January 1966 after just 43 performances, receiving scathing reviews and playing to mostly empty houses.[1] Bart produced it with Bernard Delfont and John Bryan, and Joan Littlewood directed but quit before it opened. She was replaced by Shevelove and Bart.[2]Twang!! is remembered as "the most expensive flop" in West End history up to that time.[3]
Robin Hood and his Merry Men attempt to break into Nottingham Castle, in a variety of preposterous disguises, in order to prevent a marriage between the nymphomaniac "court tart" Delphina and the hairy Scots laird Roger the Ugly, arranged for the purpose of securing the loan of Scottish troops for bad Prince John.[4]
The new version is a "meta-musical" with a completely different plot. Robin Hood has lost his 'Twang' and is not the hero he once was. Much the Miller's Son arrives in Sherwood Forest having run away from home and is arrested by the sheriff. He is rescued by Robin and the Men before discovering that in Nottinghamshire life is a musical comedy. He falls in love with Delphina whilst Maid Marion helps Robin find his missing 'twang' before King Richard returns to re-establish order.
The cast included the strongest players from Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, including Ronnie Corbett, Barbara Windsor and James Booth. But Twang!! ran into difficulty from the start. The script was weak, especially the part of Robin Hood, which was badly underwritten.[5] When Booth expressed his concerns, he was repeatedly assured that the part would be expanded to a starring role.[5] Littlewood demanded a rewrite, but constant, confusing revisions failed to improve the script. Littlewood, the choreographer Paddy Stone, the designer Oliver Messel, and the writers failed to work together.[3] Rehearsals were disorganised and fraught with tension; Bart was drinking; Littlewood threatened to walk out. At a rehearsal, Littlewood accused Bart of failing to fulfill his creative responsibilities because he was too strung-out on LSD.[6] Bart, in turn, accused Littlewood of ruining the piece.[7]
A Birmingham tryout was scheduled and cancelled. A Manchester preview opened on 3 November 1965 at the Palace Theatre with a script that was unfinished. Word of the disaster leaked to the tabloids.[3] Littlewood quit the company, and a script doctor, American Burt Shevelove, was brought in to fix the script and score, leading to more confusing changes, but nothing helped.[6] The scenes had no relation to the songs, and Twang!! transferred to London preceded by continued bad press.[8] The show opened in disarray at London's Shaftesbury Theatre on 20 December 1965. Still, Bart thought he could save the show.[3] On opening night, the musical director, Ken Moule, collapsed of exhaustion and still had failed to orchestrate the second act. Two songs were cut in the hours before the curtain rose, and the piece was played for camp, even adding some transvestism.[9] The house lights kept going up and down throughout the performance, and vicious arguments were overheard backstage.[10]Twang!! garnered scornful and derisive reviews. The critics noted the lack of heroics and the pseudo-pantomime delivery,[11] although there were some effective musical sequences, including a scene around a gallows that became a morris dance around a maypole.[12] Windsor also came in for some praise.[7]
The show had been intended as a romp that poked fun at the Crusades, the attitude of the Church and the human flaw of wanting to turn an outlaw into a hero.[2] Orkin believed the show failed because they failed to establish the exact butt of that satire; it was too vague and inconsequential.[4] Bart lost his personal fortune in Twang!! and was devastated by the failure of the show.[13] So was Booth, who made no money for a year while preparing for it.[14] For Ronnie Corbett, however, the failure of Twang!! was a lucky break – it meant he was free to participate in The Frost Report, his breakthrough in television, and also the show where he first worked with Ronnie Barker.[15]
When revived at the Union Theatre, London in 2018, the musical received some positive reviews.[16] It was dubbed "a meta-musical with bags of heart" by The Stage.[17]
SongsEdit
Act I
May a Man Be Merry – Alan-a-Dale
Welcome to Sherwood Forest – Robin, Mutch, Little John, Will, Friar Tuck, Alan-a-Dale
Wander – Robin, Marian
What Makes a Star? – Prince John, Heralds and Company
Make an Honest Woman [of Me] – Delphina, Crusaders' Wives
Roger the Ugly – Prince John, Sir Guy, Sheriff
To the Woods – Marian, Delphina
Dreamchild – Marian
With Bells On – Robin and Company
Sighs – Little John, Delphina, Alan-a-Dale
You Can't Catch Me! – Robin, Marian
Act II
Living a Legend – Robin
Unseen Hands – Mystery Voice
Writing on the Wall – Delphina
Wander (reprise) – Marian, Robin
Roger the Ugly (reprise) – Prince John, Sir Guy, Sheriff, Sir Roger
Whose Little Girl Are You? – Delphina
Follow the Leader – Little John, Will, Alan-a-Dale, Mutch, Friar Tuck
A cast album, produced by George Martin,[19] was recorded and released in 1966 on the United Artists Records label on LP (no. ULP 1116). It was re-released in 1987 on the TER label (no. 1055) on LP and cassette. A CD-R pressing was sold in the U.S. exclusively through the online reseller Footlight in 2011. The recording includes a track called "Twang!!" at the beginning of side B.
^Womack, Kenneth (4 September 2018). Sound Pictures: The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, The Later Years, 1966–2016. Chicago Review Press. p. 6. ISBN978-0-912777-77-1. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
ReferencesEdit
Roper, David (1994). Bart! The Unauthorized Life & Times, Ins and Outs, Ups and Downs of Lionel Bart, Pavilion Books Ltd.
Corbett, Ronnie; David Nobbs (2006). And it's goodnight from him... The Autobiography of The Two Ronnies. London: Penguin. ISBN0-7181-4964-5.
Parker, Derek & Julia (1979). The Story & The Song. Chappell & Co.
External linksEdit
Twang!! at Theatricalia
Twang!! at the Guide to Musical Theatre
August 25, 2023
twang, musical, with, music, lyrics, written, lionel, bart, book, bart, harvey, orkin, with, assistance, from, burt, shevelove, piece, spoof, character, legend, robin, hood, disastrous, office, failure, cost, bart, personal, fortune, london, cast, album, cover. Twang is a musical with music and lyrics written by Lionel Bart and a book by Bart and Harvey Orkin with assistance from Burt Shevelove The piece a spoof of the character and legend of Robin Hood was a disastrous box office failure and cost Bart his personal fortune Twang London Cast Album coverMusicLionel BartLyricsLionel BartBookLionel Bart amp Harvey OrkinBasisThe Robin Hood legendProductions1965 West EndAfter a preview in Manchester Twang opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London s West End on 20 December 1965 and closed on 29 January 1966 after just 43 performances receiving scathing reviews and playing to mostly empty houses 1 Bart produced it with Bernard Delfont and John Bryan and Joan Littlewood directed but quit before it opened She was replaced by Shevelove and Bart 2 Twang is remembered as the most expensive flop in West End history up to that time 3 In 2008 the Estate of Lionel Bart commissioned Julian Woolford to write a new book for the musical which was performed in 2013 at Guildford School of Acting This version is now licensed through MTI Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Roles and principal cast 3 Production 4 Songs 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksSynopsis EditRobin Hood and his Merry Men attempt to break into Nottingham Castle in a variety of preposterous disguises in order to prevent a marriage between the nymphomaniac court tart Delphina and the hairy Scots laird Roger the Ugly arranged for the purpose of securing the loan of Scottish troops for bad Prince John 4 The new version is a meta musical with a completely different plot Robin Hood has lost his Twang and is not the hero he once was Much the Miller s Son arrives in Sherwood Forest having run away from home and is arrested by the sheriff He is rescued by Robin and the Men before discovering that in Nottinghamshire life is a musical comedy He falls in love with Delphina whilst Maid Marion helps Robin find his missing twang before King Richard returns to re establish order Roles and principal cast EditAlan a Dale Elric Hooper Sir Guy of Gisborne Howard Goorney Mystery Voice in Unseen Hands Long John Baldry Mutch Kent Baker Robin Hood James Booth Little John Bernard Bresslaw Will Scarlett Ronnie Corbett Friar Tuck Will Stampe Sheriff of Nottingham Bob Grant Maid Marian Toni Eden Prince John Maxwell Shaw Delphina Barbara Windsor Roger the Ugly Philip NewmanProduction EditThe cast included the strongest players from Littlewood s Theatre Workshop including Ronnie Corbett Barbara Windsor and James Booth But Twang ran into difficulty from the start The script was weak especially the part of Robin Hood which was badly underwritten 5 When Booth expressed his concerns he was repeatedly assured that the part would be expanded to a starring role 5 Littlewood demanded a rewrite but constant confusing revisions failed to improve the script Littlewood the choreographer Paddy Stone the designer Oliver Messel and the writers failed to work together 3 Rehearsals were disorganised and fraught with tension Bart was drinking Littlewood threatened to walk out At a rehearsal Littlewood accused Bart of failing to fulfill his creative responsibilities because he was too strung out on LSD 6 Bart in turn accused Littlewood of ruining the piece 7 A Birmingham tryout was scheduled and cancelled A Manchester preview opened on 3 November 1965 at the Palace Theatre with a script that was unfinished Word of the disaster leaked to the tabloids 3 Littlewood quit the company and a script doctor American Burt Shevelove was brought in to fix the script and score leading to more confusing changes but nothing helped 6 The scenes had no relation to the songs and Twang transferred to London preceded by continued bad press 8 The show opened in disarray at London s Shaftesbury Theatre on 20 December 1965 Still Bart thought he could save the show 3 On opening night the musical director Ken Moule collapsed of exhaustion and still had failed to orchestrate the second act Two songs were cut in the hours before the curtain rose and the piece was played for camp even adding some transvestism 9 The house lights kept going up and down throughout the performance and vicious arguments were overheard backstage 10 Twang garnered scornful and derisive reviews The critics noted the lack of heroics and the pseudo pantomime delivery 11 although there were some effective musical sequences including a scene around a gallows that became a morris dance around a maypole 12 Windsor also came in for some praise 7 The show had been intended as a romp that poked fun at the Crusades the attitude of the Church and the human flaw of wanting to turn an outlaw into a hero 2 Orkin believed the show failed because they failed to establish the exact butt of that satire it was too vague and inconsequential 4 Bart lost his personal fortune in Twang and was devastated by the failure of the show 13 So was Booth who made no money for a year while preparing for it 14 For Ronnie Corbett however the failure of Twang was a lucky break it meant he was free to participate in The Frost Report his breakthrough in television and also the show where he first worked with Ronnie Barker 15 When revived at the Union Theatre London in 2018 the musical received some positive reviews 16 It was dubbed a meta musical with bags of heart by The Stage 17 Songs EditAct IMay a Man Be Merry Alan a Dale Welcome to Sherwood Forest Robin Mutch Little John Will Friar Tuck Alan a Dale Wander Robin Marian What Makes a Star Prince John Heralds and Company Make an Honest Woman of Me Delphina Crusaders Wives Roger the Ugly Prince John Sir Guy Sheriff To the Woods Marian Delphina Dreamchild Marian With Bells On Robin and Company Sighs Little John Delphina Alan a Dale You Can t Catch Me Robin Marian Act IILiving a Legend Robin Unseen Hands Mystery Voice Writing on the Wall Delphina Wander reprise Marian Robin Roger the Ugly reprise Prince John Sir Guy Sheriff Sir Roger Whose Little Girl Are You Delphina Follow the Leader Little John Will Alan a Dale Mutch Friar Tuck I ll Be Hanged Robin Company Tan Ta Ra Robin Marian Company 18 A cast album produced by George Martin 19 was recorded and released in 1966 on the United Artists Records label on LP no ULP 1116 It was re released in 1987 on the TER label no 1055 on LP and cassette A CD R pressing was sold in the U S exclusively through the online reseller Footlight in 2011 The recording includes a track called Twang at the beginning of side B Notes Edit Roper p 98 a b Roper p 84 a b c d Feiner Michael Bart s Twang Most Expensive Flop in London The Montreal Gazette 2 April 1966 a b Roper p 93 a b Roper p 86 a b Roper p 88 a b Twang 1965 shows Over the Footlights accessed 25 December 2012 Roper p 89 Roper p 92 Roper p 94 Roper pp 94 95 Parker 1979 Roper pp 88 89 Blackwell Diana Bio JamesBooth org 2005 accessed 5 January 2013 Corbett pp 6 9 Musical Theatre reviews Accessed 7 March 2018 Reviews in The Stage Accessed 7 March 2018 Shaftesbury Theatre programme December 1965 Womack Kenneth 4 September 2018 Sound Pictures The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin The Later Years 1966 2016 Chicago Review Press p 6 ISBN 978 0 912777 77 1 Retrieved 22 September 2022 References EditRoper David 1994 Bart The Unauthorized Life amp Times Ins and Outs Ups and Downs of Lionel Bart Pavilion Books Ltd Corbett Ronnie David Nobbs 2006 And it s goodnight from him The Autobiography of The Two Ronnies London Penguin ISBN 0 7181 4964 5 Parker Derek amp Julia 1979 The Story amp The Song Chappell amp Co External links EditTwang at Theatricalia Twang at the Guide to Musical Theatre Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Twang amp oldid 1117881582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
