Me And My Girl was originally a roaring success in the 1930s, when it seemed the whole of the UK was mad about The Lambeth Walk and pearly kings and queens.
Doing the Lambeth Walk
Then, in the early 1980s, the show was revised by Stephen Fry and Mike Ockrent, and was even more successful than the original 1930s version. It ran for eight years in the West End and for three years on Broadway, scooping up Olivier and Tony awards in its wake.
Now, in October 2022, AOS will be bringing Me And My Girl back to the Amey Theatre for the first time since 2001. You can keep up with all the latest news on the production on our Current show page here.
Top Hat, the stunning 2013 Olivier Award winner for ‘Best New Musical’ – Tue 23 to Sat 27 October 2018.
What can we say, except to thank all our audience for supporting us and making their appreciation so evident. The laughter was in all the right places, your applause was more than enthusiastic, and even your wolf whistles for Signor Beddini’s striptease were welcomed. We had a brilliant week, enjoying every minute of performing this show, and it’s so pleasing to know that our audience enjoyed it just as much.
To refresh your memory if you were able to join us, or to take a glimpse at what you missed, check out the gallery on our Flickr site here.
Every few months, we like to turn the spotlight on an AOS member and find out a little more about them. This time it’s John Wilkes.
What’s been your favourite AOS role and why?
I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of memorable parts. Gilbert & Sullivan roles are always a good romp, and I enjoyed Gaylord Ravenal in Showboat. For sauciness, the Emcee in Cabaret takes a lot of beating and Evelyn Oakleigh in Anything Goes was great fun. But top billing probably goes to Oliver Warbucks in Annie – it’s a fulfilling part and the show is good fluffy fun.
John Wilkes as Emcee in 2002’s Cabaret.
What’s the best thing about being in a show?
Two things – the camaraderie of doing something with a great bunch of people. We’re all in it together and working to do the best we can for the audience. And that’s the second thing. I love the reaction of a live audience, and trying to please and entertain people who have made the effort to come and see us, rather than sitting on the sofa in front of the TV.
Are you aware of the audience when you’re on stage?
Gosh, yes! Performing would be a very flat experience without an audience reacting to what’s going on. I sometimes think the audience is half the performance. An audience is the very stuff of a live show and what makes it interactive and real.
How do you combat performance nerves?
Nerves are an essential part of performing, I think – they keep you on your toes. I don’t get nervous about the things I do, but about the things I might not do… like forgetting a move or a word, or to come on at all. I do look over my words and moves before going on to do a scene, just to get into the ‘zone’.
How do you feel when show week comes to an end?
I know a lot of people come down with a bump after the excitement of the week of the show, but actually I feel okay. I think that we’ve done our thing and now it’s time to move on to something new.
In 1999, Time magazine rated Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel as the greatest musical of the twentieth century, saying: “They set the standards for the 20th century musical, and this show features their most beautiful score and the most skillful and affecting example of their musical storytelling.”
Carousel opened on Broadway in April 1945 and ran for over 800 performances. When it arrived in the West End in 1950 it saw equal success. In 1956, a Hollywood version of the stage show was filmed, starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.
The show’s story revolves around carousel barker Billy Bigelow, whose romance with millworker Julie Jordan comes at the price of both their jobs. He participates in a robbery to provide for Julie and their unborn child; and then, after it goes tragically wrong, he is given a chance to make things right. A secondary plot line deals with millworker Carrie Pipperidge and her romance with ambitious fisherman Enoch Snow. The show includes the well-known songs ‘If I Loved You’, ‘June Is Bustin’ Out All Over’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. Richard Rodgers later wrote that Carousel was the favourite of all his musicals.
Perhaps surprisingly, 2023 will be the first time AOS has performed Carousel since 1974, so we can be confident that very few members of our audience will remember that production, nearly fifty years ago. We’re looking forward to bringing an energetic and dynamic version of Carousel to the Amey Theatre next April, and we hope to see you there.
