~ CURRENT TOURING SHOWS ~

 

Since 1998 the Company has been touring theatres, art centres, residential homes, sheltered accommodation, day centres, museums and village halls with a variety of nostalgic shows.

All shows use a radio "wireless" as a focal point taking the audience back in time to include a re-enactment of excerpts from popular radio programmmes with songs and events of a particular decade.

 

The Company has 8 different shows and can adapt them to offer a tailor-made combination of entertainment.

There is also a programme of "singalong" shows of various musicals

 The Programmmes

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THE 1940s

1. They Can't Blackout the Moon

 

Starting with Neville Chamberlain's speech - September 3rd 1939, the action takes the audience through the years of the war paying tribute to the radio personalities(e.g ITMA, Gert & Daisy, Robb Wilton, Max Miller etc) and the singers of the period. The audience is encouraged to participate in wartime shopping, an air raid (with the audience taking roles as ARP wardens and plane spotters) and dancing "The Lambeth Walk". The finale involves everyone singing the Vera Lynn song "We'll Meet Again"

2. Yes, We Have No Bananas

A celebration of all the positive things that people did in wartime Britain with tributes to the "wireless" programmmes (ITMA);personalities( Flanagan & Alan, Max Miller, Carman Miranda) and songs.The finale song is a rousing rendition of the song "Wish me luck as you wave me Goodbye"

THE 1950s

1. Memories are Made of This

Starting with the death of King George the sixth, the coronation of Elizabeth(using actual broadcasts), the show takes the audience into the early 1950s paying tribute to the radio programmes (Ray's a Laugh), the early days of "Rock and Roll" and the beginning of teenage culture. Songs include "Rock Around the Clock",(audience to join in jiving to this) "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?", "Rock and Roll Waltz", "Lay Down Your Arms" and many more including Lonnie Donegan's "Battle of New Orleans" In the last song the audience are invited to help join in a skiffle group playing the washboard and combe and paper.

2. Magic Moments

A bright and breezy sunshine show with television adverts, shopping and summer holidays with songs from Cliff Richard, Doris Day, Adam Faith, Petula Clarke, The Four Seasons,Guy Mitchell and Elvis Presley. Radio programmes include "The Glums" The final song is "We're All Going on a Summer Holiday" with the audience joiing in.

3. Young at Heart

A look at home life in the 1950s when men were regarded as the breadwinners and women stayed at home to look after the house and do the cooking. Artefacts include "darning mushrooms" and hair tongs. Re-enactments of comedy programmes "Life with the Lyons" and "Much binding in the Marsh". Tributes to Alma Cogan, Harry Belafonte,Doris Day, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley.

4. A Handful of Songs

 This show is fully participatory which takes the audience back to the halcyon days of the 1950s and '60s. A look at some of the less famous- singers who had Number One hits. The audience is tested on their knowledge of singers, songs and television theme tunes. Re-enactment of popular radio programmes include "Desert Island discs" and "Educating Archie" Tributes to singers such Tommy Steele, Eden Kane, Gary Millar and Bonny Lou (If I Knew You Were coming I'd Have Baked a Cake) and The Dreamweavers. Prizes can be arranged if a competition is required by the venue.

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 This show received funding from the "Awards for All" Lottery in 2009.

The Hollywood Years

1. Ah, Yes I Remember it Well

The audience are taken through a lifetime's journey from adolescence to old age using songs from musicals. These include songs from Oklahoma, South Pacific, Gigi, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music and many more. A truly nostalgic show with songs from some of the greatest musicals ever written.

2. What a Swell Party This Is

A tribute to the Hollywood years from the silent films to the early 1970s. Tributes and songs to such legends as Charlie Chaplin, Mae West, Cary Grant, Julie Garland, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby,Fred Astaire, Jane Wyman,  Vincent Price and many more. Excerpts from "Gone With the Wind" and The Marx Brothers......... and a chance to meet The Invisible Man !

In the current climate theatre is experiencing a boom in "Singalong" shows which are proving a lift from the economic gloom.