 CHARLIE GIRL
Book by Hugh and Margaret Williams & Ray Cooney
Music & lyrics by David Heneker and John Taylor
Opened at the Adelphi Theatre December 15, 1965 starring Anna Neagle,
Joe Brown Derek Nimmo and Hy Hazel. It closed in 1971. The show was
revived in 1986 at the Victoria Palace and starred Cyd Charisse, Paul
Nicholas, Dora Bryan and Mark Wynter. It ran for 6 months.
The Story
In order to make ends meet, Lady Hadwell and her daughters, the ladies
Penelope, Fiona and Charlotte who are the inhabitants of the stately
Hadwell Hall, run it, with the help of their lively, young manager
Joe Studholme, as a commercial enterprise with attractions ranging
from a fun fair to all-in-wrestling.
The season is open, and the public arrive in droves to look over The
Most Ancestral Home Of All. Penelope and Fiona, all legs and cut-glass
accents, act as guides, but tomboy 'Charlie' keeps herself busy looking
after the cars in the Veteran Car museum. Her sisters tease her over
her grease-smudged appearance, warning her that 'the chaps' will never
fancy her, but Charlie has her own ideas about love - when the right
man comes along Bells Will Ring. One who would like to be that right
man is Joe, who can sing his love for Charlie Girl, but can't tell her
of it to her face. His reticence seems likely to be fatal when Lady Hadwell's
old chorus-line comrade, Kay Connor arrives, bringing with her son Jack.
One look, and Charlie is declaring I Love Him, I Love Him. Mrs. Connor
wants Jack to marry a nice titled English girl, but he has no intention
of getting hooked and says so - What Would I Get From Being Married?
His mother does not give up easily - she has set her eyes on one of the
Hadwell girls - her family could do with their 'class', and the Hadwell's
could do with the Connor's money. She and Lady Hadwell agree Let's Do
A Deal, as they reminisce over their days in the chorus together.
Joe still can't bring himself to speak of his love to Charlie, although
he confesses to the furniture that MY Favourite Occupation is just being
with her - but he has another problem. He has won a considerable amount
of money on the football pools. This is only a problem because he won't
take the money: he thinks that if he were rich Charlie would feel obliged
to marry him for her family's sake. Pools man Nicholas has the publicity
ready to roll, but agrees to hold back for a week if he can stay that
time at Hadwell where he has fallen for lady Fiona. To pass unnoticed
he disguises himself as a butler.
Lady Hadwell has arranged a ball in honour of the Connors' visit; Jack
preens himself before the mirror, considering his own charm with the
query What's The Magic, and Charlie eats her heart out because she hasn't
got a dress to wear. Joe promises to find her one, and the first act
ends as Lady Hadwell descends the staircase to be led by an escort of
young men to take up her hostess' place amid the fountains and fairylights
of the gardens of Hadwell Hall (When I Hear Music, I Dance).
The party has begun and Charlie still has no dress. Upset, she blames
Joe for raising her hopes, and he in turn condemns Wainwright declaring
I 'Ates Money. But money has been able to hire a beautiful dress from
a film company. It arrives at last and Charlie is transformed from a
grubby urchin into a veritable Cinderella as she waltzes off to the ball
to the strains of the Charlie Girl Waltz, there to find Mrs Connor being
the life and soul of, what she proclaims is The Party Of A Lifetime.
Jack is very struck by the new Charlie and lures her into the summerhouse
to press his intentions on her. She is cautious but delighted. This is
Like Love! but when he kisses her no bells ring, and she runs out distressed,
leaving her Prince Charming bewildered at the seeming loss of his powers
(That's It).
Back at the party Lady Hadwell indulges in a surreptitious but lively
dance with Jack's valet, Washington while Joe feeds the guests on Fish
And Chips until midnight comes and it is time for Charlie's dress to
go back to its hire shop. Undismayed, Charlie simply takes it off and
carries on as if nothing had happened, clad only in her underwear. The
other girls whoop with delight and follow the new 'fashion' until the
dance takes on quite a new look in the Society Twist.
Joe decides that he can't face life near Charlie or without Charlie.
He tells Lady Hadwell that he will have to leave her employ, but she
encourages him - You Never Know What You Can Do Until You Try - to 'have
a go, Joe'. His courage fails him, but when Charlie kisses him goodbye
- bells ring! Charlie has found her own true love, Lady Penelope, in
her underskirt, has captured Jack's attentions, and Wainwright has finally
cornered the Lady Fiona. The result is that all Lady Hadwell's daughters
are now off her hands at one 'Absolutely flippin' marvellous' go.
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