Nigel Planer joins West End line up for CELEBRATING LIONEL BART at JW3

Nigel Planer joins a top West End line up in a magical and nostalgic musical theatre evening celebrating the great music of songwriter Lionel Bart for one night only on 7 July at JW3.

Sir Cliff Richard will be joining Celebrating Lionel Bart on screen on the night, talking about his vivid memories of working with Lionel Bart, alongside another Bart superfan, Sir Tommy Steele, who also chats away on film, telling delightful stories of his escapades with his mate Bart - from the very start of their careers to the heady lights of Broadway and beyond.

Nigel Planer said: “My favourite Lionel song is ‘Be Back Soon’, a strange choice I know, but it’s for personal reasons. As a contact dad in the 90s, I regularly watched Oliver! with my son, and we’d sing this to each other on parting each weekend. It took the sting out of the situation.

“Nowadays many of Lionel’s lyrics would be considered questionable, but they are damn good songs.

“There are so many lyrics which wouldn’t get past the sensitivity reader these days, and not least of all ‘Living Doll’. “Gonna lock her up in a trunk, so no big hunk, can steal her away from me”. In our Young Ones recording with Cliff Richard, I tried to make this less dodgy by saying “I feel sorry for the elephant” – which made sure we were just being silly, and became a bit of a catch phrase.”

Also appearing live in this joyous concert will be Debbie Chazen (Cable Street, Southwark Playhouse), Jos Slovic (Opening Night, West End), Brady Isaacs Pierce (Les Misérables, International tour), and Liza Sadovy (Cabaret, West End). They will be singing Bart’s magical songs including: ‘Living Doll’ and the Bond theme ‘From Russia With Love’, to hits from his musicals Oliver! and Blitz - and his biggest flop, Twang!

Roger Cook (I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing) will also be a talking head on the night, with his stories of working with Lionel Bart on their, as yet unproduced musical, Next Year in Jerusalem, and will introduce one of the songs from this show, being performed live for the first time.

Celebrating Lionel Bart is devised and directed by Adam Lenson, with musical direction by Theo Jamieson.

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