West End Wednesday: BLITZ!
Blitz! is a 1960s musical penned by Lionel Bart and is partly based on Bart’s childhood memories of growing up in the Jewish East End of London during the Blitz. The story focuses on the families of the Blitzteins and the Lockes, who work at the market in Petticoat Lane. The matriarch and patriarch of the respective families do not like each other and the last thing they want is their children to fall in love with each other. Unfortunately for them, Georgie Locke and Carol Blitztein have already taken a liking to each other.
Blitz! opened at the Adelphi Theatre in 1962. The show opened in the shadow of Bart’s other triumph Oliver! which was still running in the West End. Blitz! was a hit and it made a notable presence on the West End theatrical scene. The sets, designed by Sean Kenny, involved elaborate revolves and a mobile bridge on two towers and made it the most expensive show to date, which has largely been a reason as to why the show has barely seen the light of day since. The scale of the production and the specificity of the Blitz, being an inherently British experience, both played parts in why it never made the transfer to Broadway. The opening night cast included Amelia Bayntun as Mrs Blitztein, Bob Grant as Alfie Locke, Grazina Frame as Carol Blitztein and Graham James as Georgie Locke. The show included a song specifically written for the infamous Vera Lynn, who although did not appear in the musical, recorded the song that was then played in the show. The show ran for 18 months before closing.
The show was briefly revived in 1990 at the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End by the National Youth Theatre. This production featured a young Jessica Hynes as Mrs Blitztein. The show was also briefly revived a decade later by the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. The most recent revival of the show was seen in London’s Off West-End at The Union Theatre in 2020. This marked the first time the show had been redrafted to create a smaller more intimate, chamber musical experience. Mrs Blitztein was played by Jessica Martin. The production was directed by Phil Wilmott, with choreography by Daniel Maguire. The show received mixed to positive notices.
For many years, Blitz! has been a staple of British amateur dramatic societies and is a beloved homegrown musical. If you haven’t listened to it Besties, the cast recording is available on YouTube.
FACTS:
Music: Lionel Bart
Lyrics: Lionel Bart
Book: Lionel Bart and Joan Maitland
Theatre: The Adelphi Theatre
Run: 568 performances
