Betty Blue Eyes

Betty Blue Eyes is based on the 1984 film A Private Function, by Alan Bennett.{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-features/8376765/Alan-Bennetts-A-Private-Function-hits-the-stage.html | title=Alan Bennett's 'A Private Function' hits the stage | publisher=The Telegraph | work=telegraph.co.uk | date=13 March 2011 | access-date=16 September 2013}} The show marked producer Cameron Mackintosh's first new musical in over 10 years{{cite web | url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/culture/arts/theatre/article579408.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925110944/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/culture/arts/theatre/article579408.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 25, 2013 | title=Hogging the limelight | publisher=The Sunday Times | work=thesundaytimes.co.uk | date=20 March 2011 | access-date=16 September 2013}} and when describing what drew him to the project (which he has described as "delicious"), Mackintosh said:

:"The score was written by friends of mine, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, whom I've known for 25 years and [who,] of course, did all the terrific new songs for Mary Poppins ... The book was written by two Americans [Cowen and Lipman], and it was their idea... I read it and I thought it was the most original piece I had read in a long, long time. I mean, I knew they were working on it, because the moment I heard it was a musical version of A Private Function — a film I loved, by Alan Bennett, which was very, very funny and off-the-wall — I was intrigued..."{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Kenneth|title=Cameron Mackintosh's New Musical|url=http://www.playbill.com/features/article/148966-Cameron-Mackintoshs-New-Musical|work=playbill.com|access-date=22 March 2011|date=March 21, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323142354/http://www.playbill.com/features/article/148966-Cameron-Mackintoshs-New-Musical|archive-date=23 March 2011}}

Betty Blue Eyes opened at the Novello Theatre in the West End, London, on 13 April 2011, following previews from 19 March.{{cite web | url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/08-2011/betty-blue-eyes-posts-early-closing-notices-24-sep_7380.html | title=Betty Blue Eyes Posts Early Closing Notices, 24 Sep | publisher=Whats On Stage | work=whatsonstage.com | date=22 August 2011 | access-date=15 September 2013}} The production was directed by Richard Eyre, with musical staging by Stephen Mear design by Tim Hatley and orchestrations by William David Brohn. The cast consisted of Sarah Lancashire as Joyce Chilvers, Reece Shearsmith as Gilbert Chilvers, David Bamber as Doctor Swaby, Jack Edwards as Mr Allardyce, Ann Emery as Mother Dear, Mark Meadows as Lockwood and Adrian Scarborough as Inspector Wormold. The voice of the show's animatronic pig Betty was provided by Australian singer Kylie Minogue.{{cite web | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/west-end-in-shock-as-rave-reviews-and-kylie-fail-to-save-musicals-bacon-6436030.html | title=West End in shock as rave reviews and Kylie fail to save musical's bacon | publisher=London Evening Standard | work=standard.co.uk | date=23 August 2011 | access-date=15 September 2013}} Despite positive reviews,{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/8761939/Why-Betty-failed-to-bring-home-the-bacon.html | title=Why Betty failed to bring home the bacon | publisher=The Telegraph | work=telegraph.co.uk | date=14 September 2011 | access-date=14 September 2013}} the musical closed in London on 24 September 2011, after a run of six months.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14628627 | title=Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes to close | publisher=BBC News | work=bbc.co.uk/news | date=23 August 2011 | access-date=14 September 2013}}{{cite web|last=Husband|first=Stuart|title=Behind the scenes of 'Betty Blue Eyes'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/8376112/Behind-the-scenes-of-Betty-Blue-Eyes.html|work=The Telegraph|access-date=22 March 2011|date=March 16, 2011}}

The first production outside the UK{{cite web | url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/wichita/article/Photo-Flash-Music-Theatre-of-Wichitas-BETTY-BLUE-EYES-Opening-724-20130719 | title=Music Theatre of Wichita's BETTY BLUE EYES, Opening 7/24 | publisher=Broadway World | work=broadwayworld.com | date=19 July 2013 | access-date=15 September 2013}} and the shows American premiere took place at Music Theatre of Wichita in Wichita, Kansas from 24 to 28 July 2013.{{cite web | url=http://www.kansas.com/2013/07/19/2893614/wichita-audiences-to-get-first.html | title=Wichita audiences to get first American bite of 'Betty Blue Eyes' | publisher=The Wichita Eagle | work=kansas.com | date=18 July 2013 | access-date=15 September 2013}} Music Theatre of Wichita previously recorded the North American cast album for George Stiles and Anthony Drewe's musical Honk!. The production was directed by Wayne Bryan and featured Justin Robertson, Larry Raben, Tracy Lore, and Mary Stout.

In March 2014, a new production, directed by Daniel Buckroyd, opened at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester ahead of a UK Tour in a co-production between the Mercury Theatre Colchester, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, Salisbury Playhouse and West Yorkshire Playhouse.{{cite web | url=http://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/event/betty-blue-eyes/ | title=BETTY BLUE EYES | publisher=Colchester Mercury | work=mercurytheatre.co.uk | date=14 March 2014 | access-date=14 July 2014}}{{cite web | url=https://issuu.com/mercurytheatrecolchester/docs/mercurywhatsonguide__signed_off__la | title=What's on Spring / Summer 2014 | publisher=Mercury Theatre Colchester | date=January 6, 2014 | access-date=September 5, 2019 | pages=12–13 | via=issuu}}

In February 2018, the first German-speaking production, directed by Christian Brey, opened at Musiktheater Linz, Austria under the title Betty Blue Eyes - Das Musical mit dem Schwein. The German translation is provided by Roman Hinze.{{cite web | url=https://www.landestheater-linz.at/stuecke/detail?EventSetID=2576&ref=257617114&spielzeit=2017/18 | title=Landestheater Linz BETTY BLUE EYES, Opening 24 February 2018 | publisher=Landestheater Linz | work=landestheater-linz.at | access-date=4 May 2017}}

In March 2023, the first London fringe revival, directed by Sasha Regan, opened at the Union Theatre, London. The production had choreography by Kasper Cornish, musical direction by Aaron Clingham, set & costume design by Reuben Speed, lighting design by Alistair Lindsay, assistant direction by Michael Mather, assistant design by David Spence, stage management by Jack Evans, casting by Adam Braham and production by The Union Theatre & By The Sea Productions.

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

; Act I

• Overture (Austerity Britain) — The Orchestra
• "Fair Shares for All" — Joyce, The Company
• "A Place on the Parade" — Gilbert, Joyce
• "Magic Fingers" — Gilbert, Mrs Roach, Mrs Lester, Mrs Turnbull
• "Magic Fingers" (Reprise) — Mrs Metcalf, Gilbert
• "Painting by Heart" — Wormold, The Company
• "Nobody" — Joyce, The Company
• "A Private Function" — Swaby, Allardyce, Lockwood
• "Betty Blue Eyes" — Allardyce, Gilbert
• "The Riot" — Wormold, Noble, The Company
• "Lionheart" — Joyce, The Billy Carroll Trio, The Company
• "Steal the Pig" — Gilbert, Joyce, Swaby, Allardyce, Lockwood, Wormold, The Company

{{col-break}}

;Act II

• Entr'acte (The Pignap) — The Orchestra
• "Another Little Victory" — Gilbert, Joyce, The Company
• "Kill the Pig" (Reprise) — Joyce
• "It's an Ill Wind" — Mrs Tilbrook, Townswomen
• "Pig No Pig" — Joyce, Gilbert, Mother Dear, Wormold, Veronica
• "The Kind of Man I Am" — Gilbert
• "Since The War" — Swaby, Allardyce, Lockwood, Noble
• "Betty Blue Eyes" (Reprise) — Gilbert, Allardyce
• "A Private Function" (Reprise) — The Company
• "Finale Ultimo" - Confessions — The Company
• "Magic Fingers" (Reprise) — Gilbert, Joyce
• "Goodbye Austerity Britain" — The Company

{{col-end}}

Featuring 20 songs on the physical CD{{cite web | url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/154103-Track-List-Announced-for-Cast-Recording-of-Londons-Betty-Blue-Eyes- | title=Track List Announced for Cast Recording of London's Betty Blue Eyes | publisher=Playbill | work=playbill.com | date=31 August 2011 | access-date=15 September 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915030025/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/154103-Track-List-Announced-for-Cast-Recording-of-Londons-Betty-Blue-Eyes- | archive-date=15 September 2011 }} with an additional two bonus tracks available as digital downloads only{{cite web | url=http://www.theatermania.com/london-theater/news/09-2011/betty-blue-eyes-cast-album-to-be-released-by-first_40383.html | title=Betty Blue Eyes Cast Album to Be Released by First Night Records | publisher=Theatre Mania | work=theatermania.com | date=1 September 2011 | access-date=15 September 2013}} from the London production of Betty Blue Eyes, the cast album was released by First Night Records{{cite web | url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/First-Night-to-Release-BETTY-BLUE-EYES-Cast-Album-20110901 | title=First Night to Release BETTY BLUE EYES Cast Album | publisher=Broadway World | work=broadwayworld.com | date=1 September 2011 | access-date=15 September 2013}} on 3 October 2011.{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Betty-Blue-Eyes-Original-London/dp/B005MYWZFM | title=Betty Blue Eyes [CD] | work=amazon.co.uk | access-date=15 September 2013}} The recording was made at the Novello Theatre over five performances.{{cite web | url=http://first-night-records.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=227 | title=Betty Blue Eyes Original London Cast | publisher=First Night Records | work=first-night-records.co.uk | access-date=15 September 2013}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Betty Blue Eyes (Original London Cast Recording)

| type = soundtrack

| longtype = cast recording

| artist = Various

| cover = Betty Blue Eyes (Cast Cd).jpg

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|df=yes|2011|10|03}}

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = {{duration|m=79|s=38}}

| label = First Night Records

| producer =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column =

| title1 =Overture - Austerity Britain

| length1 = 1:58

| title2 =Fair Shares for All

| length2 =3:42

| title3 =A Place on the Parade

| length3 = 3:46

| title4 =Magic Fingers

| length4 = 4:37

| title5 =Painting By Heart

| length5 =5:07

| title6 =Nobody

| length6 = 3:14

| title7 =Nobody Part 2

| length7 = 2:42

| title8 =A Private Function

| length8 = 2:59

| title9 =Betty Blue Eyes

| length9 = 3:59

| title10 =Lionheart

| length10 = 5:06

| title11 =Steal the Pig

| length11 = 4:59

| title12 =Another Little Victory

| length12 = 4:50

| title13 =It's an Ill Wind

| length13 = 3:00

| title14 =Pig no Pig

| length14 = 6:53

| title15 =The Kind of Man I am

| length15 =3:25

| title16 =Since The War (Bonus Track)

| length16 =3:03

| title17 =A Private Function (Reprise)

| length17 =1:40

| title18 =Finale Ultimo - Confessions

| length18 =8:18

| title19 =Magic Fingers (Reprise)

| length19 =2:18

| title20 =Betty Blue Eyes (Reprise)

| length20 =1:29

| title21 =Jitterbug

| length21 =1:36

| title22 =Magic Fingers (Bonus Track)

| length22 =5:37

}}

{{clear}}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{official website|http://bettyblueeyesthemusical.com}}

{{Stiles and Drewe}}

Category:Musicals based on films

Category:West End musicals

Category:2011 musicals

Category:British musicals

Category:Musicals set in England

Category:Musicals set in the 1940s