Betty Blue Eyes

Show

Thirty years ago Alan Bennett and Malcolm Mowbray wrote a hilariously funny and sharply observed comic film called A Private Function. Set in the period of post-war rationing, members of a small community in Yorkshire are determined to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip with a banquet and, despite the antics of an over-zealous local government meat inspector, the intention is to serve a fine dish of roast pork as the main course.

Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman (Queer as Folk, Sisters and An Early Frost, USA) have brilliantly adapted and expanded this story for the stage and George Stiles and Anthony Drewe have written a deliciously infectious, toe-tapping, retro contemporary score.

The result is an utterly British musical, full of eccentric characters, such as odd couple Gilbert Chilvers – an humble chiropodist, and his wife Joyce – a nobody determined to be somebody; Inspector Wormold – an obsessive destroyer of illegal meat; Mother Dear – ‘She’s seventy four and ravenous’; along with a weird assortment of bullies, spivs and snobs, and of course, our star, Betty the pig.

“A new smash musical is born: witty, rude, loveable, warm, dramatic, hilarious” 5 stars The Times

“It is impossible not to fall in love with Betty. Popular entertainment at its very best” The Daily Telegraph

www.bettyblueeyesthemusical.com

Story

It is 1947, belts are being tightened and the country’s long-suffering citizens are being told by the government that there will be fair shares for all in returning for surviving Austerity Britain. Meanwhile local officials feather their own nests by taking far more than their own fair share.

Having won the war Britain seems to have lost the peace, and the country is staggering under the burden of acute rationing, unemployment and the coldest winter for decades.

The only bright spark on the horizon is the impending marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Enter Betty, an adorable pig who is being illegally reared to ensure the local dignitaries can celebrate the Royal Wedding with a lavish banquet whilst the local population make do with Spam.

With a simply marvellous cast of great British actors headed by Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith, Betty Blue Eyes was like no musical you had ever seen – but she was worth saving up for!

History

Betty Blue Eyes opened at The Novello Theatre in April 2011 produced by Cameron Mackintosh.

It received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike and received nominations for ‘Best New Musical’ in the 2012 Laurence Olivier Awards, The Evening Standard Awards and the WhatsOnStage.com Awards.

The show received its US premiere at the Music Theatre of Wichita, Kansas in July 2013

A UK tour of Betty Blue Eyes received yet more great reviews and ran from March-August 2014.