‘Me and My Girl’ set for Theatre Royal towards the end of this month
Some of the cast of "Me and My Girl". Photo: Andy Abbott.
Irving Stage Company returns to the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds next week with the classic British comedy musical “Me and My Girl” from Tuesday to Saturday, April 26 to 30.
The story of Cockney costermonger Bill Snibson, who learns he is the heir to a noble title, and the fortune that goes with it – this has been an award-winning and enduringly popular show since its West End opening in 1937.
Featuring songs including “Leaning on a Lamppost”, “Me and My Girl”, “The Sun Has Got His Hat On”, and of course “The Lambeth Walk”, this is a touching, funny and nostalgic romance that lifts the spirits.
Poking fun at the class system, the show traces the attempts of the snooty Hareford clan to turn Bill into a proper member of the aristocracy – while parting him from Sally Smith, the Lambeth girl who is the love of his life.
The original production of “Me and My Girl” starred the popular actor Lupino Lane and ran for more than 1,600 performances. After numerous revivals, in 1985 a new production revised by Stephen Fry and Mike Ockrent began an eight-year run in London with Robert Lindsay and Emma Thompson in the lead roles. It transferred to Broadway and garnered major Olivier and Tony awards. It is this version that Irving’s 30-strong cast and live orchestra is bringing to the Theatre Royal.
The Lambeth Walk was an East End street dance known from late Victorian times, but updated for the 1937 show.
Hackney boy Lupino Lane said the song “expresses the London spirit”, and his thumbs-out cockney strut made it even more popular during the Second World War. \
The song was adopted as a national morale-booster, joined in with gusto across the class divide from Mayfair ballrooms to dance halls. It was used to great satirical effect when set against newsreel of goose-stepping German soldiers – a joke in dark times that has been hailed as the first-ever viral video.
During the pandemic the Irving Stage Company has faced many covid-related challenges, but has overcome them to produce three shows in the past two years – “Company” in June 2021, “Season’s Greetings” last November, and now “Me and My Girl”.
The book and lyrics are by L Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber, with the music by Noel Gay. The book was revised by Stephen Fry, with contributions by Mike Ockrent.
Shows are taking place nightly at 7.30pm, Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Box office 01284 769505, www.theatreroyal.org