It’s a Fine Life
Review by Andrew Clarke
Mention the name Lionel Bart and the hit musical Oliver immediately springs to mind, with its catchy songs ‘Food, Glorious Food’ , ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ and ‘Reviewing the Situation’ amongst others, but after that it’s not immediately apparent what else Bart penned during a four decade career.
The answer is quite a lot and it all comes into sharp focus in ‘It’s A Fine Life’, Simon Hanning’s heartfelt celebration of Britain’s half-forgotten theatrical and pop superstar.
John Barr breathes life, indignation and vigour into the mercurial figure of Bart, a would-be printer/commercial artist, born in the East End, and who started out penning early hits for fledgling stars like Tommy Steele (Little White Bull) and Cliff Richard (Livin’ Doll).
Along the way he also provided hits for singers like Shirley Bassey, Max Bygraves, Matt Munro, Jack Jones and Anthony Newley. He rubbed shoulders with stars like Noel Coward, Peter Sellers, all four Beatles and Barbara Windsor, and royalty like Princess Margaret and Hollywood royalty like Judy Garland.
For more than a decade in the 50s and 60s, Lionel Bart was just as well known for his extravagant parties - held in his Chelsea ‘Fun Palace’ - as for his musical compositions. It is into this glamourous, party-fuelled world we are thrust as the play opens.
It is 1964 and Bart is on top of the world. He has three musicals running in the West End, a dozen pop hits are dotted all over the charts and Oliver is about to open on Broadway.
Life could not be better.
He has invited a band to play at his party, led by fellow composer Eric Rogers on piano. Rogers, in addition to writing all the music for the Carry On films, arranges all of Bart’s compositions as Bart cannot read music. He sings his musical ideas into a tape recorder which Rogers then transcribes.
John Barr as Bart greets the audience as old friends, urges us to mingle, enjoy the party and then starts talking about his favourite subject - himself.
He tells us about his hard life growing up in the East End, his early days as a printer and his first forays into songwriting thanks to his contacts in the late night bars and Soho coffee houses, where they hosted up and coming talent.
Barr has a stunning voice and puts over Bart’s own interpretations of some of his biggest hits written for Tommy Steele ("A Handful of Songs"), Matt Munro (From Russia With Love) as well as choice selections from early stage shows for theatre director, Joan Littlewood (‘Fings Ain’t What They Used To Be and Lock Up Your Daughters).
Several of these shows featured his friend Barbara Windsor, who was making her name on stage and had yet to be drawn into the Carry On world. He wrote several songs for her which would make her a leading theatrical star before she decided to move into film.
At this party Cliff (Maximus Woodward) and Barbara Windsor (Michelle Francis) are invited to perform along with the legendary Judy Garland (Debbie Wileman). Garland even recorded an EP of four songs from Bart’s 1964 show, Maggie May.
As the second half opens, clearly a lot has changed.
It is now 1972. The Chelsea Fun Palace has gone, along with the expensive art and fine furnishings.
Bart is clearly upset. He has just returned from a court hearing where he has been declared bankrupt.
All his money has gone. His Oliver royalties, from both the stage show and the film, have vanished into his West End flop, ‘Twang’ - a Robin Hood musical which not only ate up all his finances but was also such an acrimonious experience that it drove away long-term friends like Barbara Windsor, Joan Littlewood and Max Bygraves.
Bart now lives in a small flat in Acton and retreats into a world sustained by booze and drugs. The 70s, 80s and most of the 90s are a blur. He spends his days looking back and promising himself that things can only get better.
This is a bittersweet section of show in which Barr’s interpretation of Lionel Bart is brutally honest, conveying his own shortcomings and the way that some of his friends deserted him.
But there are always the songs providing a ray of sunshine.
The staging of the show by Simon Hanning is simple but effective. We are situated in Lionel’s home - one plush, the other not so (complete with bare floorboards). On the back wall a scrapbook of rare photos, show posters and album covers are projected to illustrate the stories that Lionel is telling. His world is there before us - larger than life as we hear his great songs being performed.
Before we know it, it is 1996 and Lionel Bart is sober. He has just come out of rehab and life is starting to pick up. The Abbey National Building Society has just commissioned him to write a song for a new commercial and he is going to be filmed singing it to a group of young children. The song and the ad are an instant success.
Then West End impresario Cameron Macintosh buys the rights to Oliver, remounts the show at The London Palladium to huge acclaim and gifts Bart a proportion of royalties that he signed away 30 years earlier.
It is an affectionate tribute to a talented but flawed man who, more than most, followed his heart but also failed to listen to the voice in his head.
Great songs, great performances and a wonderful true-life story.
A wonderful evening.
It’s a Fine Life is at New Wolsey Theatre until March 27.
FOR FULL SHOW DETAILS AND BOOKING LINK, CLICK HERE