A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Miss Littlewood

Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy  /  9w, 3m

Sam Kenyon

Anti-establishment, visionary, rude and glorious, Joan Littlewood fired the imagination of a generation. Based on her life story, this musical charts the emotional highs and lows of Joan’s journey from the East End to the West End.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    9w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Biography
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Miss Littlewood

Details

Summary

Joan Littlewood was the anarchic revolutionary of 20th-century theatre. Her unique Theatre Workshop was responsible for a raft of successes, including Oh, What A Lovely War!, and breathed new life into the Theatre Royal Stratford East.

Anti-establishment, visionary, rude and glorious, Joan Littlewood fired the imagination of a generation. Based on her life story, this musical chart the emotional highs and lows of Joan’s journey from the East End to the West End.

Told with her own uncompromising honesty, this new musical reveals a mighty love story at its heart.

History
Miss Littlewood made its world premiere at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on 3 July 2018. Directed by Erica Whyman, the production featured Clare Burt as Joan Littlewood.

CAROLINE EMILY – Joan’s grandmother
KATE LITTLEWOOD – Joan’s mother
ROBERT LITTLEWOOD – Joan’s grandfather
JOAN LITTLEWOOD – sixties
JOAN 1 – young girl to young teenager
SISTER SUSANNAH – nuns, teachers
SISTER MARY
SISTER GERTRUDE
SCHOOLGIRLS
JOHN BURY GIELGUD
JOAN 2 – late teens/early twenties
SUSANNAH NICHOLSON – known as Nick – Joan’s art teacher
OLDER WOMAN – Joan’s paternal grandmother
PRINCIPAL OF RADA – played by Joan Littlewood herself
BEATTIE – a kindly woman en route to Manchester
JIMMIE MILLER – (later Ewan MacColl) – writer, actor, singer, songwriter
HOWARD GOORNEY – actor
ROSALIEWILLIAMS – actress
TEDDY – ASM
GERARD – actor
ALF – actor
BETSY MILLER – Jimmie’s mother
JEAN NEWLOVE – choreographer and Laban expert
JOAN 3 – late twenties/early thirties
GERRY RAFFLES – actor and producer
PEARL TURNER – actress and singer
THE ARTS COUNCIL – played by Joan Littlewood herself
JOHN BURY – Designer
BARBARAYOUNG, aka PIGEON – actress
JOAN4 – late thirties/early forties
AVISBUNNAGE – actress
MURRAYMELVIN, aka NUT – actor
SHELAGH DELANEY – writer
FRANK NORMAN – writer
LIONEL BART – writer/composer
BARBARA (not named) – actress
VICTORSPINETTI – actor
HALPRINCE – director
JOAN5 – late forties/early fifties
CEDRICPRICE – architect of The Fun Palace
FRENCHBELLBOYBARBARA WINDSOR – actress

JOAN 6 – late fifties
REPORTER

  • Time Period 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, 1950s, 1940s/WWII, 1930s
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes
    • Smoking

Media

“A anarchic delight in the style of Miss Littlewood herself.” – Whatsonstage

“Irreverent and moving” – The Stage, Read more

“A anarchic delight in the style of Miss Littlewood herself.” – Whatsonstage, Read more

“A magnificent evening.” – The Times, Read more

“It is hard not to warm to a show that introduces a new generation to the huge debt British theatre owes [Littlewood].” – The Guardian, Read more

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

Miss Littlewood Q&A with playwright and composer Sam Kenyon
13 May 2020

Music

Music Samples

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
15 Piano-Conductor
1 Reed (Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Flute)
1 Trumpet
1 Percussion
1 Violin/Viola
1 Cello/Double Bass

Authors

Author

Sam Kenyon

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