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Flowers for Mrs Harris

Full-Length Musical, Drama  /  6w, 4m

Based on the novel by Paul Gallico
A musical by Richard Taylor and Rachel Wagstaff
Book by Rachel Wagstaff
Music and Lyrics by Richard Taylor

For Ada Harris, day-to-day life is spent cleaning houses. But when she happens upon something that takes her breath away, she sets off on a journey that will change her life... From the cobbled streets of post-war London to the magical avenues of Paris and beyond, Ada transforms the lives of everyone she meets along the way, but can she let go of her past and finally let her own life blossom?

Flowers for Mrs Harris

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 4m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Three 2016 UK Theatre Awards, including Best Musical Production
Flowers for Mrs Harris

Details

Summary
For Ada Harris, day-to-day life is spent cleaning houses. But when she happens upon something that takes her breath away, she sets off on a journey that will change her life... From the cobbled streets of post-war London to the magical avenues of Paris and beyond, Ada transforms the lives of everyone she meets along the way, but can she let go of her past and finally let her own life blossom?
History
Flowers for Mrs Harris was first staged at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in May 2016, directed by Daniel Evans. The current version of the show opened at Chichester Festival Theatre on 8 September 2018.
Keywords
Performing Groups
6f, 4m, with doubling as follows:

Mrs Ada Harris (Range: E3-C5)
Mr Albert Harris / Marquis de Chassange (Range: G#2-F4)
Violet Butterfield / French Char Lady (Range: E3-C5)
Bob Smith / André Fauvel (Range: C3-A4)
Pamela Penrose / Natasha Raimbault (Range: G3-G5)
Major Wallace / Monsier Armand / French Waiter / Customs Officer (Range: B2-F#4)
Countess Wyszcinska / Dame Sybil Sullivan / Seamstress (Range: G#3-Db5)
Lady Dant / Madame Colbert (Range: B3-E5)
Terry / Wireless Commentator / Dior Dress Maker / Terence (Non-singing role)
Flower Seller / French Flower Seller / Dior Dress Maker (Range: C4-F#5)
  • Time Period 1940s/WWII
  • Setting London and Paris, 1947-1951
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“A Cinderella story sewn into our world.” – WhatsOnStage

“This remains an engaging and graceful musical, filled with hope and positivity.” – Broadway World

“Full of wistful dreaming and old-fashioned kindness.” – Evening Standard

“Suffused with benevolence and dramatised by some unexpected twists this is a heartwarming, eye-prickling cri de coeur masquerading as a musical. Wonderful.” – Express

“Taylor’s music and lyrics are woven so closely with Wagstaff’s words that speech and song seem two tones of colour in one fabric.” – The Guardian

“What a glorious musical bouquet this is.” – The Stage

“Charming feelgood musical.” – TimeOut

“A story so smooth it fills your throat with lumps.” – WhatsOnStage

“Breathtaking” – West End Best Friend

Videos

  • Interview with Director Daniel Evans | Flowers for Mrs Harris | Chichester Festival Theatre youtube thumbnail

    Interview with Director Daniel Evans | Flowers for Mrs Harris | Chichester Festival Theatre

Music

Music Samples

ACT I

1. “Kitchen” - Orchestra
2. “All I Ever Needed” - Mrs Harris, Mr Harris
3. “Lady Dant” - Violet, Lady Dant, Mrs Harris
4. “There Is More To Life” - Mrs Harris, Lady Dant
5. “Clients #1 - Look At Me” - Bob, Mrs Harris, Pamela, Countess, Major
6. “Something To Come Home To” - Mrs Harris, Violet
7. “Rain On Me” - Mrs Harris, Mr Harris
8. “Clients #2” - Bob, Pamela, Countess, Major, Mrs Harris
9. “The Pools Win” - Mrs Harris
10. “Mrs Harris Does A Budget” - Mrs Harris, Mr Harris
11. “Clients #3” - Violet, Major, Mrs Harris, Countess, Pamela, Flower Seller, Bob, Mr Harris
12. “Pamela” - Pamela
13. “Underscore” - Orchestra
14. “Albert: The Watch” - Mrs Harris, Mr Harris
15. “Rain On Me – Reprise/End of Act One” - Violet, Mrs Harris, Mr Harris  

ACT II

16. “30, Avenue Montaigne” - Mrs Harris, French Cleaner, Madame Colbert, André, Natasha  
17. “Mme Colbert/André Aside” - Madame Colbert, André
18. “Every Woman Is A Princess” - Mrs Harris, Monsieur Armand, Madame Colbert
19. “The Dress-Showing” - Mrs Harris, Marquis
20. “Measuring” - Seamstress, Mrs Harris
21. “Seamstress/Natasha” - Seamstress, Natasha
22. “Natasha Exit” - Orchestra
23. “Dress-Making #1 / She Kissed Me!” - André
24. “The Doorbell” - André
25. “The Girl In The Magazine” - Natasha, Mrs Harris
26. “The Sad Story of Madame Colbert” - Natasha, André
27. “Dress-Making #2/The Flower Market”  - André, French Flower Seller
28. “Dress-Making #3” - Madame Colbert, Natasha, André, French Cleaner
29. “Bistro du Midi Underscore” - Orchestra
30. “Dress-Making #4” - Seamstress, Madame Colbert, André, Natasha, French Cleaner, Mrs Harris
31. “Customs (A Fib, Not A Lie)” - Customs Officer  
32. “Returning Home/Visiting Pamela” - Customs Officer, Madame Colbert, Mrs Harris, Pamela
33. “5, Willis Gardens” - Mrs Harris  
34. “Flowers (Something For You)” - Company
35. “The Garden Of Eden” - Mrs Harris, Pamela, Lady Dant, Violet, Countess, Bob, Major
36. “Playout” - Orchestra               

Flute
Clarinet in Bb (dbl. Tenor Saxophone)
Horn in F
Cornet in Bb
Tenor Trombone
Piano*
Harp
Percussion (Bass Drum, Glockenspiel, Drum Kit, Mark Tree, Ride Cymbal, Small Triangle, Snare Drum, Splash Cymbal, Suspended Cymbal, Temple Blocks, Timpani, Triangle, Tubular Bells, Whipcrack, Woodblock, Xylophone)
Violin
Contrabass
 
*N.B. Flowers For Mrs Harris is intended to be stick-conducted, with the Musical Director using the Piano-Vocal during cast rehearsals, and the Full Score during performances. Should your Musical Director wish to play the Piano part during performances as part of the orchestra, a Piano-Conductor score is provided which would be used in lieu of the Piano book.  
  • Dance Requirements Minimal
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size Medium
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

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!
12 Piano-Vocal
1 Piano-Conductor*
1 Flute
1 Clarinet in Bb
1 Horn in F
1 Cornet in Bb
1 Tenor Trombone
1 Piano*
1 Harp
1 Percussion
1 Violin
1 Contrabass
1 Full Score

*N.B. Flowers For Mrs Harris is intended to be stick-conducted, with the Musical Director using the Piano-Vocal during cast rehearsals, and the Full Score during performances. Should your Musical Director wish to play the Piano part during performances as part of the orchestra, a Piano-Conductor score is provided which would be used in lieu of the Piano book.  
12 Piano-Vocal
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Authors

Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor is the composer and lyricist of Flowers for Mrs Harris (Sheffield Theatres, Chichester Festival Theatre) and The Go-Between (West Yorkshire Playhouse/Northampton Theatres/Derby Theatre and Apollo Theatre, West End), both of which won the Best Musical Production ...

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Rachel Wagstaff

Rachel Wagstaff

Rachel Wagstaff wrote the book for the multi-award winning musical Flowers for Mrs Harris (Best Musical, UK Theatre Awards 2016), which transferred to Chichester Festival Theatre, directed by Daniel Evans, in September 2018 after a run at the Sheffield Crucible. Her criticall ...

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Author

Paul Gallico

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