''Billy'' is a musical based on the novel and play '' Billy Liar'' by

Keith Waterhouse Keith Spencer Waterhouse (6 February 1929 – 4 September 2009) was a British novelist and newspaper columnist and the writer of many television series. Biography Keith Waterhouse was born in Hunslet, Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. H ...

and

Willis Hall Willis Edward Hall (6 April 1929 – 7 March 2005) was an English playwright and radio, television and film writer who drew on his working-class roots in Leeds for much of his writing. Willis formed an extremely prolific partnership with h ...

. The book was written by

Dick Clement Dick Clement (born 5 September 1937) is an English writer, director and producer. He became known for his writing partnership with Ian La Frenais for television series including '' The Likely Lads'', ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?' ...

and

Ian La Frenais Ian La Frenais (born 7 January 1937) is an English writer best known for his creative partnership with Dick Clement. They are most famous for television series including ''The Likely Lads'', ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'', ''Porridg ...

, the music is by John Barry, and the lyrics are by Don Black.

Productions

''Billy'' opened at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, before moving on 1 May 1974 to the West End at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...

, where it ran for 904 performances. The cast included

Michael Crawford Michael Patrick Smith, (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English tenor, actor and comedian. Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' a ...

in the title role, with

Bryan Pringle Bryan Pringle (19 January 1935 – 15 May 2002) was an English character actor who appeared for several decades in television, film and theatre productions. Life and career Born in Glascote, Tamworth, Staffordshire, he was brought up in the ...

(Geoffrey Fisher),

Avis Bunnage Avis Bunnage (22 April 1923, Ardwick, Manchester – 4 October 1990, Thorpe Bay, Southend-on-Sea) was an English actress of film, stage and television. She attended Manley Park Municipal School and Chorlton Central School in Manchester. She ...

(Alice Fisher),

Christopher Hancock Christopher Anthony Arthur Hancock (5 June 1928 – 29 September 2004) was a British television and theatre actor. He was born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England. His brother was actor Stephen Hancock. He and his brother trained a ...

(Mr. Shadrack),

Billy Boyle Billy Boyle is an Irish actor and singer on British film, television and stage. His recording career included five 45rpm singles for the Decca and Columbia labels, including the novelty song "My Baby's Crazy 'Bout Elvis" (Decca F 11503) in 1962 ...

Diana Quick Diana Marilyn Quick (born 23 November 1946) is an English actress. Early life and family background Quick was born on 23 November 1946 in London, England. She grew up in Dartford, Kent, the third of four children. Her father was Leonard Qui ...

(Liz Benson),

Gay Soper Gay Soper is an English actress and singer. Her career includes singing ''Turn Back, O Man'' in the original 1971 London production of ''Godspell''. She sang the role of Madam Thenardier on the complete symphonic recording of ''Les Misérables ...

(Barbara), and

Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...

(Rita). The production was directed by

Patrick Garland Patrick Ewart Garland (10 April 1935 – 19 April 2013) was a British director, writer and actor. Career Garland was educated at St Mary's College, Southampton, and St Edmund Hall, Oxford where he studied English and was Literary Editor of Isi ...

with choreography by

Onna White Onna White (March 24, 1922 – April 8, 2005) was a Canadian choreographer and dancer, nominated for eight Tony Awards. Early life and career Born in Inverness, Nova Scotia, White began taking dance lessons at the age of twelve, and eventual ...

, set by Ralph Kotai, costumes by Annena Stubbs, and lighting by

Jules Fisher Jules Fisher (born November 12, 1937) is an American lighting designer and producer. He is credited with lighting designs for more than 300 productions over the course of his 50-year career in Broadway and off-Broadway shows, as well extensive ...

Roy Castle Roy Castle (31 August 1932 – 2 September 1994) was an English dancer, singer, comedian, actor, television presenter and musician. In addition to being an accomplished jazz trumpet player, he could play many other instruments. Following a vers ...

replaced Crawford late in the run. The first revival and reimagining of Billy was staged at the Union Theatre in London in June 2013. The production received rave five-star reviews under the staging and direction of Michael Strassen, who won Best Director at the

Off West End Awards Off West End refers to theatres in London which are not included as West End theatres. The term is a relatively recent one, coined after the similar American term " off-Broadway" (though without the same strict definition). It is usually used synon ...

2013. ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'', awarding it five stars, wrote: "Michael Strassen's feisty, intelligent, sensationally well lit (by Tim Deiling) production... The first act is extraordinary and the second, like Gypsy's, tapers off into mere brilliance."

Plot

Billy Fisher is an undertaker's assistant who daydreams and lies about his life. He wants to leave his dull, middle-class home in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

and his dreams become reality for him. In one dream, he is in the mythical land of "Ambrosia", where he is its president and also Captain of its football team. In other dreams he becomes ''both'' famous dancers Gene Kelly and

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

Musical numbers

* "Ambrosia" — chorus * "And" — Alice, Geoffrey, Gran, Billy * "Some of Us Belong to the Stars" — Billy * "Happy to Be Themselves" — Billy, Arthur, company * "The Witch's Song" — Barbara, Billy * "Lies " — Barbara, Billy * "It Were All Green Hills" — Councillor Duxbury * "Aren't You Billy Fisher?" — Billy, company * "My Heart Is Ready When You Are" — Liz, Billy * "Is This Where I Wake Up" — Billy * "Billy" — Billy, Liz, Barbara, Rita * "Remembering" — Alice, Geoffrey * "Any Minute Now" — Rita, Barbara * "The Lady from L.A." — Billy, company * "I Can Make A Difference" — Liz, Billy * "Why Can't I Feel Something?" — instrumental * "I Missed the Last Rainbow" — Billy * "Finale, Some of Us Belong To The Star" (reprise), "Ambrosia" (reprise) "My Heart Is Ready When You Are", "I Can Make A Difference", and "Why Can't I Feel Something?" were not part of the 1970s production. They were written and added for a revival in the 1990s.

Reception

According to theatre critic Ken Mandelbaum, "Billy was a brassy,

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

-style musical, and it took advantage of the services of top-notch American choreographer Onna White. But its trump card was its star, Michael Crawford."Mandelbaum, Ke
CDs: Some of Us Belong to the Stars"
broadway.com, December 15, 2004

Recording

The Original Cast recording was released by

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

(70133) on May 1, 1974. "'Billy' cast recording"
castalbumcollector.com, retrieved March 21, 2010

References

External links

''Billy'' on Floormic.com
{{Authority control 1974 musicals Musicals based on novels Musicals based on plays British musicals West End musicals Musicals by John Barry (composer) Musicals by Don Black (lyricist)