Prisoner Cell Block H : The Musical single work   musical theatre  
Issue Details: First known date: 1995... 1995 Prisoner Cell Block H : The Musical
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Especially written for English audiences, this pantomime-style spoof of the original Australian drama series was 'played strictly for laughs' with intentional overacting and sets that sometimes wobbled (satirising the urban myth that the television series did this in some scenes).

Songs from the show include : 'Not Above the Law,' 'I'll be a Star,' 'Trouble,' 'I'm Innocent,' and 'Style' (all sung by Lily Savage) ; along with 'I Feel Like I Want to Boogie,' 'I Never Told Him I Loved Him,' 'Give Me a Man' and 'Why Not For Me?'

Notes

  • Pinne and Battye have indicated that the show relied heavily on female impersonator Paul O'Grady, whose popular stage ego Lily Savage was written into the musical very much for commercial reasons. One of the principal reasons for the show never coming to Australia, according to its creators, is that the 'pantomime aspects of the show were unique to English audiences.' Pinne and Battye also felt that there was no Australian actor who could replicate O'Grady's character and also 'put bums on seats the way Lily did' (Mercado p140).

  • An EP length CD with songs from the how (sung by Simone Dee) was released on the Dress Circle label in 1997 (CD 002). The tracks are : 'I Feel Like I Want to Boogie,' 'I Never Told Him I Loved Him,' 'Give Me a Man,' 'Why Not For Me?' and a dance mix version of 'I Feel Like I Want to Boogie.'

    The song 'I Feel Like I Want to Boogie' is also included on the compilation CD Musicals From the Land of Oz (Bayview RNBW012).

  • FURTHER REFERENCE :

      • Rampton, James. 'Theatre: Prisoner Cell Block H, Queen's Theatre, London.' Independent (London) 1 November 1995, n. pag.
      • Thomson, John : 'Will "The Freak" Follow Chu Chin Chow onto the Musical Stages of Australia.' National Library of Australia News July 2004, p10.

Production Details

  • 1995 : Queen's Theatre, London ; 29 October 1995 - 13 January 1996. - Prod. Mike Walsh and Helen Montagu ; Dir. Ashley Herman ; Chor. Chris Baldock ; Music Dir/Arr. David Barber. Cast incl: Maggie Kirkpatrick (Joan Ferguson), Paul O'Grady/Lily Savage (as Lily Savage), Emma Kershaw (Twinkie), Alison Jiear (Mrs Austin), Terry Neason.

    1996 : United Kingdom tour ; ca. March - June. - Cast incl. Maggie Kirkpatrick, Paul O'Grady/Lily Savage, Terry Neason (Top Dog), Bella Emberg, Linda Nolan.

    1997 : (UK) no season details. - Cast: Maggie Kirkpatrick, Paul O'Grady/Lily Savage, Bella Emburg, Linda Nolan, Davillia David, Jeffrey Perry, Sally Chattaway, Anna Maria Everett, Lisa George, Joanna Maddison, Stephanie Barry, Michelle Byatt.

    The 1997 tour itineray included :

      • 11-15 March ; Hippodrome, Bristol, City of Bristol.
      • ca. 17-25 March ; Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham, West Midlands.
      • 31 March - 5 April ; Theatre Royal, Brighton, East Sussex.
      • 15-18 April ; His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen, Aberdeen.
      • 22-25 April ; Empire Theatre, Liverpool, Merseyside.
      • 29 April - 3 May ; New Wimbledon Theatre, Outer London, Greater London.
      • 6-10 May ; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Edinburgh.
      • 12-17 May ; Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, West Yorkshire.
      • 20-24 May ; New Theatre (formerly Apollo Theatre), Oxford, Oxfordshire.
      • 28 May - 1 June ; Opera House, Blackpool, Lancashire.
      • 3-7 June ; Palace Theatre, Manchester, Greater Manchester.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1995
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Related Works

form y separately published work icon Prisoner Cell Block H; Prisoner: Cell Block H Reg Watson , Reg Grundy Enterprises (publisher), 1979 Australia : Reg Grundy Enterprises Network Ten , 1979-1987 Z1511014 1979 series - publisher film/TV

Television series.

Prisoner told stories of the inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre, a women's prison. The show had its roots in the similar UK drama series Within These Walls, but presented storylines with a much harder and sometimes controversial edge, including themes such as lesbianism, murder, and drugs.

Key characters in the series included Bea Smith (aka Queen Bea), who ran things from the prisoners' side, and prison guards Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson and Vera 'Vinegar Tits' Bennett. Other inmates included the elderly Lizzie Birdsworth and lesbian Franky Doyle.

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Last amended 26 Jun 2008 13:58:55
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