Side By Side By Sondheim 30th Anniversary Gala

Louise Gold appeared at The Novello Theatre (formerly known as The Strand Theatre), on Sunday 21 May 2006, among the various artistes taking part in this gala, in aid of The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, to mark 30 years since Side By Side By Sondheim first played London’s West End.

 Maureen Lipman described her experience of taking part in the gala (with Louise Gold), as follows:

 “My partner in the duet, Louise Gold, who's in Mary Poppins, was patience personified and through three rehearsals gallantly pretended she was as clueless as I was.” ... “Then it was lights, music, overture and, at a rough estimate, not an empty seat in the house, 12 standing ovations, and a very contented composer. Louise covered my tracks and I got a hug from Sondheim, which in my book is one up on a French kiss from Mozart.” Maureen Lipman, in THE GUARDIAN, Monday 29 May 2006.

 

Cast

 Starring

Millicent Martin

Julia McKenzie

David Kernan

With Guests

Edward Baker-Duly

Janie Dee

Judi Dench

Ann Emery

Daniel Evans

Louise Gold

Simon Green

Alison Jiear

Cleo Laine

Maureen Lipman

Rebecca Lock

Eliza Lumley

Robert Meadmore

Steven Pacey

Liz Robertson

Joan Savage

Gay Soper

Julia Sutton

Sally Ann Triplett

 

With Hosts

Christopher Biggins

Janie Dee

Derek Fowlds

Maureen Lipman

Trevor McDonald

Julia McKenzie

Sheridan Morely

Nicholas Parsons

Ned Sherrin

 

Also including

Lucy Garrioch

Shinead Byrne

Rachael Archer

Darren Paisley

John Jo Flynn

Matthew McKenna

The Arts Ed Musical Theatre

 

Uncredited Appearances

Adrian Lester

Cameron Mackintosh

Stephen Sondheim

 

Production Team

 Producers – Richard Morris & Doug Pinchin of Richard Douglas Productions

Musical Directors – Mark V. Dorrell, and, Michael Haslam

Solo Saxophone – John Dankworth

Directed by – David Kernan

Assiciate Director – Bill Deamer

Music & Lyrics by – Stephen Sondheim

Additional Music by – Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rogers, Richard Rogers, and, Jule Styne

Stage Manager – Adam Harrison

Stage Managers – Marian Haynes, Andrew Killian, Guy Thompson, Emily Bell, Chris Fennel, Caroline Howard, and, Charles Banjoko

Dresser – Dan Lawrence

Company Manager – Margot Hayhee

Production Assistants – Jo McDonald, Carolyn Wilkinson, Alison Pinchin, and, Ray Rackham

Sound Equipment Hire – Orbital Sound Ltd

Sound Designer – Gareth Owen for Orbital

Sound Crew – Dan Bailey, Kimberly Eagan, and, Chris Mace

Lighting Designer – Mark Nimmin

Lighting Operator – Nigel Catmur

Production Designer – Richard Morris

Press/PR Consultant – Della Edwards

Production Buyer – Bob Warrens

Company Hairdressers – The Richmond Hair Company

Caricaturists – Clive Francis, and, Harry Francis

1976 colour image – Courtesy of Martha Swope

‘Gimmick’ Costumes – Tilly Birchley, and, Simon Lewis

 

For a full account/review of the performances in this incredible evening, please click here.

Louise Gold has previously appeared with David Kernan, Liz Robertson, and, Robert Meadmore in a production of Side By Side By Sondheim (the 1999 Chelmsford revival).

Julia McKenzie, Millicent Martin, David Kernan, Louise Gold, Cleo Laine, Robert Meadmore, Liz Robertson, Sally Ann Triplett, Ned Sherrin, and, John Dankworth had previously appeared in the Side By Side By Sondheim 25th Anniversary Gala.

David Kernan, Louise Gold, and, Ned Sherrin had previously appeared in Broadway To Brighton, which marked the fifteenth anniversary of Side By Side By Sondheim.

Daniel Evans, Louise Gold, Liz Robertson, and, Sally Ann Triplett had previously appeared in Happily Ever After, which Ray Rackham as also involved with.

David Kernan, Louise Gold, and, Sheridan Morely’s radio credits include Sondheim At The Barbican.

Louise Gold has of course also appeared in the Sondheim musicals: Merrily We Roll Along (stage show), Assassins, and, Follies. She also sings a few Sondheim numbers in her cabaret act LOUISE GOLD....By Appointment; and her recording credits include Merrily We Roll Along (recording).

Mark Dorrell worked as performance MD on the London premier of Assassins (the most major original production of that Sondheim show).

Joan Savage had previously sung Broadway Baby in Follies.

Cleo Laine had previously been a Guest Star on The Muppet Show.

Julia McKenzie, Millicent Martin, Louise Gold, and, Robert Meadmore had previously appeared together on television in Julia And Company.

Julia McKenize, Millicent Martin, David Kernan, Simon Green, Cleo Laine, Liz Robertson, Ned Sherrin, and, John Dankworth had previously appeared in A Time To Start Living.

Julia McKenzie, and, Sheridan Morely’s radio credits include Let’s Do The Show Right Here.

Julia McKenzie, Ned Sherrin, and, Louise Gold’s radio credits include Ned Sherrin’s Review Of Revue.

Julia McKenzie’s recording credits include The Greatest Musicals Of The 20th Century.

Millicent Martin, and, Liz Robertson, may have appeared in The Royal Variety Performance (1982).

Millicent Martin, David Kernan, Janie Dee, Judi Dench, Louise Gold, and, Ned Sherrin may have previously appeared in Comedy Tonight.

David Kernan, Simon Green, Robert Meadmore, Liz Robertson, and, Michael Haslem may have previously appeared in Will-Aid, which Ned Sherrin was also involved with.

David Kernan, Simon Green, Maureen Lipman, Robert Meadmore, Christopher Biggins, Derek Fowlds, and, Ned Sherrin had previously appeared in Kids At Heart.

Liz Robertson, Ned Sherrin, and, Michael Haslem had previously appeared in Chicago & Company, which was directed by David Kernan.

David Kernan, Liz Robertson, Louise Gold, had previously appeared together in, another David Kernan revue, Noel/Cole: Let’s Do It, in which Ned Sherrin appeared in the inaugural production of.

David Kernan, Liz Robertson, and, Louise Gold can be heard on the album Noel/Cole: Let’s Do It (Recording).

Janie Dee, and, Cameron Macintosh had previously appeared on television in A Week In The West End.

Janie Dee, Judi Dench, Liz Robertson, Gay Soper, and, Christopher Biggins, had previously appeared in Regents Park 70th Anniversary Gala.

Janie Dee’s recording credits include Defiant Dames.

Edward Baker-Duly, and, Louise Gold had previously appeared in Of Thee I Sing.

Judi Dench had previously directed The Boys From Syracuse.

Judi Dench, and, Gay Soper’s recording credits include Cabaret.

Simon Green’s recording credits include The History of The Musical.

Cleo Laine, and, John Dankworth had previously appeared in The Royal Variety Performance (1977).

Cleo Laine’s recording credits include Jerome Kern The First 100 Years.

Louise Gold, Robert Meadmore, and, Sally Ann Triplett had previously appeared together in the Metropolitan Mikado, which was directed by Ned Sherrin.

Louise Gold, and, Robert Meadmore had previously appeared together in a concert of highlights from the Ratepayers Iolanthe & Metropolitan Mikado, which Gay Soper, and, Ned Sherrin also appeared in.

Louise Gold, Robert Meadmore, and, Gay Soper had previously appeared together in The Soap Opera, for which Christopher Biggins was the narrator.

Robert Meadmore, Sally Ann Triplett, and, Christopher Biggins’s recording credits include Simply Musicals.

Liz Robertson’s recording credits include Cole Porter - Night And Day.

Gay Soper had previously appeared at Dress Circle Grand Reopening (where she sang Can That Boy Foxtrot).

Christopher Biggins, and, Janie Dee may have previously appeared in Dear Ralph, which was also produced by Cameron Mackintosh.

Christopher Biggins has appeared in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Ned Sherrin had previously co-written the book for Ziegfeld (stage show), and some of his material was included on (Ziegfeld recording).

It is perhaps worth noting that over 30 years ago Louise Gold trained at the same stage school, Arts Educational, as this gala’s six newcomers: Lucy Garrioch, Shinead Byrne, Rachael Archer, Darren Paisley, John Jo Flynn, and, Matthew McKenna.

Mark Dorrell has played the piano for various Lost Musicals, including: Love Life, By Jupiter, New Girl In Town, and, Something For The Boys.

Orbital had previously provided the sound equipment for Kiss Me Kate, and, Noises Off.

Sally Ann Triplett’s television credits include Rita Rudner.

Janie Dee, Louise Gold, Simon Green, Rebecca Lock, Robert Meadmore, Sheridan Morely, and, Sally Ann Triplett (along with some other current representatives of the Arts Educational School) went on to appear (less than two months later) at The Novello Theatre in A Love Letter To Dan, for which Orbital also provided the sound system, and Della Edwards the PR.

Nicholas Parsons had previously appeared on television in Roland Rat The Series, for which Bob Warrens was also purchasing props.

Louise Gold, and, Robert Meadmore had previously taken part together in Hubert Gregg’s Memorial Service.

Steven Pacey’s recording credits include The Great Musicals – Glamour And Majesty.

Robert Meadmore’s recording credits include The Great Musicals – Dashing Heroes, Blushing Maidens.

Nicholas Parsons’s television appearances include the documentary The Wonderful World Of Puppets.

David Kernan, and, Liz Robertson’s recording credits include The Great Musicals – Laughter And Tears.

After Ned Sherrin’s death The Company Of Mary Poppins’s late night FUNdraising special was dedicated to him; in it Louise Gold did a very different version of the song Comedy Tonight

Having featured in this gala, alongside a famous puppeteer, singing a powerful duet, Rebecca Lock has gone on to learn the craft of puppetry herself, to take-over a major role in Avenue Q.

At the time of this gala, Louise Gold, Rebecca Lock, and, Eliza Lumley were appearing together in Mary Poppins, also produced by Cameron Mackintosh.

 

Critics Comments

 “Two actresses both well-known for their comedic abilities - Louise Gold and Maureen Lipman – delivered an excellent ‘Can That Boy Ffff-oxtrot’ a lesson in double entendre cut from Follies but beloved of all female singers” Alan Barrington, MUSICAL STAGES, Issue 50, Summer 2006.

 “And a terrifically comic Can That Boy Foxtrot from Maureen Lipman and Louise Gold.” Mr David Saint, SONDHEIM THE MAGAZINE, Issue No 40, September 2006.

 

Links about Side By Side By Sondheim 30th Anniversary Gala

Maureen Lipman’s Column In The Guardian, talking about appearing (with Louise Gold) in the gala: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1785147,00.html

Photographs from the Curtain Calls, on Maria Friedman’s fansite (Maria wasn’t actually in this gala): http://www.aboutmaria.com/sidebyside.html

The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice (the charity that this gala was in aid of): http://www.shootingstar.org.uk/home.php, note their news page about this gala: http://www.shootingstar.org.uk/news.php?start_from=1&ucat=&archive=&subaction=&id=&

The Stephen Sondheim Society: http://www.sondheim.org/   

The Sondheim Reference Guide: http://www.sondheimguide.com/ Note the discussion thread: http://www.sondheim.com/community/index.php?topic=4189.from1148363069;topicseen

Richard Douglas Productions: http://www.richardwmorris.co.uk/

Whatsonstage.com’s page for this gala: http://www.whatsonstage.com/dl/page.php?page=greenroom&story=E8821147349871

Theatre Radio’s page for this gala: http://www.theatreradio.co.uk/sondheim

The Stage’s listing for this gala: http://www.thestage.co.uk/listings/production.php/19312/side-by-side-by-sondheim

Indie London’s page for this gala: http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Theatre-Review/side-by-side-by-sondheim-novello-theatre

A review of the first gala in aid of The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice (held in 2004 at Richmond Theatre): http://www.qsulis.demon.co.uk/Reviews/Shooting_Star_Gala_Review.htm

 

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