In Edwardian London, members of the upper class are exiting the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle tries to sell some of her flowers, but causes a raucous when she notices a man writing down everything she is saying. An older gentleman, Colonel Pickering, buys a flower and then confronts the man, who reveals himself to be Professor Henry Higgins who is an expert in phonetics. He explains that he studies a variety of accents and wonders “Why Can’t the English” learn to speak properly. He bets that he could change Eliza into a high society lady in six months just by correcting her way of speaking. Pickering turns out to be a linguist as well and has just returned from studying Indian dialects. Higgins invites Pickering to stay at his house, and the two head off, ignoring Eliza.

Eliza imagines how her life would be different if she had a better fortune (“Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?”). Eliza’s father Alfred Doolittle arrives the next morning to ask her for money so he can go drinking with his friends. She reluctantly gives some to him, and he explains he doesn’t worry about his state of poverty as he has always gotten by “With a Little Bit of Luck.”

Higgins and Pickering are discussing linguistic theories when Eliza turns up unexpectedly, declaring that she has come for speech lessons so she can get a position in a flower shop. Higgins is at first revolted, but Pickering bets that he cannot change her accent in just six months. Amused, Higgins takes the bet and has Eliza move into his house so they can work on her accent constantly.

Doolittle hears that Eliza has moved in with a rich professor and sees an opportunity to make a bit of cash. He arrives at the Higgins residence and is under the impression that the Professor has had her move in for lecherous purposes, but makes it clear he’ll look the other way provided he is paid for her. Higgins finds Doolittle’s speech patterns and views on morality fascinating, and on a whim decides to recommend him to an American who has just written asking for a lecturer on English moral values.
Eliza has a torturous time trying to improve her English, and Higgins is relentless. She grows to despise him for keeping her awake at all hours repeating vowels over and over again (“Just You Wait”). Late one night, she finally nails an upper-class accent (“The Rain in Spain”) and celebrates with Higgins and Pickering. Eliza is so excited by her success she is unable to sleep (“I Could Have Danced All Night”).

Higgins decides to try Eliza out with her new accent and brings her to the Ascot Race, where he springs her upon his mother at the last minute. Though her pronunciation is correct, Eliza retains the slang and inappropriate mannerisms of her former dialect, to the shock of Mrs. Higgins guests. She does manage to attract the attention of Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who becomes infatuated with her and begins calling on her every day. She refuses to see him, but he still spends his days on her street (“On the Street Where You live”).

Finally the ball arrives, and Eliza has transformed into an elegant woman. She passes the test with flying colours, and one of Higgins’ former phonetician Zoltan Karpathy is so fooled by her disguise that he declares she must be Hungarian royalty. Higgins and Pickering declare the event a tremendous success, but do not even think to give Eliza any credit whatsoever (“You Did It”). Eliza feels that she was used and confronts Higgins, who does not understand why she is upset. Furious, Eliza flees the house and runs into Freddy, who declares his love for her. She has had enough of words and demands actions instead (“Show Me”). They head to Covent Garden, where Eliza’s old friends do not even recognise her. She runs into her father, who reveals he has received a fortune from the American millionaire looking for lecturers on morality, and now that he is rich, his girlfriend is forcing him to make an honest woman out of her by getting married (“Get Me to the Church on Time”).

The next morning, Higgins is surprised at Eliza’s behaviour and wishes that women could be more like men (“A Hymn to Him”). He heads to his mother’s house to ask her advice, only to find Eliza there having tea with Mrs. Higgins. Eliza reiterates to Higgins that she was being treated like a servant and declares she will marry Freddy. She defiantly insist she will have no problems carrying on without Higgins (“Without You”). Higgins is delighted by the passion Eliza has displayed and requests that she stay with him, but she refuses.

On the walk home, Higgins realises how much he depends on Eliza (“I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face”). By the time he reaches home, he is devastated to lose her. He turns on recordings he made of her very first visit. Eliza quietly enters the room and turns off the phonograph, finishing the sentence her former self began. Higgins smirks when he realises she has returned, and cheekily asks her to find his slippers.

Act I

• Overture
• Why Can’t The English
• Wouldn’t It Be Loverly
• With A Little Bit Of Luck
• I’m An Ordinary Man
• Just You Wait
• Poor Professor Higgins
• The Rain In Spain
• I Could Have Danced All Night
• Ascot Gavotte
• On The Street Where You Live

• The Embassy Waltz
• You Did It
• Show Me
• Show Me Reprise
• Get Me To The Church On Time
• A Hymn To Him
• Without You
• I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face

1957 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Leading Actor (Harrison), Best Direction, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume, Best Musical Director

2002 Olivier Awards: Outstanding Musical Production, Best Actress in a Musical (McCutcheon), Best Choregraphy.

2003 Olivier Awards: Best Actress in a Musical (Riding), Best Actor in a Musical (Jennings)

UK: Music Scope UK

USA: Tams-Witmark

In Vietnam during the outbreak of war with America, we are welcomed into a seedy nightclub called ‘Dreamland’ by an Engineer. As the bar girls prepare themselves for a night of making money, the curtain rises on a group of American GI’s hoping for one last good time before leaving for America. Chris has been dragged along by his friend John who wants to buy him a girl, and Chris meets Kim, a new 17 year old girl who has arrived from the country to work at the bar. As Gigi wins the title of ‘Miss Saigon’, the girls all wish for their GI partners to take them to a better life in America. The Engineer sells Kim to Chris for a night of passion as the two dance. Chris can’t believe he has found Kim so close to him leaving Vietnam for the USA. As Kim and Chris begin to fall in love, they enter into a cultural wedding ceremony and Kim is given the title of ‘Miss Saigon’ by her peers. Thuy, Kim’s cousin arrives to take her home and is disgusted to find her with Chris, saying he is betrothed to her. As their parents are both dead Kim tells him this is not true, and Chris and Thuy fight, before he leaves them to join the North Vietnamese Army. Chris promises to come back to Vietnam to find Kim after the war is over.

Three years later Vietnam is celebrating the fall of Saigon and the new Ho Chi Minh City. Thuy demands that the army find the Engineer, and that he brings Kim to him. He finds her living in poverty with her child, Tam. Back in America Chris is sleeping with his new wife Ellen, and she has a nightmare as the two girls sing together. Thuy attempts to kill Tam, but Kim fights back, running away from the city. The Engineer decides to help her once he finds out Tam is Chris’ child and could be his passport to the USA. They set off for Bangkok amongst other refugees, with the Engineer posing as Tam’s uncle.

Over in Atlanta, Georgia, John now works for an aid organisation that attempts to connect children conceived during the war (Bui-Doi) with their American fathers. He finds out that Kim is still alive and tells Chris, who is forced to reveal to Ellen about Kim and his child. They travel to Bangkok to try and find them. The Engineer is working for seedy nightclubs once again and Kim works as a dancer. As John finds the pair, Kim is overjoyed to hear the news about Chris, and John can’t bear to tell her that he is now married with a wife. She is convinced he has come to take them both to America. Kim is haunted by a nightmare of the night that Saigon fell. She dreams about the confusion of that evening, where Chris attempted to find her amongst the crowds, but was put in the last helicopter out of Saigon. The ghost of Thuy taunts her that Chris never loved her.

Kim tries to find Chris but instead comes across Ellen first. Kim finds out that he has married and runs away, hurt. She tries to give away her son to Ellen and Chris to give him a better life. Ellen tell Chris that he has to make up his mind, and they reaffirm their love, saying they will send money to Bangkok to support both Kim and Tam. Kim lies to the Engineer about the situation and he is overjoyed at the prospect of going to the USA. As John, Chris and Ellen are led to Kim, the Engineer shows Chris his child. Kim goes behind a curtain and shoots herself, sacrificing herself so Tam can become an American. Chris holds Kim in his arms before she dies and they share a final kiss as the curtain falls.

Act I

• Overture
• The Heat is on in Saigon
• The Movie in my Mind
• Dance, The
• Why God Why?
• This Money’s Yours
• Sun and Moon
• Telephone Song, The
• Deal, The
• Ceremony, The (Dju Vui Vai)
• What’s This I Find?
• The Last Night Of the World
• Morning Of The Dragon, The
• I Still Believe
• This is the Hour
• If You Want To Die In Bed
• Let Me See His Western Nose
• I’d Give my Life for You

• Bui-Doi
• Revelation, The
• What A Waste
• Please
• Fall Of Saigon, The
• Room 317
• Now That I Have Seen Her
• Confrontation, The
• The American Dream
• Sacred Bird, The
• Finale

Tony Awards Won 1991: Best Actor (Jonathan Pryce), Best Actress (Lea Salonga), Best Featured Role (Hinton Battle) 

UK: Josef Weinberger

USA: Musical Theatre International

The show begins in 1980 and journeys back in time rather than forward. The show opens with Franklin Shepard who has become a successful film producer and songwriter, earning lots of money and living the Hollywood lifestyle. We travel back to 1976 to LA as Frank celebrates after the premiere of his latest blockbuster. His fair weather friends are there to celebrate with him, but his long term friend Mary Flynn is disgusted at Frank’s new lifestyle and what he has allowed himself to fall into. She attacks Frank for giving up on writing ‘real’ music, instead selling out for commercial gain. Frank admits he knows what he has done but wants to get better and better. Mary’s words begin to affect him and he realises that he has focused his life on being a success, and everything he once loved has now gone. He decides to leave his wife Gussie, who later attacks Meg who Frank has been having an affair with. Gussie was a performer in one of Frank’s earlier shows and she is disgusted with his behaviour.

The years roll back to 1973 where Frank and his best friend Charley are being interviewed for TV regarding their new work. Mary comes along to support her friends, although Charley admits to her that Frank has very little time for him any more and the two reminisce about what their college friendship was like. As the TV interview begins, Charley launches into an attack on Frank, saying he has transformed himself into ‘Franklin Shepherd Inc.’ Frank storms out saying their friendship is over.

Back to Frank’s apartment in 1968 and the gang are arguing over Frank’s decision to do a film version of one of their musicals. Charley is against the project artistically, but Frank is attracted by the fame and money. Mary tries to keep the peace before Joe and Gussie arrive, with whom Frank has been having an affair.

In 1966 Beth is divorcing Frank and they argue about custardy of their son. Beth tells him she knows about him cheating on her with Gussie and says she has to leave him. Mary and Charley convince him that he will be okay and can start afresh.

Act II

It is the opening night of one of Frank and Charley’s shows and Gussie has realised that Frank likes her. She is the star of the musical, and Joe, Mary and Beth are excited that the show has been such a hit. We go backwards the 1962 to see how the idea for the show came about, as Gussie throws a party in her husband Joe’s apartment to persuade him to producer Frank’s show. The trio perform one of the song’s to the crowd, and tensions between Charlie and Frank begin to bubble.

In 1960 we see Charley, Frank and Beth beginning their lives post-college in a small nightclub, trying to make a name for themselves. As they perfom, they are noticed by producer Joe and his wife Gussie who takes an instant liking to Frank. We see the group a year before in 1959 trying to write songs and make it big. They are told to write more memorable songs so they decide to create a cabaret, and meet Beth.

The show ends in 1957 with Charley, Frank and Mary on the roof of an apartment building watching the satellite Sputnik as it passes the city. They see it as a symbol that anything is possible.

Act I

• Overture
• Merrily We Roll Along
• That Frank
• Transition 1
• Old Friends-Like It Was
• Franklin Shepard, Inc.
• Transition 2
• Old Friends
• Growing Up I
• Growing Up II
• Transition 3
• Not A Day Goes By I
• Now You Know

• Entr’acte
• Opening Act II
• It’s A Hit
• Transition 4
• The Blob I
• The Blob II
• Growing Up (Act Two)
• The Blob III
• Good Thing Going
• The Blob IV
• Transition 5
• Bobby and Jackie and Jack
• Not A Day Goes By (Act II)
• Transition 6
• Opening Doors
• Transition 7
• Our Time I
• Our Time II
• Our Time III
• Bows
• Exit Music

UK: Josef Weinberger

USA: Musical Theatre International

The place is 1950s Memphis. The show opens with a party at Delray’s, an underground African-American Rock and Roll bar. A white gentleman Huey arrives and as the regulars begin to leave he begs them to stay, saying he is there to hear the music. He is on the verge of being fired from work at a local department store, but makes a bargain with his boss saying that if he can sell 5 records by playing them over the loudspeaker he can work for the sales department. He plays a Rock and Roll record, but despite selling 29 of them in minutes, he is fired for playing ‘obscene’ music. He then returns to the club and flirts with Felicia, promising her he can get her on the radio. He applies for jobs at local white radio stations. He is invited into one run by Mr Simmons, and he hijacks the airwaves playing another rock’n’roll African-American song. He is about to be fired when dozens of people call the station to demand more music from Huey. He is then taken on for a 2 week trial. He is later asked to advertise Beer on the air, but as he can’t read he can’t follow the script and ends up improvising using the word ‘Hockadoo!” Again he is almost fired, but the Beer company call saying that sales increased and employ him to do all of their future adverts. The station begins to gain popularity thanks to Huey and his new catchphrase. He begins to invite white people to visit black churches and they begin to.

Delray has saved enough money to get Felicia’s voice on the radio and travel to Huey’s house to make the record, where he promises to play it the next day. His mother is prejudice and breaks the record, upsetting Felicia. Huey gets her to sing live on air instead and is an instant sensation. The two become closer and closer although Delray threatens Huey and wants to make sure nothing happens to his sister. Their music continues to bring people together and two years later Huey proposes to her. She turns him down as she is worried what people might say. As they kiss, a white gang see them and beat Felicia with a bat. Delray is furious with Huey and as they push her into an ambulance the community sings a prayer for change.

Some time passes and Huey is getting ready to open up a new TV show which features African-American dancers. Felicia is set to be the first guest but she backs out and Bobby fills in bringing down the house. Felicia’s popularity begins to grow around Memphis and people start accepting her relationship with Huey. They are both spotted by a New York agency who invites them to come and compete for a national TV show. Huey is offered the job providing he doesn’t use African-American dancers. He is furious and kisses Felicia live on air and she tells him she loves him. Huey is fired.

Delray takes Felicia away to try and save her career whilst Huey contemplates leaving Memphis all together. Four years pass and Felicia is a big star and Huey is presenting a small radio show. Felicia tells him she is engaged to marry a man named Bill and invites him to perform with her one final time. Huey is worried no one will remember him, but as he gets onstage he is met with rapturous applause.

Act I 

• Underground – Delray, Felicia and Company
• The Music of My Soul – Huey, Felicia and Company
• Scratch My Itch – Wailin’ Joe and Company
• Ain’t Nothin’ But a Kiss – Felicia and Huey
• Everybody Wants to Be Black on a Saturday Night – Company
• Make Me Stronger – Huey, Mama, Felicia and Company
• Colored Woman – Felicia
• Someday – Felicia and Company
• She’s My Sister – Delray and Huey
• Radio – Huey and Company
• Say a Prayer – Gator and Company

2010 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score, Best Orchestrations.

USA: Musical Theatre International

Bert the chimney sweep introduces the audience to Cherry Tree Lane in Edwardian London. George and Winifred Banks live at number 17 with their rambunctious children, Michael and Jane and their many servants. The children are so out of control that their latest nanny quits in a fury. The children write their own advertisement for “The Perfect Nanny,” but an enraged George rips it up and throws it in the fire.

Mary Poppins flies in by umbrella and immediately takes charge of the children as their new nanny, assuring them that she is “Practically Perfect” in every way. She takes them on their first outing to the park, where they meet Bert. At first they are scared by his dirty appearance, but she teaches them to look beyond appearances by bringing the park’s statues to life (“Jolly Holliday”).

Meanwhile in the Banks household, Winifred is struggling with “Being Mrs. Banks,” and George seems embarrassed by his wife’s ineffectiveness. She decides to surprise him by organising a tea party, and when the children inadvertently wreck her plans, Mary teaches them to fix it with a “Spoonful of Sugar.” She then brings the children to visit George at the bank where he works. George is trying to decide between two investment opportunities: a simple factory pitched by a poorer man and a larger-scale scheme proposed by a richer man. When the children remind him of simpler times and his own childhood values (“A Man Has Dreams”), George decides to choose the factory for investment.

Mary takes the children to “Feed the Birds” outside St. Paul’s Cathedral, and to a magic shop that sells words (“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”). When they return home, they discover that George’s investment has gone horribly wrong, and the bank has suspended him. He furiously sends the children to their room, and they bicker and fight with each other. Mary tries to teach them how to take better care of their toys (“Playing the Game”), but realising they still have much to learn, she decides to leave them for a while.

Winifred decides to prove to George that she can manage the family’s affairs by hiring his childhood nanny, Miss Andrew, to replace Mary. Unfortunately, she did not know that Miss Andrew is a brutal, nasty woman who George has been terrified of ever since. The children are equally afraid of her and run to the park to escape her, where they find Bert, who cheers them up with a bit of kite-flying (“Let’s Go Fly a Kite”). Mary returns to surprise them.

After his suspension, George feels he is “Good for Nothing.” Winifred tries to find a way to comfort him. Mary returns home with the children and confronts Miss Andrew, freeing her beloved bird from its cage and banishing her in a birdcage of her own. Winifred and George come home and are relieved to find that Miss Andrew has left and Mary is back in charge. Bert leads his chimney sweep friends in “Step in Time.” which causes a mess in the Banks’ house.

George receives a telegram summoning him to a meeting at the bank and assumes he will be fired. He sets off to the bank, and Winifred decides to follow him for support, and Mary follows with the children. When he arrives, the bank manager informs George that he has not been fired, but in fact his investment in the factory has made millions. Winifred arrives to explain why the bank manager should not fire George and is delighted to find that they are promoting him instead.

Finding the family reunited and happy, Mary decides it is once again time for her to leave, and she flies off on her umbrella.

Act I 

• Chim Chim Cher-ee (Opening) – Bert
• Cherry Tree Lane Part 1 – George and Winifred Banks, Jane and Michael, Mrs. Brill, and Robertson Ay
• The Perfect Nanny – Jane and Michael
• Cherry Tree Lane Part 2 – George and Winifred Banks, Jane and Michael, Mrs. Brill, and Robertson Ay
• Practically Perfect – Mary Poppins, Jane, and Michael
• Chim Chim Cher-ee (Park Reprise)* – Bert
• Jolly Holiday – Bert, Mary Poppins, Jane, Michael, Neleus, and the Statues
• Cherry Tree Lane (Reprise) / Being Mrs Banks / Jolly Holiday (Reprise) – George, Winifred, Jane, and Michael
• A Spoonful of Sugar – Mary Poppins, Jane, Michael, Robertson Ay, and Winifred
• Precision and Order* – Bank Chairman and the Bank Clerks
• A Man Has Dreams* – George Banks
• Feed the Birds – Bird Woman and Mary Poppins
• Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – Mary Poppins, Mrs. Corry, Bert, Jane, Michael, Fannie, Annie, and Customers
• Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (Encore)* – Bert and Customers
• Chim Chim Cher-ee (Ups and Downs Reprise)* – Bert
• Temper, Temper (Playing the Game)^ – Valentine, William, Mr. Punch, the Glamorous Doll, and other Toys
• Chim Chim Cher-ee (Rooftop Duet) – Bert and Mary Poppins

2005 Olivier Awards: Best Actress in a Musical (Laura Michelle Kelly), Best Choreographer (Matthew Bourne)

2007 Tony Awards: Best Scenic Design (Bob Crowley)

Drama Desk: Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Gavin Lee)

Outstanding Set Design (Bob Crowley)