Reviewing the Situation

The British musical in its formative years has appeared in strikingly different guises: from the lasting hits of <i>Oliver!</i> and <i>Me and My Girl</i><i> </i> to the successes of<i> The Dancing Years</i> <i>Bless the Bride</i> and <i>Expresso Bongo</i>.<br/> <br/>This authoritative study traces what made these shows successes in the West End and how their qualities define a uniquely British interpretation of the genre. Cultural sociological and political influences entwine with close reading of the dramatic and musical elements of this repertory to reveal a fascinating web of connections and contrasts between the times the shows and the people who made them.<br/><br/> Through detailed case studies such as of <i>The Boy Friend</i> and <i>Bitter Sweet</i> the rich individuality of each West End work is spotlighted posing vital questions and intriguing answers as to what a British musical can be. Interdisciplinary in nature this study brings together all the core materials to discover this period in the story of the British musical. <i>Reviewing the Situation</i>is insightful and lively an invaluable resource for students and scholars of musical theatre and all those theatregoers drawn to the power of these classic British shows.