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Life at The Little Theatre column: Decisions, dilemmas and money

Read the latest updates from Southport's Little Theatre.

Zainab Noor

Zainab Noor, InYourArea Community

— 2 min read
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Life at The Little Theatre column: Decisions, dilemmas and money

Craig Billington playing Arthur Kipps (picture: BOS)

By Jennifer Corcoran and Andrew Sloman

After their successful run of ‘All Together Now’ last autumn, BOS MTC are delighted to be bringing us their spring production opening this weekend: ‘Kipps, The New Half a Sixpence Musical’.

Arthur Kipps, is a charming but ordinary young man, over-worked as a draper’s assistant at Shalford’s Bazaar. He dreams of a better and more fulfilling world but enjoys his fun along with his fellow apprentices. He thinks he knows his lot, but then he unexpectedly inherits a fortune that propels him into high society; confusing everything he thought he knew about life.

‘Kipps’ is based on the novel of the same name by H.G.Wells first published in 1905. The tale took a while to take hold, but by the 1920s, more than a quarter of a million copies had been sold and it has endured as the themes are still so relevant. How many people play the lottery, or dream of some other windfall that would swell their bank balance in the belief this would make life easier and happier?

When Kipps’ world changes, so do the people he mixes with and the decisions and dilemmas they all face. Would such a change in fortunes change a person, and could they find their fortune reversed again?

There was a 1941 film starring Michael Redgrave, then a 1960 television adaptation but you will no doubt be familiar with the 1965 musical, Half a Sixpence written for Tommy Steele. What you may not know is that John Cleese took a small role in the show, leading to him meeting fellow Python Terry Gilliam in the process as well as his future collaborator, co-star and wife: Connie Booth!

The 2016 West End revival of the show is the one being presented here.  It was wonderfully received and has retained classic tunes you will be familiar with such as ‘Flash, Bang Wallop, ‘Money to Burn’ and of course, ‘Half a Sixpence’!

Kipps will be on from May 21-28 with performances at 7.30pm each night apart from Sunday, and a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday, May 28.

For news and competitions from BOS, please visit their Facebook and Instagram. You can also learn more about their plans for their autumn show and revisit past triumphs at their website.  For tickets visit Ticketsource.

For more information about the SDC please visit our website. For updates, pictures, trivia and competitions follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

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