Cowardy Custard From Chinnor Musical Theatre

CHINNOR Musical Theatre are proud to bring you a night of elegance and side-splitting hilarity.
‘Cowardy Custard? had a triumphant first night at the Mermaid Theatre, London on July 10, 1972 and ran for a year. Of all the tributes paid to ‘The Master’ after his seventieth birthday celebrations in 1970, this was the most successful. For those young enough to have missed Coward the first time around, the show is a revelation ~ the freshness of the famous pieces, the delight of less familiar material, and the continued relevance of Coward’s powerful satire.
“The Master” of 20th Century entertainment ~ Sir Noel Coward.
Coward’s roots ~ for all his international success and cosmopolitan image ~ were firmly in London. Born in Teddington, just before the beginning of the twentieth Century, his work recalls, with great affection and wit, his upbringing in London’s suburbs and his early days struggling in the fiercely competitive London theatre of the 1920’s. London has always been a strong inspiration to Coward ~ songs such as London Pride, London at Night and the London song sequence from his 1960’s Broadway musical -The Girl Who Came To Supper” (all included in “Cowardy Custard”) show him at his lyrical and musical best.
The main problem for the writers was obviously one of selection! In the history of 20th Century popular music, only Cole Porter among other composer-lyricists has rivalled Coward’s extraordinary range.
The songs in “Cowardy Custard” extend from the archetypal ’20’s Coward of Poor Little Rich Girl and Dance, Little Lady, the romantic, lyrical mood “Bitter-Sweet”, to the strong blues and jazz vein of Mad about the Boy and Twentieth Century Blues, and of course the perennially inventive comic songs (Marvellous Party, Nina, Mrs Worthington etc.). Coward once wrote that the impulse to write songs was born in him, and the show covers half-a-century of composing, from his earliest revue songs to the 1960’s Broadway musicals. With such a variety, it is hardly surprising that it includes songs which Coward himself confessed he had almost forgotten having written.
Only one thing was missing – a suitable title. A telegram from Coward himself, in Jamaica, suggesting “Cowardy Custard”, added the final ingredient, and a production initially intended for a limited eight-week season turned out to be one of the most successful shows in the Mermaid’s history.
You are bound to enjoy this ?marvellous? piece of modern history. You?ll be surprised at how many of these wonderful songs you already know and you?ll also be amazed at how relevant most of the sentiments still are!
Don?t be a ?Cowardy Custard?
July 15th 7:30pm
Lord Williams Lower School, Thame
Box Office: 01844 353422