Betty Blue Eyes

 

 Betty Blue Eyes

Photo credit: West Yorkshire Playhouse

(http://www.wyp.org.uk)

A musical comedy based on Alan Bennett's and Malcolm Mowbray's screenplay, Betty Blue Eyes was adapted from it and written by Rob Cowen and Daniel Lipman.  George Stiles's music and Anthony Shaw's lyrics formed for musical produced originally by Cameron Mackintosh in 2011 when Betty Blue Eyes was on in London's West End.  Currently on a UK Tour visiting Leeds, Liverpool, Colchester and Salisbury.


Set in 1947, just after the end of World War II, food rationing still existed and austerity measures were still in place.  Ministry of Food was in force ensuring that the population was accessing and storing food legally.  The village was preparing to celebrate the imminent Duke of Edinburgh's and Princess of Elizabeth's marriage.  A royal wedding was the talk of town!  The village had its social and political hierarchies and double standards.  This was shown at the butchers where best pieces of meat were reserved fro the village's social elite.  Post-war austerity looked at how the ordinary villagers survived including Gilbert (played by Haydn Oakley), a chiropodist, and his wife, Joyce (played by Amy Booth-Steel), who is a piano teacher.

Gilbert and Joyce felt ostracised from the village community.  They were excluded from the Royal Wedding's celebration and were told it's a private function.  Gilbert was discriminated for when he applied for property for his chiropody practice.  Joyce and her mother (played by Sally Mates) were shunned by the ladies of the community in the Butcher's queue.  The feelings of rejection and isolation along with surviving in post war austerity led them to unexpected acts involving a pig.  There is a comedic feel to Betty Blue Eyes but underneath darker emotive feelings and thoughts from how Gilbert and Joyce felt and also in context of what the village is going through.  It isn't any different today in society with the tough economic times Britain has gone through along with a Royal Wedding in 2011 and food banks and soup kitchens being facts of life!

 Betty Blue Eyes

Photo credit: West Yorkshire Playhouse

(http://www.wyp.org.uk)

Unfortunately, Betty Blue Eyes wasn't to my taste. I wasn't taken at all with the puppet pig being the main cue in the musical but appreciate this what makes the show ticks.  Personally I would have preferred for the musical to be simpler with the twists and dark humour which are typical to Alan Bennett's works.  However, from a theatrical perspective, it's a good interpretation on stage which raises the relevant social issues which the audiences can relate to.  Well done to the talented cast and creative team!