Cameron Mackintosh to Produce Stiles and Drewe's Musical, A Private Function

By Mark Shenton
18 Dec 2009

Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh
Photo by Michael LePoer Trench

Cameron Mackintosh will produce a new stage musical version of the 1984 British film comedy "A Private Function," originally scripted by Alan Bennett, and now to feature a new score by George Stiles (music) and Anthony Drewe (lyrics), currently represented on Broadway by their Tony-nominated additional music and lyrics for Mary Poppins.

According to a report in London's Daily Mail, the plans are for the show to be rehearsed in early 2011, then open at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds for a four week run before arriving at a West End theatre controlled by Mackintosh around Easter 2011.

A reading has already been staged in London, but no director or creative team has been announced. The project's librettists are Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, collaborators on TV's "Queer as Folk."

A Private Function is set in 1947 in a small town in England. The war has been won two years earlier, but there's still rationing of meat. When Princess Elizabeth announces her intentions to marry, a group of businessmen plan to hold a street party to celebrate, and intend to slaughter an illegally raised pig for this event. Unfortunately someone steals the pig.

Mackintosh previously produced Stiles and Drewe's 1984 musical Just So, which premiered at Newbury's Watermill Theatre and was subsequently staged at London's Tricycle Theatre. It has also had productions at Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut and at North Shore Music Theatre.

Stiles and Drewe have also collaborated on the Olivier Award winning Honk! and as musical version of Peter Pan, amongst other shows.