Festival Theatre, Chichester, West
Sussex
11th June – 25th September 2004 (In Rep) British Premiere Performance:
17th June
Music: George Stiles Book & Lyrics: Anthony Drewe
Inspired by the Rudyard Kipling stories Director: Anthony Drewe Designer: Peter McKintosh Installation Designer: Alison Chitty Choreographer: Stephen Mear Musical Director: David Shrubsole Orchestrator: Christopher Jahnke Lighting Designer: Jeff Croiter Sound Designer: Paul Arditti Assistant Director: Nik Ashton
The Elephant’s Child and his new friend the Kolokolo Bird, set out on a song-filled journey, across oceans and through the jungle, to the Great Grey-Green Greasy Limpopo River to challenge the giant Crab … who has been causing devastation by playing with the sea! Along the way they discover how the Rhinoceros got his baggy skin, the Leopard his spots, the Kangaroo his bounce … and the Elephant his trunk!
Based on the famous Rudyard Kipling stories for children, the musical takes the magic from the page and weaves it cleverly into a new musical adventure.
Musical numbers include: Go Forth, There’s No Harm In Asking, The Limpopo River, Living On This Island, Thick Skin, We Want To Take The Ladies Out, Just So, Wait A Bit, Leaps And Bounds, Pick Up Your Hooves, Does The Moment Ever Come, and If.
I am the Leopard … in search of his spots!
‘Just So’ was one of many productions playing in repertory at the Chichester Festival Theatre 2004 Season. I had already been cast, rehearsed and previewed as Art O’Malley in the British Premier of ‘Out Of This World’ and no sooner had the curtain fallen on our first public performance than I and twelve others from the ensemble found ourselves in full rehearsal for ‘Just So’
George Stiles & Anthony Drewe’s musical version of ‘Just So’ had been on a long journey before arriving at Chichester in the summer of 2004. Having first been written back in 1985, the show had a couple of incarnations: from winning the First-ever Vivien Ellis Prize for Musical Theatre, to productions at the Tricycle in Kilburn in 1990 and Boston USA in 2001 – amongst others. We were going to be doing a brand new version. (In the writers eyes ‘Just So’ is a companion piece to ‘Honk!’ - their later ‘Olivier Award’ winning show).
I had always been a big fan of George & Anthony’s work, having seen ‘Honk’ at the Royal National Theatre and ‘Peter Pan’ at the Royal Festival Hall, and was thrilled to be offered the chance to be a part of ‘Just So’.
The production was a real ensemble piece. As the story begins the Eldest Magician (the ‘story teller’) introduces the Amorphous animals, and tells us all to go off and find our chosen animal’s ‘characteristics’.
As well as playing our own animal part, we all played Elephants (in the Elephant’s Child’s story), Commis Chefs (in the Parsee Man’s story), not to mention Wildebeests and Wallaby’s!
The costumes were cleverly designed to represent the animals, rather than look exactly like them … and this left more to the Actors’ and audiences’ imagination!
During my season at Chichester I kept a Diary of my many and wonderful experiences.
If you would like to share in the Leopard’s poignant, happy, and sometimes crazy moments you can do so by clicking here:
‘Just So’ was met with great reviews and has since gone on to be published and performed around the world. In October 2004 we were invited to record the Cast Album for First Night Records at the Whitfield Street Studios, London.
“Chichester has a hit on its hands … witty lyrics … the music is a marvellous mishmash of styles … it is through the characterisation of the animals that this piece comes to vigorous theatrical life … a funny feel-good triumph that’s just so, so good”
The Mail On Sunday -
***** Five Stars
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“It’s a little gem – tuneful, witty, imaginative … an effervescent treat for all ages … the company performs with an infectious sense of fun”
The Daily Telegraph
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“Lyrics that are a delight of rhyme and wordplay”
Evening Standard
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“I liked watching Simon Greiff’s spivvish Leopard … an enjoyable muddle”
The Times -
*** Three Stars
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“The music is beautifully melodic … intelligent lyrics … (the girls) engage in some terrific jive as they wrestle with the Leopard and Jaguar … a thoroughly entertaining, enjoyable evening”
Whatsonstage -
**** Four Stars
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“Lyrics are sharp and smart … designed with real style and dash”
The Guardian
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“Dean Hussain’s Jaguar and Simon Greiff’s Leopard, studs with a nice line in cross talk … what makes it spin along is the music … this is an enjoyable antidote to the solemnity of much recent music theatre”
The Financial Times
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“Lyrics are always natty … we meet some engaging types (including) the predatory wide-boy Leopard”
The Independent -
*** Three Stars
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“Visually inventive … Dean Hussain and Simon Greiff, a cartoon villain duo all stylised movement and slow uptakes – both clear Friday night sexual predators”
Reviews Gate
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“Family show that’s just so good … delicious wit in Drewe’s lyrics … Simon Greiff and Dean Hussain are wonderfully louche as the dodgy Leopard and Jaguar … Stiles rings the musical changes beautifully … great virtues – it’s energy, it’s appeal and the flair with which it’s delivered”
Chichester Observer
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“An exhilarating and visually exciting show … the cast play a full and committed part … the subplot gives the Giraffe, Zebra, Leopard & Jaguar a well taken opportunity to make a significant contribution with their singing and dancing … a very good evening’s entertainment of fun, music and amusing couplets”
The Stage
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“Witty book and lyrics … Dean Hussain and Simon Greiff are a pair of Jaguar and Leopard spivs; keen to give the girls a good mauling … a show with so much animal magic that it’s surely capable of working wonders in the West End too”
The Daily Mail -
**** Four Stars
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“Irresistibly delightful musical … Simon Greiff and Dean Hussain are two nifty wide boys … snappy music”
