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Set in New York in 1929, the show revolves around a group of razor sharp Brooklyn boys. Bobby, Artie, Ray & Dino try desperately to get dates for Saturday night. Gene, on the other hand, dreams of the high life across the river in Manhattan. While trying to crash a society ball he meets Helen, and suddenly anything seems possible. Comic confusion ensues as the plot twists and turns, but all ends happily as Gene realises that love is more enduring than money or social status
Featuring the musical numbers: So Many People, Saturday Night, A Moment With You, What More Do I Need?, Love’s A Bond and In The Movies. |
I created the role of RAY, the wisecracking, penny-pinching Brooklyn teenager.
Always a huge fan of Stephen Sondheim, multi-award winning American composer/lyricist, and having played Tobias Ragg in ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Drama School, and seen and enjoyed many Original London Sondheim Productions (including ‘Into The Woods’, ‘Assassins’, ‘Sweeney Todd’, ‘A Little Night Music’ and ‘Merrily We Roll Along’) I was thrilled to be offered the part of Ray in this World Premiere!
 An even bigger thrill was to meet Mr Sondheim when he came over to London to help in the final stages of our dress rehearsal. In fact I received a personal note from the man himself! With reference to one of my sung lines in the opening number ‘Saturday Night’, he asked if I could try it “more wistful”. Of course I could try it more “wistful” - you may even be able to hear it on the Cast Album!
‘Saturday Night’ was to have been the 25-year-old Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway debut, but was halted by the untimely death of the show’s Producer. The work was put to one side and Sondheim applied his energies to writing the lyrics to ‘West Side Story’. The rest is history.
The Bridewell Theatre Company’s small, intimate production received very favourable reviews from the London Critics and boasted a wonderful ensemble cast, including Anna Francolini, Tracie Bennett, Gavin Lee, Sam Newman and James Millard. Seen by many industry people, including Hal Prince (the renowned American Producer/ Director of many original Sondheim productions), rumour has it that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were due to attend, but were held up on the night filming ‘Eyes Wide Shut’.
A month after ‘Saturday Night’ completed its limited run at the Bridewell Theatre, the entire cast, together with the band, were invited to record the Original Cast Album for First Night Records at Angel Studios, Islington.
In February 2000 Kathleen Marshall directed and choreographed the American Premiere at Second Stage Theatre, New York City starring David Campbell, Lauren Ward and Christopher Fitzgerald. It too received very favourable reviews.
 The Bridewell Theatre Company went on to establish itself as the leading playhouse for producing UK Premieres of new American musicals (including work from Adam Guettel and Michael John LaChiusa), and encouraging new British writers and composers. Sadly, the Bridewell, the only theatre in London dedicated to the development of Musical Theatre, closed its doors in December 2004 due to lack of funding.
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“The young, enthusiastic cast seize Carol Metcalfe and Clive Paget’s funny feel-good production with relish. Slick rhymes and hummable tunes are a delight”
The Express
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“It has charm, freshness and wit … The show is a feather in the Bridewell’s cap … Deserves to draw more than dedicated Sondheimites”
The Guardian
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“Beyond mere fascination, it’s a joy to see and hear with cute performances all round”
Independent On Sunday
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“A credit to the imagination of the energetic Bridewell Theatre Company … Saturday Night is certainly worth seeing”
The Observer
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“Quite an event … Simon Greiff (and boys) give fine support as the guys desperate for a date”
The Stage
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“Metcalfe’s well-cast production brings out the charm and wit … A fresh, sunny, young cast shine in a tale of love and ambition”
The Independent ..........................................
“Full marks to the Bridewell Theatre … fizzy and funny and as fresh as the new year. Saturday Night will, I promise, provide an uplifting evening any day of the week”
News Of The World ..........................................
“Metcalfe and Paget have done the show proud … it’s a company where everyone gets to shine”
What’s On ..........................................
“A thoroughly enjoyable evening; and a youthful cast give it plenty of zing”
The Sunday Telegraph
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