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Acorn Antiques The Musical!Opening Date: Jan 27, 2005
Closing Date: May 21, 2005 Air date: March 13, 2006 Medium: DVD Where to watch: DVD (region 2 only) |
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Stage Production Notes
Acorn Antiques was an immensely popular sketch within the British television show Victoria Wood as Seen on TV. The sketch spoofed budget soap operas, and aired on television between 1985 and 1987.
In 2002, comedian and writer Victoria Wood began developing the sketches into a full-scale musical. The show was further developed through workshops in 2004. While the sketches were a satire of television, the musical aimed to playfully spoof the West End.
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! opened on the West End at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on January 27, 2005.
The musical featured actors playing their original roles from the television series, including Julie Walters as Mrs Overall (with Victoria Wood performing the role on Monday nights and Wednesday matinees), Celia Imrie as Miss Babs, and Duncan Preston as Mr Clifford. Neil Morrissey, Josie Lawrence, and Sally Ann Triplett also joined the cast.
The show was criticized for its high ticket prices — with top seats selling for an unprecedented £65. Some ticket agents even refused to sell seats for the production, claiming that buying in bulk at that price was too risky.
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! received mixed reviews. As noted by Variety’s theatre critic Matt Wolf, “The opening-night audience sat either stone-faced or enraptured.” Some reviews were scathing, with The Guardian’s Michael Billington describing it as “a load of slack, self-indulgent rubbish scandalously overpriced,” and giving the production a one-star rating. Writing for The Telegraph, Charles Spencer stated the show was “ludicrously overblown,” and “an interminable shambles.”
Other critics were more generous. The Independent’s Paul Taylor stated “the show gets away with murder gloriously,” and The Times’ Benedict Nightingale claimed the piece was “mischievous, good-natured, [and] charming.”
Despite the reviews and high ticket prices, the show was popular with audiences and the run was sold out.
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! was nominated for three Olivier Awards, with Celia Imrie winning for Best Performance in a Supporting Role.
ITV released an hour long behind-the-scenes documentary Victoria Wood’s Making of Acorn Antiques: The Musical in March 2005.
The West End run of Acorn Antiques closed on May 21, 2005.
A substantially modified version directed by Victoria Wood toured throughout the UK in 2007. The touring production received far more positive reviews, with The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish stating that “the piece emerges as a pretty trenchant satire on the decline of the English high street,” and was “unreservedly recommended.”
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! continues to be performed throughout the UK.
Acorn Antiques was an immensely popular sketch within the British television show Victoria Wood as Seen on TV. The sketch spoofed budget soap operas, and aired on television between 1985 and 1987.
In 2002, comedian and writer Victoria Wood began developing the sketches into a full-scale musical. The show was further developed through workshops in 2004. While the sketches were a satire of television, the musical aimed to playfully spoof the West End.
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! opened on the West End at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on January 27, 2005.
The musical featured actors playing their original roles from the television series, including Julie Walters as Mrs Overall (with Victoria Wood performing the role on Monday nights and Wednesday matinees), Celia Imrie as Miss Babs, and Duncan Preston as Mr Clifford. Neil Morrissey, Josie Lawrence, and Sally Ann Triplett also joined the cast.
The show was criticized for its high ticket prices — with top seats selling for an unprecedented £65. Some ticket agents even refused to sell seats for the production, claiming that buying in bulk at that price was too risky.
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! received mixed reviews. As noted by Variety’s theatre critic Matt Wolf, “The opening-night audience sat either stone-faced or enraptured.” Some reviews were scathing, with The Guardian’s Michael Billington describing it as “a load of slack, self-indulgent rubbish scandalously overpriced,” and giving the production a one-star rating. Writing for The Telegraph, Charles Spencer stated the show was “ludicrously overblown,” and “an interminable shambles.”
Other critics were more generous. The Independent’s Paul Taylor stated “the show gets away with murder gloriously,” and The Times’ Benedict Nightingale claimed the piece was “mischievous, good-natured, [and] charming.”
Despite the reviews and high ticket prices, the show was popular with audiences and the run was sold out.
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! was nominated for three Olivier Awards, with Celia Imrie winning for Best Performance in a Supporting Role.
ITV released an hour long behind-the-scenes documentary Victoria Wood’s Making of Acorn Antiques: The Musical in March 2005.
The West End run of Acorn Antiques closed on May 21, 2005.
A substantially modified version directed by Victoria Wood toured throughout the UK in 2007. The touring production received far more positive reviews, with The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish stating that “the piece emerges as a pretty trenchant satire on the decline of the English high street,” and was “unreservedly recommended.”
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! continues to be performed throughout the UK.
Filmed Production Notes
The production was filmed during its West End run, and the DVD was released in March 2006. Bonus features included clips from performances featuring Victoria Wood, and sing-a-long karaoke subtitles.
Acorn Antiques is available on DVD (region 2 only).
The production was filmed during its West End run, and the DVD was released in March 2006. Bonus features included clips from performances featuring Victoria Wood, and sing-a-long karaoke subtitles.
Acorn Antiques is available on DVD (region 2 only).
Acorn Antiques - The Musical! PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London
Producer: Phil McIntyre, Lucy Ansbro, Ben Warwick, Victoria Wood
Book, music and lyrics: Victoria Wood
Director: Trevor Nunn Film: Ben Warwick
Musical Director: Nick Finlow
Orchestrations: Chris Walker
Musical Supervisor and dance arrangements: Gareth Valentine
Choreography: Stephen Mear
Costume Design: Stephen Brimson Lewis
Set Design: Lez Brotherston
Lighting Design: Andrew Bridge
Sound Design: Paul Groothuis
Cast:
Julie Walters, Victoria Wood, Celia Imrie, Duncan Preston, Sally Ann Triplett, Josie Lawrence, Neil Morrissey, Gareth Bryn, Jenna Boyd, Lorraine Chappell, Daniele Coombe, Paul Grunert, Sidney Livingstone, Jill Martin, Carl Sanderson, Myra Sands, David Shaw Parker, Nicola Sloane, John Stacey, Shaun Henson, Hilary O’Neil
Theatre: Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London
Producer: Phil McIntyre, Lucy Ansbro, Ben Warwick, Victoria Wood
Book, music and lyrics: Victoria Wood
Director: Trevor Nunn Film: Ben Warwick
Musical Director: Nick Finlow
Orchestrations: Chris Walker
Musical Supervisor and dance arrangements: Gareth Valentine
Choreography: Stephen Mear
Costume Design: Stephen Brimson Lewis
Set Design: Lez Brotherston
Lighting Design: Andrew Bridge
Sound Design: Paul Groothuis
Cast:
Julie Walters, Victoria Wood, Celia Imrie, Duncan Preston, Sally Ann Triplett, Josie Lawrence, Neil Morrissey, Gareth Bryn, Jenna Boyd, Lorraine Chappell, Daniele Coombe, Paul Grunert, Sidney Livingstone, Jill Martin, Carl Sanderson, Myra Sands, David Shaw Parker, Nicola Sloane, John Stacey, Shaun Henson, Hilary O’Neil
Sources
Articles
Websites
- Chris Bartlett, “Acorn Antiques – The Musical! review at Theatre Royal Haymarket London” The Stage (Feb 17, 2005)
- BBC News, “Press reviews: Acorn Antiques,” BBC News (Feb 11, 2005)
- Matthew Bell, “Review of reviews,” The Guardian (Feb 15, 2005)
- Michael Billington, “Acorn Antiques,” The Guardian (Feb 11, 2005)
- Dominic Cavendish, “Funnier still this time round,” The Telegraph (Jan 11, 2007)
- Lisa Hunt, “Acorn Antiques @ Theatre Royal Haymarket, London,” MusicOMH (Jan 7, 2010)
- Louise Jury, “Victoria Wood and co. take 'Acorn Antiques' to West End as musical” The Independent (Dec 3, 2004)
- Jasper Rees, “From three-minute spoof to West End musical,” The Telegraph (Jan 17, 2005)
- Alistair Smith, “Acorn Antiques tickets rejected after price hike,” The Stage (Dec 15, 2004)
- Rupert Smith, “Little shop of horrors,” The Guardian (Feb 7, 2005)
- Nick Smurthwaite, “Obituary: Victoria Wood,” The Stage (April 21, 2016)
- Paul Taylor, “Acorn Antiques, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London,” The Independent (Feb 15, 2005)
- Matt Wolf, “Review: ‘Acorn Antiques - The Musical’” Variety (Feb 20, 2005)
Websites
- Acorn Antiques Official Website, Accessed via: https://web.archive.org/web/20050308142044/http://acornantiquesthemusical.com
- British Comedy Guide, “Acorn Antiques - The Musical!” Accessed via: https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/victoria_wood_as_seen_on_tv/shop/1255/acorn_antiques_the_musical_dvd/
- UK Theatre Web, “Acorn Antiques,” Accessed via: http://www.uktw.co.uk/archive/musical/acorn-antiques/S694959334/
Written by Luisa Lyons (May, 2017)