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Flowers for Mrs HarrisOpening Date: Sept 8, 2018
Closing Date: Sept 29, 2018 Air date: April 9 - May 8, 2020 Medium: online Where to watch: not currently available |
Stage Production Notes
Based on a novel by American author Paul Gallico, Flowers for Mrs Harris tells the story of a British charwoman (part-time home cleaner) Ada Harris, whose life is transformed following World War II when she catches a glimpse of a Christian Dior dress.
First published in 1958, the novel was released in the US under the title Mrs 'arris Goes to Paris, and in the UK under the title Flowers for Mrs Harris. The book became one of four in a series, and has been adapted several times for film and television.
With a book by Rachel Wagstaff, and music and lyrics by Richard Taylor, the musical Flowers for Mrs Harris was first workshopped in 2012 under the direction of Daniel Evans. In the Chichester Festival Theatre programme, Rachel Wagstaff is quoted as stating, “there’s… something inherently exciting about writing a musical for and about women in their fifties, territory not frequently explored in musicals."
The musical received its first performance at the Crucible, part of the Sheffield Theatres, during a short run in May 2016 starring Clare Burt.
The production received warm reviews, with critics praising the outstanding cast and giving notable praise to Clare Burt. Writing for The Stage, Mark Shenton enthused that the show was "as radiant and ravishing as a bouquet of roses,” while The Guardian’s Clare Brennan hailed Burt’s performance as “impeccable" and "a beautifully balanced intertwining of ordinary and extraordinary.”
Flowers for Mrs Harris won several UK Theatre Awards, including Best Musical (sharing the award with another Sheffield Theatres production, Show Boat), Best Performance in A Musical (Clare Burt), and Best Design (Lez Brotherston).
Following further workshopping and re-writing, Flowers for Mrs Harris was staged at Chichester Festival Theatre. Once again directed by Daniel Evans, the new production opened on September 8, 2018 with several cast members reprising their original roles, including Clare Burt, Louis Maskell, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Nicola Sloane, and Mark Meadows.
The new production received glowing reviews. Writing for LondonTheatre1, Chris Omaweng stated it was a “subtle yet triumphant show that charms, blossoms and delights.” In her review for The Independent, Sarah Crompton noted that by utilizing an older-than-average musical heroine, the musical “accesses a different kind of empathy” and creates a loving tone that reminds audiences "of the people they want to be: gentler, wiser and more caring than most of the models we see around us, on stage, on screen and on political soap boxes.”
The cast, and particularly Clare Burt, once again received rave reviews for their performances. Writing for The Stage, Julia Rank described Burt as a “joy,” bringing to life a character that is "eternally generous, quietly resilient and fairy godmother-like.”
While noting the lack of showstoppers, critics praised the fluidity of Richard Taylor's score, and also made mention of Lez Brotherston’s gorgeous designs.
Based on a novel by American author Paul Gallico, Flowers for Mrs Harris tells the story of a British charwoman (part-time home cleaner) Ada Harris, whose life is transformed following World War II when she catches a glimpse of a Christian Dior dress.
First published in 1958, the novel was released in the US under the title Mrs 'arris Goes to Paris, and in the UK under the title Flowers for Mrs Harris. The book became one of four in a series, and has been adapted several times for film and television.
With a book by Rachel Wagstaff, and music and lyrics by Richard Taylor, the musical Flowers for Mrs Harris was first workshopped in 2012 under the direction of Daniel Evans. In the Chichester Festival Theatre programme, Rachel Wagstaff is quoted as stating, “there’s… something inherently exciting about writing a musical for and about women in their fifties, territory not frequently explored in musicals."
The musical received its first performance at the Crucible, part of the Sheffield Theatres, during a short run in May 2016 starring Clare Burt.
The production received warm reviews, with critics praising the outstanding cast and giving notable praise to Clare Burt. Writing for The Stage, Mark Shenton enthused that the show was "as radiant and ravishing as a bouquet of roses,” while The Guardian’s Clare Brennan hailed Burt’s performance as “impeccable" and "a beautifully balanced intertwining of ordinary and extraordinary.”
Flowers for Mrs Harris won several UK Theatre Awards, including Best Musical (sharing the award with another Sheffield Theatres production, Show Boat), Best Performance in A Musical (Clare Burt), and Best Design (Lez Brotherston).
Following further workshopping and re-writing, Flowers for Mrs Harris was staged at Chichester Festival Theatre. Once again directed by Daniel Evans, the new production opened on September 8, 2018 with several cast members reprising their original roles, including Clare Burt, Louis Maskell, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Nicola Sloane, and Mark Meadows.
The new production received glowing reviews. Writing for LondonTheatre1, Chris Omaweng stated it was a “subtle yet triumphant show that charms, blossoms and delights.” In her review for The Independent, Sarah Crompton noted that by utilizing an older-than-average musical heroine, the musical “accesses a different kind of empathy” and creates a loving tone that reminds audiences "of the people they want to be: gentler, wiser and more caring than most of the models we see around us, on stage, on screen and on political soap boxes.”
The cast, and particularly Clare Burt, once again received rave reviews for their performances. Writing for The Stage, Julia Rank described Burt as a “joy,” bringing to life a character that is "eternally generous, quietly resilient and fairy godmother-like.”
While noting the lack of showstoppers, critics praised the fluidity of Richard Taylor's score, and also made mention of Lez Brotherston’s gorgeous designs.
Filmed Production Notes
Flowers for Mrs Harris was filmed live on its final night at the Chichester Festival Theatre on 29 September 2018 by production company The Other Richard.
Flowers for Mrs Harris was filmed live on its final night at the Chichester Festival Theatre on 29 September 2018 by production company The Other Richard.
We’re thrilled to announce that on Thursday 9 April you can watch the⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘heartwarming’ (@Guardianstage) and ‘Enchanting’ (Sunday Express) #FlowersForMrsHarris from our Festival 2018 season on the CFT website https://t.co/GZNI4XTmN1 pic.twitter.com/yz3KoZxTg2
— Chichester Festival Theatre (@ChichesterFT) April 6, 2020
In response to the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, Chichester Festival Theatre announced in early April it would release titles from its archive, free to view online, for a limited period.
The first title, Flowers for Mrs Harris was available to stream between April 9 and May 8, 2020. As a part of the stream, viewers were also able to purchase a 60 page digital program for £2.
The first title, Flowers for Mrs Harris was available to stream between April 9 and May 8, 2020. As a part of the stream, viewers were also able to purchase a 60 page digital program for £2.
Flowers for Mrs Harris PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Chichester Festival Theatre
Producer: Vicky Graham, Joseph Smith and Bob Bartner
Book: Rachel Wagstaff
Music and Lyrics: Richard Taylor
Director: Daniel Evans
Musical Director: Tom Brady
Orchestrations: Richard Taylor
Movement Director: Naomi Said
Design: Lez Brotherston
Lighting Design: Mark Henderson
Sound Design: Mike Walker
Stage Manager: Emma Banwell
Cast:
Clare Burt (Ada Harris), Joanna Riding (Lady Dant / Madame Colbert), Gary Wilmot (Major / Monsieur Armande), Luke Latchman (Terry / Wireless commentator), Claire Machin (Violet / French char lady), Louis Maskell (Bob / Andre), Rhona McGregor (Flower Girl / Dressmaker), Mark Meadows (Mr Harris / Marquis), Laura Pitt-Pulford (Pamela / Natasha),Nicola Sloane (Countess / Sybil Sullivan), Ella Bassett-Jull, Skye Broughton, Lydia Hague, Ella Jarman, Emily McAlpine, Charlotte Schofield, Freya Shepherd-Bland, Evie Shiner (Models)
Theatre: Chichester Festival Theatre
Producer: Vicky Graham, Joseph Smith and Bob Bartner
Book: Rachel Wagstaff
Music and Lyrics: Richard Taylor
Director: Daniel Evans
Musical Director: Tom Brady
Orchestrations: Richard Taylor
Movement Director: Naomi Said
Design: Lez Brotherston
Lighting Design: Mark Henderson
Sound Design: Mike Walker
Stage Manager: Emma Banwell
Cast:
Clare Burt (Ada Harris), Joanna Riding (Lady Dant / Madame Colbert), Gary Wilmot (Major / Monsieur Armande), Luke Latchman (Terry / Wireless commentator), Claire Machin (Violet / French char lady), Louis Maskell (Bob / Andre), Rhona McGregor (Flower Girl / Dressmaker), Mark Meadows (Mr Harris / Marquis), Laura Pitt-Pulford (Pamela / Natasha),Nicola Sloane (Countess / Sybil Sullivan), Ella Bassett-Jull, Skye Broughton, Lydia Hague, Ella Jarman, Emily McAlpine, Charlotte Schofield, Freya Shepherd-Bland, Evie Shiner (Models)
Sources
Books
Articles
- Flowers for Mrs Harris programme, Chichester Festival Theatre (2018)
Articles
- Clare Brennan, "Flowers for Mrs Harris review – seamlessly dazzling dreams,” The Guardian (May 29, 2016)
- Sarah Crompton, "Why are there no middle-aged women in musicals?” The Independent (Sept 13, 2018)
- Quentin Letts, “Moment of magic in a tale of show-stopping frocks: Quentin Letts' first night review of Flowers for Mrs Harris,” The Daily Mail (May 23, 2016)
- Chris Omaweng, "Review: Flowers for Mrs Harris at Chichester Festival Theatre,” LondonTheatre1 (Sept 16, 2018)
- Julia Rank, "Flowers for Mrs Harris review at Chichester Festival Theatre – ‘rosy revival of musical with a poignant charm’” The Stage (Sept 17, 2018)
- Mark Shenton, "Flowers for Mrs Harris review at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield – ‘beautifully felt’” The Stage (May 23, 2016)
- Matt Trueman, "Review: Flowers for Mrs Harris (Chichester Festival Theatre)” What’s On Stage (Sept 17, 2018)
- Chichester Festival Theatre: Flowers for Mrs Harris, Accessed via: https://www.cft.org.uk/archive/flowers-for-Mrs-harris
- Chichester Festival Theatre, “Watch Flowers for Mrs Harris Online from Thursday April 9,” Accessed via: https://www.cft.org.uk/news/flowers-for-mrs-harris-launches-online-production-streamings-from-thursday-9-april
- UK Theatre Awards: "Archive of Winners", Accessed via: https://uktheatre.org/training-events/uk-theatre-awards/archive-of-winners
- Wikipedia, “Mrs. Arris Goes to Paris,” Accessed via: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._%27Arris_Goes_to_Paris
Written by Luisa Lyons (April, 2020)