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Tell Me on a SundayOpening Date: January 28, 1980
Closing Date: January 28, 1980 (dates reflect special performance) Air date: February 12, 1980 Medium: television Where to watch: BBC (March 30, 2023 @ 10.40pm GMT. The program will be available on BBC iPlayer following the broadcast) |
Stage Production Notes
Billed as a one-woman show about a young English girl who has recently landed in New York. Brimming with optimism, she sets out to seek success, companionship and, of course, love. But as she weaves her way through the maze of the city and her own anxieties, frustrations and heartaches, she begins to wonder whether—in fact—she’s been looking for love in all the wrong places.
The origin story of Tell Me on a Sunday is conflicted. Lloyd Webber notes on his official website that he wrote Tell Me on a Sunday as an experiment, to see if he could write a small piece, an antithesis to the large scale Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, and to work with a new collaborator, Don Black. In Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber: The New Musical, Stephen Citron paints a different picture stating that the show began as an idea by Tim Rice who wanted to write a television show about the love life of young woman in England to feature Elaine Paige, with whom he was having an affair. Lloyd Webber, reportedly not wanting to be implicated in the affair, sought a new lyricist and began collaborating with Black.
The one-woman show was first performed at the Sydmonton Festival in September 1979 starring Marti Webb, who had been appearing in Evita as the alternate for Eva Perón.
According to Cameron Macintosh in programme notes for the original London production, there was interest in a film version of Tell Me on a Sunday. Lloyd Webber re-iterates this notion on his official website, citing three film offers and “a proposal to turn the piece into a one-woman vehicle for Shirley MacLaine with whom particularly Don spent a lot of time.” By all accounts, Black and Lloyd Webber were unhappy with the scripts, and a film was never made.
An album of the show was released by Polydor in January 1980. Sunday Times reviewer Derek Jewell noted the album was vastly different in scope than Lloyd Webber’s previous “epic” works of Joseph, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita, but that it achieved “a witty, pointed, poignant commentary on both the character of the woman and the emptiness of particular styles of modern (especially American) life,” and was “a gem of an album.” Jewell also praised Marti Webb’s performance, noting “She has a strong, clear and most expressive voice — the voice of a fine popular singer and actress…”
As a tie-in to the release of the album, a television special of the song cycle was filmed live at Royalty Theatre on January 28, 1980, which helped to put the album on the charts (see Filmed Production Notes below).
Two years later, Tell Me On a Sunday was expanded into a two-act show, Song and Dance. The second act was a ballet set toVariations, a piece Lloyd Webber had written for his brother Julian, a cellist. Variations, based on Paganini’s “A Minor Caprice No 24” had premiered at the Sydmonton Festival in 1977, was a best-selling album, and its opening was used as the theme music for the popular television program The South Bank Show.
Billed as a “concert for the theatre,” Song and Dance opened in the West End at the Palace Theatre starring Marti Webb in 1982. Cameron Macintosh served as producer, with direction by John Caird, choreography by Anthony Van Laast, scenic design by David Hersey, costume design by Robin Don, musical supervision by Harry Rabinowitz, orchestrations by Lloyd Webber, and sound design by Autograph. The dance portion featured Wayne Webb, with Linda-Mae Brewer, Jane Darling, Andrea Durant, Linda Gibbs, Paul Henry, Andy Norman, Sandy Strallen, and Paul Tomkinson.
A cast album of Song and Dance featuring a live recording of Marti Webb was released by Polydor in 1982.
Song and Dance was nominated for two Olivier Awards, including Actress of the Year in a Musical (Marti Webb), and Outstanding Achievement of the Year in a Musical.
Later in the run, the role of Emma was played by Gemma Craven, Lulu, and Liz Robertson.
The West End production of Song and Dance closed on March 31, 1984.
Shortly after, on April 28, 1984, a special performance starring Sarah Brightman was filmed at the Palace Theatre and broadcast on TV. The performance was also released as an album by RCA.
On September 18, 1985, an American adaptation of Song and Dance opened on Broadway starring Bernadette Peters. The production featured additional lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr., who also served as director. The Broadway production was choreographed by Peter Martins, with tap choreography by Gregg Burge, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by Willa Kim, lighting design by Jules Fisher, and sound design by Martin Levan.
The Broadway production was nominated for multiple awards, including the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actor (Christopher d’Amboise), Best costume Design (Willa Kim), Best Lighting Design (Jules Fisher), Best Choreography (Peter Martins), and Best Direction of a Musical (Richard Maltby Jr.); and the Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Gregg Burge), Outstanding Choreography (Peter Martins), and Outstanding Music (Andrew Lloyd Webber). Bernadette Peters won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.
A Broadway cast recording featuring selections from the show sung by Bernadette Peters was released by Victor Records in 1985.
The Broadway production ran for 474 performances before closing on November 8, 1986.
A new version of Tell Me on a Sunday opened in the West End at the Gielgud Theatre run in April 2003. Directed by Matthew Warchus, with additional music by Jackie Clune, the production starred Denise Van Outen. The new version included five new songs, and, as noted by Lloyd Webber on his official website, some of the original songs were “extensively re-worked”.
In 2004, Marti Webb returned to the show, which, according to Playbill, was adapted “to suit an actress approaching 60.” The production toured the UK with Marti Webb, Patsy Palmer, or Faye Tozer playing the lead depending on the venue.
Tell Me on a Sunday continues to be performed around the world, and in 2021 was toured around the UK starring Jodie Prenger.
Tell Me on a Sunday is available for licensing via Concord Theatricals.
Billed as a one-woman show about a young English girl who has recently landed in New York. Brimming with optimism, she sets out to seek success, companionship and, of course, love. But as she weaves her way through the maze of the city and her own anxieties, frustrations and heartaches, she begins to wonder whether—in fact—she’s been looking for love in all the wrong places.
The origin story of Tell Me on a Sunday is conflicted. Lloyd Webber notes on his official website that he wrote Tell Me on a Sunday as an experiment, to see if he could write a small piece, an antithesis to the large scale Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, and to work with a new collaborator, Don Black. In Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber: The New Musical, Stephen Citron paints a different picture stating that the show began as an idea by Tim Rice who wanted to write a television show about the love life of young woman in England to feature Elaine Paige, with whom he was having an affair. Lloyd Webber, reportedly not wanting to be implicated in the affair, sought a new lyricist and began collaborating with Black.
The one-woman show was first performed at the Sydmonton Festival in September 1979 starring Marti Webb, who had been appearing in Evita as the alternate for Eva Perón.
According to Cameron Macintosh in programme notes for the original London production, there was interest in a film version of Tell Me on a Sunday. Lloyd Webber re-iterates this notion on his official website, citing three film offers and “a proposal to turn the piece into a one-woman vehicle for Shirley MacLaine with whom particularly Don spent a lot of time.” By all accounts, Black and Lloyd Webber were unhappy with the scripts, and a film was never made.
An album of the show was released by Polydor in January 1980. Sunday Times reviewer Derek Jewell noted the album was vastly different in scope than Lloyd Webber’s previous “epic” works of Joseph, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita, but that it achieved “a witty, pointed, poignant commentary on both the character of the woman and the emptiness of particular styles of modern (especially American) life,” and was “a gem of an album.” Jewell also praised Marti Webb’s performance, noting “She has a strong, clear and most expressive voice — the voice of a fine popular singer and actress…”
As a tie-in to the release of the album, a television special of the song cycle was filmed live at Royalty Theatre on January 28, 1980, which helped to put the album on the charts (see Filmed Production Notes below).
Two years later, Tell Me On a Sunday was expanded into a two-act show, Song and Dance. The second act was a ballet set toVariations, a piece Lloyd Webber had written for his brother Julian, a cellist. Variations, based on Paganini’s “A Minor Caprice No 24” had premiered at the Sydmonton Festival in 1977, was a best-selling album, and its opening was used as the theme music for the popular television program The South Bank Show.
Billed as a “concert for the theatre,” Song and Dance opened in the West End at the Palace Theatre starring Marti Webb in 1982. Cameron Macintosh served as producer, with direction by John Caird, choreography by Anthony Van Laast, scenic design by David Hersey, costume design by Robin Don, musical supervision by Harry Rabinowitz, orchestrations by Lloyd Webber, and sound design by Autograph. The dance portion featured Wayne Webb, with Linda-Mae Brewer, Jane Darling, Andrea Durant, Linda Gibbs, Paul Henry, Andy Norman, Sandy Strallen, and Paul Tomkinson.
A cast album of Song and Dance featuring a live recording of Marti Webb was released by Polydor in 1982.
Song and Dance was nominated for two Olivier Awards, including Actress of the Year in a Musical (Marti Webb), and Outstanding Achievement of the Year in a Musical.
Later in the run, the role of Emma was played by Gemma Craven, Lulu, and Liz Robertson.
The West End production of Song and Dance closed on March 31, 1984.
Shortly after, on April 28, 1984, a special performance starring Sarah Brightman was filmed at the Palace Theatre and broadcast on TV. The performance was also released as an album by RCA.
On September 18, 1985, an American adaptation of Song and Dance opened on Broadway starring Bernadette Peters. The production featured additional lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr., who also served as director. The Broadway production was choreographed by Peter Martins, with tap choreography by Gregg Burge, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by Willa Kim, lighting design by Jules Fisher, and sound design by Martin Levan.
The Broadway production was nominated for multiple awards, including the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actor (Christopher d’Amboise), Best costume Design (Willa Kim), Best Lighting Design (Jules Fisher), Best Choreography (Peter Martins), and Best Direction of a Musical (Richard Maltby Jr.); and the Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Gregg Burge), Outstanding Choreography (Peter Martins), and Outstanding Music (Andrew Lloyd Webber). Bernadette Peters won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.
A Broadway cast recording featuring selections from the show sung by Bernadette Peters was released by Victor Records in 1985.
The Broadway production ran for 474 performances before closing on November 8, 1986.
A new version of Tell Me on a Sunday opened in the West End at the Gielgud Theatre run in April 2003. Directed by Matthew Warchus, with additional music by Jackie Clune, the production starred Denise Van Outen. The new version included five new songs, and, as noted by Lloyd Webber on his official website, some of the original songs were “extensively re-worked”.
In 2004, Marti Webb returned to the show, which, according to Playbill, was adapted “to suit an actress approaching 60.” The production toured the UK with Marti Webb, Patsy Palmer, or Faye Tozer playing the lead depending on the venue.
Tell Me on a Sunday continues to be performed around the world, and in 2021 was toured around the UK starring Jodie Prenger.
Tell Me on a Sunday is available for licensing via Concord Theatricals.
Filmed Production Notes
Tell Me on a Sunday was filmed live at the Royalty Theatre on January 28, 1980. According to The Daily Telegraph arts reviewer Keith Nurse, the audience of 400 people was comprised of invited “music and show-business” guests, who received free copies of the LP. The event was hosted by Bill Boggs, and accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Nurse noted the show had “an unmistakably Broadway tang and flavour,” and described Lloyd Webber’s score as “pointed, assured, and sometimes quite exciting.” Nurse also praised Marti Webb as “an engaging singer… with the sort of style that promises much for the future.”
In the lead up to the television airing, the Sunday Telegraph described the program as a “modest but attractive “concert musical” and while The Observer’s Jennifer Selway was less than impressed by the album, she hoped “It may look very good on the screen.” Ray Connolly, writing for the Sunday Times felt the program was an innovative way to present popular music, and hoped the BBC would present more like it.
Tell Me on a Sunday aired on BBC One’s Omnibus at 10.20pm GMT, February 12, 1980.
The program received warm reviews. Michael Ratcliffe, in a review for The Times exalted that the piece “was riveting,” and praised the score as “tender and tuneful.” Writing for the Sunday Telegraph, Philip Purser stated Marti Webb “whose fair, rather delicate good looks and artless voice… did very well by Don Black’s adroit lyrics…” Russell Davies, while not a fan of Lloyd Webber’s music claimed that “It was really Marti Webb’s hold on the camera that kept the thing together.” The Guardian’s Nancy Banks-Smith extolled that the show was of “unusual distinction…and uncluttered charm.” Banks-Smith felt however that the in-person audience was distracting, “finding the applause intrusive when the song was moving.”
Following the airing, quarter-page ads appeared in various newspapers advertising the show “AS SEEN ON T.V.” and encouraged viewers to call a special number for recorded highlights.
The program received high ratings, and proved popular enough to be re-broadcast in prime time on March 9, 1980, and syndicated in April, 1980.
By March, 1980 the album of Tell Me on a Sunday had reached number 2 on the UK record charts, and the single “Take That Look Off Your Face” had reached number 3.
The British Film Institute holds a VHS copy of the program, though it is currently undetermined as to the preservation or access status.
Tell Me on a Sunday will be re-broadcast on the BBC on March 30, 2023 at 10.40pm GMT. The program will be available on BBC iPlayer following the broadcast.
Tell Me on a Sunday was filmed live at the Royalty Theatre on January 28, 1980. According to The Daily Telegraph arts reviewer Keith Nurse, the audience of 400 people was comprised of invited “music and show-business” guests, who received free copies of the LP. The event was hosted by Bill Boggs, and accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Nurse noted the show had “an unmistakably Broadway tang and flavour,” and described Lloyd Webber’s score as “pointed, assured, and sometimes quite exciting.” Nurse also praised Marti Webb as “an engaging singer… with the sort of style that promises much for the future.”
In the lead up to the television airing, the Sunday Telegraph described the program as a “modest but attractive “concert musical” and while The Observer’s Jennifer Selway was less than impressed by the album, she hoped “It may look very good on the screen.” Ray Connolly, writing for the Sunday Times felt the program was an innovative way to present popular music, and hoped the BBC would present more like it.
Tell Me on a Sunday aired on BBC One’s Omnibus at 10.20pm GMT, February 12, 1980.
The program received warm reviews. Michael Ratcliffe, in a review for The Times exalted that the piece “was riveting,” and praised the score as “tender and tuneful.” Writing for the Sunday Telegraph, Philip Purser stated Marti Webb “whose fair, rather delicate good looks and artless voice… did very well by Don Black’s adroit lyrics…” Russell Davies, while not a fan of Lloyd Webber’s music claimed that “It was really Marti Webb’s hold on the camera that kept the thing together.” The Guardian’s Nancy Banks-Smith extolled that the show was of “unusual distinction…and uncluttered charm.” Banks-Smith felt however that the in-person audience was distracting, “finding the applause intrusive when the song was moving.”
Following the airing, quarter-page ads appeared in various newspapers advertising the show “AS SEEN ON T.V.” and encouraged viewers to call a special number for recorded highlights.
The program received high ratings, and proved popular enough to be re-broadcast in prime time on March 9, 1980, and syndicated in April, 1980.
By March, 1980 the album of Tell Me on a Sunday had reached number 2 on the UK record charts, and the single “Take That Look Off Your Face” had reached number 3.
The British Film Institute holds a VHS copy of the program, though it is currently undetermined as to the preservation or access status.
Tell Me on a Sunday will be re-broadcast on the BBC on March 30, 2023 at 10.40pm GMT. The program will be available on BBC iPlayer following the broadcast.
Tell Me on a Sunday PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Royalty Theatre, London
Producer: Herbert Chappell
Book and Lyrics: Don Black
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Director: John Caird (stage),
Conductor: Harry Rabinowitz
Band Leader: Richard Layton
Design: Nigel Curzon
Lighting Design: Peter Catlett
Sound Design: Anthony Philpot
Cast:
Marti Webb, Band: Rod Argent (piano), John Mole (bass guitar), Barbara Thompson (saxophone), Jon Hiseman (drums), Richard Layton (leader), with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Harry Rabinowitz.
Theatre: Royalty Theatre, London
Producer: Herbert Chappell
Book and Lyrics: Don Black
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Director: John Caird (stage),
Conductor: Harry Rabinowitz
Band Leader: Richard Layton
Design: Nigel Curzon
Lighting Design: Peter Catlett
Sound Design: Anthony Philpot
Cast:
Marti Webb, Band: Rod Argent (piano), John Mole (bass guitar), Barbara Thompson (saxophone), Jon Hiseman (drums), Richard Layton (leader), with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Harry Rabinowitz.
Sources
Books
Articles
Websites
- Stephen Citron, Sondheim and Lloyd-Webber: The New Musical, Oxford University Press (2001)
- John Snelson, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Yale University Press (2009)
- Vincent Terrace, Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012, 2d Ed, McFarland Inc (2013)
Articles
- Nancy Banks-Smith, “Chin up,” The Guardian (Feb 13, 1980), p.12
- Fred Bronson, “Andrew Lloyd Webber: 25 Years of Broadway: The Musicals of Record: A Discography,” Billboard (Oct 19, 1996), p.18
- Ray Connolly, “Catching one’s death on tape,” Sunday Times, London (Feb 10, 1980), p.52
- Russell Davies, “The name of the Games,” Sunday Times, London (Feb 17, 1980), p.40
- Sean Day-Lewis, “Keeping the have-nots happy,” The Daily Telegraph, London (Feb 13, 1980), p.13
- James Inverne, “Marti Webb Returns to Tell Me on a Sunday, Black to Pen New Lyrics,” Playbill (Jan 2, 2004)
- Derek Jewell, “A superstar changes direction,” Sunday Times, London (Jan 6, 1980), p.39
- Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Making a song and dance: Andrew on the inspiration behind Song and Dance,” From the original London Programme of Song and Dance, Reprinted on the Really Useful Group Shows Blog, accessed via: https://web.archive.org/web/20121018120108/http://www.reallyuseful.com/show-blogs/making-a-song-and-dance/
- Cameron Macintosh, “Cameron Macintosh on Song and Dance: How Variations Met Tell Me on a Sunday,” From the original London Programme of Song and Dance, Reprinted on the Really Useful Group Shows Blog, accessed via: https://web.archive.org/web/20121018120140/http://www.reallyuseful.com/show-blogs/cameron-mackintosh-on-song-and-dance/
- Keith Nurse, “Tell Me on a Sunday,” The Daily Telegraph, London (Jan 29, 1980), p.11
- Philip Purser, “Kiss and Tell,” Sunday Telegraph, London, (Feb 17, 1980), p.13
- Michael Ratcliffe, “Tell Me on a Sunday,” The Times, London, (Feb 13, 1980), p.9
- Jennifer Selway, “The Week in View,” The Observer, London (Feb 10, 1980), p.20
- Andrew Sinclair, “Broadcasting and the Arts: Progress makes imperfect,” The Listener, v103 n2650, (21 Feb 1980), p.244
- Uncredited, “Tell Me on a Sunday,” Radio Times, Issue 2935 (Feb 9, 1980)
- Uncredited, “Look Out For…” Sunday Telegraph, London, (Feb 10, 1980), p.13
- Uncredited, “Londoner’s Diary: Why Lord Bute cannot tell a lie,” Evening Standard, London (Jan 29, 1980), p.14
- Uncredited, “Londoner’s Diary: Win some, lose some,” Evening Standard, London (Feb 27, 1980), p.16
- Advert, “AS SEEN ON T.V.,” The Guardian (March 10, 1980), p.9
Websites
- Andrew Lloyd Webber, “About,” Accessed via: https://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/about/
- Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Tell Me on a Sunday,” Accessed via: https://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/show/tell-me-on-a-sunday/
- Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Tell Me on a Sunday West End revival,” Accessed via: https://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/tell-me-on-a-sunday-west-end-revival/
- BBC Genome, “Tell Me on a Sunday,” Accessed via: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f218ede60fe64ad48b9a1462418edb2b
- BFI, “Collections Search: Tell Me on a Sunday,” Accessed via: http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20150309716
- Concord Theatricals, “Tell Me on a Sunday,” Accessed via: https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/65828/tell-me-on-a-sunday
- John Caird, “Song and Dance,” Accessed via: http://www.johncaird.com/musicals/song_and_dance.html
- Really Useful Group, “Tell Me on a Sunday: The Music,” Accessed via: https://web.archive.org/web/20121215010949/http://www.reallyuseful.com/shows/tell-me-on-a-sunday/musical-numbers/
- Tell Me on a Sunday Tour, Accessed via: https://tellmeontour.co.uk/
Written by Luisa Lyons (February, 2022)