Betty Blue Eyes

The amateur premiere of the musical comedy, Betty Blue Eyes! Based on the Alan Bennett film, “A Private Function”, and with songs by the brilliant George Stiles and Anthony Drewe (Mary Poppins, Honk!).

It’s fair shares for all in 1947’s Austerity Britain. But in the little town of Shepardsford, local officials feather their own nests by taking far more than their own fair share, whilst humble chiropodist Gilbert Chilvers is still struggling to bring home the bacon. With rationing and unemployment taking its toll, the only light on the horizon is the impending marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Members of the Town Council are fattening up a highly illegal pig called Betty for a lavish banquet in honour of the royal couple – this very private function is going to be the social event of the season and Gilbert’s wife Joyce is determined that they should be invited. But when the longed-for invitation fails to materialise, the two of them resolve to do whatever it takes to get their fair share of the banquet’s illegal pork roast!

This utterly British musical is full of eccentric characters, such as the odd couple, Gilbert – an evangelistic chiropodist, and Joyce – a nobody determined to be somebody; Inspector Wormold – an obsessive destroyer of illegal meat; Mother Dear – “She’s seventy four and ravenous”; and of course, Betty the pig! Add to that a vibrant ensemble plus a deliciously infectious, toe-tapping, retro contemporary score and the result is musical comedy gold.