Fabulous Flops

Bitter, bitchy, funny and informative - Paul Roseby presents a series that celebrates the worst of British musical theatre.

2/4.

There are some real treats in store this week with Kit Hesketh-Harvey admitting to not just one but two flops on his CV - The first Y, a bizarre cabaret affair starring a quick change illusionist and the second Which Witch, a goth-rock-opera written by two Norwegians who scored nul points in the Eurovision Song Contest. It's not just Kit who 'fesses up in this episode - renowned Musical Director Martin Lowe was working on Which Witch - and also on Cameron Mackintosh's first flop Moby Dick, a musical about a group of St Trinian's school girls putting on a show about that big old whale. No blushes are spared as we continue our trawl through the most fabulous of flops.

Afternoon

Morning

Evening

3/4. Paul Roseby looks at failed shows with grand themes.

Polly James discusses her role starring as Queen Victoria in Albert and I, and there's a comment from the Vatican on Bernadette, a musical blessed by the Pope.

Also, Bonnie Langford, who starred in the ill-fated Gone With the Wind when she was only seven, talks about what it means to lose serious cash in the theatre.

Just how much money can be made - and lost?!

Afternoon

Morning

Evening

Bitter, bitchy, funny and informative, this series celebrates the worst of British musical theatre.

1/4. The Dancers

The first episode is dedicated to Dancers - including Lynda Bellingham can-canning her way through Bordello with very few clothes on, Christina Avery high-kicking her heart out in Don Black's first flop Maybe That's Your Problem, and Tudor Davies twirling through Twang!!, the show that cost Lionel Bart more than just his reputation. How on earth do such shows make it to the stage?!

Written and presented by Paul Roseby.

Bitter, bitchy, funny and informative, this series celebrates the worst of British musical theatre.

2/4

There are some real treats in store this week with Kit Hesketh-Harvey admitting to not just one but two flops on his CV - The first, Y, a bizarre cabaret affair starring a quick change illusionist and the second, Which Witch, a goth-rock-opera written by two Norwegians who scored nul points in the Eurovision Song Contest.

It's not just Kit who 'fesses up in this episode, renowned Musical Director Martin Lowe was working on Which Witch, and also on Cameron Mackintosh's first flop Moby Dick, a musical about a group of St Trinian's school girls putting on a show about that big old whale.

No blushes are spared as we continue our trawl through the most fabulous of flops

Written and presented by Paul Roseby.

Paul Roseby celebrates disastrous musicals.

We go seriously up market in this episode, taking 'grand' as our theme:

Regally, we feature Polly James starring as Queen Victoria in Albert And I; Papally, we get a comment from the Vatican on a musical the Pope blessed, Bernadette - although divine intervention didn't stop it closing within 10 days; Financially, we talk to Bonnie Langford, who starred in the ill-fated Gone With The Wind when she was only seven, about what it means to lose serious cash in theatre. Just how much money can be made - and lost?!

The first episode is dedicated to dancers - including Lynda Bellingham can-canning her way through Bordello with very few clothes on; Christina Avery high-kicking her heart out in Don Black's first flop Maybe That's Your Problem and Tudor Davies twirling through Twang!!, the show that cost Lionel Bart more than just his reputation.

Paul Roseby investigates the disasters of British musical theatre, including Lionel Bart's 'Twang!!'. With Lynda Bellingham.

Paul Roseby investigates British musical disasters, including Lionel Bart's 'Twang!!'.

The first episode is dedicated to dancers - including Lynda Bellingham can-canning her way through Bordello with very few clothes on; Christina Avery high-kicking her heart out in Don Black's first flop Maybe That's Your Problem and Tudor Davies twirling through Twang!!, the show that cost Lionel Bart more than just his reputation.

Behind the scenes of musical theatre's biggest flops like Norwegian rock opera Which Witch

Behind the scenes of musical theatre's biggest flops like Norwegian rock opera 'Which Witch'. With Paul Roseby. From May 2004.

There are some real treats in store this week with Kit Hesketh-harvey admitting to not just one but two flops on his CV - The first Y, a bizarre cabaret affair starring a quick change illusionist and the second Which Witch, a goth-rock-opera written by two Norwegians who scored nul points in the Eurovision Song Contest.

It's not just Kit who 'fesses up in this episode - renowned Musical Director Martin Lowe was working on Which Witch - and also on Cameron Mackintosh's first flop Moby Dick, a musical about a group of St Trinian's school girls putting on a show about that big old whale.

No blushes are spared as we continue our trawl through the most fabulous of flops.

There are some real treats in store this week with Kit Hesketh-harvey admitting to not just one but two flops on his CV - The first Y, a bizarre cabaret affair starring a quick change illusionist and the second Which Witch, a goth-rock-opera written by two Norwegians who scored nul points in the Eurovision Song Contest.

It's not just Kit who 'fesses up in this episode - renowned Musical Director Martin Lowe was working on Which Witch - and also on Cameron Mackintosh's first flop Moby Dick, a musical about a group of St Trinian's school girls putting on a show about that big old whale.

No blushes are spared as we continue our trawl through the most fabulous of flops.

Paul Roseby looks at failed shows with grand themes.

Polly James discusses her role starring as Queen Victoria in Albert and I, and there's a comment from the Vatican on Bernadette, a musical blessed by the Pope.

Also, Bonnie Langford, who starred in the ill-fated Gone With the Wind when she was only seven, talks about what it means to lose serious cash in the theatre.

Just how much money can be made - and lost?!.

Paul Roseby remembers the pain of short-lived musicals inspired by royalty and religion.

With Polly James and Bonnie Langford.

Paul Roseby remembers the pain of short-lived musicals inspired by royalty and religion. With Polly James and Bonnie Langford

Paul Roseby looks at failed shows with grand themes.

Polly James discusses her role starring as Queen Victoria in Albert and I, and there's a comment from the Vatican on Bernadette, a musical blessed by the Pope.

Also, Bonnie Langford, who starred in the ill-fated Gone With the Wind when she was only seven, talks about what it means to lose serious cash in the theatre.

Just how much money can be made - and lost?!.

Paul Roseby remembers the pain of short-lived musicals inspired by royalty and religion.

With Polly James and Bonnie Langford.

Paul Roseby recalls doomed musicals about Nagasaki, an executioner and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Paul Roseby recalls doomed musicals about bombing Nagasaki, a travelling executioner and Leonardo Da Vinci.

With Don Black.

is the theme this week.

Paul's saved the worst till last as he features the unbelievably bad taste Out of the Blue - a musical about the bombing of Nagasaki, commonly known as Into The Red; and Fields of Ambrosia, a show about the dropping of not bombs but heads, yes, it's the hilarious tale of a travelling executioner (affectionately referred to as Fields of Amnesia by those desperate to forget they were in it).

Plus the sad story behind Leonardo, a musical funded by the tiny island of Nauru, whose entire economy is based on the guano industry - fossilized bird droppings.

The disaster that was Leonardo nearly put the island into recession.

Is this the most fabulous of all our flops?

Paul Roseby recalls doomed musicals about bombing Nagasaki, a travelling executioner and Leonardo Da Vinci. With Don Black.

Paul Roseby recalls doomed musicals about Nagasaki, an executioner and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Paul Roseby recalls doomed musicals about bombing Nagasaki, a travelling executioner and Leonardo Da Vinci.

With Don Black.

is the theme this week.

Paul's saved the worst till last as he features the unbelievably bad taste Out of the Blue - a musical about the bombing of Nagasaki, commonly known as Into The Red; and Fields of Ambrosia, a show about the dropping of not bombs but heads, yes, it's the hilarious tale of a travelling executioner (affectionately referred to as Fields of Amnesia by those desperate to forget they were in it).

Plus the sad story behind Leonardo, a musical funded by the tiny island of Nauru, whose entire economy is based on the guano industry - fossilized bird droppings.

The disaster that was Leonardo nearly put the island into recession.

Is this the most fabulous of all our flops?