Brian Burke "THE DEMON BARBER" (Sweeney Todd) Barry Humphries 1959 London Flyer

Description

This is a rare advertising handbill (flyer) promoting the opening of the new musical version of George Dibdin Pitt's famous melodrama, "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", titled "THE DEMON BARBER" at the Lyric Opera House in Hammersmith, London ..... (The production opened December 10th, 1959 and closed after only 39 performances.) ..... With book and lyrics by DONALD COTTON and music by BRIAN BURKE, the cast included ROY GODFREY as "Sweeney Todd", BARBARA HOWETT as "Mrs. Lovett", BARRY HUMPHRIES (also known as "Dame Edna Everage") as "Jonas Fogg" (in his London stage debut), MAUREEN HARTLEY as "Johanna Oakley", LEIGHTON CAMDEN as "Tobias Ragg", RAYMOND COOKE as "Dr. Arminadab Lupin" and ROY JAMESON as "A Worthy Judge"
..... CREDITS: Music by BRIAN BURKE; Book and Lyrics by DONALD COTTON based on the 1847 play "The Friend of Fleet Street" by GEORGE DIBDIN PITT; Sets and Costumes designed by DISLEY JONES; Orchestra conducted by ANTHONY BOWLES; Directed by COLIN GRAHAM; Produced by J. BAXTER SOMERVILLE in association with JOHN ROBERTS and BERNARD CONSTABLE ..... DETAILS: Advertising handbills (heralds) were distributed or inserted into the playbills of other productions to help generate ticket sales for upcoming shows. This single page, two-sided handbill measures 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" inches and includes production credits and performance schedule on the front and directions to the theater on the backside. (Note: The cast credits listed above have been copied from a reference book and are not included in the text of the handbill.) ..... CONDITION: With the exception of moderate creasing and minor edge wear, this rare handbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.