John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert

***John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert*** is a 1974 musical by Willy Russell based on the story of the Beatles.

The first show was at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool in May 1974. It ran for eight weeks. In August 1974 it moved to the Lyric Theatre in London. It ran for a year. It was named "Best Musical of 1974" by the Evening Standard Theatre Awards and London Critics' awards. It featured the music of the Beatles performed by Barbara Dickson.

It also ran in Ireland in 1977 and in the United States in 1985.

## Creative team

- Directed by Alan Dossor
- Design : Graham Barkmerth
- Lighting : Mick Hughes
- Sound : David Collison
- Movement Consultant : Rufus Collings

### Original London Cast

- _Bert_ : George Costigan
- _John Lennon_ : Bernard Hill
- _Paul McCartney_ : Trevor Eve
- _George Harrison_ : Philip Joseph
- _Ringo Starr_ : Anthony Sher
- _Brian Epstein, First Beatles Manager_ : Robin Hooper
- _Porter - Hitler - party guest - phone man..._ : Nick Stringer
- _Teddy Boy_ Barry Woolgar
- _Teddy Boy_ Dick Haydon
- _Teddy Boy_ Ian Jentle
- _Tiny Tina_ : Luan Peters
- _Titular 1_ : Linda Beckett
- _Titular 2_ : Elizabeth Estensen
- _Titular 3 - TV reporter_ : Valerie Lilley
- _Singer and pianist_ : Barbara Dickson
- _Musicians_ : Robert Ash, Terry Canning

## Album

An Original Cast Recording album was released from RSO Records.

### Side One

- "I Should Have Known Better" (Barbara Dickson)
- "Your Mother Should Know" (Barbara Dickson)
- "Ooee Boppa" (Tiny Tina & The Titular 3)
- "With a Little Help from My Friends" (Barbara Dickson)
- "Penny Lane" (Barbara Dickson)
- "In the Bleak Midwinter" (Barbara Dickson)
- "Here Comes The Sun" (Barbara Dickson)
- "Long and Winding Road" (Barbara Dickson)

### Side Two

- "Clap and Cheer" (The Cast)
- "Help" (Barbara Dickson)
- "Lucy in the Sky" (Barbara Dickson)
- "You Never Give Me Your Money"/"Carry That Weight" (Barbara Dickson)
- "We Can Work It Out" (Barbara Dickson)
- "I Will Be Your Love" (Leroy Lover - Bert)
- "A Day in the Life" (Barbara Dickson)

### Credits

Produced by Ian Samwell
- Keyboards and Vocals : Barbara Dickson
- Fender Bass : Pete Zorn
- Drums and Percussion : Dave Mattacks (Courtesy of Island Records)
- Guitar : Kevin Peek
- Additional Vocals : Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan (Courtesy of A & M Records)
- Horns and Woodwinds arranged by Jimmy Horowitz and Ian Samwell
- Engineer : Dennis Weinreich

## Reaction

George Harrison stated that he saw the play with Derek Taylor. He disliked it. He walked out while of the London premiere and withdrew his permission to use his song "Here Comes the Sun". It was replaced with "Good Day Sunshine".

After part of the play was shown on BBC television, Paul McCartney criticised it for being biased against him and in favour of Lennon. He objected to the suggestion that it was McCartney and not Lennon who was responsible for the break-up of the Beatles. McCartney blocked a proposed film version of the musical.

## Other websites

- Willy Russell site
- Discogs

## Infobox (play)

- **name**: John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert
- **writer**: Willy Russell
- **characters**: The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr), Bert Berns
- **place**: Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, England
- **orig lang**: English language, English
- **subject**: The Beatles
- **genre**: musical theatre, musical, biography
- **web**: http://www.willyrussell.com/bert1.html