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HOME OUR NEXT PRODUCTION INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY OUR PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS | ||||
BELLE, or the BALLAD OF DOCTOR CRIPPEN
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For almost a century, the story of Dr.Crippen’s dramatic arrest and subsequent trial for the murder of his appalling wife has held a special place in the annals of British criminal investigation. The single, fatal act carried out at Belle Elmore, billed at the time as “The Bird of Paradise”, was the stage name of Cora Crippen (nee Cora Turner, real name Kunigunde Mackamotzki) and was a third rate musical hall singer with pretentions of operatic grandeur. However, it wasn’t the dubious quality of her vocal talents that drove her husband to his one terrible deed. This fantastic show, with music and lyrics by Monty Norman, based on a book adapted by Wolf Mankowitz and from a play by Beverley Cross, was chosen as the Caprians 35th Anniversary show and was a Northern Amateur Premiere. It is set in the finest of Edwardian music hall settings, with the majority of characters played by 'character' actors George Lasherwood and Mighty Mick. We follow Dr.Crippen from the Bedford Music Hall, where the ear-splitting voice of his wife Cora is heard, through the bedroom of dental nurse Ethel Le Neve to the dentist’s chair of Crippen and the grizzly cellar where Belle’s body is found, then across the sea to the shores of Newfoundland on board the S.S.Montrose before returning back to London at the Old Bailey. [By arrangement with Warner Chappell Music Limited] |
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Cast; Hawley Harvey Crippen; Peter Swaddle Ethel Le Neve; Susan Pennington Cora Crippen (Bele Elmore); Carol Bannerman Madame Petrazzini; Carol Banerman George Lasherwood; Brian Quigley Mighty Mick; Kevin Riley Jenny Pearl; Joan Smailes Rosemary; Sharon Davidson Augustus Colin Gray |
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Director; Peter Donaldson Musical Director; Enid Stafford Choreography; Kim Burn |
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capriantheatrecompany@blueyonder.co.uk
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Page updated on 14 Dec 08
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