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Johnny the Priest

Cover to original cast album

Music by Antony Hopkins; Adaptation and lyrics by Peter Powell. Based on The Telescope by R.C. Sherrif

Prince of Wales Theatre - April 19, 1960 (14 perfs)

Synopsis

The story of an East End priest fighting, against the odds, to wean a young boy from the layabout ways of his peers to a more challenging and fulfilling way of life.

Story

The Revd Highfield runs a youth club at his church in Maybury, somewhere in London's dockland. His efforts cause a clash with the older church members, but Highfield and his wife, Mary, work with great energy They do their best to put the youth of the district on the straight and narrow.

A young delinquent, Johnny is one of the vicar's successes. Highfield gets Johnny into the Navy, but then the boy steals a telescope and is accused of assault. He asks Highfield to give the police a false alibi, but Highfield cannot find it in his conscience to do so, and Johnny is thus put back to an uncertain future.

Musical Numbers:

  1. Doing the Bump
  2. The Maybury Story [Boys and Girls]
  3. The Little Box
  4. Johnny the Priest [Boys and Girls]
  5. Hellfire [Mrs Palmer, Boys and Girls]
  6. Vicarage Tea
  7. Be Not Afraid
  8. I'm Your Girl
  9. Beyond the Narrow Streets
  10. Rooftops
  11. The Foggy Foggy Blues
  12. He'll Let You Down
  13. Bound Over [Boys and Girls]
  14. Ping Pong
  15. Johnny Earn Peanuts
  16. A Tanner's Worth of Tune
  17. Charge Me
  18. A Boy Called Johnny
  19. Stormy Evening
  20. Farewell Johnny