Our House
Musical in 2 Acts. Book by Tim Firth. Music by Madness
Cambridge Theatre, London - Opened 28th October, 2002 : Closed 16th August , 2003.
The show featured songs from the ska/pop band Madness, and was named after one of their most popular hit singles, "Our House". The script for the musical, written by Tim Firth, told a tale of modern-day love set on the streets of London. It followed two different possible courses in the life of a young man, Joe, following his involvement in petty crime.
Members of Madness played roles in the executive production of the show, and Madness frontman Suggs performed in the production for a while as the central character's father.
Despite winning the 2003 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical, it received mixed reviews from critics. A recorded version of the original production was broadcast on BBC Three in December 2003 and was released on DVD on November 1, 2004. In July 2006, a new production of the show toured Japan; starting in Tokyo. A UK revival is being staged from May 2008 starting at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, followed by a national tour.
Story
This romantic comedy begins one summer's evening in North London. The night of a young bloke's sixteenth birthday. The night he commits a petty crime to impress the girl he loves. When the police arrive, young Joe is faced with one of those crossroad choices faced by people at some point in their lives, stay or run.
Our House follows the two courses his life would have taken had he stayed to face the music or bunked the law and made a run for it.
Musical Numbers
- House of Fun
- Our House
- Simple Equation
- My Girl
- Baggy Trousers
- Prospects
- Embarrassment
- Driving In My Car
- Shut Up
- Tomorrow's Just Another Day / The Sun and the Rain
- Night Boat to Cairo
- Wings Of a Dove
- One Better Day
- Margate
- Rise and Fall
- Back In My Arms
- It Must Be Love
- The Sun and the Rain
- Finale
Original Cast
- Michael Jibson - Joe Casey
- Richard Frame - Emmo
- Oliver Jackson - Lewis
- Hannah Tollman - Chemist/Policewoman/Harper
- Julia Gay - Sarah
- Tameka Empson - Billie
- Andrea Francis - Angie
- Peter Caulfield - Chemist/Neighbour/ Caribbean Clergyman/ Stall Holder
- James Beattie - Miss Clay/Joe's Solicitor/ Toy Farm Interviewer/ Jaguar Salesman
- Lesley Nicol - Kath Casey
- Paul Kemble - Priest/Mr Jesmond/Stall Holder/ Clerk
- Lynden O'Neill - Uncle/London Alarms Boss/ Barrister/Stall Holder
- Alison Forbes - Aunt/Guard/Mrs Pressman
- Andrew Spillett - Grandad/Custody Officer/ Barman Dave/Lawyer/Ray
- Matt Cross - Reecey
- Ian Reddington - Joe's Dad
- Deborah Bundy - Council Solicitor/Neighbour
- Mark Hilton - Magistrate/Callum
- Mary Doherty - Custody Officer/ House of Waffles Interviewer/Massey
- Dean Stobbart - Careers Officer/Weird Bloke
- Mike Scott - Mr Pressman
- Carryl Thomas - Heather/Smith
- Ruth Brown - Julie/Stall Holder
- Darren Smithers - Ensemble
- Swings
Debbie Jenkins, Robyn Isaac, Chris Thatcher, Oliver Tompsett
- Director - Matthew Warchus
- Decor - Rob Howell
- Effects - Paul Kieve
- Lighting - Mark Henderson
- Sound - Rick Clarke
- Choreography - Peter Darling
- Orchestrations - Steve Sidwell
- Musical Director - Philip Bateman
Notes
Our House has been released for amateur performance by Josef Weinberger.