The Enid Blyton Society

As many people know, Jemima Rooper was a guest speaker at one of our earlier Enid Blyton Days and much has been said in various threads about some of her more recent exploits.

What is perhaps not so well known is that Olivia Hallinan was also a guest at the same meeting. At the time she was playing Anne (blue team) in the Famous Five Musical. She is now pictured on the cover of the current Radio Times as one of the stars in the new BBC production, Lark Rise to Candleford.

Tony such fantastic news! I love the FF musical. Always wondered what happened to the stars of the musical. We all know about Jon Lee ( who played Julian) and where he went afterwards. What does blue team mean?
Tony I may of miss read you post, but I cannot find anything about Olivia being in the FF musical. So far I have read in Wikipedia it does not mention her being in the FF musical at all. I also checked the end of the FF musical video. It says the girl who played Anne is Claire Fitton. I think we have a mystery on our hands.

On stage, Julian et al were played by different "teams" of four children. Olivia Hallinan was the blue team's Anne, but one of the other teams must have been performing when the show was filmed. I must admit I've never seen the Famous Five musical myself.

Anita

Efficient as always, Anita has got in before me on this, Susie! I followed the progress of the Musical right through from initial rehearsals in a studio in London, up to a cast reunion at Enid's old school, St. Christopher's. I am a great one for collecting things and I suspect that I may have the only programme signed by all twelve children as after the initial rehearsals they were never all together again (only seven out of the twelve attended the reunion).

So the pics below show the cast, the three teams in the rehearsals studios and also Gillian with the composer Robert Dallas, who also came to the same Enid Blyton Day, along with his partner Grazina Frame, who played Anne in the original 50s stage production.


Green Team

Blue Team

Red Team

Gillian and Robert Dallas

That is an impressive collection!
I never knew about the teams, I wish I would have gone to all the performances. It must of been spectacular. Did you go to each performance?

I am not at all familiar with the Famous Five Musical. Is it in any way related to the The Famous Five - The Musical: Smuggler's Gold which has been available in VHS and DVD formats?

Petermax wrote:I am not at all familiar with the Famous Five Musical. Is it in any way related to the The Famous Five - The Musical: Smuggler's Gold which has been available in VHS and DVD formats?

Yes that is the one!

There was no mention of 'Smuggler's Gold' at all in the original, this was added by the company who released the video - I guess to make it sound more glamorous! It is based largely on Five Go Adventuring Again.

Before I head for Amazon or Ebay, is the Famous Five Musical worth watching? I have always been a bit wary of musical adaptations of serious books after seeing the 1968 film Oliver! a few years ago.

Petermax wrote:Before I head for Amazon or Ebay, is the Famous Five Musical worth watching?

YES! It's done so well. I'd say give it a go. You will hopefully not be disappointed. Each to his/her own taste.

Petermax wrote:Before I head for Amazon or Ebay, is the Famous Five Musical worth watching? I have always been a bit wary of musical adaptations of serious books after seeing the 1968 film Oliver! a few years ago.

It used to be widely available at rock-bottom prices in dump-bins in outlets such as The Edinburgh Woollen Mill - don't ask me why. I must say, it never appealed to me, the idea of the four bursting into song fills me with horror. I guess George would think she sang as good as a boy any day.

Imagine Smuggler's Top being made a musical. Block would sing, Silence is Golden; Sooty, Black is Black; Barling, Play Misty for Me and Quentin could attempt, Up On The Roof.

You've got the line up perfect there, Nigel. I guess its up to you now to put on the show.
We'll await the dates!!!

Moonraker wrote: I must say, it never appealed to me, the idea of the four bursting into song fills me with horror. I guess George would think she sang as good as a boy any day.

It simply doesn't bear thinking about, a singing George of all things! The Gaylands School Choir would probably disband in protest! However, Jemima Rooper's singing performance in Sugar Rush does give us an insight into what a musical version of George could be like.

Julie2owlsdene wrote:You've got the line up perfect there, Nigel. I guess its up to you now to put on the show.
We'll await the dates!!!

A virtuoso performance on the 10th May perhaps?

You guys are so sad. Fancy commenting when you have never even watched it! You don't know what you're missing, otherwise you would not say such things. I couldn't imagine it before I had watched it, but I'm happy now that I did, as the actors/actresses are very convincing, and George sings "I don't like girls." But if the idea repulses you, then you had better not see it, or "it will make your adrenalin boil." (Part of George's song")