Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be

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Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be: A West End Cockney Classic

"Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be" burst onto London’s West End at the Garrick Theatre on February 11, 1960, delivering a musical comedy that ran for 886 performances until 1962. With a book by Frank Norman and music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, this Theatre Workshop production, directed by Joan Littlewood, began at Stratford East’s Theatre Royal on February 17, 1959, before its triumphant transfer. Set in 1950s Soho, it follows Fred Cochran, a down-on-his-luck gangster fresh from prison, as he navigates a shifting underworld of spivs, prostitutes, and bent coppers. Winning the 1960 Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, the show’s raw energy and Bart’s infectious tunes like the titular "Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be" captured a fading East End spirit, making it a standout in West End history.

Origins and Creative Fusion

The musical’s roots lie in Frank Norman’s straight play, a vivid portrait of Soho’s low-life drawn from his own ex-con experiences. Joan Littlewood, spotting its potential, enlisted Lionel Bart then a rising East End songwriter to craft a score, transforming it into a “play with music.” Debuting at Theatre Royal Stratford East, the collaboration married Norman’s unflinching script with Bart’s melodic flair, fresh off hits for Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele. Littlewood’s gritty, improvisational style shaped its chaotic charm, dubbed by her as “Guys and Dolls with its flies undone.” After a successful 1959 run, the West End beckoned, where its blend of satire and nostalgia struck a chord with audiences craving authentic London tales.

The West End Run

At the Garrick Theatre, "Fings" starred Miriam Karlin as Lil, Fred’s loyal girlfriend dreaming of a straight life, alongside Glynn Edwards as Fred, with Barbara Windsor launching her career as a brassy prostitute. The plot tracks Fred’s return to a changed Soho, where his gambling den faces rival Meatface and crooked PC Collins, ending with a wedding and a greengrocery pivot. Its 886-performance run over two years drew packed houses, fueled by Bart’s name and the cast’s chemistry, including Yootha Joyce and James Booth. Opening amid the late 1950s cultural shift, it resonated with a public nostalgic for a vanishing underworld, its success sealed by the Evening Standard Award and a Max Bygraves hit recording of the title song.

Musical and Theatrical Highlights

Bart’s score blends music hall bounce with rock ‘n’ roll edge, spotlighting "Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be," a lament for lost golden days, and "The Ceiling’s Comin’ Dahn," a raucous ensemble piece. "Where Do Little Birds Go?" Windsor’s breakout pairs with "Lay Off, the Caper’s On" to showcase the underworld’s grit and humor. Tony Osborne’s musical direction and a tight band brought Soho’s pulse to life, while Littlewood’s staging rough, lively, and unpolished mirrored its characters. The original cast recording, later reissued by Hallmark, preserves the show’s Cockney zest, though lost band parts leave only song copies and handwritten relics, adding to its scrappy legend.

Revivals and Lasting Echoes

Post-1962, "Fings" saw a 2011 Union Theatre revival in Southwark, a 2014 Stratford East return with Jessie Wallace and Gary Kemp, and scattered UK stagings, like Hornchurch’s 1999 nod to Bart’s death. The 2014 Terry Johnson-directed revival added Bart’s "Living Doll," refining Norman’s script with Elliot Davis’ touch, running May to June at its Stratford birthplace. No Broadway run emerged, but its cult status grew through recordings and amateur productions. The 1960 HMV album, featuring Adam Faith and celebrity cameos like Sean Connery, remains a prized artifact, though its original score’s loss limits full recreations, keeping its spirit alive in fragments.

Legacy and Cultural Snapshot

"Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be" carved a unique West End niche, its 886 performances outpacing many 1960s peers, reflecting a pre-Beatles London teetering between old crime and new youth. Its Evening Standard win and 800,000+ attendees underscored its draw, launching Windsor and boosting Bart pre-"Oliver!" Critics praised its energy Michael Billington later called it a “Soho pastoral” though some found its plot thin. Influencing jukebox musicals with its topical bite, it captured 1950s East End flux gambling’s legal dawn, Soho’s shift leaving a legacy of raw Cockney soul. As of March 2025, its sporadic revivals and recordings keep its spiv-laden charm alive, a West End relic of a world that ain’t wot it used t’be.