Blitz!
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Blitz!: A West End Wartime Epic
"Blitz!" exploded onto the West End at the Adelphi Theatre on May 8, 1962, running for 568 performances until 1963. Crafted by Lionel Bart, the genius behind Oliver!, this musical plunged audiences into London’s East End during the WWII bombings, blending nostalgia with raw human stories. Featuring Amelia Bayntun as Mrs. Blitztein, its massive sets and wartime spirit captivated Londoners, though it never crossed to Broadway. A 1990 revival at the Playhouse Theatre reaffirmed its resonance. As of March 23, 2025, "Blitz!" endures as a vivid snapshot of resilience and melody amid chaos.
A Bart Creation
Fresh off Oliver!’s triumph, Lionel Bart wrote the music, lyrics, and directed Blitz!, with Joan Maitland aiding the libretto. Inspired by his Jewish East End childhood during the Blitz, Bart called it “three human stories inside an epic canvas.” Sean Kenny’s elaborate sets—Victoria Station, Petticoat Lane, and a fiery London skyline—made it the costliest West End musical of its day. Premiering while Oliver! still ran, it showcased Bart’s knack for weaving personal memory into theatrical spectacle.
Love Amid the Bombs
In 1940 East End, Mrs. Blitztein, a Jewish matriarch, anchors a tale of family and defiance. Her son Harry, a petty crook, deserts the army, while her daughter Carol falls for Georgie Locke, a Cockney lad from a rival stall-owning family. As bombs fall, Carol’s blinded in an air raid, yet love prevails, uniting the feuding clans. Songs like “Mums and Dads,” “Who’s This Geezer Hitler?,” and Vera Lynn’s “The Day After Tomorrow” mix humor, heartache, and wartime grit.
A West End Hit
Opening with Grazina Frame as Carol and Bob Grant as Alfie Locke, "Blitz!" drew crowds with its evocative staging and Bart’s tunes. Noel Coward quipped it was “twice as loud and twice as long as the real thing.” Critics praised its ambition, and its 18-month run solidified its success, though its British specificity—nostalgia for a pummeled London—kept it from Broadway. The Adelphi’s revolving houses and mobile bridge dazzled, cementing its place in West End lore.
A Revival and Legacy
Lost scores stalled Blitz!’s afterlife until 19-year-old Andrew Jarrett reconstructed it in Australia in 1985, earning Bart’s trip Down Under. The National Youth Theatre revived it at the Playhouse Theatre in September 1990, with Jessica Hynes as Mrs. Blitztein, marking the 50th Blitz anniversary. A 2020 Off-West End run at the Union Theatre showed its staying power. By March 23, 2025, "Blitz!" remains a testament to London’s spirit, its rarity adding to its mystique.