Al Bowlly’s Croon Manifesto (2016)
After rolling up the carpet and pushing back the chairs. Untied Artists in collaboration with Creative Black Country, Black Country Touring and Forest Arts Centre presented a rip-roaring evening of music, theatre and dance.
Arguably the first ever ‘pop star’, his life is ripe for revisiting, Bowlly had a rock and roll lifestyle before rock was invented. The show is a celebration of Britain’s greatest singer of the dance band era, offering an insight into a pre-pop pioneer who lived fast and died young.
Al Bowlly’s songs are tunes you’ve heard a hundred times but can’t place. Songs like ‘The Very Thought Of You’, ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ and ‘Buddy Can You Spare A Dime’.
The performances saw the professional performers of Untied Artists combine with local talent from Forest Arts Centre including the resident Youth Theatre and local musicians, to create a new production of this popular show – all new, all singing and all dancing.
The show ran for two days on the 11th & 12th August 2016.
NB: The Forest Arts Centre was renamed in 2019 to “Walsall Arena & Arts Centre”.
Watch the video below made by Forest Arts Youth Theatre & the cast of the 2016 production.