Search - Original London Cast :: Tom Brown's Schooldays / O.L.C.

Judith Bruce and a pleasant score

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 06/09/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"TOM BROWN'S SCHOOLDAYS features a humdinger of a score, as well as the underrated British musical theatre diva Judith Bruce in a charming performance. It opened at the Cambridge Theatre in 1972 and shuttered after 76 performances. The story is naturally based on the book by Thomas Hughes, detailing the education of young Tom (Adam Walton) and his colorful adventures. The schoolmaster was played by Roy Dotrice with the kindly matron played by Judith Bruce. The composers (Jack Maitland, Joan Maitland and Chris Andrews) had hoped to capatalise on the success of Lionel Bart's OLIVER! by evoking the same sort of theme (the gaggle of young children, the matron who bore a similarity to Nancy in OLIVER!, etc). But TOM BROWN'S SCHOOLDAYS was a pale imitation and opened in a decade when family-friendly musicals weren't fashionable (this was the decade of OH CALCUTTA, HAIR and PIPPIN). The score includes no less than 3 showstoppers for the lovely Judith Bruce ("Where is He?", "If I Had a Son" and "Hold Me"), though there are lively chorus numbers like "In the Swim" as well as the rowdy opening number "Petticoat Government". If TOM BROWN'S SCHOOLDAYS is anything, its charming and beautifully-sung. Highly recommended."