Tribute to East End tailor’s son composer Lionel Bart at JW3

On Sunday July 7 JW3 will be all about Lionel Bart, the Jewish composer born in Stepney who went on to write beloved musical Oliver and so many other songs.

The concert Celebrating Lionel Bart for one night only, has a West End line up that includes Cable Street’s Debbie Chazen Jos Slovic, Michaela Stern, Les Mis’ Brady Isaacs and Nigel Planer who was top of the charts in 1986, with The Young Ones recording of Lionel Bart’s Living Doll.

“There are so many lyrics which wouldn’t get past the sensitivity reader these days, and not least of all Living Doll.” said Planer.

“Nowadays many of Lionel’s lyrics would be considered questionable, but they are damn good songs. In our Young Ones version with Cliff Richard, I tried to make the lines ‘Gonna lock her up in a trunk, so no big hunk, can steal her away from me”. less dodgy by saying “I feel sorry for the elephant” – which made sure we were just being silly and became a bit of a catch phrase.”

Planer’s favourite Lionel song is Be Back Soon. “A strange choice I know, but it’s for personal reasons. As a contact dad in the 90s I regularly watched Oliver! with my son, and we’d sing this to each other on parting each weekend. It took the sting out of the situation.”

Alongside the cast on stage, on screen mega Bart fans Sir Cliff Richard  will share his memories of the song writer who took him to number one with Living Doll in 1959  and Sir Tommy Steele will chat away about his escapades with his mate Bart – from the very start of their careers to the heady lights of Broadway

The songs Bart wrote for both performers as well as the classics from Oliver, Blitz and the Bond theme From Russia With Love will be performed with Planer singing his favourite.

For tickets visit: jw3.org