Half a Sixpence
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Half a Sixpence |
Synopsis Songs Cast Review Photos
Half a
Sixpence is set at the turn of the last century and centres on the
cockney character Arthur Kipps.
The play opens in Shalford's Drapery Emporium where Kipps works and lives as
an apprentice draper.
Ann, Kipps's childhood sweetheart, is in service so they don't get much chance
to see each other. Kipps thinks that a lover's token might help the romance
along but the next day brings news that is to change his life.
He learns that solicitors are looking for him and consequently gets a little drunk. He is marched off to join his woodwork class run by Helen Walsingham. Kipps falls for her without much hope. Ann is cross with Kipps for not meeting her and walks out on him just before he learns that he has inherited a fortune.
Spurred
on by his new social standing Kipps proposes to Helen, but her family
pressure makes him realise that Ann is his first and real love. Kipps and Ann
marry but his yearning to maintain his social standing creates problems between
them which are only resolved when a fortune is lost.
A small fortune is offered to him ... he rejects it. "What a rum do everything is," he comments.
Act I 
Economy - Kipps and apprentices
Half a Sixpence - Kipps and Ann
Money To Burn - Kipps and men's chorus
I Don't Believe A Word Of It - Ann and Shopgirls
A Proper Gentleman - Kipps and chorus
She's Too Far Above Me - Kipps
If The Rain's Got To Fall - Kipps and Chorus
The Old Military Canal - Chorus
Act I Finale
Act II
The One Who's Run Away - Kipps and Chitterlow
Long Ago - Ann and Kipps
Flash, Bang, Wallop! - Kipps and ensemble
I Know What I Am - Ann
The Party's On The House - Kipps and Ensemble
Half a Sixpence - Reprise - Kipps and Ann
Finale
Auditions and Casting took place in October 2002. The cast is as follows:
| Arthur Kipps | An apprentice shopman. An orphan | Oli James | |
| Sid Pornick | Also an apprentice. A Socialist | James Mason | |
| Buggins | Another apprentice. A pessimist | David McGovern | |
| Pearce | The fourth apprentice. A dandy | Sam Watkinson | |
| Flo Bates | A shopgirl | Charlotte Broadbent | |
| Victoria | } | Ellie Grassick | |
| Kate | Three shopgirls | Kate Cowie | |
| Emma | Amanda Noel | ||
| Mr Shalford | The owner of the Emporium | Dan Robson | |
| Mrs Carshot | Head floor walker | Lucy Todd | |
| Mrs Walsingham | A customer | Heather Walton | |
| Mrs Botting | Mother of Helen | Sam Brady | |
| Ann | Sid's sister | Charlotte Donald | |
| Harry Chitterlow | An Actor playwright | Peter McGovern | |
| Laura | A barmaid | Catherine Smith | |
| Helen Walsingham | Jenny Wiper | ||
| Students | Jenny Blewitt, Jade Frise, Laura Lawrence, Lisa McGuckin, Liz McIntyre, Stephen Palmer, Eve Taylor & Verity Walker | ||
| Young Walsingham | Helen's spoiled brother. A lawyer | Chris McGovern | |
| Photographer | Grace Wright | ||
| 2 Reporters | Becca Nicholson & Caz Little | ||
| Gwendolin | A cheeky parlourmaid | Jessica Walton |
What
Did The Press Say?
Shining Sixpence that's not half good TO me, this musical will always conjure
up one image, that of Tommy Steele, straw boater in hand, dancing down
Folkestone promenade. So, you can imagine it was with some trepidation
that I went to see Darlington Operatic Youth Theatre's production. |