August 2001 – Ian Louis Harris

Casablanca The Musical, Timeline And Programme Notes For Original 2001 Production, Written By Yours Truly, 31 August 2001

TIMELINE: WORLD EVENTS AND CASABLANCA, THE MUSICAL

Date	Events
1899	January 23, Humphrey DeForest Bogart born, New York City, USA. August 2, Michael Overfish Ward born, Halifax, England.
1931	Song “As Time Goes By” appears in Broadway show “Everybody’s Welcome”. Cornell student Murray Burnett irritates his fellow students by playing it constantly. The Great Depression has been running globally for two years. The Nazi party is number two in the German Reichstag with over 18% of the vote. Talking movies are four years old.
1933	Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany in January Mike Ward becomes Chancellor of Keighley in August
1938	Germany annexes Austria in March. Later that year, Murray Burnett, a Jew, goes to Vienna to help relatives to escape; he is horrified by the hatred there. Mike Ward is reported to have said “if you think Nazi Europe is horrifying, you should see Keighley”.
June 1940	Nazis take Paris and do a deal with the remnants of the French Government, much to the chagrin of the resistant French elements. Marshal Petain becomes head of Vichy France, in collaboration with the Nazis. General Charles DeGaulle announces plan to develop the means to liberate France from the overseas empire, primarily French Africa.
1940	Murray Burnett, in collaboration with friend Joan Alison, writes play “Everybody Comes to Rick’s” about an American expat in Casablanca whose former lover turns up at his night club with her resistance leader husband, Victor, in tow. She asks Sam the pianist to play “As Time Goes By”. Love with Rick is rekindled. She wants to stay with Rick. Rick insists that she leaves with Victor. She goes. The curtain falls.
1940	DeGaulle establishes his credentials in Free French Africa, successfully breaking the Vichy stranglehold in Equatorial Africa. Strangely, the position of Ouagadougou in Upper Volta is hard to establish from the histories. The position over North Africa, including Morocco, is ambiguous and is to remain so for several years – it’s status can be vaguely described as unoccupied by agreement with Vichy France. For example, the British allow Vichy ships to pass through the straits of Gibraltar without interference.
1941	Murray Burnett struggles to place “Everybody Comes to Rick’s” until the US’s entry into the war towards the end of the year suddenly makes the property look hot. Humphrey Bogart is busy making The Maltese Falcon.
December 1941/ January 1942	Irene Lee and Hal Wallis of Warner Bros buy “Everybody Comes to Rick’s” for $20,000 – then the highest ever price for an unperformed play (about £100,000 to £150,000 at today’s UK prices – why can’t Mike Ward plays raise this sort of cash?). Warner Bros immediately change the name of the piece to Casablanca and announce that Ronald Reagan is to play Rick, Ann Sheridan is to pay Ilsa and Dennis Morgan is to play Victor.
February 1942	Julius and Phil Epstein set to work rewriting the script into a Warner Bros movie screenplay with humour and sparkle. Wallis decides on Mick Curtiz as director and they pick Humphrey Bogart for Rick, condemning Reagan to B-movie obscurity until he uses politics to revive his flagging career. Mike Ward also fails to get the part of Rick, condemning him to a career in public relations until the Actor’s Workshop revives his flagging career.
April 1942	Hal Wallis gets Howard Koch to do some touching up work on the script to add youthfulness and agitprop. Could this be too many cooks? With hindsight – clearly not. Meanwhile the shortlist for Ilsa is now Michele Morgan or Ingrid Bergman. Michele would cost $55,000 whereas Ingrid was available on loan from Paramount for $25,000. Ingrid gets the job. US government recognises Free French administration in Equatorial Africa and swaps eight bombers for landing rights. Mike Ward swaps eight gobstoppers for some cigarette cards with famous cricketers on them (one of them of course being Len Hutton).
May 1942	Dooley Wilson is signed up for Sam. He cannot play piano but he is cheap. Paul Henreid signs up for Victor’s role as long as he gets third billing above the title on the posters (no joke). Conrad Veidt signs up to play Major Strasser – Veidt was a Jewish refugee who made an acting career out of playing evil Nazis. They start filming with the Paris flashback sequence. A few days later, Claude Rains signs up as Renault, Sidney Greenstreet as Ferrari and Peter Lorre as Ugarte.
June/July 1942	Script famously still being rewritten during filing. Later, Jack Warner was to use Casablanca as a case study on out of control scripts – there’s no pleasing some bosses.
August 1942	August 2, Mike Ward’s birthday. August 3, last day of official filming on Casablanca. August 21 final bit of filming (new closing line).
November 1942	Operation Torch: Allied Forces land in North Africa (Algiers, Oran and 8 points along Moroccan coast). Fighting ends after thousands of casualties. Admiral Darlan announces himself “High Commissioner for North and West Africa” but it is hard to work out if he is now Vichy or Free French. North African position now tense and ambiguous rather than just ambiguous. Movie Casablanca premiers same month – that really was amazing timing.
December 1942	Admiral Darlan assassinated before anyone could work out whose side he was on. Mike Ward flees Keighley in both confusion and diapers.
January 1943	22^nd – DeGaulle, Roosevelt and Churchill meet in Morocco to try and agree a carve up but DeGaulle and Roosevelt can’t get on with each other. 23^{rd –} Casablanca goes on general release in US – amazing timing yet again, Mr Warner.
May 1943	Unified Free French Government formed in North Africa.
January 1944	DeGaulle and Churchill meet in Marrakech – they don’t get on too well even without Roosevelt
March 1944	Casablanca wins 3 Oscars – Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay
1983	British Film Institute votes Casablanca as best film ever.
June 1998	American Film Institute rates Casablanca second greatest American film of all time (look out next for Mike Ward’s “Citizen Kane, the Musical”)
August 2001	Mike Ward begins work on “Casablanca, the Musical”
September 2001	“Casablanca, the Musical” is done and dusted.

Deal Making

MIKE WARD: Where are the goddamn programme notes you promised me? We need to go to print tomorrow.

AIRPIECE: Where’s the goddamn script. I can’t write programme notes about a musical I haven’t read.

MIKE WARD: It’s all done. I’ll send it to you.

AIRPIECE: When?

MIKE WARD: When I’ve written the ending. It’ll be a couple of days.

AIRPIECE: I’ll need a couple of days after that.

MIKE WARD: It’s a deal.

Echoes

The birth of Casablanca, the Musical has many echoes with the birth of the movie. Last minute revision to the script is but one example. Ingrid Bergman was selected for the movie because she was cheap, a sentiment that the Burgers of Halifax would no doubt endorse. I was selected to write these programme notes for similar reasons; Lord Archer of Bulmarsh, who has some time on his hands, was in the frame but wanted a larger fee per word than me.

Apocryphally, the ending of the movie was in doubt right until the end of filming (much like a Mike Ward play), although some experts say that it was never in doubt that Victor and Ilsa were going to end up with each other. Spin doctoring had been invented by 1942, so you can’t treat every Warner outpouring as gospel. After all, they announced Ronald Reagan as the lead just before signing Bogart. It is that sort of movie. “Play it again Sam” is the most famous quote from the movie and it is not in the movie. “Oh shit, I’ve dropped a table on my foot” will probably be the most famous quote from the musical, although not in the script, merely irritating noise offstage. It is said that more has been written about Casablanca than about any other movie. (The movie even has its own web site, Cyberblanca.com, to which I owe a debt of research gratitude.) And oh boy do Mike Ward plays have more written about them in the programme notes than most plays. But then, I am paid by the word, you know.

Finally, while tracing these echoes, I thought I’d research what had become of Murray Burnett who wrote the play “Everybody Comes to Rick’s” upon which Casablanca is based. It is well known that he earned $20,000 for the play. Less well known is the fact that he scratched out a living later as a screenwriter experiencing little success. His later stage play projects, of which there were several, were never produced. When Murray Burnett died in September 1997, his obituary in Classic Images misspelled his name as “Murray Bennett.” “Mike Warred”, on the other hand, seems somehow to get all of his plays produced. But no write up in Classic Images. And no movie rights sales as yet. Perhaps the plays are too long.

Professor Ivan Airpiece

Department of Forensic Cinematography,

The Fulbright University College of Keighley (F.U.C.K.)

Schubert & Bruckner At The Proms: Saying Goodbye To That “Magic Wand” Conductor, 24 August 2001

This was the seventh and last time that I saw the great, nominatively determined conductor, Günter Wand, perform. It was his last Prom and one of his very last performances.

We heard:

Franz Schubert – Symphony No. 8 in B minor, ‘Unfinished’
Anton Bruckner- Symphony No. 9 in D minor

Here is the BBC Prom stub for this concert.

I’m not certain that Janie and/or the Duchess were as awe-struck by this event as I was. We’d actually made one or two failed attempts to see Gunter perform Bruckner in the preceding years, which meant that I was especially delighted that he was well enough to attend and perform the advertised programme that night.

Wand’s touring that summer and autumn with the NDR Symphony Orchestra (now known as the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra) was his last hurrah. This link, and the following embed, is their performance of the Bruckner, a few week’s before our Prom, at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Lübeck.

Returning to our Prom, it gathered rave reviews.

Here’s a link to the one in Classicalsource.com

This obituary piece from music-web-international also contains a review of the 24 August 2001 concert.

Coincidentally, trawling my log, my first encounter with Günter Wand, in November 1986, included the same Bruckner Symphony in the programme. I have a private recording of the 1986 concert, made in rudimentary fashion by setting the 1980s gizmondry to record while I was out!

Now I have found the formal 2001 recording in the public domain, I must make the time to listen to both recordings and see if I can sense Gunter’s journey with that astonishing but unfinished piece.

I was trying to think of something profound to say, to conclude this Ogblog piece. But given the two unfinished symphonies that were performed that evening, surely it is more fitting for me to…

England v Australia, Oval, Day One, 23 August 2001

This was I think the one occasion that the three Z/Yen directors: me, Michael Mainelli & Jeremy Smith, all gathered at a cricket match at the same time. We also had three guests: Charles “Charley The Gent Malloy” Bartlett, Bob Reitemeier & Brendan May.

Those were the days, eh? When a priority booking subscription got you six tickets together for an Ashes test.

The Aussies were making mincemeat of England that series. The day we attended was no exception – Day One of an inevitable innings win for the Aussies.

E-mail correspondence on these matters was still rare in those days. Indeed the only e-mail reference I can find is a thank you message of sorts from Michael:

Again, great cricket day out. I really see why they call it testing.

The contents of my picnic are therefore lost in the mists of time. But I suspect that smoked salmon bagels would have featured, even then. Not the Alaskan stuff that Charles fell in love with subsequently – that wasn’t widely available in 2001. But Brendan (MSC) and I (Z/Yen) were working on it.

Indeed, The Economist coverage of our work with the Alaskan salmon industry came out the very week we attended this test match. Fishy indeed. If you have an Economist subscription, you can read about the Fishy Maths here. If you don’t, but would really like to see the article…ask me!

Nano Banana Lite 2 via Google Flow, based on my instructions.

Anna Christie by Eugene O’Neill, Riverside Studio 3, 18 August 2001

I didn’t make any notes in my log about this one and frankly I only remember this production vaguely. I liked aspects of the play but found it rather long and wordy for its slight plot. So far, so Eugene O’Neill. I also remember wondering whether this was one of those O’Neill plays that needs an exceptional cast to pull it off.

Let’s see what the real critics said at the time.

Ah, the only formal review I can find easily is in the Standard. Rachel Halliburton liked the play more than the acting, I sense:

Anna Christie Halliburton Standard 13 Aug 2001 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Cutting Through The Carnival: Several Sketches & Short Pieces By Various Young Writers, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 17 August 2001

The Royal Court is really good at finding ways to showcase the work of young writers who are working with their various programmes. In truth, Janie and I are not so good at turning up to see those showcase performances; we do so rarely, although we were going through a bit of a phase of it at the turn of the century.

On this occasion, we braved Sloane Square on a Friday evening to see this miscellany of pieces connected with the Notting Hill Carnival. Timely, fewer than 10 days before carnival.

As you might expect, it was a mixed bag.

This will have been our first sighting of Leo Butler’s writing. In truth I don’t recall making a mental note about his material based on this showcase. We went to see his play Redundant a few weeks later, but I suspect that I had already booked that before 17 August!

Renault And Clouseau, Lyric Co-Written With David Seidel, Casablanca the Musical, Actor’s Workshop Halifax, 8 August 2001

This is one of the numbers for show Casablanca The Musical:

Casablanca The Musical by Magnolia Thunderpussy, Actor’s Workshop, 18 September 2001

This one was more David Seidel than me. I edited David’s fine work on this one but he deserves most of the credit.

RENAULT AND CLOUSEAU VERSION 1.1

By David Seidel and Ian Harris – (based on “Five Guys Named Moe”)

CLOUSEAU:        Gonna tell you ‘bout our Chief of Police

RENAULT:           With a know-it-all of an accomplice

I’m Renault

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

RENAULT:           I’m in the know

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

CLOUSEAU:        I’m Clouseau

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

RENAULT:           He’s a real thick-o

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

They’re the suckers, They’re the suckers

Sucking up to Strasser!

Woe Woe Woe Woe Gestapo

CLOUSEAU:        He’s the greatest cop in town

Is he crooked, is he sound?

You wanna find out? Stick around

COMPANY:         Louis Renault

RENAULT:           I’ve a useless gadabout

A busybody with no clout

Gets onyer tits more than “Beadle’s About”

COMPANY:         Monsieur Clouseau

CLOUSEAU:        I pop out of nowhere

Interfere with everything

I’m the pest who knows what’s best

RENAULT:           At least that’s what he thinks!

CLOUSEAU:        His name is a brand of cars

RENAULT:          His bowels are irregular

BOTH:                   We both talk out of our arse.

COMPANY:         Like guys on blow!

RENAULT:           I’m Renault

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

RENAULT:           I’m in the know

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

CLOUSEAU:        I’m Clouseau

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

RENAULT:           He’s a real thick-o

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

LAZLO:                 I’m Lazlo

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

LAZLO:                 I’m Ilsa’s beau

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

WICK:                   I’m Wick – yo

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

WICK:                   I’m Ilsa’s beau

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

NAZIS:                  We’re Gestapo

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

NAZIS:                  Whaddya know?

COMPANY:         Doo dee a doo da

They’re the suckers, They’re the suckers

Clouseau and Renault!!

Here is a video of Five Guys Named Moe:

I Always Hurt the Ones I Con, Casablanca the Musical, Actor’s Workshop Halifax, 8 August 2001

This is one of the numbers I wrote for show Casablanca The Musical:

Casablanca The Musical by Magnolia Thunderpussy, Actor’s Workshop, 18 September 2001

Mike Ward ended up writing a lot of business for the Lou Ferrari character desperately trying to upstage everyone else and get a slot in the show for his solo. Here is the lyric.

I ALWAYS HURT THE ONES I CON

(Song to the Tune of “You Always Hurt the Ones You Love”)

LUIGI FERRARI – SOLO

VERSE 1

I always hurt the ones I con,

The ones I shouldn’t shaft at all;

I always take the greenest jerks,

And fleece ’em ‘til they’ve got naff all.

I always trick the desperate souls,

With a hasty scam I can’t recall;

So if I took your shirt last night,

It’s because I stuffed you most of all.

VERSE 2

I always stiff, the refugees,

Although I shouldn’t cheat and lie;

I always dupe the feeble toads,

Who are the weakest link, goodbye.

I always make the biggest bucks,

With a hasty hoax or quick disguise;

So if I skinned your hide last night,

It’s because I’m the most evil guy.

Here is a video of Paul Anka singing You Always Hurt The One You Love:

I’ve always liked the Spike Jones version of that song. Strangely, I found a vid with George Bettinger lip-synching the Spike Jones version. Coincidentally it has the Casablanca poster as a background. How weird is that?:

Getting Drunk At Lou Ferrari’s, Casablanca the Musical, Actor’s Workshop Halifax, 8 August 2001

This is one of the numbers I wrote for Casablanca The Musical:

Casablanca The Musical by Magnolia Thunderpussy, Actor’s Workshop, 18 September 2001

It was intended to be the first number used in the show – not quite an opening number but for sure a scene-setting number.

GETTING DRUNK AT LOU FERRARI’S

(Song to the Tune of “Rum and Coca Cola”)

VERSE 1

If you’re in colonial Vichy France,

Meet your old flames just by happenstance,

Everybody else just comes to Wick’s,

But Ferrari’s an old dog with new tricks.

CHORUS 1

Getting drunk at Lou Ferrari’s,

On Coke and chilled Bacardis,

Papers, drugs and honeys,

Working for the funny money.

VERSE 2

Senior Ferrari is a git,

Full of invention, full of shit,

More Mister Nice Guy, no he ain’t,

Makes Jeffrey Archer seem a saint.

CHORUS 2

Getting stoned at Lou Ferrari’s,

On Coke and ganja brownies,

Papers, drugs and honeys,

Working for the funny money.

VERSE 3

Half way along the Greenstreet,

You’ll find his bar Pink Paraqueet,

Don’t ask for café or for latte,

Or you’ll end up as dead as poor Ugarte.

CHORUS 3

Getting bombed at Lou Ferrari’s,

Every night’s a party,

Papers, drugs and honeys,

Working for the funny money.

Here is the Andrew Sisters singing Rum & Coca Cola:

…or, if you prefer colour and movement, here are The Priester Sisters:

The Proms – Sir Colin Davis & The European Union Youth Orchestra Doing Tchaikovsky & Elgar, 5 August 2001

The first of two visits to the Proms with The Duchess that season.

We heard:

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4 in F minor
Elgar – Symphony No. 1 in A flat major
Dvořák – Slavonic Dances, Op 46 No. 1 in C major (encore)

Here is a link to the BBC stub for this concert.

The Duchess was always partial to a youth orchestra, so Sir Colin Davis conducting the European lot was bound to be a good choice for her.

I have always been partial to Tchaikovsky’s 4th symphony and don’t mind admitting it. It’s the classical/romantic music equivalent of admitting to liking Mr Blue Sky by ELO. Almost everyone likes it really but only some of us are brave enough to admit to that guilty pleasure.

Here is a video of an antipodean youth orchestra belting out the finale of Tchaikovsky’s 4th.

Janie tends to find Elgar a bit heavy-handed and frankly I find it hard to disagree with that, although he doesn’t displease me as much as he seems to displease Janie.

Here’s the BBC Symphony Orchestra doing the Elgar a few years later at The Proms: