Underneath The Arches The Flanagan & Allen Story Original London Cast 

A1Just For Laughs
Written-By – Hampton*
A2The Boers Have Got My Daddy
Written-By – Mill*, Castling*
A3Say Ta-Ta To Your Tar
Written-By – Neston / Harris*
A4Franklind D. Roosevelt Jones
Written-By – Rome*
A5If A Grey Haired Lady
Written-By – Waite*
A6Umbrella Man
Written-By – Cavanaugh*, Stock*, Rose*
A7We're Always On The Outside
Written-By – Michael Carr
A8Mr Right
Written-By – Lerner*, Weill*
A9Has Anybody Here Seen Florrie
A10Flanagan
Written-By – Murphy*, Letters*
A11The Old Bull And Bush
Written-By – Andrew Sterling, Tilzer*, Krone*, Hustling*
A12Hey Neighbour
Written-By – Parker*
A13Hometown
Written-By – Kennedy*, Carr*
A14Underneath The Arches
Written-By – Flanagan*, Allen*, Connelly*
Act 2
B1Pantomime
Written-By – Glaze*
B2Principal Boys
Written-By – Newman*
B3Well Done Gordon
Written-By – Gilbert*
B4Free
Written-By – Kennedy*
B5Palladium Crazy Gang
B6They're Building Flats Where The Arches Used To Be
Written-By – Flanagan*, Nicholls*
B7Broken Blossoms
Written-By – Weston/Lee*
B8Siegfried Line
Written-By – Kennedy*, Carr*
B9Run, Rabbit, Run
Written-By – Gay*, Butler*
B10Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner
Written-By – Gregg*
B11Just For Laughs
Written-By – Hampton*
B12Music Maestro Please
Written-By – Allie Wrubel, Magidson*
B13Just For Laughs
Written-By – Hampton*
B14Strolling
Written-By – Reader*

The 1981 season is fondly remembered at CFT for the musical revue Underneath the Arches, the story of two of Britain's most popular entertainers: the wicked Bud Flanagan, and the urbane Chesney Allen, and their association with a bunch of knockabout comedians known as "The Crazy Gang".

Starring Christopher Timothy (Chesney) and Roy Hudd (Bud), the production featured a cameo appearance from the real Chesney Allen, the last surviving member of the group, who was revealed to the audience in a surprise set revolve sequence. When Chesney Allen died two years later in 1983, the production was still playing in the West End after receiving an Olivier Award nomination for Musical of the Year in 1982.

CFT's Artistic Director Patrick Garland said in 1983: "I, for one, shall never forget the summer of 1981, when Chesney appeared in every performance of Underneath the Arches, as slightly and precise as ever, a glowing and vital reminder of a lasting and ancient tradition of foolery." Read his full speech at the bottom of the page.


UNDERNEATH THE ARCHES

by PATRICK GARLAND, BRIAN GLANVILLE & ROY HUDD

 

Bud Flanagan……………………………………………………………………………. Roy Hudd

Chesney Allen………………………………………………………………………….. Christopher Timothy

Jimmy Nervo………………………………………………………………………………. Don Smoothey

Teddy Knox……………………………………………………………………………….. Tommy Godfrey

Charlie Naughton………………………………………………………………………… Peter Glaze

Jimmy Gold………………………………………………………………………………… Joe Black

‘Monsewer’ Eddie Gray……………………………………………………………….. Billy Gray

Florrie Ford……………………………………………………………………………… Julia Sutton

Festival Boys & Girls………………………………… Kevin Bryan   Martin Chamberlain   John Higginson

David Hitchen   Amanda Holmes   Rachel Izen

Annette Lyons   Chris Melville   Terry Sheppard

Annie Swatton   Paula Tinker   Linda Williams

and

CHESNEY ALLEN

as Himself