Teeth 'n' Smiles
Teeth 'n' Smiles is a musical play written by David Hare.
Performances
The play was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre on 2 September 1975.[1]
It was subsequently revived at Wyndhams Theatre in May 1976, at the Oxford Playhouse in October 1977 and at the Crucible Theatre in 2002.
Dramatis Personae and Casts
Character | Description | Played by (1975) | Played by (1976) | Played by (1977) | Played by (2002) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arthur | songwriter | Jack Shepherd | Martin Shaw | Frank Grimes | Scott Handy |
Inch | roadie | Karl Howman | Peter Attard | Nicholas Tennant | |
Laura | p.r. | Cherie Lunghi | Belinda Lang | Lucy Briers | |
Nash | drummer | Rene Augustus | Stephen Price | Justin Pickett | |
Wilson | keyboard | Mick Ford | Kevin Elyot | Zubin Varla | |
Snead | porter | Roger Hume | Noel Collins | Robert Calvert | |
Peyote | bass guitar | Hugh Fraser | David Cardy | Keith-Lee Castle | |
Smegs | lead guitar | Andrew Dickson | Larry Whitehurst | Lance Burman | |
Anson | student | Antony Sher | Antony Sher | Peter Whitman | Dominic Charles-Rouse |
Maggie | vocals | Helen Mirren | Helen Mirren | Cheryl Kennedy | Amanda Donohoe |
Saraffian | manager | Dave King | Patrick O'Connell | Ivan Kaye | |
Randolph | star | Heinz | Heinz | Tom Wilkinson | William Maidwell |
Technician | technician | Ian Elliott / David Charkham | Steve Morley |
In a 1979 production in the USA, Maggie was played by Ellen Greene.
Plot
The play is set around the performances of a failing rock band fronted by lead singer Maggie Frisby at the May Ball on the night of 9 June 1969 at Jesus College, Cambridge.
Music
The songs in the play were written by Nick Bicât (music) and Tony Bicât (lyrics) and were -
- Close To Me
- Passing Through
- Yeah Yeah Yeah
- Bastards
- Let's Have A Party
- Arthur's Song
- Last Orders
Trivia
During the initial run at the Royal Court, Keith Moon turned up drunk at the stage door, joined Helen Mirren in her dressing room and told her how great the show was, and then tried to join the cast on stage before being stopped by the management.[5]
Helen Mirren's interpretation of Maggie was based on Janis Joplin.