Busker Alley
SYNOPSIS
Busker Alley combines the life of street performers (known as Buskers) with the glamour of the theatre in London’s West End, just before and during the Second World War.
Charlie, a Busker “not as young as he was”, takes as his protégé, Libby, a young street-wise thief. A singer and dancer, enormously talented, she blossoms under Charlie's tutelage along with his infatuation for her. Life is good amongst the Buskers. They’re funny and colorful, and they care for each other each other like family. But soon an ambitious Libby wants more. Driven to succeed, she finds a way through a young songwriter, to get the attention of a West End producer who launches her musical theatre career.
Charlie doesn’t fit into Libby’s new life on the “inside”, which is how the Buskers refer to a real theatre. Saddened, he realizes how foolish he was to fall for her. He leaves the Busker life, attempting to “find himself” in a series of meaningless jobs, ultimately doing a bout in prison while Libby’s celebrity continues to rise.
When Charlie and Libby reconnect after a chance meeting years later, she convinces him to go back to entertaining and arranges an audition for a legitimate show. During this audition he is brought to the bittersweet realization that he and Libby truly belong in different worlds. Libby asks him, “Where are you going?” “Outside, where I belong”, he answers. He returns to the Busking Life and we learn of his bravery when, towards the end of the war, he entertains in a military hospital and a V2 rocket attack ends his life. We are left finally with an understanding of the depth of Libby’s feelings for Charlie and in no small measure, the courage of the Buskers and of Britons during this hard time.
Busker Alley has a cast of 16 and a dog, with a band of 12—some of whom are on stage as Buskers.
The show boasts a glorious theatrical score, of which the Sherman brothers are justifiably proud. Along the way, we hear the kind of terrific songs they’re famous for—some funny, some beautiful, some spirited, some soulful.
Some of the folks you’ll meet on Busker Alley:
* Gladys and Arthur- two older Buskers. Arthur courts Gladys but she only has eyes for her long-time canine companion.
*Prentiss James- a famous songwriter and victim of Libby’s thievery.
He becomes utterly charmed by her and champions her talents
*Max Beardsley- the West End producer who casts Libby
in his new Prentiss James musical
*Elaine Claire- a pretty actress, on the arm of Max Beardsley who will co-star with Libby in the Prentiss James musical. She looks disdainfully at Libby and the Buskers.
*Victor Duchesi-celebrated star of the theatre with an ego to match.
*The Buskers who entertain with Performance Art and magic
•
