There's somebody on the roof

Once in a Lifetime -1

Once in a Lifetime -2

Thompson goes home to meet his Mum

Musical Comedy Showtune - 1

Musical Comedy Showtune - 2

In the kitchen / 'Rats'

A Wedding and a Yacht

The Hollwood Party

Babs and Roy Rogers

On the Roof

Second Act

Thompson from Accounts

Various Goings-on in the hotel

'Boogie Woogie Dance Routine'

Finale

West Kirby Library display

Backstage photos

Band Call

Rob Poston sings Take a Moment

Band Call - finale

Promotional / Press Coverage / Videos                    Adelphi  2018

Article in Sardines magazine - interview with Phil Wilmott - click to enlarge

Promotional Leaflets - click to enlarge

Bookmark

Banners

Floral brochures

Cheshire Life

Wirral Globe articles - click to enlarge

Audition publicity

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NODA Review

‘ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE ADELPHI’ WKLOS. 8TH JUNE 2018. FLORAL PAVILION. The Adelphi is a landmark building in Liverpool and it is fitting that writer Phil Willmott has taken the time and effort to bring us this tribute not only to the Hotel itself but to the overall spirit of the people of that city. The action takes back to back into the hotel's glory days as the place to stay for Hollywood royalty disembarking from luxury liners.  Adelphi's myriad legends.  Some of which are certifiably real-the cowboy star Roy Rodgers really did book his horse, Trigger, into his room - and others apocryphal are meat and drink for an author.  Willmott also knows how to pen a tune; and though much of the score is little more than functional 1930s pastiche, it has the  one big number all successful that musicals need, a proud celebration of Liverpudlian invincibility entitled “Once In A Lifetime”.  This swelling melody is hot-wired directly to the tear-ducts and could be the official anthem of the Capital. It is an unashamedly sentimental plot which tells the riches-to-rags tale of Thompson, a  thief who rather implausibly trades a dinner suit for a greasy apron and a job in the kitchens to prove to Alice, the sweetly capable assistant manager , that he is worthy of her love.  Their love is unrequited on this earth but there are, as they say, more things in heaven and earth than this world dreams of. The nature of the story requires that we have two Alices - one the mysterious woman on the roof (Joanne Poston) and the current one (Amy Duggan) both did all aspects of their role admirably.  Rob Poston played the lovable rogue Thompson with good style and is an excellent singer.  Samantha Arnold gave a first class performance as Babs Barlow more Liverpool than Liverpool itself. WKLOS is indeed fortunate to have so many fine players and every one of them demonstrated their ability to do justice to the varied characters  necessary to complete the overall story.  They were well supported by the ensemble of guests and staff all part of the hotel’s rich pageant of inhabitants.  They included the Wallasey School of Ballet dancers always good and splendidly trained by Choreographer Deborah Clark. Sharon Henderson directed with a sure and confident hand and Rob Bowness once again showed his skill as a Musical Director. A host of people go to make up an effective back stage team and this society is blessed with having such a strong team.  Finally I loved Trigger, not quite the real thing but I’m all for theatrical license. Budge Groundsell

Culture Liverpool

Liverpool Echo article

Capital of Culture smash hit show Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi returning to Liverpool stage. Production contains romance, comedy and catchy tunes By Mark Johnson 31 MAY 2018 A feel good family production set in Liverpool’s famous Adelphi hotel is set to return to the city. ‘Once Upon A Time At The Adelphi’ has been dubbed the city’s very own ‘capital of culture’ musical, after it had its world premiere at the Liverpool Playhouse in 2008 and it proved to be a highlight of the year’s cultural celebrations. It featured a West End cast and it was hugely successful playing to packed houses over an extended run. The musical is set in Liverpool in the 1930s when the glitz and glamour of Hollywood leave the luxury liners and enter the city’s most fashionable hotel. Amidst the chaos and decadence, no non-sense Alice from the hotel’s reception has fallen for the dashing Thompson from the accounts section. But fate Hollywood, World War II and an array of staff and guests intervene in a Liverpool love story which spans seven decades. In 2010 the writer and composer Phil Willmott granted West Kirby Light Opera Society (WKLOS) the rights to perform the non-professional premiere of the musical at the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton. Phil said: "When Liverpool was announced as the City of Culture, I asked Gemma Bodinay at Liverpool Playhouse about them commissioning a new musical for the city. "I wanted to write something that was very populist with catchy tunes, big numbers, broad comedy and romance ... and the Adelphi seemed a lovely place as, in its history, it's had all those things." And as 2018 marks both the tenth anniversary of Liverpool’s year as capital of culture and the premiere of this show, to celebrate this special milestone WKLOS is staging a brand new production at the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton from June 6 to 9 - it will be a nightly show with a Saturday matinee.

Wirral Globe article

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