This page is about the stage show, for the unmade film, please see Carry On London (film)
Carry On London poster
Carry On London was a 1973 comedy musical stage show first performed at the Birmingham Hippodrome between 14th Sept and 29th Sept and then at the Victoria Palace, London between 4th Oct and 12 Oct.
The show featured the familiar faces of Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw and Jack Douglas. It was written by Talbot Rothwell.
Overview[]
Peter Rogers, the producer of the Carry On films and TV series, decided to create a stage show based on the popular franchise. Despite some of the regulars declining to participate, including Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims, Rogers managed to bring together a talented cast of performers such as Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw, and Jack Douglas.
Cast of Carry On London with producer Peter Rogers
However, Sid James was initially reluctant to work with Jack Douglas due to his stand-up comedy background, which James felt could throw off the scripted performances that he was accustomed to. Nevertheless, Douglas proved to be a hit with audiences, ad-libbing gags and bouncing off other members of the cast, much to James' surprise.
The show incorporated a mix of comedy sketches, stand-up routines, song and dance, and speciality acts, reminiscent of the variety days of the stage. The highlight of the show were the six innuendo-laden mini sketches that were written by Carry On scriptwriter Talbot Rothwell and starred the six regular performers. The sketches were lifted from the most popular Carry On films, including Carry On Doctor and Carry On Henry.
Carry On London cast photo
The Emergency Ward 99 sketch, which featured Bernard Bresslaw dressed in a Matron's outfit in place of Hattie Jacques, was a crowd-pleaser. The Elizabethan Madrigals sketch, originally featured in the 1972 TV Christmas Special, was also a favourite among audiences, with Sid James singing the unforgettable ballad "Balls, Balls, Banquets and Balls," referencing the film Carry On Don't Lose Your Head.
The classic Carry On Cleo was not forgotten, with Barbara Windsor playing Cleo to Sid's Caesar, and Peter Butterworth providing comedic relief as Grabatiti. The show was a success, with audiences delighted to see their favourite Carry On characters come to life on stage.