A Little of What You Fancy

The Players' Theatre sequences were directed by Michael Winner, a fact seemingly never mentioned in any biographies. Winner was, apparently, an office boy at Fancey's and got the job when someone else fell ill. This information was given to me directly by the late Denis Martin who was one of the Players' directors and who was directly involved in the making of the film. A useless piece of trivial information was also that the arc lights used during filming caught the house curtains alight and the Players' got a new set of curtains from the film producers.

Not mentioned in the earlier comments are the main performers at the Players. Firstly there is a lengthy sequence with the chairman, a very young Barry Cryer, talking to the audience. Then there is an excellent comic number (They Always Pick on Me) by Sheila Bernette. The film ends with the entire Harry Champion Scena with John Rutland as Champion. This was shot when the dressing rooms were directly backstage and Rutland is assisted at the beginning by Players' stalwart Michael Darbyshire. The accompanying cast - too many to name - include the late Brian Blades who also choreographed the scena.

One cast list error. Julia Sutton is listed but in fact it was Doreen Hermitage and not her.

The film itself deserves all the comments made earlier despite the fact it wanders off course a bit in the Carnaby Street sequence. It never made a release on VHS and it is wonderful to see it get released at last on DVD.