Three-Night Run of ABOUT BILL Starring Kim Ismay is Coming to the Other Palace in October
About Bill is a show entirely about Bill, although we never meet him. Instead, we hear from all of the women in his life.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Sep. 29, 2022
About Bill productions will present a three-night run of About Bill at The Other Palace - The one woman show starring Kim Ismay, running from 7-9 October 2022.
Kim Ismay is well known to London Theatreland and has starred in countless West End and national tour productions including Wicked, Mamma Mia, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Saturday Night Fever, Acorn Antiques, Singing In The Rain, Lautrec, The Rocky Horror Show as well as appearing in numerous TV dramas.
Written by Matthew Strachan and Bernie Gaughan, About Bill is the story of Bill Fitzgerald, the renowned (and fictitious) jazz trumpeter who stormed his way through the twentieth century in a haze of music, controversy, and love affairs. The various women in his life are all played by the inimitable Kim Ismay, and she brings each character to life in vivid colour as they share with us their ups and downs of life with this charismatic vagabond.
About Bill is a show entirely about Bill, although we never meet him. Instead, we hear from all of the women in his life. Some loved him, others fled from him. All were affected by Bill Fitzgerald, the legendary swashbuckling jazz trumpeter.
We meet Bill's mother, Stella, the feisty 1930s showgirl in corset and feathers who is scared of nothing, except an unexpected pregnancy. There is Joyce, Bill's first girlfriend, who must choose between the wicked Bill and his stuffed-shirt rival. Her decision will reverberate down the years. Next, we meet Gloria, the landlady of Bill's theatrical digs, who fruitlessly hopes of a future with him.
We meet the mini-skirted aristocrat he marries in the 1970s, who in the end, can't take the pace, and a later we hear of his marriage to a Mexican firecracker who cleans out Bill's bank account.
From the journalist who can't help but be affected by his charm, to the addict lover who blames him for everything, all the women in Bill's life show us a different aspect of this talented, complicated man as the score takes us on a musical tour of the song styles of Bill's long life.
And all the while Aunty Dot looks on. She raised him when his mother couldn't and loved him with the same ferocity as she despairs about his behaviour. Sternly moral, outspoken, and hilarious, she has much to say About Bill.
The show was written for Kim in 2010 to showcase her talent and versatility following her sterling work in the company's first musical, Next Door's Baby. Its first run was in London in 2011. Music and Lyrics were written by Matthew Strachan who sadly died aged 50 in September last year. The production is now being revived in Matthew's memory.
Cast: Kim Ismay
Piano Accompanist: Paul Crew
Book: Bernie Gaughan
Music & Lyrics Matthew Strachan
Director Keith Strachan
Kim Ismay - PEFROMER
Kim was most recently seen as Madame Morrible in WICKED at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre, having also Morribled on the National and International tours. She spent a record 7 years starring as Tanya in MAMMA MIA! at the Novello, Prince of Wales and Prince Edward Theatres in London's West End, and is currently recording her 20th audiobook.
West End/London credits include her one-woman show, ABOUT BILL, which was written for her by Matthew Strachan and Bernadette Gaughan; Joanna in SUNSET BOULEVARD (Adelphi) CABARET (Strand) LAUTREC (Shaftesbury), SUMMER'S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT (Shakespeare's Globe), STOP THE WORLD (Lyric), Gertrude in HAMLET (Shaw) TORCH SONG TRILOGY, (Albery) and for the RSC at the Barbican, Stratford and internationally, KISS ME, KATE, (also at The Old Vic) THE WIZARD OF OZ and A COMEDY OF ERRORS.
Regional/tour credits include Lysette in THE SILVER GYM, Baroness Bomburst in CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, Dotty Otley in NOISES OFF, Fiona in HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES, Katisha in THE HOT MIKADO, Maxine in STEPPING OUT, Miss Bonnie in ACORN ANTIQUES, Flo Manero in SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, Magenta in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, Miss Dinsmore in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, Irene in CRAZY FOR YOU, Auntie in WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND, Hannah Kelly in THE FIFTEEN STREETS, Mona Kent in DAMES AT SEA (Best Musical, Manchester Evening News Awards) and the European Premiere of Sondheim's FOLLIES.
Television includes: Claudia in NOT GOING OUT with Lee Mack & Tim Vine, EASTENDERS, Trina in THE BILL, THE SOUND OF MUSICALS, Maxine in Bob Martin, STRANGE BUT TRUE, Susie in LONDON'S BURNING, and Carol in JUST A GIGOLO.
Her solo cabaret appearances and Masterclasses have taken her all over the world, she has recorded several audio dramas and over a dozen cast albums, and her solo albums, TORCH & DEBAUCH and ABOUT BILL are available at Dress Circle & on iTunes.
Kim is proud to be an ambassador for moment-um.org, actingforothers.co.uk and a reader for calibre.org.uk. www.kimismay.com
MATTHEW STRACHAN - MUSIC & LYRICS
A multi award‐winning composer and singer-songwriter, Matthew Strachan has composed music for film and TV, written songs for Nashville and for musical theatre. His best-known music is the soundtrack to the international hit TV show WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? ABOUT BILL is the third musical co-written with his wife Bernie and it premièred in London in 2011. His last album 25 YEAR SONGBOOK PART II was released in 2012 by Nono Records.
Matthew's film and TV credits include MONEY (BBC), SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Fox Searchlight), EXTRACT (Miramax), ABOUT A BOY (Universal Pictures), WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? (ABC), A KIND OF HUSH (First Film Company), WINNING LINES (CBS), QUESTION TIME (BBC), THE WARD (ITV), THE DETECTIVES (BBC), THE HYPNOTIC WORLD OF Paul McKenna (ITV), and BOOGIE OUTLAWS (BBC).
Theatre credits include ABOUT BILL (Landor Theatre), HUNGRY GHOSTS (Orange Tree Theatre), THE PROMISE (Orange Tree Theatre), THE MAKING OF MOO (Orange Tree Theatre), NEXT DOOR'S BABY (Orange Tree Theatre), THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETZUAN (Orange Tree Theatre), THE LODGER (Windsor Theatre Royal), IMAGINE (Liverpool Playhouse).
Matthew and his wife Bernie, under the name MB Vincent, also co-wrote two comedy crime thrillers featuring the amateur sleuth Jess Castle: THE EYEBALLS OF DEATH and A DEATH IN THE WOODS
In 2012 Matthew received his first ASCAP Hall of Fame Award for the theme to WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? This prestigious honour persisted for the next 10 years.
Matthew died 8th September 2021, aged 50.
Keith Strachan - DIRECTOR
Keith has worked in music and theatre for the past 50 years and during that time he has been musical director and/or director of over fifty theatre productions including long running West End Shows and National Tours such as ELVIS THE MUSICAL, ONLY THE LONELY, DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS and DANCING IN THE STREETS. He has written numerous songs for major artists including MISTLETOE AND WINE, Cliff Richard's no.1 Christmas song. He also composed the music for many TV programs including WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE, which he wrote with his son, Matthew. The show has played in over 100 countries worldwide and was featured in the Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire.
BERNIE GAUGHAN - Book
Bernie Gaughan is the author of twenty-four novels, published all over the world in eleven languages. She's currently working on book twenty-five, the final part of a trilogy prequel to BBC' Radio 4's iconic THE ARCHERS.
When not writing books, her other passion is theatre. Next Door's BabY, a musical written with her husband Matthew Strachan, made its London debut at the Orange Tree Theatre in 2008, as did SILK, their musical about Albert Pierrepoint, a year later.
Bernie was born in Fulham, London into an Irish Catholic family. Before becoming an author, she ran a wool shop, produced radio commercials, and was a voice-over agent representing many high-profile actors. Her writing career is a lot quieter and involves less use of the phrase 'darling, you were great'.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
ABOUT BILL
The Other Palace
12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA Victoria | St. James's Park.
Tickets https://theotherpalace.co.uk/about-bill/
7-9 OCTOBER | 8PM
Running time 1 hour 10 minutes
Age recommendation 16+
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