Richard Stilgoe

We've got some by Noel Coward and the great American comedy songwriter Tom Lehrer, who died last year.

And also Richard Stilgoe, who's almost a local because he lives just up the road in Guildford.

But then the second half of the evening.

is a tribute to Hinge and Brackett, the fabulous comedy double act, which was very popular through the 70s and 80s and into the 90s until the sad death of one of the two partners.

And he plays each of these different people who've got statutory right of entry into your home.

Right.

And they did some kind of technological miracle where by the end of it, there are five Richard Stilgoes on screen together because they've layered one over the top of the other.

But they're all singing along with each other in harmony.

Fucking hell.

Okay.

So Phantom of the Opera is a British musical based on the Gaston Leroux novel of the same name, featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, and book by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe.

It opened in the West End in 1986 with direction by Hal Prince, starring Sarah Brightman as Christine, Greatest Showpod alum Michael Crawford as The Phantom, and Steve Barton as Raoul.

An identical production transferred to Broadway in 1988 with the same principal cast, and these original productions won both Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Musical, as well as Best Actor for Crawford.

Uh, and I will argue that in most cases, [laughs] the lyrics aren't that important because they're just singing about what you can see on the stage.

Sure.

And like, thanks Richard Stilgoe, we do have eyes.

Yeah.