West Kirby Musical Theatre Company is bringing Betty Blue Eyes, a wonderfully entertaining, incredibly funny musical comedy to the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight.
It is based on the 1984 Alan Bennett film ‘A Private Function’ which originally starred Michael Palin and Dame Maggie Smith as a Yorkshire couple struggling to make ends meet just after the war.
It is 1947, war has ended but people are still suffering under the burden of food rationing, high unemployment, and the coldest winter for decades. The only bright spark on the horizon is the impending marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Enter Betty, an adorable pig who is being illegally reared to ensure local dignitaries can celebrate the Royal Wedding with a lavish banquet whilst the local population have to make do with Spam.
Brilliantly adapted for the stage with a deliciously infectious, toe-tapping score, the result is an unforgettable musical, full of beautiful melodies, witty lyrics, lots of dance routines, eccentric characters, and of course, the star of the show, Betty the pig.
Betty Blue Eyes premiered in the West End in 2011, with actress Sarah Lancashire playing the social climbing housewife Joyce Chilvers.
It received nominations for ‘Best New Musical’ in the Laurence Olivier Awards, The Evening Standard Awards and the WhatsOnStage.com Awards.
West Kirby Musical Theatre Company (WKMTC) will be staging this feel-good musical from Thursday 2 to Saturday 4 November 2023 at the Gladstone Theatre Port Sunlight, with artistic direction by Sharon Henderson, musical direction by Rob Bowness, and choreography by Deborah Clarke.
This is an amateur production by arrangement with MTI Europe www.mtishows.co.uk and produced by WKMTC in partnership with the Wallasey School of Ballet.
Irreverent, cheeky, and brilliantly timed, it’s fantastic fun for all the family but most suitable for children aged 11 years and upwards.
Tickets are priced at £20 inclusive of booking fee, with group discount available and can be purchased from the Gladstone Theatre Box Office https://gladstonetheatre.org.uk/ 
Evening performances start at 7.30pm with the Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.
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