ACT TWO
... where Harry and Michelle meet again, show each other their respective worlds, fall head over heels for each other and get ...
well, you'll see. They're a class apart but that won't stop love.
The intense collage of iconic images is back with the date 1966 ticking up to 1967, showing all the things that happened in ‘66... Indira Gandhi is elected Prime Minister of India, Decimalisation comes to the UK, John Lennon states The Beatles are bigger then Jesus, Ronnie Kray shoots a rival at The Blind Beggar in Whitechapel, NASA spacecraft Gemini conducts the first docking in space, Luna 10 enters lunar orbit, the World Cup is stolen found later by Pickles the dog, Protests against the Vietnam war, The Labour Party wins the general election, England wining the World Cup, The Sound of Music wis Best Picture at The Oscars, Fidel Castro declares martial law in Cuba, The Beatles perform their last gig as a touring band, The black panther movement is founded in the US.
The oompah of “Arrivederci” slowly fades as the lights come on. No more the Soho Street and flower stall, our stage is a factory, its workers beavering away at their stations making doors, door knockers and letterboxes. Harry's there, on the factory line, but daydreaming out of a window. His colleague Bill steps off the factory line to sing...]
Song 9: The Bang And The Boom
HARRY:
Oh Bill, I believe this is killing me.
BILL:
So why d’ya take it Harry?
HARRY:
God knows. Guess I was fed up having not made nuffin’ of my life, and though I’d get myself on the gravy train to the land of milk and honey.
BILL:
What you doing here then?
HARRY:
God knows. There ain’t no gravy here. No milk and honey neither. Just old door knockers and rusty letterbox fasteners.
BILL:
Cheer yourself up Harry. I know this party going on tonight. You know something’s on the turn.
HARRY:
Probably that milk.
BILL:
Nah.
HARRY:
Well it ain’t the gravy. Gravy don’t turn.
BILL:
I mean things are changing Harry. There’s something in the air. It’s 1967 and we’re close to touching heaven ... or something like that.
HARRY:
What have you been smoking?
BILL:
It’s coming Harry. Something’s coming.
HARRY:
Yeah – the boss man!
[Ponsonby walks in with Michelle - it’s his factory]
PONSONBY:
[Addressing his workers]
Now stop yapping and get busy. We’ve got slums to erect and they won’t get built themselves!
HARRY:
It’s Michelle!
BILL:
Yeah, the boss man’s daughter. ‘Ere, are you soft on her?
HARRY:
Shut up Bill.
BILL:
You are! Well, you’re luck may just be in. I hear she’s heading where we’re heading tonight my man.
HARRY:
I was heading to the Coach and Horses on Greek Street.
BILL:
No, no, no! We’re taking a trip up West to Chelsea - and you’ve got to come with me to experience it.
HARRY:
Experience what?
BILL:
Nineteen Sixty Seven, Harry! Nineteen-sixty-bloody-seven! There’s a guy down the road playing the guitar with his teeth! The world’s changing man. Times they are a changin’ Harry. The revolutions coming and I’m getting on that cloud man. You should too.
The factory set revolves to reveal a large smoky living room full of long-haired loved-up young people sitting on beanbags and talking about revolutions, revelations and mind-bending adventures. he workers take off their factory garments to reveal the wild fashions of 1967 ... every colour of the flower power rainbow. The sweet smell of joss sticks fills the air. Harry and Bill enter the room, both decked out in the most hip clothes they could muster.
HARRY:
What the hell is this place? And what the hell have you got me wearing?
BILL:
It’s an ‘appening Harry.
HARRY:
A what?
BILL:
An ‘appening. Look over there – that’s the Marharishi Inkantata.
HARRY:
Looks more like old Ronnie Flowers in an orange dress!
BILL:
And there’s that famous fashion designer. You know, the one we’ve seen in the papers.
HARRY:
I don’t read the papers.
BILL:
And there’s Ringo from The Beatles –
and Brian Jones from The Stones.
HARRY:
[finally impressed]
Bloody hell! It is n’all.
BILL:
And there’s ...
HARRY:
... Michelle.
​
[The spotlight falls on Michelle Ponsonby, the socialite who’s undergone a hippy-esque transformation since the last time we saw her, wearing a kaftan and smoking a long fat cigarette. She still oozes beauty, and love and kindness. She hasn’t noticed Harry yet]
​
HARRY:
What’s she wearing – she looks amazing.
BILL:
Ah yes. Michelle Ponsonby. So you DO read the papers.
HARRY:
My Michelle.
BILL:
Yours? Yours and every rich hippy in London, my son. You’ve got no chance with her around this lot. They’re all oozing with money.
HARRY:
Yeah, it takes a lot of money to dress that dodgy, mate! Oh god, they’re starting to sing. That’s all we need … singing hippies!
Song 10: Right On Revolution
MICHELLE:
Oh Harry! It’s so good to see you again. You look … er … different.
HARRY:
You can blame beatnik Bill for that. He must have smoked something good and proper … and maybe I did too, to dress up like this!
MICHELLE:
Well, I think you look great.
HARRY:
Whatever floats that boat of yours! Anyway, I'm getting out of this fancy dress.
MICHELLE:
I think you're probably right!
[A quick costume change and they're looking more like their old selves]
HARRY:
Anyway, how have you been? What have you been up to?
MICHELLE:
Oh, you know, this and that. Carrying on with this lot. But you know, they’re a bit boring - just hanging around smoking, going on about wacky magical mystery tours and chatting about revolutions.
Gets a bit tiring after a while.
HARRY:
We don’t need that kind of trip to have a good time. I’ll take you on a trip you’ll never forget.
MICHELLE:
Harry. What are you talking about?
HARRY:
[Standing on a bench and acting like a ringmaster, doffing a striped top hat]
You’ve ‘eard of Oxford Circus! You’ve ‘eard of Piccadilly Circus! We’ll take me ‘and and come with me deep down in the tunnel of love to experience Harry Bright’s Magical Underground Circus! You’ll see the sights, the sounds, the fun abounds, as we take a trip through this city’s greatest attractions on our marvellous manoueverability machine!
MICHELLE:
Can’t we take a taxi?
HARRY:
No!
As they head down the escalators of the tube, all walks of life are on display - from the bowler hatted suits to circus strongmen, lion tamers and trapeze artists … it’s a cornucopia of colour and excitement as they go from tube stop to tube stop … there’s an elephant in a castle at Elephant and Castle, a knight on a bridge at Knightsbridge, a shepherd in a bush at Shepherds Bush, The Beatles busking at Liverpool Street and Royal gunners at Gunnersbury.
Song 11: The Tunnel Of Love
[They emerge from the underground holding hands in Hyde Park]
MICHELLE:
Oh Harry! That was wonderful! What a quaint idea …
transportation UNDERGROUND!
HARRY:
Well, London is a wonder. And you’re pretty wonderful too.
MICHELLE:
[she smiles]
Oh Harry.
HARRY:
But, what am I thinking. You and me? We could never…
MICHELLE:
Why not?
HARRY:
Well, look at you. Then look at me. I can’t even string a vest together, let alone the Queens English.
MICHELLE:
I think you’re perfectly fine as you are!
HARRY:
Oh come on love. Can you picture it? You and me at some posh dinner. Me getting me spoons and forks all wrong, saying all the wrong things, speaking like this.
MICHELLE:
What are you talking about Harry? If love is there, there is love. And I can teach you things that can help you get over any worries you may have.
HARRY:
Yeah, but I wonder…
MICHELLE:
Well, don’t wonder anymore. Let me show you wonder - the wonders of the world. And it starts here…
Michelle produces a book from her pocket and starts leafing through its pages. At the same time, the Hyde Park stage opens up like the pages of a giant book, showing all the wonderful things she’s sharing with him.
Song 12: The Wonders Of The World
HARRY:
A man on the moon? Don’t make me laugh!
MICHELLE:
You never know! Keep wondering Harry. Keep wondering.
HARRY:
Well, I feel like my brain’s about to pop! But I’ll keep learning. I’ll keep trying. And yes, I’ll keep wondering. Anything to not waste my chance with you, Michelle.
MICHELLE:
It is my pleasure my Harry Boy.
[They embrace, they waltz, they nearly kiss, but pull away]
Song 13: Harry's Town
(1967 reprise)
[They kiss]
HARRY:
You’re showing me things I’ve never seen before. I’m learning about people and places that I’ve never heard of before.
MICHELLE:
And you’re showing me a happiness that I’ve never felt before. One that I’ve longed for. One that I’ve now found. Harry...
HARRY:
Yes?
MICHELLE:
I think I love you.
HARRY:
I think I love you too, Michelle.
ENSEMBLE:
Ask her Harry. Ask her. Ask her. Ask her.
Song 14: A Class Apart
[The young lovers embrace while the ensemble cheer and applaud]
HARRY:
But seriously - what about your father?
MICHELLE:
[singing an echo from “Harry’s Town”]
I don’t care!
They embrace. They kiss, The scene changes and they’re in an English church, getting married, the ensemble the guests, the confetti, church bells, Ponsonby looking on, red faced, cheeks puffed ... disapproving doesn’t even come close.
Song 15: Wedding Bells
PONSONBY:
I’ll make this a misery for you Harry Bright.
HARRY:
Misery? That’s just another mystery I’m yet to experience. One of life’s happy mystery’s is misery.
PONSONBY:
Well, prepare yourself boy, because that’s what’s coming for you.
Harry shakes his head and laughs it off – nothing can spoil his special day. The scene ends with Harry and Michelle in their wedding car, driving off, with cans attached to the back and a Just Married sign painted
on the back window.
Song 16: Arrivederci
(1967 reprise)
