Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin

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Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin
GenreOne-off TV special, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 24 November 1996
Written by Ira Gershwin
Directed by Gavin Taylor (television)
Creative director Hugh Wooldridge (theatre)
Presented by Charles Dance
David Soul
Starring Larry Adler
John Barrowman
Fiona Benjamin
Daniel Benzali
Leslie Caron
Victor Trent Cook
B.J. Crosby
Lorna Dallas
Tim Flavin
Debbie Gravitte
Ruthie Henshall
Greg Horsman (dancer)
Lorna Luft
Maureen McGovern
Paul Nicholas a
Lisa Pavane (dancer)
Stephanie Pope
Liz Robertson
Marti Webb
The Gershwin All-Stars: Tracie Bennett
Gerard Casey
Simon Green
Paul Gyngell
Linzi Hateley
Megan Kelly
Shona Lindsay
Michael McCarthy
Grania Renihan
Gareth Snook
The Broadway Dancers: Warren Carlyle / William Folan-Conray / Catherine Hoskins / Nicola Hughes / Lawrence Merry / Pili / Jon Petersen / Emma Tunmore
The Crazy For You Dancers: Julie Barnes / Elizabeth Cooper-Lee / Julia Ann Dixon / Lisa Donmall / Joantha Dunn / Amanda Lavin / Annette McLauglin / Marianne Richards / Claire Taylor / Jenny-Ann Topham
Members of Capital Voices directed by: Anne Skates
Other performers in the stage show but not televised:
Peter Barkworth / Sarah Brightman / Maria Friedman / Derek Jacobi / Nigel Planer / Michael Praed / Helen Shapiro / Dave Willetts
ComposerVarious
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes1
Production
Executive producersIan Martin (for HD Thames)
Avril MacRory (for BBC)
Colin Bell (for EuroArts Primetime)
Richard Price (for EuroArts Primetime)
David Rayvern Allen (for BBC Radio 2)
ProducerPaul Kafno
Production locations Royal Albert Hall, London
EditorNigel Cattle
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time95 mins
Production companies
Original release
NetworkBBC
Release31 December 1996 (1996-12-31)

Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (24 November 1996) was a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London, written and directed for the stage by Hugh Wooldridge in aid of Mencap to celebrate the centenary of Ira Gershwin's birth. [1] [2] It was initially broadcast on BBC Radio 2 (UK) on 7 December 1996, [3] on television on BBC Two (UK) on 31 December 1996 [4] and A&E Networks (US) on 9 August 1997. [5]

Contents

Background

The TV show was produced by Ian Martin [6] and directed by Paul Kafno. [7] Those performing included: Peter Barkworth; Tracie Bennett; Sarah Brightman; Tim Flavin; Maria Friedman; [8] Greg Horsman; Derek Jacobi; Nigel Planer; [9] Michael Praed; Helen Shapiro and Dave Willetts. It was hosted by Charles Dance and David Soul. [7] [10]

Present at the event were Ira Gershwin's family and the then Prime Minister John Major. [11]

Songs

Songs performed for the TV show included (in TV show order): [12]

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Notes

  1. ↑ In the UK televised version of the show only.
  2. ↑ Moved to part 1 of the show for the US televised version just before "I Don't Think I'll Fall In Love Today".

References

  1. ↑ Staff writer (7 November 1996). "Production news" . The Stage . p. 55. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Staff writer (19 December 1996). "Light entertainment review: A Celebration of Ira Gershwin" . The Stage . p. 17. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  3. ↑ Staff writer (5 December 1996). "Who Could Ask for Anything More? BBC Radio 2, 7 December 1996 19.30". Radio Times . No. 3802. p. 122. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  4. ↑ Staff writer (31 December 1996). "Who Could Ask for Anything More? BBC Two England, 31 December 1996 19.15". Radio Times . No. 3804. p. 136. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  5. ↑ Shales, Tom (9 August 1997). "A birthday without the bubbly". The Washington Post . Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  6. ↑ Staff writer (August 2011). "Ian Robert Martin". BAFTA . Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  7. 1 2 Staff writer. "Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (1996)". British Film Institute (BFI). Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "Concerts". About Maria: The Maria Friedman website. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  9. ↑ "Planer, Nigel (1953-)". British Film Institute (BFI). Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  10. ↑ Staff writer. "Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (1997)". Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  11. ↑ "Michael McCarthy". Profs on Stage. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  12. ↑ "Ken Mandelbaum's MUSICALS ON DISC: Always, etc". Playbill. 17 August 1997. Retrieved 5 March 2018.

The following archive material relating to the concert is held in the Royal Albert Hall Events collection (RAHE):

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