JOHN PAUL GEORGE RINGO...& BERT : 1974/75
Written by Willy Russell and directed by Alan Dossor, 'John Paul George Ringo...& Bert' was a new musical featuring songs by The Beatles and starred Barbara as "singer and pianist". The show premiered at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre before a successful West End transfer to the Lyric. Barbara's co-stars included Trevor Eve, Antony Sher and Bernard Hill.
BLOOD BROTHERS : 1983/84, 1993, 2000/1, 2004
Willy Russell's award-winning musical premiered in Liverpool, but was so successful that it quickly transferred to London's West End where it continues to run more than twenty years later. Barbara created the leading role of Mrs. Johnstone, and she has since returned to the role at London's Phoenix Theatre in 1993 (for the show's tenth anniversary), and again at The Liverpool Empire in 2000/1 and 2004 for limited seasons.
CHESS : 1997
Although Barbara had contributed to the original soundtrack recording of the musical 'Chess' by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus in 1984, she did not actually appear in the show until 1997 when she was invited to star in the Australian production at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne. Barbara played the role of Florence (played by Elaine Paige in the original London production) and not Svetlana, the part she had sung on the studio cast album. Co-stars included Derek Metzger and Daryl Braithwaite.
THE 7 AGES OF WOMAN : 1997
Devised and written by director Chris Bond, who had previously worked with Barbara on the original production of "Blood Brothers", "The 7 Ages Of Woman" began life at the Playhouse Theatre in Liverpool and went on to a national UK tour. The show saw Barbara travelling the life of 'everywoman', and featured many songs from her repertoire over the years. The show also featured Andrew Scofield who had starred alongside Barbara as the original Narrator of "Blood Brothers" in 1983.
FRIENDS LIKE THIS : 1998
A new touring comedy written by Rod Beacham, 'Friends Like This' marked Barbara's stage debut in a non-musical role. The play was billed as a "sophisticated adult sex comedy" and revolved around an American feminist and a run-of-the-mill British family. Barbara's co-stars were Roy Hudd and Susan Penhaligon.
A SLICE OF SATURDAY NIGHT : 1999
This 'Swinging Sixties' musical comedy by the Heather brothers enjoyed a successful tour of Britain, with Barbara starring as ex-dancer Erica 'Be-Bop' Devine, owner of the Club A-Go Go. The role was created specially for her as the character had not featured in the original London production.
SPEND SPEND SPEND : 2000/2001
This new British musical produced by the West Yorkshire Playhouse and written by Steve Brown and Justin Greene starred Barbara as 1960's Pools winner Viv Nicholson. The show had a short season at the Plymouth Theatre Royal before enjoying a sell-out run at London's Piccadilly Theatre. The show went on to win the Olivier Award for Best Musical and earned Barbara two major awards for 'Best Actress In A Musical'. Barbara went on to star in the UK tour of the show.
FAME : 2003/2004/2005
Barbara starred as teacher Miss Sherman in the touring production of "Fame", the musical set in New Yorks' High School for the Performing Arts, at the Edinburgh Playhouse for a limited season between December 2003 and January 2004. She returned to reprise the role in Liverpool in October 2004 and in Nottingham in January 2005.
