Just ending it successful run at the New York Musicic Festival was the musical offering Errol & Fidel from writer producers Boyd Anderson & Guy Anderson; Music by Peter Kaldor, John Kaldor and Doug Oberhamer; Lyrics by Boyd Anderson, directed by Michael Bello … Our own Karl Holmberg, Gentleman Tim, and Donna Juan attended the show and write to us from the theatre stage! I will let them comment on the show itself but here are some wonderful images, and a look at a novelty item soon available to everybody who follows our blog. More about that in another posting …
Some photos:
One adventure, two heroes. Something’s gotta give.
Cuba, 1958: Revolution is in the air! In his final year Errol Flynn has one last adventure. The dashing star of so many Hollywood blockbusters yearns to be a real hero, and Fidel Castro fits the bill. What Fidel craves is fame, and who better than Errol to show him how? At the height of the revolution an explosive encounter beckons – fueled by envy, lust, and vanity – with a mysterious woman calling the tune. Or could the CIA really be pulling the strings? Who knew revolution could be so much fun?
Recommended for ages 13+
Running time: 2 hours
GENRE: Comedy, Drama, History, Politics, Romance
— David DeWitt
Tony
July 16, 2017 at 6:57 pm
Oh, today was the last day :(
David DeWitt
July 16, 2017 at 10:18 pm
Hopefully, this show will get other dates and places to tour!
Karl
July 16, 2017 at 9:36 pm
First, may I state there is no better advocate nor champion for the ACCURATE remembering of Errol Flynn than our own resident scholar, Gentleman Tim. To see him in action… graciously reaching out to one and all who showed any interest in the subject was something to behold; he was particularly a hit with the cast who weren’t even born at the time of Flynn’s death.
A delightful, lighthearted, and spirited musical playing to a FULL house, based more or less on the facts surrounding Flynn’s last GREAT adventure. Though based partly (?) on the novel of Boyd and Guy Anderson, it is one of the authors, Boyd, who supplies the lyrics (much as Ron Chernow did in Hamilton). Justin Boccitto coordinates the AMAZING choreography, a SUPERB ensemble of musicians to back up a TALENTED bunch of dancers/players: in particular the positively RIVETING narrator Mima, the more than CHARMING AND DESIRABLE Lola, the more than (surprisingly) likeable Castro, and as always, the irrespressible Flynn who, at one time holds the title of Castro’s Minister of Information!
Much as My Favorite Year, this is surely another positive step towards a reclaiming of a more accurate legacy.
As a part of the 2017 New York Musical Festival to showcase “emerging works”, let’s hope this musical play takes on (financial) legs and IS given a larger exposure.
Tony
July 17, 2017 at 1:00 am
If there was a full house for this play, then maybe someone will see that there’s a market for it and put it on Broadway. With the new Errol Flynn movie coming out soon, the public will be looking for more Flynn type entertainment like this.
Gentleman Tim
July 16, 2017 at 11:19 pm
Just landed in FTL and saw your post, David. Thanks so much. This is a sensational play that must go on tour! Everyone and everything in it is terrific. It’s clever, it’s fun, and it’s action-packed. I believe Flynn would love it.
Kudos to all who put Errol & Fidel together (the play that is!) starting with the awesome Aussie writer, Boyd Anderson. Karl, Donna and I we’re honored to meet his son, Guy Anderson, and a bevy of his stateside family at the show, all if whom were tremendous to us.
The music and musicianship was extraordinary, as was the choreography and dancing. I loved all the Cuban Rebel Girl dancers and was ready to run away with the gorgeous and super-talented Lola, as was Errol (and Fidel.) Castro was off-the-charts awesome. And the direction of it all was top-notch.
Karl is 100% correct — except about me! If you ever have a chance to attend a Flynnevent, the man to do it with is Karl Holmberg!!! His knowledge, charm, generosity and companionship are all phenomenal. (All that AND fun, beautiful women flock to him!)
Hope for all that this magnificent musical goes on tour!
Here’s Guy Anderson and director Michael Bello at Grand Central, where Karl and I said farewell until our next Flynnadventure.
[img]http://artsreview.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NYMF-Guy-Anderson-and-Michael-Bello-courtesy-of-Errol-and-Fidel-The-Musical.jpg[/img]
p.s. This would also be a Great movie!
David DeWitt
July 17, 2017 at 12:41 am
Having been on Flynn Adventures with Karl, I can highly recommend his company, too! I wish the production all the best and will follow their success!
rswilltell
July 17, 2017 at 1:56 pm
It sounds fascinating! Best of luck to the writers and creators of ‘Errol And Fidel’! Note how Errol has top billing even here! No doubt the dinner after the show was even greater with good, food. drink, and conversation! Sorry I wasn’t there! Ralph Schiller
Gentleman Tim
July 17, 2017 at 10:53 pm
We were In Like Flynn at the ’21’ Club before the show, Ralph. We drank Jack Roses in honor of Errol, and were given a superb special tour by Mark, the remarkable Barman, who was thrilled to have Flynn fans and Flynn stories in his legendary bar.
[img]https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/21_club_-_exterior_with_doorman.jpg?w=347&quality=90&strip=all&h=231[/img]
[img]http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-01-20-21bar.jpg[/img]
shangheinz
July 18, 2017 at 8:22 am
Bung ho, beloved Flynnfidels!
Gentleman Tim
July 18, 2017 at 10:40 pm
bunghoheinz! The Errolucion continues …
Tony
July 17, 2017 at 9:18 pm
You know, I was just thinking that it was a very ballsy thing to do for Errol to go into Cuba at that time to try to find Castro.
While he may have supported the cause of freeing the Cuban people from US exploitation, he didn’t know what type of man Castro was, or how he would react to some American seeking to find his location in the middle of a war. Also, the Batista side would have taken a dim view of Flynn’s support for the cause of the revolutionaries. Then there is always the wild card of soldiers of either side killing for sadistic pleasure, as often happens in war time.
Of course the same can be said for Mr. Flynn’s actions during the Spanish Civil War, but he was a younger man then, and younger men are often foolhardy.
He certainly wasn’t doing this for PR, to get good press, or to get his face in the paper.
If anything, the press tried to paint Flynn as a communist when he came back. It was the objective of the USA to convince the public that Castro was evil and an enemy of the American people. That means that Flynn speaking up in support of Castro at that time was a tremendously dangerous thing to do.
When you look past the black and white YouTube videos about his Cuban story, you come to the reality of how hard, and dangerous, and unbelievably extreme this was to do.
I don’t think any other man in the world world have done anything like this.
But all during his life, Errol Flynn did this sort of thing, all the time.
?
Gentleman Tim
July 18, 2017 at 10:49 pm
Excellent observations, Tony. “Fearless Flynn” he was.
Jack Marino
July 19, 2017 at 4:38 am
Looks like a few of the Mulholland Drive boys got to see a real great play.