OBE
The Ballad of the Cosmo Café
“An original imagined recreation based on researched memories…”
External websites about
The Ballad of the
Cosmo Café
Film: Andrew Snell
The handwritten programme as the Cosmo café menu
Music from the 2019
Production
Cosmo café
The Ballad of the Breaded Mushrooms
An original Singspiel for Insiders/Outsiders Festival Hampstead 2019
In collaboration with Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
The Ballad of the Cosmo Café was part of the UK wide year-long Insiders/Outsiders Festival celebrating the contribution of émigré artists to British Culture.
The Ballad of the Cosmo Café is an original imagined ‘immersive’ Singspiel recreating this much-loved café in Finchley Road, in St Peters Church Hall, Belsize Square, London NW3 4HJ. There were 4 performances across a weekend, November 16 & 17, 2019.
Based on selected memories and stories from the Cosmo research group and translated into lyrics by the Cosmo writers’ group. Audiences entered the Cosmo Café as customers, sat at the vacant tables and the performance begun. Each performance features an intimate atmosphere with a small number of exclusive seats. Eight of UK’s finest senior performers tell their stories in speech and song. Set to music by collaborators from Royal College of Music, and 2 talented alumni music theatre students from Cosmo collaborators - Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
The Ballad of the Cosmo Café was created by Director/visual artist Pamela Howard with writer Philip Glassborow and Music Director Brian Hughes.
For more information contact Creative Producer Kyle Nudo: kylenudo@gmail.com
Artificial Cake display for The Ballad of the Cosmo Café
Made by student props Team at Central School of Speech and Drama
Left to right
Kayleigh Wade; Riot Rogers; Pamela Howard
Under the supervision of Dot Young; Eleanor Margolies
CAST
The Ghost of Sigmund Freud Jack Klaff
Alfred Wolfsohn: Prophet of song Stephen Rashbrook
Lewandowski: an elderly Polish Painter Frank Barrie
A Philosopher Stephen Greif
4 Ladies in Hats playing Bridge (former psycho-analysts)
Lady 1 Delena Kidd
Lady 2 Grace Lovelass(mezzo)
Lady 3 Valerie Minifie
Lady 4 Shirley Jaffe
Pammy: an Art Student Eleanor Crowe
The Head Waiter Santiago del Fosco
Waitress Hetty Hodgson
Waitress Yifat Shir-Moskovitz
3 Spanish musicians
Piano Brian Hughes
Violin Eliza Scott
Guitar George Robinson
Production
Director/Visual Artist Pamela Howard
Associate Visual Artist Eleanor Margolies
Music Consultant Norbert Meyn
Music Director Brian Hughes
Associate Producer/Assistant Director Yifat Shir-Moskovitz
Script Consultant Philip Glassborrow
Lighting Nick Moran
*Filming by Andrew Snell & Eileen Hughes (Clifford Communications)
From Royal Central School of Speech & Drama
Scene Painter Carla Mardle
Stage Manager Sophie Enderby
Associate Producer Hetty Hodgson
Costume Supervisor Eleanor Wilde
Wardrobe Supervisor Hannah McMahon-Major
Prop Supervisor Dot Young
Props Assistants Riot Rogers
Kayleigh Wade
Creative Producer Kyle Nudo
Research contributions:
With thanks to: Marion Mannheimer, The Weiner Library, Monica Bohm Duchen Curator Insiders/Outsiders Festival, And all the memories and stories sent to us.
Character drawings for 2019 production The Ballad of the Cosmo Café
