The talent was of an amazingly high standard and each lovingly-written song
was a clever celebration of Orwell’s many, predominantly unread,
thoughts on politics, the common man and even tea.

ONE GEORGIE ORWELL RAVE REVIEWS

Not only is the show a real eye-opener
which provides an incredible insight into Orwell’s fascinating mind,
but it also makes you think about what’s really important in life.

To Orwell Today,
re: ONE GEORGIE ORWELL LONDON MUSICAL

Dear Jackie,

We had four wonderful nights with 'One Georgie Orwell' at Greenwich Theatre. The response from people has been just fantastic, proof if it were needed of Orwell's never-ending appeal.

It was the last night tonight (Sunday, April 29) but we're all keen to take it on the road. Greenwich Theatre is twinned with theatres in Dublin, Brighton (England) and New York (!). Do you know any theatres there that might be interested?! The theatre's director, James Haddrell, has given us tremendous support and has been beaming every night, so hopefully he'll be keen to take it further as well.

All eight songs have been well received by a cheering audience but perhaps the last two -- "1984" and "Grouchy Marxist" -- have had the greatest impact. Below are the lyrics to "Grouchy Marxist" (sent lyrics to "1984" in previous email).

Grouchy Marxist

Well, you ponder this and you ponder that
And you always love to pontificat (e)
But it’s funny how you’re never there
When other ideas are in the air
You say ok, so they practiced torture
But you’ve got to see the wider picture

You looked and listened but never believed
When Kruschev finally spilled the beans
You had to think up something fast
You had to justify the means to the last
You say ok, so they practised torture
But you’ve got to see the wider picture

(Chorus)
Grouchy Marxists, don’t you love to discuss
As long as no-one mentions truth
As long as no one turns up
To introduce the truth to you
It’s just a phase we had to go through!

Well, you called a quorum in a comrade’s room
To discuss the views you already knew
And by half past nine, you found the line
The phrase on which you could rely:
You say ok, so they practiced torture
But you’ve got to see the wider picture

Grouchy Marxists, don’t you love to discuss
As long as no-one questions you (mentions truth)
As long as no one turns up
To introduce the truth to you

(Slowly)
And even now you’d make the case
For secrets kept in a secret place
You’d raise your hands for pain and fear
And making people disappear
It’s a complex world, but the answer’s simple
You must set the rules for the simple people
It’s us who have the intellect,
we can help them all to be correct
And If they cannot understand what’s right
We’ll visit them in their beds at night…

Grouchy Marxists, don’t you love to discuss
As long as no-one questions you (mentions truth)
As long as no one turns up
To introduce the truth to you

Best wishes and thanks for all your encouragement from far away!
Peter Cordwell

Greetings Peter,

Congratulations on the success of ONE GEORGIE ORWELL -- I was sending thoughts your way while it was playing and wondering how it went.

Great to hear you may be taking the show on the road -- maybe even here to Canada -- I'm sure theatres would be interested. Several years ago I saw a one-man-show stage production of COMING UP FOR AIR in Vancouver -- it was fantastic. It premiered here in Canada in 2005 and then three years later in Scotland. See ORWELL'S CUFA ON STAGE & COMING UP ON UK STAGE

Thanks for sending the lyrics to GROUCHY MARXIST -- you really sock it to the Marxist/Communist apologists who won't say a bad word about Stalin (or admit to the existence of THE COMMUNIST CONSPIRACY FOR WORLD DOMINATION) as if their life depended on it (which, it probably does!!).

The Marxists/Communists (who lyingly call themselves Socialists) hate Orwell with a passion (while at the same time try to claim him as their own) ever since he wrote THE ROAD TO WIGAN PIER -- but especially after ANIMAL FARM and 1984 where he exposed life in Russia under the theories and practices of THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO as laid out by Karl Marx in 1848. They tried to suppress the truth by refusing to publish Orwell's books.

Puppet Orwell Puppet Marx

Recently, on a trip out of town, I went shopping for used books (as is my hobby) and in one store I came across finger puppets of ORWELL and MARX. See ORWELL ARCH-ENEMY OF MARX

All the best,
Jackie Jura

PS - Today, as I'm writing this, there's a review of your production in an English paper:

Musical tribute to George Orwell set to take the world by storm
by Nikki Jarvis, Freetime, May 3, 2012

A passionate George Orwell fan who penned an exciting musical tribute to the writer despite never playing an instrument before, is reeling from the shows’ success. Peter Cordwell, 64, impulsively decided to write cabaret-style play One Georgie Orwell after re-reading the author’s books and essays three years ago. After joining forces with musician/songwriter Carl Picton 18 months ago, the pair developed somewhat of an Orwellian masterpiece which Peter now hopes to take global. I went along to see the show at Greenwich Theatre last Friday night to find out what it was about Orwell which gave life to Peter’s creative streak.

To think one of the actors in the cast has never been on stage before was unbelievable. The talent was of an amazingly high standard and each lovingly-written song was a clever celebration of Orwell’s many, predominantly unread, thoughts on politics, the common man and even tea. Not only is the show a real eye-opener which provides an incredible insight into Orwell’s fascinating mind, but it also makes you think about what’s really important in life. Peter told Vibe: “After every show people were coming up saying it was great and all the actors are keen to take it forward. “Most people had read Animal Farm or 1984 and they were fascinated by the diversity of Orwell’s work which was very gratifying. “In life it doesn’t often but everything clicked into place.”

Peter, from Lee, is now in talks with James Haddrell, artistic director of Greenwich Theatre, to take the show to the venue’s twinned playhouses in Brighton, Dublin and even New York. They are also planning to feature it at Edinburgh Festival next year. Peter added: “James’ support has just been fantastic. “For him to take up the idea over a coffee two years ago knowing my background – that I’ve never been into theatre or music before – was incredible. “For him to say ‘have a go’ was remarkable.”

Listening to the songs, which were also performed by gifted teenagers from Negus Sixth Form College, Plumstead, Peter’s love of Orwell is obvious. He said: “I love the man. “I would have loved to meet him – that’s what the song Southwold Walk is all about. “Orwell was so down to earth. “I’ve never done anything more enjoyable and I’m about 100 years old so that goes back a long way.”

To Orwell Today,

Thanks, Jackie. Hope you're well. Keep up the good work!

-Peter


Lee journalist's musical tribute to George Orwell set to take the world by storm, New Shopper, May 3, 2012

ORWELL BROTHER-IN-LAW DIED AT DUNKIRK

ONE GEORGIE ORWELL MUSICAL (Peter sends the flyer for his cabaret playing at Greenwich Theatre, London, April 26-29, 2012)

Peter sends the songs done so far toward the full theatre production of "One Georgie Orwell"

Peter says the performance of "One Georgie Orwell" in Greenwich Theatre June 16th-18th, 2010 went really well

ORWELL LIVE AT GREENWICH

CABARET COMING UP FOR ORWELL

ORWELL STATUE & SONG

ORWELL THE FAMILY MAN

GROUCHY MARXIST

DOWN THE MINE

ORWELL SOUTHWOLD TRIBUTE SONG

WHY ORWELL WROTE 1984

3.Surveillance & 20.Thought Police & 38.Cellars & 34.Ministry of Love (Torture) & 39.Interrogation & Torture & 40.Electric Shock Brainwashing & 41.Big Brother Tells How & 42.Big Brother Tells Why

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~

email: orwelltoday@gmail.com
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