No it’s not 1 April – there is now such a thing as a musical based on bus regulation. And it premiered in Manchester on 28 September.
Known simply as Bus Regulation: The Musical, the half-hour performance was the brainchild of Ellie Harrison, who worked alongside the Better Buses for Greater Manchester campaign and the Association of British Commuters to make it a reality.
The show, which took place at the Manchester Art Gallery, used the soundtrack from Starlight Express, another roller-skating musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber in the ‘80s.[wlm_nonmember][…]
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Transport campaigner Summer Dean narrated over the performance, portraying Britain’s first female transport secretary, former Labour MP Barbara Castle. She recounted the history of post-war bus ownership in an accessible way, devoid of jargon.
Meanwhile, eight roller skaters in bus company-inspired costumes sped around the stage representing buses from their respective operators – and mimicking company takeovers with quick costume changes.
Ellie, who supports Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s franchising plans, told The Guardian ahead of the show: “The aim of the musical is to learn lessons from history.” Explaining how the idea of marrying bus regulation and roller-skating came about, she added: “This is often seen as a boring topic, so let’s jazz it up!”
The show seemed to be well-received, with local transport site East of the M60 concluding its review by saying: “If Bus Regulation: The Musical is on elsewhere in Greater Manchester, I suggest you ought to go and see it. A superb half hour’s-worth of entertainment.”
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