- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Obama on everyone's mind - with new UK musical
- Date: 28th February 2009
- Summary: MORE FROM 'PIGGY ON A LIPSTICK'
- Embargoed: 15th March 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA27Z3ZYMS3F9XJJZ7JJDCKH7F8
- Story Text: 'Obama on my mind' is a new musical comedy about a behind-the-scenes look at one of the campaigns to get Barack Obama elected as US president.
Imagine it's 2008, the year the United States will elect a new president. The two runners for the presidential office are Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. You're in a small American town in the small Obama campaign office. He's ahead in the polls. And then, the news breaks that he suddenly slipped 20 points because of Sarah Palin.
And the scene is set for the UK's first Obama musical.
The brainchild of Teddy Hayes, an American crimewriter who's lived in London for the last 13 years, 'Obama on my Mind' takes a humourus look at the weird and wonderful people in that small campaign office. The musical celebrates the election and inauguration of America's first black president with a positive and affectionate take on Obama. pop, gospel, jazz and soft rock come together in this politically inspired romp featuring over 11 loyal, obsessive and peculiar personalities.
On Thursday (February 26) he invited the media to a small pub (The Old crown) in the London borough of Islington for a sneak preview.
Teddy Hayes wrote the script, music and lyrics after discovering that American comedians were a little challenged in finding comedic material about Obama:
"There has never been that I know of a musical about 'behind the scenes' in the campaign, and some of the funny things that happened and some of the funny people that exist. I think it's a lot of fun and a lot of people have seen what we've done so far and they enjoyed themselves."
The cast are all British but had no trouble taking on quintessential American characters, especially one famous and infamous person - Sarah Palin.
"It's very tongue in cheek but at the same time as you say, very affectionate and positive towards Obama - we're not that cruel towards Sarah Palin, only a couple of minutes at the beginning of the show...the people in the office are rather eccentric....yeah everyone is sort of a big, crazy character...we don't know if it was really like that ...," explain two of the leading ladies, Kay Milbourne and Simone McIntyre.
The musical is about Obama, but there is no Obama in it - but that doesn't matter as the play is laced with his spirit and charisma .
"Well, what happens , it's about a small group of Obama campaign workers in a small American town and they're reacting to the fact that Sarah Palin is getting all the media attention and has caused Obama to drop 20 points in the polls, and it's a comedy about how they react."
'Obama on my Mind' already received the thumbs up when it featured in a couple of workshops - now larger audiences will be able to see it at London's 'Hen & Chickens Theatre' for three weeks from march 3 to March 21.
If all goes well, Hayes would like to take his musical to The States. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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