AustLit

Peter Pinne first came up with the idea for a 1940s musical spoof in 1963 and immediately set about writing the song, 'Waiting for the Boys to Come Home on Leave,' which he describes in the forward to Yakandandah's publication of Red White and Boogie, as 'a pastiche of every wartime sweetheart's lament.' It was never used in the musical, however. Work on the production was shelved until 1965, at which time Pinne and librettist Don Battye called on John Michael Howson (q.v.) to work with them on the basic bones of the story. Initially titled All They Needed Was Music, the musical was conceived as a melange of popular films from the period, and contained a cast of very recognisable characters. Miss Fotherington (a combination of Dame May Witty and Cecily Coutneidge), Viya Condias (Betty Grable, Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda all rolled into one), Ali (a Peter Lorre type), Hugo De Witt (Sydney Greenstreet), Chuck Wagon (styled on Billy De Wolfe) and Countess Popesceau (very obviously Marelene Dietrich). This early version also contained two other characters - a pair of Bogart and Bergman-type lovers called Rick and Jeanne.

An original cast sound recording was released on vinyl through W&G Custom Pressings (n. yr.). The performers include Norma Guthrie, Mary Marschall and Ray Russell.