LIONEL BART: REVIEWING THE SITUATION

Dir. Mick Conefrey (60min, UK, 2014)
Documentary
Mid-Atlantic Premiere

The rise and fall of Lionel Bart - the songwriter behind Oliver!, the most successful English musical of all time - told with wit and panache. Born Lionel Begleiter in the Jewish East End of London, Bart was influenced by music of the Yiddish theatre, the synagogue, American show tunes and rock ’n’ roll. Filled with archival footage and interviews, this breezy documentary takes us from the colorful world of Bart’s childhood to the bohemian post-war scene of London’s Soho, the West End Stage, and his friendships with Noel Coward and Judy Garland. The trajectory of Bart’s life is the "stuff of Greek tragedy, but with tighter trousers and catchier tunes."