The guest speaker was Marilyn Shalks. It was a second visit from Marilyn, along with her husband Allan, who assisted with the presentation.

Excerpts from musical films from the last century, and some more recent, were intertwined with an imaginary honeymoon story from our visitors. Details of the many songs and tunes, and of the creators were, perhaps, well known to some of the audience. Marylin encouraged our members to join in with the songs as the show went on.

The first piece was ‘Oh what a beautiful morning’ from the film Oaklahoma. Written by Rogers and Hammerstein in 1953, it starred Rod Steiger, Gordon McRae and Shirley Jones – updated through the years, and different artistes. Next in her musical life was an excerpt from a less well known, and more recent film – ‘The Book of Mormon’ which first appeared on Broadway in 2011. Two years later a performance of that musical in London raised two hundred thousand pounds for the Comic Relief Charity appeal.

Another well-known tune followed – ‘My eyes adored you’ sung by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Frankie is the only one of the group still singing, and two members of the Four Seasons spent some time in prison – one of the many examples of things we heard for the first time.

Still on our journey through the years, and songs, Marylin stopped for a drink at a bar where the some of the regulars sang ‘The Drinking Song’ from the musical The Student Prince, which premiered in 1924. It was the longest running show on Broadway at the time which, ironically, was during the prohibition years of America.

Back to London, where her story featured her intended groom singing ‘I’m getting married in the morning’, but we knew better – it was Stanley Holloway also known as Alfred P. Doolittle. His daughter was played by Audrey Hepburn – who wasn’t the best singer, so Marni Nixon stepped in for her for the soundtrack of ‘My Fair Lady’. The writers of the soundtrack were Lerner and Loewe – famous for many other productions including Brigadoon, Gigi, Paint Your Wagon, and Camelot. Cecil Beaton, known famously for dressing some members of the then Royal Family, won an Oscar for costume designs in the film.

Marylin took us along to her wedding breakfast, for the next well known song – ‘Food Glorious Food’, well known by most of our members as a tune from ‘Oliver!’. a stage musical written by Lionel Bart which became a film, and instant success in 1968. The stage productions included Phil Collins, Davey Jones from the Monkees in the nineteen sixties, plus guitarist and singer Steve Marriot of the Small Faces. Lionel Bart was said, at one time, to be earning £16.00 a minute. But he subsequently faced severe financial loss after selling his rights to Oliver! prior to his struggles with bankruptcy and ill health.

Marylin’s imagined honeymoon was in Mehas, Spain where there is one of the bullfighting venues. We heard the rousing ‘Toreador Song’ from the opera Carmen, written by Georges Bizet. The composer, however, was quite concerned about the audiences’ reaction to the opera as parts of it were somewhat risque. Marylin said that this must have been very worrying, as Bizet died from a heart attack a few days before the show opened in Paris. The show was a massive success and is still popular - after over a hundred and fifty years.

From there it was onwards to America, where the newly married couple had a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty – and the passengers heard, and perhaps joined in, with the song ‘Coming to America’, written and sung by Neil Diamond and which appears on the soundtrack of ‘The Jazz Singer’. Marylin reminded us that this was the second film of that name, starring Al Jolson in 1927. That version received was the first film which featured ‘sound and vision’ and received an Oscar as a result.

Onwards to Chicago on their extended imaginary honeymoon and the couple witnessed a crime. A woman shooting her boyfriend, or significant other. This prompted music from the 2002 film of that name with the lyrics ‘he had it coming’. The film starred Richard Gere, a favourite of Marylin.

The stage musical of ‘Chicago’ has featured iconic casts since its 1975 original Broadway run and its historic, long-running 1996 revival. Hundreds of major stars and ensemble members have appeared in the show, making it Broadway’s longest-running American musical.

Another staple of Broadway was Annie – sometimes known as Little Orphan Annie. The show and idea came from a newspaper cartoon feature in the nineteen twenties featuring Annie and her dog, Sandy.

Set in 1930s New York during the Great Depression, Annie is an 11-year-old orphan who escapes her cruel and nasty orphanage supervisor, Miss Hannigan, to find her real parents. Cameron Diaz, Claire Sweeney and Craig Revel Harwood have appeared in the role of Miss Hannigan in the show. The plot includes Daddy Warbucks, who takes a shine to Annie along the way. Sadly, we find Annie’s parents died during the 1930’s Great Depression, but she is adopted by Warbucks and all is well.

Marylin, in her story, then becomes a croupier and encounters a very rich gambler – prompting a burst of ‘Hey Big Spender’. This is from the production of Sweet Charity; a 1969 American musical comedy-drama film, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. It was adapted by Peter Stone from the 1966 stage musical which was also directed and choreographed by Fosse. Sweet Charity follows Charity Hope Valentine, an irrepressibly optimistic and hopelessly romantic dancer at a sleazy New York City dance hall, as she continually searches for true love despite a long string of heartbreaking rejections and misfortunes.

Again on the same subject, we heard another familiar song – ‘Money makes the world go around’, from the 1966 film Cabaret – also known as Goodbye to Berlin and written by Christopher Isherwood. Set in 1929–1930s Berlin during the twilight of the Weimar Republic, Cabaret follows American writer Cliff Bradshaw and English singer Sally Bowles as they fall in love amidst the hedonism of the Kit Kat Klub and the chilling rise of the Nazi Party. The role of Sally Bowles might have been played by Julie Andrews, but her agent turned it down as it could have affected her image.

We heard ‘I’ve had the time of my life’ a song from the musical Dirty Dancing. Set in the summer of 1963, 17-year-old Frances "Baby" Houseman meets rebellious dance instructor Johnny Castle, and steps in to replace his dance partner and falls in love, amidst family disapproval and class divides.

Marylin’s honeymoon story neared its end, so back to New York for the flight home. It is the home of world-class musical theatre, ranging from long-running Broadway blockbusters in Times Square to intimate Off-Broadway gems. It was the backdrop for ‘On the Town’, a 1949 musical starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, the score written by Leonard Bernstein.

Our audience gave a round of applause for a good afternoon’s show, and second visit from our speaker – well deserved.