Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin

Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin
Genre	One-off TV special, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 24 November 1996
Written by	Ira Gershwin
Directed by	Gavin Taylor (television)
Creative director	Hugh Wooldridge (theatre)
Presented by	Charles Dance David Soul
Starring	Larry Adler John Barrowman Fiona Benjamin Daniel Benzali Leslie Caron Victor Trent Cook B.J. Crosby Lorna Dallas Tim Flavin Debbie Gravitte Ruthie Henshall Greg Horsman (dancer) Lorna Luft Maureen McGovern Paul Nicholas^a Lisa Pavane (dancer) Stephanie Pope Liz Robertson Marti Webb The Gershwin All-Stars: Tracie Bennett Gerard Casey Simon Green Paul Gyngell Linzi Hateley Megan Kelly Shona Lindsay Michael McCarthy Grania Renihan Gareth Snook The Broadway Dancers: Warren Carlyle / William Folan-Conray / Catherine Hoskins / Nicola Hughes / Lawrence Merry / Pili / Jon Petersen / Emma Tunmore The Crazy For You Dancers: Julie Barnes / Elizabeth Cooper-Lee / Julia Ann Dixon / Lisa Donmall / Joantha Dunn / Amanda Lavin / Annette McLauglin / Marianne Richards / Claire Taylor / Jenny-Ann Topham Members of Capital Voices directed by: Anne Skates Other performers in the stage show but not televised: Peter Barkworth / Sarah Brightman / Maria Friedman / Derek Jacobi / Nigel Planer / Michael Praed / Helen Shapiro / Dave Willetts
Composer	Various
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of episodes	1
Production
Executive producers	Ian Martin (for HD Thames) Avril MacRory (for BBC) Colin Bell (for EuroArts Primetime) Richard Price (for EuroArts Primetime) David Rayvern Allen (for BBC Radio 2)
Producer	Paul Kafno
Production locations	Royal Albert Hall, London
Editor	Nigel Cattle
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	95 mins
Production companies	EuroArts Primetime HD Thames BBC A&E Networks
Original release
Network	BBC
Release	31 December 1996 (1996-12-31)

Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (24 November 1996) was a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London, written and directed for the stage by Hugh Wooldridge in aid of Mencap to celebrate the centenary of Ira Gershwin's birth.[1][2] It was initially broadcast on BBC Radio 2 (UK) on 7 December 1996,[3] on television on BBC Two (UK) on 31 December 1996[4] and A&E Networks (US) on 9 August 1997.[5]

Background

The TV show was produced by Ian Martin[6] and directed by Paul Kafno.[7] Those performing included: Peter Barkworth; Tracie Bennett; Sarah Brightman; Tim Flavin; Maria Friedman;[8] Greg Horsman; Derek Jacobi; Nigel Planer;[9] Michael Praed; Helen Shapiro and Dave Willetts. It was hosted by Charles Dance and David Soul.[7][10]

Present at the event were Ira Gershwin's family and the then Prime Minister John Major.[11]

Songs

Songs performed for the TV show included (in TV show order):[12]

Part 1

• "I Got Rhythm" – The Gershwin All Stars
• "The Saga of Jenny" – Ruthie Henshall
• "They Can't Take That Away from Me" – Paul Nicholas[a]
• "I Don't Think I'll Fall In Love Today" – Gerard Casey and Linzi Hateley
• "Love Is Here To Stay" – Debbie Gravitte
• "The Man I Love" - Megan Kelly and Paul Gyngell (with dancers Lisa Pavane and Greg Horsman)
• "Love Walked In" – Shona Lindsay and Gareth Snook

Part 2

• "Shoes With Wings On" - The Gershwin All Stars
• "Shall We Dance?" – Fiona Benjamin and Tim Flavin
• "My Ship" – Linzi Hateley and Grania Renihan
• "Delishious" – Stephanie Pope
• "Embraceable You" – Marti Webb
• "The Man That Got Away" – Lorna Luft
• "Strike Up the Band" – John Barrowman and the company

Part 3

• "Instrumental medley" – The London Gershwin Orchestra
• "But Not For Me" – Fiona Benjamin
• "I Can't Be Bothered Now" – Tim Flavin and The Crazy For You Dancers
• "I Can't Get Started" – Daniel Benzali and Liz Robertson
• "How Long Has This Been Going On?" – B.J. Crosby[b]
• "There Is No Music" - Lorna Dallas and Don Pippa

Part 4

• "I've Got a Crush on You" - Michael McCarthy and Grania Renihan
• "Little Jazz Bird" – Maureen McGovern
• "It Ain't Necessarily So" – Victor Trent Cook
• "He Loves and She Loves" – Larry Adler and The Gershwin All-Stars, introduced by Leslie Caron
• "Heaven on Earth" – Michael McCarthy and Company

Notes

1. In the UK televised version of the show only.
2. Moved to part 1 of the show for the US televised version just before "I Don't Think I'll Fall In Love Today".

References

1. Staff writer (7 November 1996). "Production news". The Stage. p. 55. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
2. Staff writer (19 December 1996). "Light entertainment review: A Celebration of Ira Gershwin". The Stage. p. 17. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
3. Staff writer (5 December 1996). "Who Could Ask for Anything More? BBC Radio 2, 7 December 1996 19.30". Radio Times. No. 3802. p. 122. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
4. Staff writer (31 December 1996). "Who Could Ask for Anything More? BBC Two England, 31 December 1996 19.15". Radio Times. No. 3804. p. 136. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
5. Shales, Tom (9 August 1997). "A birthday without the bubbly". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
6. Staff writer (August 2011). "Ian Robert Martin". BAFTA. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
7. Staff writer. "Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (1996)". British Film Institute (BFI). Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
8. "Concerts". About Maria: The Maria Friedman website. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
9. "Planer, Nigel (1953-)". British Film Institute (BFI). Retrieved 5 March 2018.
10. Staff writer. "Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (1997)". Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
11. "Michael McCarthy". Profs on Stage. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
12. "Ken Mandelbaum's MUSICALS ON DISC: Always, etc". Playbill. 17 August 1997. Retrieved 5 March 2018.

External links

The following archive material relating to the concert is held in the Royal Albert Hall Events collection (RAHE):

• Programme, ref: RAHE/1/1996/151
• Poster, ref: RAHE/2/1996/1
• 5 sheets of colour transparencies, ref: RAHE/3/17/20
• Handbill, ref: RAHE/6/1996/37