Guest Blog: Alexander S. Bermange On His New Comedic Musical Theatre CD

My work as a composer and lyricist has involved writing in diverse styles for quite a range of projects. BroadwayWorld readers may be most familiar with my musical theatre output, thanks in no small part to recordings by the likes of Kerry Ellis, Ramin Karimloo, Lara Pulver and Ben Forster. But one area I have always attacked with verve and passion is my work in the comedic genre.

My standalone, character-based songs have proved popular amongst professional, student and amateur performers (and, thankfully, their audiences!) who have been eager for quirky, acting-reliant numbers in their repertoires with which to counterbalance the inevitable array of big ballads and dramatic set-pieces.

Meanwhile, my more topical songs, written primarily for BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, have provided me with a platform to affectionately rib political figures in the news or to take an ironic look at current affairs. The topical songs inevitably date sooner or later, but others have the potential to be more timeless - and the more this type have been performed, the more palpable the demand for recordings of the "favourites".

This has probably been partly due to the subtler comedic elements (particularly those integrated into the music) that are often only discernible upon repeated listening. Performances of these songs, and productions of my musicals, had brought me into contact with many wonderful performers whom hoped to enlist for such a project. The great Mike Dixon, who's worked as Musical Supervisor on some of the most successful musicals of recent years and had previously produced two albums of my work, embraced the idea. And so the Wit & Whimsy album was born.

Sporadically (largely due to our artists' busy schedules!) throughout 2016, we had the pleasure of spending time with the "crème de la crème" of British musical theatre - including Anna-Jane Casey, Oliver Savile, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Lauren Samuels, Tracie Bennett, Emma Williams, Ben Richards and Gina Beck - as they worked their magic on their respective tracks.

To have such talent bring my songs to life proved a truly inspiring experience. All of them being artists who are not only blessed with sublime voices but also considerable acting prowess and an innate feel for comedy, their engagement and creativity contributed greatly to the recorded songs' effect.

The songs themselves embrace a variety of subjects and styles. There are numerous that call on the performer to embody a character - frequently one of a more unusual nature. I love writing about eccentrics (I have to admit to having often been labelled one myself), and this certainly comes out, for instance, in my song - inspired by TV "talent" contests - about a tone-deaf singer, my number in which a trainspotter on the London Underground excitedly rattles off lists of Tube stations, and my portrait of a girl - of the kind one might expect to see on a daytime talk show - whose boyfriend has just dumped her...for her grandmother.

In several songs, the focus is less on specific characters and more on an aspect of contemporary life, such as technology, automated telephone answering systems, or the experience of going to a multiplex; in each case I strive to turn what can be an annoyance into something we can ultimately laugh about. Other songs take the form of short tales with unexpected turns, or tongue-twisters designed to give the mouth a vocal workout!

Perhaps the subject that I enjoy writing about most is theatre itself. People are used to hearing glorified, idealised descriptions of this industry, thanks in part to classics such as There's No Business Like Show Business. But having worked in this area myself, I like to humorously depict what it can really be like.

I do this from a number of angles, so on Wit & Whimsy we have, for example, a re-enactment of an audition; the laments of one musical theatre performer who really wants to be "a serious actor" and of another who is forever "stuck in the ensemble"; and also an opening number that is all about opening numbers! And my own - more truthful (if more sardonic!) - equivalent of There's No Business Like Show Business brings together all of the album's artists, which seemed a fitting finale.

Now that the album is out there, it's my hope that it will bring amusement and enjoyment to as many listeners as possible, and prove an entertaining diversion from the troubling times in which we seem to be living. These recordings are certainly a testament to some of the phenomenal performing talent that has been, and continues to be, active in British musical theatre. And I would be delighted if these recordings were to inspire other performers to "inherit" the songs and bring their own interpretations to them when seeking comedic material.

But before totally letting go of this project, I do still have one date in my diary to look forward to: Sunday 30 April 2017, when I will be joined by artists from the album, and some special guests, to perform songs from Wit & Whimsy - and a few specially written numbers - for a one-off event at The Hippodrome in London's West End. It was performances of the songs that ultimately led to them being recorded, and it will be lovely to bring them home to a live environment.

Comedy can truly come alive when experienced communally by an audience who feed off each other's energy and laughter, and it is my fervent hope that this material will continue to produce this effect, both at this event and beyond.

Wit & Whimsy is available as a deluxe 2 CD set from Amazon and Dress Circle, and to download from iTunes and all major digital platforms. The live show featuring performances of songs from the album is being staged at The Hippodrome, London on Sunday 30 April

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