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.”

Presented with GLOE – Kurlander Program for GLBT Outreach & Engagement.

Co-presented by Opera On Tap Dc Metro, The Documentary Center at GWU, and Vendetta Bocce Bar & Tavern.

Join us Wednesday, February 25 at 9:00 pm (The day before the first screening) for a piano bar salute to Lionel Bart at Mr. Smith’s of Georgetown.

For the last twenty years Mick Conefrey has worked mainly in television, principally for the BBC and other major British broadcasters and US channels, including Discovery and the History Channel. He has made a variety of films, ranging from experimental documentaries such as Small Objects of Desire to the landmark series Icemen and Mountain Men. More recently he worked with the Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel on Justice.

Several of his films have won international and British awards, at festivals such as Trento, Telluride, Banff and Kendal. As a writer, Conefrey co-authored the BBC books Icemen and Mountain Men and have written three further books: The Adventurer’s Handbook, How to Climb Mont Blanc in a Skirt and Everest 1953, The Epic Story of the First Ascent.