Overture to Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One, a musical comedy, adapted for the stage by Robert Styles, music by Timothy Higgs, lyrics by Robert Styles and Timothy Higgs, orchestrations by Timothy Higgs, based on Evelyn Waugh's novella of the same name. A black comedy about the rivalry between Joyboy, head embalmer at Whispering Glades Garden of Remembrance, and Dennis Barlow, out-of-work Hollywood scriptwriter working at the Happier Hunting Ground Pet Cemetery, for the hand of Aimée, a Whispering Glades junior cosmetician.
CHARACTERS
THE ENGISH
DENNIS BARLOW*, a third-rate writer and amateur poet in his middle twenties with a suave and sophisticated manner concealing an underlying bitterness. Handsome but manipulative.
SIR AMBROSE ABERCROMBIE*, a crusty expatriate now resting on his laurels as a famous Hollywood actor.
SIR FRANCIS HINSLEY, a frail and elderly scriptwriter on the verge of obscurity and decline.
THE AMERICANS
MR JOYBOY*, the conscientious Head Mortician at Whispering Glades. Solid and respectable but revealing a macabre and menacing demeanour.
AIMÉE THANATOGENOS*, the shy and pretty young Cosmetician. A naive and impressionable romantic.
MRS JOYBOY*, Mr Joyboy’s possessive mother. An alarming individual.
MR SCHULTZ*, the seedy proprietor of The Happier Hunting Ground Pet Cemetery.
THEODORA HEINKEL, an emotional society lady.
WALTER HEINKEL, her long-suffering husband.
GURU BRAHMIN, an unseen spiritual agony columnist.
MR SLUMP, an alcoholic journalist – alias Guru Brahmin.
MRS MELLY, an elderly organist.
A PRIEST, – but not in the conventional sense!
STAFF & COSMETICIANS AT WHISPERING GLADES:
MISS POSKI*, the excitable and occasionally hysterical Mortuary Hostess
MR VOGEL, the flamboyant Cosmetic Supervisor.
THE ITALIAN PLOT AND MONUMENT CO-ORDINATOR
THE COFFIN MAKER
THE FRENCH TAILOR
A PRIEST
STAFF & SECRETARIES AT MEGALOPOLITAN STUDIOS:
MR ERIKSON, the studio’s insincere Chief Executive.
LORENZO MEDICI, an ambitious young Italian film director.
OTTO BAUMBEIN, an insensitive assistant director.
* Main characters
Welcome to the official website of
Timothy Higgs
Timothy Higgs is a lyricist, composer, conductor and musical director. He is the father of web designer Jonathan Higgs, of the composer Andrew Higgs and the film director David Higgs. He has three other children, Katherine, Christopher and Michael. His sister is the voice coach, composer, producer and director Jessica Higgs. Tim is a lifelong supporter of the Labour party.