EXCLUSIVE: Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech) will play composer-lyricist Lionel Bart, who famously wrote the score for Oliver!, in Vadim Jean’s musical feature Consider Yourself. Joining Rush is a stellar cast including Stephen Fry (Sherlock Holmes), Olivia Colman (Broadchurch), Eddie Marsan (Snow White And The Huntsman), Matt Lucas (Alice In Wonderland), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) and Al Weaver (Marie Antoinette) as the younger Bart.
Consider Yourself (the title comes from one of the best-known songs from Oliver!, Bart’s musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist) tells the story of an untrained musician who couldn’t read or write music and yet became the first person to have three West End musicals running. At one point in the early 1960’s, Bart was earning more in song royalties than the Beatles — and still managed to lose it all. The film charts his rise and fall, using Bart’s catalogue of songs, and eventual resurgence with one last chance to reclaim his music and his reputation.
Elliot Davis, the award-winning composer behind the likes of Loserville: The Musical and Best Friends And Butterflies, has written the script. Paul Brooks (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and Vadim Jean (In The Land Of The Free) are producing. Tony Award-winning choreographer Peter Darling (Billy Elliott: The Musical) is also on board.
BBC Films developed the project and Good Universe will handle sales at Berlin.
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