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

Genre:	One-off TV special, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 24 November 1996
Director:	Gavin Taylor (television)
Creative Director:	Hugh Wooldridge (theatre)
Presenter:	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 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:	United Kingdom
Language:	English
Num Episodes:	1
Executive Producer:	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
Location:	Royal Albert Hall, London
Editor:	Nigel Cattle
Camera:	Multi-camera
Runtime:	95 mins
Network:	BBC

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.^[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
• "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
• "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

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

Notes and References

1. News: Staff writer . Production news . . 55 . subscription . 7 November 1996 . 5 March 2018.
2. News: Staff writer . Light entertainment review: A Celebration of Ira Gershwin . . 17 . subscription . 19 December 1996 . 5 March 2018.
3. News: Staff writer . Who Could Ask for Anything More? BBC Radio 2, 7 December 1996 19.30 . . 3802 . 122 . 5 December 1996 . 5 March 2018.
4. News: Staff writer . Who Could Ask for Anything More? BBC Two England, 31 December 1996 19.15 . . 3804 . 136 . 31 December 1996 . 5 March 2018.
5. News: Shales . Tom . A birthday without the bubbly . . 9 August 1997 . 3 October 2021.
6. Web site: Staff writer . Ian Robert Martin . . August 2011 . 5 March 2018.
7. Web site: Staff writer . Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (1996) . https://web.archive.org/web/20160310134555/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7ff38e08 . dead . 10 March 2016 . British Film Institute (BFI) . 5 March 2018.
8. Web site: Concerts. About Maria: The Maria Friedman website . 5 March 2018.
9. Web site: Planer, Nigel (1953-) . British Film Institute (BFI) . 5 March 2018.
10. Web site: Staff writer . Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin (1997) . https://web.archive.org/web/20180306022854/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/469876/Ira-Gershwin-A-Centenary-Celebration-Who-Could-Ask-For-Anything-More-/ . 6 March 2018 . Turner Classic Movies (TCM) . 5 March 2018.
11. Web site: Michael McCarthy . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040714/http://www.profsonstage.com/artists/51525/michael_mccarthy/biography . 4 March 2016 . Profs on Stage . 5 March 2018 .
12. Web site: Ken Mandelbaum's MUSICALS ON DISC: Always, etc. . . 17 August 1997 . 5 March 2018 .