Sue Casson and Chris Brannick's "Favoured Few" are ENGLISH AND IN NEW YORK

Four Performances Only: April 20th, 21st, 25th & 28th

With a nod to Sting's song "Englishman in New York," English singer/composer Sue Casson brings her cabaret show, ENGLISH AND IN NEW YORK, to DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street, NYC - 212-757-0788 - http://www.donttellmama.com/) for four shows only, beginning on Saturday, April 20th at 4:00 pm, and continuing on Sunday, April 21 at 4:00 pm, Thursday, April 25 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, April 28 at 4:00 pm. With multi-instrumentalist Chris Brannick's specially assembled combo, "The Favoured Few," Casson will present a show of some of the best in English songwriting from the last 80 years, alongside her own original songs. Tickets are $12.00 (1/2 price for MAC members).

ENGLISH AND IN NEW YORK offers new treatments of songs that are "Typically English" (in the words of Leslie Bricusse whose song begins the show). Casson, a singer who accompanies herself on the keyboard, is joined by Brannick and his "Favoured Few" including a guest cellist, and the percussionist Steve Hiscock, who plays everything from wineglasses to a quintessentially English tea kettle! Casson and her fellow musicians see this show as "our attempt to bring traditional cabaret into the 21'st century. ENGLISH AND IN NEW YORK is a tribute from Cool Britannia to New York, cabaret's natural home."

The program takes us from teatime (with a medley of tea songs appropriate for the 4:00 pm English "tea time" when the show opens) to the cocktail hour, with a gospel rendition of the Kinks "A Dedicated Follower of Fashion," and a new treatment of Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him." Says Casson, "Who knows, your drinks may come with a side order of scones!"

Casson's original songs, which will be shared for the first time with American audiences, include "Banker Man" (loaded with wicked financial double entendres) and the wistful "Camden Lock," with its haunting overtones reminiscent of Beatles songs such as "Eleanor Rigby." Casson's vocal quality--silky, ethereal and evocative-perfectly suits her intelligent, vividly poetic lyrics, and her compositions explore elements of 20th century classical music, theater music and a variety of popular styles.

Previously Casson has presented material in New York in a Manhattan Theatre Club reading of her musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde's fable The Happy Prince. This piece toured nationwide around England, earning a glowing response: "The music and lyrics complement each other very well and have something of the quality of both Sondheim and Victoria Wood. Strong music, well played and well produced" (The Stage); "The musical flickers between Wilde's fable and musical verite of the City of Angels type.there are sharp contemporary jokes in Casson's wordy witty score. (Financial Times) "A little pool of magic. The music had variety and charm, and the concept was simple and relevant." (Derbyshire Times). The Happy Prince was recorded as a CD available on the Dress Circle label.

Sue Casson was an undergraduate at Oxford University when she made her professional TV and radio debuts. Sue began composing at an early age, and is a finalist of the prestigious Vivian Ellis prize for writers of the musical stage. Her musical Two Tigers, based on the life of New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfield, won critical acclaim: "A memorable show full of haunting songs-stunning" (The Scotsman); "Gutsy and poignant, funny and sincere" (The List). Casson's one woman show Ivory Images played at Jermyn Street and Centre Stage in London, and was showcased at New York's Manhattan Theatre Club. She writes topical material for satirical revues and Radio 4 shows. As an actress, she has toured Europe in The Importance of Being Earnest and appeared in a production of A Christmas Carol for which she provided original music. In English playwright Paul Prescott's play The Lights Twinkle Sometimes she portrayed Camilla ("a girl festooned with balloons-the stripper with a heart of gold," she recalls) which played at Jermyn Street Theatre and was filmed by Arts Interactive. Casson has, in the tradition of many aspiring English composers, contributed to and performed in numerous shows at the legendary Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Chris Brannick is principal percussionist for Glyndebourne Touring Opera and a founding member of the acclaimed percussion quartet Ensemble Bash. His multi-instrumental skills have found him as a musical director, playing percussion from vibes and marimba to bongos and drums, guitar, bass guitar, piano, bugle -- and even creating new instruments out of whatever happens to be lying around! Chris is also a composer whose works have been performed at leading music festivals and on BBC children's programs. He was the Musical Director of Casson's musical The Happy Prince and is Professor of Percussion at London University.

Percussionist Stephen Hiscock is a co-founder with Brannick of Ensemble Bash. Their third album "Damba Moon" was just released. A graduate of Manchester University, Stephen has played with the groups Squeeze, The Rubettes, and the Glyndebourne Touring Opera. He was a member of the Railtown Bottlers who won the title of European Street Entertainers of The Year in 1994.

Casson and Brannick first worked together a decade ago, when their jazz-based trio Premier Cru (with cellist Catherine Black) played regularly in London at venues including Ronnie Scott's and the Royal Festival Hall. They appeared on BBC Radio for whom they recorded several sessions. Their work has been praised by various critics: "Exciting speakeasy flavour" (Suzi Quatro); "Sparkling entertainment," (Edinburgh Festival Review).

Sue Casson lives in a flat in the courtyard of historical Chiddingstone Castle in Kent. "Midtown Manhattan should make for quite a change of scenery!" she comments. "But I'm very much looking forward to the metropolitan buzz."

Visit Sue Casson's website at http://www.suecasson.com/.

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