Bend It Like Beckham is the fantastically feel-good new modern British musical. A celebratory fusion of culture, music, emotions and fun, bursting with warmth, humor and heart. The lead character, Jess, needs extra time. She is facing the most important decision of her life: live up to family expectations of university, career and marriage, or follow in the footsteps of her hero, David Beckham. When the talented teenager is spotted playing football in Southall, a world of unexpected opportunities opens up before her. But as her sister’s traditional Indian wedding approaches, can she keep her family happy and still follow her dreams?
The original score is an East-West fusion of Bhangra and soaring melodies with music by Howard Goodall (Love Story, The Hired Man), lyrics by Charles Hart (Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love) and orchestrations by Howard Goodall and pioneer of British Bhangra sound, Kuljit Bhamra. Howard Goodall is an award-winning composer of choral music, stage musicals, film and TV scores and is well known as a TV and radio broadcaster. His best-known TV & Film themes & scores include Blackadder, The Borrowers, Red Dwarf, Q.I., Mr Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. For the past 15 years Howard has written and presented his own TV documentary series on the theory and history of music. For 6 years he was host of Saturday Night at the Movies, on Classic FM, and also Composer-in-residence. In January 2011 he was appointed CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for services to music education.
