Music Workshop: Chaos at Crusty Towers
Chaos at Crusty Towers is a unit of the BBC Schools Radio series Music Workshop from the 1970s & 1980s, covering Music for primary school pupils.
The story is designed to be put on as a summer performance by schools, with emphasis in the teaching programmes on playing the percussion accompaniments including a 'Scouts' march' played by multiple unpitched instruments layered together.
Each of the first seven 'teaching' episodes introduces multiple songs for singing, then a dramatised extract from the story following the script in the pupils' pamphlet, and finally in the last 10 minutes work on the percussion parts. There is a focus on how players can remember patterns and exactly when to play drums or cymbals, in addition to reading the music in the pamphlet.
Most of the story is serialised and performed by actors during the first seven episodes, up to the discovery of the subterfuge towards the end of Act II. The whole story is then remounted, and completed up to the end, in the final episode.
Presenter Carolyn Robson, who would lead on singing and practising the songs in those first seven episodes, had to point out that neither she nor the listening primary school pupils would be able to reproduce the deep singing tones of the local policeman for the first verse of the song Shoulders to the Wheel:
“I haven't got a big, deep voice like PC Lumpton, of course, and neither have you, I hope.”
Theme Music
The tune of the Scouts' March, an instrumental song, is used as the signature tune this term.
The music is included in the pupils' pamphlet and in performance it builds into layered tunes repeating, with percussion from several instruments added progressively. It is performed in the play when the scouts appear at Crusty Towers during Act II, all contributing an instrument or sound as they march past.
Songs
Here is a list of the songs. An extract from the lyrics of each song appears at the relevant place in the story description below.
The Story and Songs
The play is in two acts, with the first act covering a committee meeting, and the second act the fête itself.
Act I
In the quiet, rustic village of Little Twittington the annual fête is being organised in the grounds of Crusty Towers, home to Colonel and Mrs Crusty-Grump.
The fête committee is looking forward to welcoming their guest celebrity Edwina Chipping-Stonebury, Mrs Crusty-Grump's reclusive sculptress cousin, who has not been seen in public for 20 years. Meanwhile they organise everything else.
We must organise the parking
And decide upon the fee.
We must organise the takings
To be sent to charity.
We must organise each other!
There's so much to do you see;
The committee sitting pretty
In the Library.
Sung by most of the cast in turn
Everybody helps out, even the local policeman PC Lumpkin is roped into volunteering.
With our backs to the wall,
And our best feet forward,
We'll all put our shoulders to the wheel.
Sung by most of the cast in turn
The committee receive a telegram from their celebrity guest reporting a broken leg, and suggesting they start without her.
In the war I learned a trick or two,
I'm certain I can think of something
That will pull us through!
I'll just think for a moment,
And then I'll think again,
So don't dismay, an idea may
Just flash upon my brain!
Sung by Colonel Crusty-Grump
Daughter Dierdre suggests that Mrs Crusty-Grump could impersonate her similar-looking cousin to avoid disappointing the crowds - but she will also need to appear at the fête as herself.
Act II
Colonel Crusty-Grump discusses the sculpture to be used as a prize in the fête with his old gardener Adam Wormould, who is less than impressed.
Between the wars, when I was a lad,
I remember the long summer days
When the bees droned by and the meadow lay
And shimmer'd in a golden haze.
Sung by Adam Wormould
They encounter Mr Troupe and his scouts, who perform one of their marches.
Instrumental played by kazoos, combs and paper, or recorders.
The fête begins and Mrs Crusty-Grump appears impersonating Edwina.
Hurrah for the fête!
Hurrah for the fête!
Don't be late, make a date
Join us at the village fête,
See the crowds and hear the laughter
Soon as you come through the gate.
Sung by all the cast
However the ruse is discovered when the real Edwina arrives alongside the impersonator. PC Lumpkin steps in to determine which is the real celebrity.
Well normally, er-hum, it's a question of identity
To prove conclusively
Who is the guilty party.
Great detectives such as I
Soon detect the reason why
Certain persons perpetrate a crime.
Relax, good folk, I do it all the time!
Sung by PC Lumpton
The Crusty-Grumps immediately confess to their impersonation, and the real Edwina explains it was not her own leg that was broken but the appendage of a statue she was working on which simply delayed her while she tidied up.
Next the organisers discover that the prize abstract sculpture - a shape with an arrow through the top - has gone missing. PC Lumpkin launches a second investigation which reveals that he himself removed the statue, thinking it useful to hang up his sign directing children where to park their bicycles.
Finally the exhibits in the fete are judged and gardener Adam Wormould is awarded the sculpture he hates so much.
Episode List
| # | Title | 1978 Broadcast | 1980 Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Broadcast 1 | 21 Apr 1978 | 25 Apr 1980 |
| 2. | Broadcast 2 | 28 Apr 1978 | 2 May 1980 |
| 3. | Broadcast 3 | 5 May 1978 | 9 May 1980 |
| 4. | Broadcast 4 | 12 May 1978 | 16 May 1980 |
| 5. | Broadcast 5 | 19 May 1978 | 23 May 1980 |
| 6. | Broadcast 6 | 26 May 1978 | 6 Jun 1980 |
| 7. | Broadcast 7 | 9 Jun 1978 | 13 Jun 1980 |
| 8. | Broadcast 8 | 16 Jun 1978 | 20 Jun 1980 |
Broadcasts
| Year | Term | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Channel | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-78 | Summer 1978 | Friday, 10:00am | Radio 4 VHF | from 21 Apr | ||||
| 1979-80 | Summer 1980 | Friday, 10:00am | Radio 4 VHF | from 25 Apr |
Credits
| Presenter | Carolyn Robson |
| Choir and percussionists from | Kingsbury High School, Brent directed by Diana Kiverstein (episodes 1-7) |
| Pianist | Anthony Saunders |
| Writer & Producer | Peter Hutchings |
| Chaos at Crusty Towers | |
| Story and song lyrics | Mari Griffith |
| Music | Ian Humphris |
| Episode 8 with | Gordon Gardener Hayden Jones Edward Kelsey Clifford Norgate Katherine Parr Jo Manning Wilson Mari Griffith Ian Humphris |
| Episode 8 instrumentalists | Michael Hurst flute Richard West clarinet Ralph Isham trumpet Kelly Isaacs violin Bernard Richards cello Anthony Saunders piano
|
Resources
Pupils' pamphlet
A 24-page pamphlet containing the script of the play, with music and lyrics for all of the songs.
It was printed in black & white with green highlights, with illustrations by John Shackell.
Teacher's Notes
Piano accompaniments and tips on performing the songs, and an outline of the contents of each episode.
-
1978 Teacher's Notes -
1980 Teacher's Notes
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