Blondel (musical) facts for kids

Blondel is a fun rock opera musical created by Tim Rice (who wrote the story and songs) and Stephen Oliver (who wrote the music). It's loosely based on the real-life story of a French musician named Blondel de Nesle. The musical takes place during the time of the Third Crusade, a big historical event.

Tim Rice first thought of this musical idea way back in 1969. It was originally called "Come Back, Richard, Your Country Needs You." But the project was put on hold until Tim Rice met Stephen Oliver in the 1970s. They started working on a musical about King Richard I of England. As they developed it, the story changed to focus more on a minstrel (a medieval musician) in the King's court who dreams of becoming a pop star, and his smart, modern girlfriend.

Even though Blondel is mostly a funny adventure, it also teaches you a bit about history. It shows what was happening during the Third Crusade from the point of view of England's politics. The musical talks a lot about the Crusade, but you don't actually see the battles. Instead, it focuses on King Richard's journey and his capture in Austria on his way home. The play also includes a plot to harm Richard and an attempt by his brother, Prince John, to take over the throne. As the Monks in the show joke, "Who said this piece wasn't educational?"

Blondel first opened in London on November 2, 1983. It played in two different theaters in the famous West End, but it closed after less than two years. More than twenty years later, in 2006, it came back to a London stage at the Pleasance Theatre. This new production featured Abi Finley and Chris Grierson, who were well-known from TV shows.

Tim Rice kept working on the musical's story. He created a new version called Lute!, which had its first performance at the University of Texas at El Paso in 2012. While Blondel has been performed in many places around the world, it has never been shown on Broadway in New York City.

What's the Story?

The musical's story is told in two acts, filled with songs and funny moments.

Act I: The Journey Begins

The show starts with a group of Monks explaining the situation in a song called "Monks' Introduction." We meet Blondel, a musician who feels he's not getting the attention he deserves. He wants to write a hit song for King Richard the Lionheart. Fiona, Blondel's girlfriend, thinks writing for the King is a waste of time. She believes the monarchy won't last much longer and suggests Blondel get a "real job" to help them. Blondel refuses, saying he was close to success with a song called "Send in the Jesters" and feels a big breakthrough is coming. Fiona leaves him, deciding to take care of herself.

Fiona goes to the "Ministry of Feudal Affairs," which is run by Prince John. She asks for her freedom from being a serf (a person tied to the land). Prince John says no because she can't pay the fee. King Richard also denies her request, saying running the kingdom is expensive. Richard then announces he's going on the Third Crusade, leaving John in charge. Fiona is angry because the Crusade will cost more money than granting her freedom.

Blondel and Fiona soon meet again. Blondel convinces her that his song for the King will solve all their problems, and she agrees to help him. They travel to Dover to meet King Richard before he leaves for the Crusade. But Richard is too busy to listen to Blondel's song and tells him to show it to Prince John instead. The Crusaders then sail off to the Holy Land.

Back at the Ministry, Blondel and Fiona present the song to John. But John throws it away! He declares that all songs must now be dedicated to him, not Richard. John then asks Blondel to write a song about him. Blondel refuses, saying he can't put his heart into it. Fiona is furious, thinking this is Blondel's big chance. As Blondel explains why he won't write for John, both John and Fiona get angrier. The scene ends with John banishing Blondel to Europe, telling him he's ruined his music career.

Prince John soon regrets sending Blondel after Richard. A mysterious person, called the Assassin, appears and offers to "take care of the problem" for a price. At first, the Assassin misunderstands and thinks Blondel is the target, but eventually, he understands the real target is the King. The Assassin sets off to find Richard. The first act ends with Fiona realizing Blondel cares more about his music than her. Even so, she decides to follow Blondel, unsure of what she's truly looking for.

Act II: The Search and Return

Act Two begins with Blondel traveling across Europe, trying to find King Richard. He sings his music to crowds in France, Spain, and Italy, but he can't find the King. Blondel starts to lose hope. Meanwhile, the Assassin is also chasing Blondel, getting annoyed by his music. Just as Blondel is about to give up, he runs into Fiona! She tells him that Richard is being held prisoner in Austria by Duke Leopold. Blondel and Fiona decide to find the King together.

In his prison, Richard misses the days of the Crusade when he was free. Back in London, Prince John is happy with his plans and prepares to become the new King of England. Blondel, Fiona, and the Assassin arrive at an inn in Salzburg, close to Richard's prison. The Assassin admits he's getting tired of the whole chase. Blondel, however, feels new hope and refuses to give up. Fiona suggests they hurry before it's too late, though she's still not sure if she really wants to help. The Assassin decides he'd rather "deal with Prince John" but keeps going. Meanwhile, John announces that Richard has died and he will take the throne.

Fiona finds King Richard in his prison and talks to the Duke of Austria about releasing him. The Assassin gets close to Richard, ready to act. The Duke writes a letter to Prince John, demanding a huge payment for Richard's release. Fiona uses her charm to convince the Duke to let Richard go, and he agrees. Blondel accidentally finds Richard. With Richard now free, the group starts to leave the castle. But just as they are about to walk out, the Duke changes his mind! He says he will only let Blondel and Richard go if Fiona stays with him in Austria. Fiona doesn't want to stay with Leopold. She tricks him into walking outside towards someone she says is "better-suited" for him. At this moment, the Assassin, seeing the crown on the Duke's head, attacks him.

Richard, Blondel, and Fiona declare it a "most important day" and decide to return to England. Before they leave, Fiona demands a pardon and her freedom from the King. She promises to keep quiet about the monarchy if he agrees, and Richard reluctantly says yes. Meanwhile, the Assassin realizes he attacked the wrong person and wonders if he can still succeed. But then he discovers that the Duke wasn't actually harmed! The two men find comfort in each other's mistakes.

Blondel, Fiona, and Richard make their way back to England. Prince John is about to be crowned King, having told everyone Richard is dead. Just as the crown is about to be placed on John's head, Richard bursts in! He quickly stops the illegal ceremony. Richard then declares Blondel the "country's foremost composer" and finally lets him perform his song. With the help of his backing singers, the Blondettes, Blondel becomes the pop star he always wanted to be. Blondel and Fiona, now cleared of any wrongdoing and seen as heroes, get back together and declare their love for each other.

Where Has Blondel Been Staged?

Blondel has been performed in many places, starting in England and then moving across the world.

London Stage Productions

Tim Rice and Patrick Wilde (Matt Harrop in foreground) at rehearsals for London revival of Blondel

Blondel first opened in Bath, England, on September 12, 1983. It then moved to Manchester for two weeks before arriving at the newly fixed-up Old Vic theatre in London on November 2. A famous actor, Lord Olivier, even spoke the opening words at a special show on November 8. The musical stayed at the Old Vic for eleven months. Then it moved to the Aldwych Theatre in London's West End, a famous area for musicals. However, because it cost a lot to put on and wasn't making enough money, Blondel closed at the Aldwych after only eight months.

Original London Cast

• Blondel – Paul Nicholas
• Fiona – Sharon Lee-Hill
• Richard – Stephen Tate
• John – David Burt
• The Assassin – Chris Langham
• Leopold – Kevin Williams
• The Monks – Cantabile (group) – Richard Bryan, Nicholas Ibbotson, Stewart Collins & Michael Steffan

The London revival of Blondel opened at the Pleasance Theatre on November 23, 2006. This new production was updated and changed by Tim Rice and director Patrick Wilde. A young composer named Mathew Pritchard rearranged Stephen Oliver's original music and added some new songs. The story was made sharper and funnier, especially in the second act, making it great for a cast working together.

2006 London Cast

• Blondel – Chris Grierson
• Fiona – Abi Finley
• Richard – Mark Inscoe
• John – Matt Harrop
• The Assassin – Napoleon Ryan
• Leopold – David Paul West
• Monks – James Durrant, Gavin James, Charlie Tighe, Nick Trumble
• The Blondettes – Zoe Harrison, Polli Redston, Rebecca Seale

Blondel in the United States

The first time Blondel was performed in the United States was at the University of Texas in El Paso by the Union Dinner Theatre. It opened on April 11, 1985. Blondel was also produced by Farmingdale High School in Long Island, New York, in May 1985. Tim Rice himself attended both of these early American productions. Since the mid-1980s, Blondel has been performed by many theaters and amateur groups around the world. However, it has not yet been performed on the famous Broadway stage in New York City.

Who Are the Characters?

• Blondel – A loyal supporter of the King and a talented musician who is eager for his big break in music.
• Fiona – Blondel's girlfriend. She's a serf (a person tied to the land) but acts like a modern activist, far ahead of her time.
• King Richard the Lionheart – The brave King of England.
• Prince John – King Richard's brother. He's very ambitious and wants to become King himself.
• The Assassin – A mysterious person who is hired to cause trouble for the right price.
• The Duke of Austria – Leopold, the ruler of Austria, who captures King Richard.
• The Monks – A group who help tell the story and add funny comments.
• The Blondettes – Blondel's energetic backing singers.

Musical Numbers

Here are the songs you'll hear in Blondel. Some of these are actually combinations of shorter songs that fit together.

"The English Stage"

A final song, "The English Stage," was added to the London performances of the show. It was sung by the whole cast at the very end, even though it wasn't on the original album or in the script.