‘People’s Musical’ to Close in London Despite Papal Praise

“Bernadette,” a musical that broke with London tradition by being written and produced by people unknown in the theater world, is to close Saturday, less than a month after it opened.

The musical, about a French girl who saw a vision of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, won a blessing from Pope John Paul II.

Producer William Fonfe used unknown performers and broke with theatrical money-raising convention by asking the public to buy shares, earning his show the tag of “the People’s Musical.”

Fonfe also mortgaged his home to help pay for the $2.25-million production. But dwindling audiences and scathing reviews forced him to bring down the final curtain.

“I used to be a wealthy man. Well, maybe not wealthy but comfortable. Now I am very uncomfortable,” said Fonfe, adding that he was flying to Italy next week to negotiate a possible tour.

“I am very sad. We had over 100 people on the payroll and they are going to lose their jobs. We also have 2,000 investors who are disappointed,” he said.

The husband-and-wife team who wrote the show, music teachers Gwyn and Maureen Hughes, said they were not giving up.

“It is not dead and buried,” Gwyn Hughes said. “In fact, I have an awful lot of rewriting to do.”