"Vincent - The Flame Burns Bright" plays to packed houses in the UK.

Please play the movie clip to watch a few highlights.

Although neither the author Hilda Petrie-Coutts or her son composer Wernher Pramschufer had ever been to a musical, and had collaborated only by phone and email the work was premiered with three performances in November 1999 at Stirling University to delighted audiences. A cast, choir and crew of nearly one hundred volunteered to help with the production and were directed by London West End star David Greer (Les Miserables, Aspects Of Love).

Such was the interest in the work that a documentary was filmed and broadcast on UK national television on the unique mother/son collaboration and their titanic effort to not only write the work but also act as the shows producers!  Glowing reviews of the show were published in the major US theatre magazine Show Music and also in Masquerade in the UK. Wernher, who was a music producer at London’s Britannia Row (ex Pink Floyd recording studio) decided to quickly record the cast album and released it through Footlight on Broadway and Dress Circle in London’s West End.

Excerpts from Reviews

"Vincent - The Flame Burns Bright" proved to be an entertaining and imaginative telling of the tragic life of the great painter - his rejection by a series of ladies that he courted, his unselfish work amongst the poor as a non-ordained minister, his battle with mental illness; facets of his life that are highlighted to great effect. Indeed the scene where he gives the shirt off his back, literally, to help the unfortunate victims of a mining disaster, upsetting the bastions of the church by his semi-naked form is one of the most moving of the evening.

Not that it is alone. The opening sequence where "The Flame Burns bright" is performed by the ghost like figure of the Flame of Love that shadows him throughout his life is splendid and is only surpassed by the closing reprise of the scene and song where the music is augmented by a chorus bearing lit candles.

The mining scene was dramatic and harrowing, while the simplicity of the scene where a mentally disturbed Vincent, worn down by rejection was memorable. The music for Vincent was written by Wernher Pramschufer was lush, melodic and romantic, boasting numerous highlights, notably the gentle "The Flame Burns Bright", the bright and breezy "New Dawn - New Start", the lovely "Shimmering Stars" and the clever Spanish influenced "Matador". The lyrics provided by Hilda Petrie-Coutts were poetic and moving, propelling the storyline along quite nicely.

Gary Hume, a first class Gauguin and Graham Boyce, who excelled as the eponymous characters supportive brother Theo, impressed especially on duets with Vincent ("Quarrel" and "Brothers") whilst Gemma Baird was excellent as "Flame". One of the strengths of "Vincent" was the total dominance of the proceedings by the central character, a very special talent called Bobby Mitchell.

From the opening scenes Mitchell donned the cloak of the likeable but troubled painter and brought to life every phase of his life. He not only acted with great aplomb and passion, but also sang just as well, wringing every last drop of meaning from the plethora of big ballads he was called upon to sing. This was a bravura performance.

David Greer, best known for his work on the West End stage directed the show; he was Michael Balls replacement as Alex in "Aspects of Love" and has also starred in "Les Miserables", "The Bakers Wife" and others. Greer managed to bring that expertise of London productions to "Vincent".

The show boasted sufficient attributes to suggest that "Vincent" displayed sufficient originality to stand on its own feet as an impressive original work.

"Masquerade" London

"Vincent - The Flame Burns Bright" is by the talented new writing team of Wernher Pramschufer and Hilda-Petrie-Coutts focuses on many aspects of van Goghs fascinating but ultimately tragic life. The dramatic elements of the story allowed the producers to come up with a series of impressive set pieces, including a very well staged mining disaster. Yet, despite the tragic nature of the subject matter, "Vincent" was never depressing. The music is quite lovely, at times dramatic, at times dreamy but always lush, melodic and romantic.

While the show was under the direction of David Greer (Aspects of Love, Les Miserables) the cast was local. Mind you, after seeing young Bobby Mitchell in the title role, I found that somewhat hard to believe, assuming the producers had enticed him from the bright lights of the West End for this work. Mitchell acted with power and passion and singing with great aplomb draining every last drop of emotion from the score. "Vincent - The Flame Burns Bright" has the potential to become a show we will be hearing more about.