The Butterfly Ball (1973)

Music Video Distributors and Film Chest have finally realeased The Butterfly Ball on DVD.

In 1973, Jonathan Cape Ltd. published a children's book called The Butterfly Ball and Grasshopper's Feast. It contained a collection of poems by William Plomer, lavishly and intricately illustrated with 28 color plates by Alan Aldridge, an artist who had produced The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics. The inspiration for the work came from a poem The Butterfly Ball and Grasshoppers Feast by William Roscoe published in November 1806.

The book then prompted this jubilant live production of The Butterfly Ball that took place at the Royal Albert Hall on October 16, 1975. It was produced and directed by Tony Klinger, who later produced the critically acclaimed story of The Who, The Kids are Alright.

This performance of The Butterfly Ball, magically narrated by Vincent Price, was a benefit for Bud Flanagan's Leukemia Fund and Action Research for the Crippled Child. Roger Glover, who at the time had just departed from Deep Purple and was embarking on a career in producing music, was able to get most of the artists who had taken part in the studio recordings to perform.


Here's six sound files featuring Vincent's narration, and two clips.

1. Dawn
2. Magician Moth
3. Fly Away
4. Dreamy Afternoon
5. Sitting in a Dream
6. The Ball Begins

Directed by Tony Klinger
Story by Various

CAST
Ian Gillan
Twiggy
Tony Ashton
Helen Chapelle
David Coverdale
John Gustafson
Eddie Hardin
Glenn Hughes
Earl Jordan
Judi Kuhl
Neil Lancaster
John Lawton
Mickey Lee Soule
Al Matthews
Barry St. John
Liza Strike
John Lord


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