Carl Leighton-Pope has been in the music industry for over 40 years, discovering and representing the likes of Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé. But now he is promoting his own project, musical Carnaby Street. He spoke to Kathryn Tye about his latest venture.

A lifetime in the making, the musical Carnaby Street has been a true labour of love for Carl Leighton-Pope.

Set in the early 1960s, it tells of singer/songwriter Jude, who travels from Liverpool to London with best friend Penny Lane, in search of fame and of fortune.

And no-one could be better placed to write and produce it than Leighton-Pope, who lived the experiences shown on stage.

The musical is set on Carnaby Street itself and at the infamous Marquee Club, which saw early performances by legendary groups including The Rolling Stones, and where Carl actually worked during the period.

He said: “In 1964 I was 18, living in Soho, working five nights a week at the Marquee, and it was an amazing time. Everything we did was driven by music. I was a mod and the music we bought defined the clothes we wore, the girls we dated, the clubs we went to. Everyone bought their clothes from Carnaby Street, which was the place to be, and I got this idea for a show based around my experiences.”

Although Carl came up with the idea for the show 16 years ago, it only began to become a reality when he met director Bob Tomson in 2008, whose West End credits include Blood Brothers and Dreamcoats and Petticoats.

Carl said: “Bob really liked the idea, so I started writing the script, and he helped with ideas about how to make it work on stage. I brought the book, and Bob brought it to life.”

The pair also collaborated over the choice of songs for the show, which is made up of 30 classic 1960s hits, along with six original songs. Those chosen include Shout, My Generation, I Only Want To Be With You and Keep On Running.

Carl said: “There were so many to choose from, but I think we made the right choice. We really wanted this musical to give the audience the feel-good factor.”

And satisfying an audience is something that Carl knows all about, after working in the music business for the past 40 years.

From his initial beginnings in the Marquee Club, he went on to manage a band called Sassafras, which toured the world in the 1970s. After they broke up, Carl worked for a music agency, signing top acts including Dire Straits, Simple Minds and Patti Smith, before going it alone, and now runs the successful Leighton-Pope Organisation, which represents clients including Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé.

Carl said: “I had no clue about the music business when I first started. I only became the manager of Sassafras because I owned the van we all travelled around in so I was the guy they gave the money to. We were all young, and it was a real laugh, but when they split up I was broke. I was married by then, we had children and we had no money.

“I was going to give it all up and get a proper job, but someone offered me a role working for an agency, and I have been working in the industry ever since. I make my clients a lot of money and we have a lot of fun together.”

Despite his success, at the age of 67, while others might be considering retirement, Carl has been working harder than ever to create a musical, which he attributes to two unusual factors: dinner parties and his star sign.

He said: “My wife and I get invited to dinner parties all the time, and as soon I say I’m in the entertainment business, for the next three hours they interview you, as everybody wants to know about the stars that I have worked with. The question I am most asked is ‘why don’t you write a book?’ but I wouldn’t be able to say anything in it as lots of the people I worked with are still in the business. So this musical is another way of telling people about my experiences.”

Carl added that he believes his astrological sign has also been an influence. “I’m a Capricorn, and we are so ambitious. Our sign is a goat climbing mountains. You just can’t stop yourself.”

But all his hard work has paid off, with the musical proving a huge hit when it opened in London last month.

He added: “On the morning before the first show I woke up really early, and was sat on the edge of my bed worrying about things, and wondered to myself, ‘why don’t you just retire?’ But then I was there on the night with my family and friends, and to hear cast members speaking the words I wrote is an amazing thing. I have found my excitement for showbusiness again.”

Carnaby Street opens at Tunbridge Wells’ Assembly Halls Theatre on Tuesday, May 14, and will run to Saturday, May 18. Tickets from £19.50. Call 01892 530613.

Click here to read the review