The musical, which features a book by Neil Simon, is based on the relationship between composer Marvin Hamlisch and lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, who provided the music and lyrics for the piece. It had its Broadway premiere in 1979, starring Robert Klein and Lucie Arnaz. The West End premiere a year later starred Tom Conti and Gemma Craven.

After shooting to fame on the BBC musical casting programme How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, Fisher won both awards and critical acclaim for her portayal of Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music. A noted television impressionist, McGowan's musical credits include Merry Wives - The Musical, The Mikado, Little Shop of Horrors and Cabaret.