Musical gala for Bush

Lord Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton with their wives

Ben Elton and Lord Lloyd-Webber will present songs from their West End musical The Beautiful Game at the inauguration gala of President elect George W Bush in Washington.

The duo, who collaborated on the musical, will take part in the ceremony on 18 January in the US capital, held to welcome Mr Bush to office.

The show's themes of inclusion and reconciliation will reflect the mood that everyone in Washington will be keen to capture

Lord Lloyd-Webber

Lord Lloyd-Webber will also play alongiside performers, who are expected to sing Let Us Love In Peace, which was launched last week in aid of the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund.

The Beautiful Game is a love story set in Northern Ireland at the start of the Troubles, following the fortunes of a youth football team.

Lord Lloyd-Webber said: "The invitation came out of the blue. I am naturally honoured and flattered to have been approached to bring The Beautiful Game to this concert for the President elect."

He added: "I am sure that the show's themes of inclusion and reconciliation will reflect the mood that everyone in Washington will be keen to capture."

The Beautiful Game opened in September in the West End of London

Comedian and novelist Ben Elton, who wrote the lyrics for the musical, said: "When we wrote The Beautiful Game we wanted to cover issues that could come out of the conflicts in Kosovo and Afghanistan as much as Northern Ireland.

"Presenting the musical in Washington reinforces that international context."

Lord Lloyd-Webber has long said the musical has a universal theme despite the Northern Ireland backdrop.

The Beautiful Game opened in London in September to a celebrity audience, including former British and Irish Prime Ministers John Major and Albert Reynolds.