London Musicals 1965-1969.pub
Transcription
London Musicals 1965-1969.pub
1967 10 WHO'S PINKUS? WHERE'S CHELM? London run: Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, January 3rd (10 performances) Music: Monty Norman Lyrics & Book: Cecil P. Taylor & Monty Norman Director: Charles Marowitz Choreographer: Tutte Lemkow Musical Director: Jack Nathan Cast: Bernard Bresslaw (Izzy Pinkus), Nancy Nevinson (Rachel Pinkus), David Lander (Rabbi), Anita Lockwood, Stanley Platts Story: Set in Chelm, the town of fools in Jewish folklore, it charts the progress of Issy Pinkus from poverty to affluence, from self-neglect to self-respect. At first he is Public Idiot No. 1, unable to get a job even on a building site, so he sets off for the neighbouring town of Mazeltov to make his fortune. En route he discover that “a man must follow his heart otherwise he stops being a man”, and equipped with this information, he runs rings round the local rabbi and business tycoons and becomes a great success. Notes: This was a “Brechtian” type musical where the songs interrupt the action to comment on the previous scene or repeat the action in a stand-alone song and dance item. The director, Charles Marowitz, was known for his experimental approach to theatre. 110 IN THE SHADE London run: Palace Theatre, February 8th (101 Performances) Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics: Tom Jones Books: N. Richard Nash Director: Joseph Anthony Choreographer: Agnes de Mille Cast: Stephen Douglas (Bill Starbuck), Inga Swenson (Lizzie Curry) , Ivor Emmanuel (File) Songs: Lizzie’s Coming Home, Poker Polka, The Rain Song, Old Maid, Everything Beautiful Happens at Night, Simple Little Things, Wonderful Music Photo by Houston Rogers Story: This is the story of Lizzie Curry, a spinster living on a ranch in the American southwest, and her relationships with File, the local sheriff – a careful divorcé who is afraid of being hurt again. The area is suffering from a drought, when along comes a charismatic con-man, Bill Starbuck, who claims to be a rainmaker who can bring relief to the drought-stricken area. Lizzie falls for him and they are about to run away together when File at last reveals his love for her. She decides to accept him and settle for the quiet life—and at that very moment the heavens open. Notes: In adapting his play “The Rainmaker” into a musical, Nash has remained very faithful to the original, although many of the interior scenes were moved outdoors to allow for the introduction of a chorus of townspeople for ensemble numbers and dances. Many of Jones' lyrics come directly from Nash's play. The music and lyrics were created by the same team that wrote “The Fantasticks” Inga Swenson & Stephen Douglas 1967 11 WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE SAY SOMETHING? London run: Arts Theatre, February 14th (12 Performances) Music: David Allen Lyrics & Book: David Baxter Director: David Calderisis Cast: Stephen Moore (Webster), David Baxter (Trebor), Susan Baxter (Girl) Songs: Isn’t She a Lovely Child, Baby the Good Times Are Coming at Last, I’m the Kind of Girl, I’m in Love, The Only Good Thing, Notes: Not a musical, but a three-hander “play with songs”. It seems to have come and gone within two weeks despite being chosen by Plays & Players for a full-text publication in their April 1967 issue. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF London run: Her Majesty's, February 16th (2,030 Performances) Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Book: Joseph Stein Director-Choreographer: Jerome Robbins Musical Director: Gareth Davies Producer: Harold Prince & Richard Pilbrow Cast: Topol (Tevye), Miriam Karlin (Golde), Cynthia Greville (Yente), Paul Whitsun-Jones (Lazar Wolf). Sandor Eles (Perchick), Rosemary Nicols (Tzeitel), Jonathan Lynn (Motel), Caryl Little (Chava) Songs: Tradition, Matchmaker Matchmaker, If I Were a Rich Man, To Life, Sunrise Sunset, Miracle of Miracles, Anatevka Note: Based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, this was a musical offering neither attractive costumes nor pretty scenery, and yet its theme of a people vainly trying to preserve tradition in a changing world proved to be enormously popular. On Broadway it became the longest-running show up to that time. Topol and Miriam Karlin played the leading roles in London for the first year, and then were replaced with Alfie Bass and Avis Bunnage. Alfie Bass remained with the show for the rest of the run, with occasional temporary replacements by Les Goudsmit. Avis Bunnage stayed a further eighteen months and was replaced by Hy Hazell. Sadly Hy Hazell suddenly died , aged 48, after ten months in the role. Avis Bunnage returned for the remainder of the run. Topol & Miriam Karlin Photo by Zoe Dominic Story: Set in 1905 in Czarist Russia, the story focuses on Tevye the milkman, his wife, Golde and their three daughters in the Jewish village of Anatevka. The eldest daughter, Tzeitel, marries a poor tailor even though Tevye had promised her to the rich, middle-aged butcher, Lazar Wolf. The second daughter, Hodel, marries a young revolutionary who is sent to Siberia. The third daughter, Chava, marries outside the faith. At the play's end the police destroy the village during a pogrom and Tevye and what's left of his family are forced to begin a new life in America. 1967 12 OLIVER (1st Revival) London run: Piccadilly Theatre, April 26th (331 Performances) Music, Lyrics, Book: Lionel Bart Director: David Phethean Musical Director: Michael Moores Producer: Donald Albery Cast: Barry Humphries (Fagin), Marti Webb (Nancy), Martin Dell (Bill Sykes), Paul Bartlet (Oliver), Leslie Stone (Artful Dodger), Tom de Ville (Mr Bumble), Pamela Pitchford (Widow Corney), Glyn Worsnip (Mr Sowerberry) Notes: See New Theatre, June 1960 for original London production. THE DESERT SONG (5th Revival) London run: Palace Theatre, May 13th (383 Performances) Music: Sigmund Romberg Lyrics: Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein, & Frank Mandel Director: Joan Davis Choreographer: Virginia Courtney Musical Director: Cast: John Hanson (Pierre Birabeau), Patricia Michael (Margot Bonvalet), Tony Hughes (Bennie Kidd), Lita Scott (Azuri), Dermod Gloster (Sid el Kar), Raymond du Parc ( Capt Paul Fontaine), Carol Dorée (Clementina), Doreen Key (Susan) Songs: The Desert Song, The Riff Song, Romance, One Alone, One Flower Grows Alone in Your Garden, I Want a Kiss, It, The French Marching Song. Story: In North Africa the French occupying forces are striving to capture the Red Shadow, who is the leader of the Riffs, an outlaw band of Moroccan tribesmen. The famous renegade is in love with Margot, but she is infatuated with Pierre Birabeau, the handsome son of the French Governor. Margot is captured by the mysterious Red Shadow and eventually falls in love with him, although she does not know his identity – his face is always hidden from her. However, the Red Shadow is himself captured and imprisoned by the governor's soldiers, and only then does Margot discover the Red Shadow is really Pierre in disguise. All ends happily. Photo by Dezo Hoffmann Ltd Notes: The original London production had been at Drury Lane in 1927, and due to its enormous popularity it was revived in the West End in 1931, 1936, 1939 and 1943. From the late 1950s onwards the actor-singer John Hanson had headed a semi-permanent UK touring company presenting “The Desert Song” and other popular operettas. He had played the Red Shadow over 600 times before finally bringing his company into the West End. It was inevitable that the critics would sneer at the “provincial” scenery, costumes and production, and a fair bet that more than one of them would go for “No Great Sheikhs” as a title for the review, but John Hanson was enormously popular with the coach-party trade, and he succeeded in filling the vast Palace Theatre for the best part of a year. John Hanson 1967 13 QUEENIE London run: Comedy Theatre, June 22nd (20 Performances) Music: Ted Manning & Marvin Laird Lyrics & Book: Ted Willis Director: Arthur Lewis Choreographer: Leo Kharibian Musical Director: Leo Mole Producer: Bernard Delfont & Arthur Lewis Cast: Vivienne Martin (Queenie) ,Kevin Colson (James) , Bill Owen (Tom), Simon Oates (Dick), Paul Eddington (Harry) Songs: Here is the Key of the Door, We’re Gonna Be Dead and Gone, Special Kind of Man, How Does He Look in the Morning?, Excuse Me for Speaking My Mind. Story: This was the ballad tale of a young widow, the landlady of the Queen of Sheba public house, and her attempts to re-marry. She has her heart set on James, her barman, and to try and get him to propose to her, she pretends to take on a succession of three “trial” husbands: Tom, Dick and Harry. A sub-plot involves the love affair of a much younger couple. Notes: This “ballad-opera” began life as a short TV play – claimed to be the first ever play written entirely in verse. The musical adaptation retained the rhyming couplets in an attempt to re-create the “ballad” feel. However, the critics claimed the effect was similar to an exceptionally bad pantomime script. The show failed after 20 performances. ANNIE London run: Westminster Theatre, July 27th (156 Performances) Revived February 1st 1968 ( 242 Performances) Music: William L. Reed Lyrics & Book: Alan Thornhill Director: Henry Cass Choreographer: Denny Bettis Musical Director: Ray Cook Cast: Margaret Burton (Annie Jaeger), Bill Kenwright (Bill Jaeger), Donald Simpson, Norman Ghent, Angela Richards. Songs: I Don’t Like Your Hat, It Fair Takes Your Breath Away, I Keeps Myself to Myself, Who’s the Dictator Jim Parks?, We’re Going to Shake the Country, A Basinful of Revolution. Story: The life story of Annie Jaeger, an early member of the Moral Rearmament Movement, was the subject of this musical, starting with her leaving her comfortable home surroundings in 1930s Stockport, and coming to London to spread her message of moral rearmament amongst the people of the capital. Notes: With its preachy message and parable-like scenes and songs, it was clearly not aimed at the ordinary theatre-going public, but specifically at supporters of the Moral Rearmament Movement. It turned out that there were more supporters than one might have thought: after a four and half month run, it was withdrawn for the planned Christmas show at the Westminster, and then revived in February 1968 for a further six month run. There were a few minor cast changes for the 1968 production. 1967 14 SWEET CHARITY London run: Prince of Wales Theatre, October 11th (476 Performances) Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: Neil Simon Director: Bob Fosse, restaged by Lawrence Carr Choreographer: Bob Fosse, reproduced by Robert Linden Musical Director: Alyn Ainsworth Photo by Tom Hustler Producer: Bernard Delfont & Harold Fielding Cast: Juliet Prowse (Charity), Rod McLennan (Oscar) , John Keston (Vittorio Vidal) Josephine Blake, Paula Kelly, Fred Evans, Songs: Hey Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This, Rhythm of Life, I'm a Brass Band, I Love to Cry at Weddings Rod McLennan & Juliet Prowse Story: Charity Hope Valentine works as a dime-adance hostess at the Fan-Dango Ballroom. Her trusting, romantic nature gets her involved with an Italian screen star, Vittorio Vidal, and with a “square” named Oscar whom she meets when they are stuck in an elevator at the 92nd Street “Y”. Later they also get stuck on a Coney Island Ferris wheel. Though Oscar promises to marry Charity, he backs out, and she returns to the Fan-Dango, living “hopefully ever after” Notes: Based on Fellini's film “Nights of Cabiria”, the South-African born actress Juliet Prowse gained a great personal success in the London production. MRS WILSON’S DIARY London run: Criterion, October 24th (175 Performances) Music: Jeremy Taylor Lyrics: John Wells Book: Richard Ingrams & John Wells Director: Joan Littlewood Cast: Bill Wallis (Harold Wilson), Myvanwy Jenn (Gladys Mary Wilson), Bob Grant (George Brown), Peter Reeves (Gerald Hoffman), Sandra Caron (Audrey Callaghan), Johnny Lyons (Jim Callaghan), Carl Forgione (David Frost), Kevin Smith (President Johnson) Unknown credit Songs: Here I Kneel, Who Are the Bastards Now?, The Terrible Mr Brown, Why Should I Worry?, Harold and Me Bob Grant as George Brown Notes:: This was a piece of gentle political satire based on the on-going lampoons in the fortnightly magazine “Private Eye”. It was not really a musical – it was a satirical play laced with some rather funny songs. It originally opened at the Theatre Royal Stratford on September 21st and quickly transferred. THE BOY FRIEND ( 1st Revival) London run: Comedy Theatre, November 29th (365 Performances) Music & Lyrics : Sandy Wilson Director: Sandy Wilson Choreographer: Noel Tovey Musical Director: Grant Hossack Producer: Michael Codron Cast: Ann Beach (Hortense), Cheryl Kennedy (Polly Browne), Tony Adams (Tony), Nicholas Bennett (Bobby van Husen), Frances Barlow (Maisie), Marion Grimaldi (Mme Dubonnet) Notes: See Original London production, Wyndham’s, January 1954 1967 15 A PRESENT FROM THE CORPORATION London run: Fortune Theatre, November 30th (3 performances) Music: John Gould Lyrics: David Wood Director: David Wood Musical Director: John Gould Cast: Terence Brady (Graham Slater), Julia McKenzie (Maggie Slater), John Gower, Gay Soper, Michael Boothe, Sam Walters. Story: Graham Slater and his wife Maggie move to a Northern town, where Graham has been appointed Cultural Officer. They are met with a very cold response from a community that feels “arty, fancy” ideas from the south are not welcome. Notes: The original production ran for two weeks in rep at the Swan Theatre, Worcester. The local theatregoers loved the show so much they contributed towards a fund to bring the show to London's Fortune Theatre for a three performance “showcase” in the hope it would attract a management to take on the show and give it a full West-End production. Sadly, no management was interested. THE FOUR MUSKETEERS London run: Drury Lane, December 5th (462 Performances) Music: Laurie Johnson Lyrics: Herbert Kretzmer Director: Peter Coe Choreographer: Donald MacKayle Musical Director: Derek New Producer: Bernard Delfont Cast: Harry Secombe (D'Artagnan), Jeremy Lloyd (Porthos), Glyn Owen (Athos), John Junkin (Aramis), Stephanie Voss (Constance), Elisabeth Larner (Milady), Kenneth Connor (King Louis XIII) Songs: A Little Bit of Glory, Think Big, What Love Can Do, Nobody's Changing Places With Me, Give Me a Man's Life Notes: The show was in trouble from the start: there were many re-writes and several cast changes and walkouts during rehearsals, including opera star Joyce Blackham, replaced at short notice by Elizabeth Larner. A great deal of money had been lavished on the production, but the critics found the sets (Sean Kenny) ugly and impractical, the costumes (Loudon Sainthill) dull. The dialogue was said to be infantile, the music a total mishmash of inappropriate operatic numbers for Harry Secombe and silly, sentimental or comedy numbers, none of which seemed to belong together. The only merit was Harry Secombe himself, and his presence in the cast managed to keep the show afloat for fourteen months. However, it never recovered its costs and ended up with a loss of £50,000. Harry Secombe & Elizabeth Larner Photo by John Timbers Story: D'Artagnan, a countrified gentleman, achieves all his deeds of daring by pure accident. Coming to Paris in search of his beloved Constance, he meets up with the three musketeers of Dumas's story – except here they are drunken and lecherous rioters – and then he is asked to go to Baden-Baden to retrieve a diamond from the Queen's former lover (a necessary act if the Queen is to be saved from disgrace and scandal). The bumbling adventures and mishaps all manage to end up bringing praise, success and a brave reputation to a man who is, at heart, a good-natured country bumpkin. 1968 16 YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN London run: Fortune Theatre, February 1st (116 Performances) Music & Lyrics: Clark Gesner Book: “John Gordon” (Clark Gesner) Director: Joseph Hardy Choreographer: Patricia Birch Musical Director: Peter Martin Producer: Bernard Delfont & Harold Fielding Photo by Tom Hustler Cast: Gene Kidwell (Linus), David Rhys Anderson (Charlie Brown), Courtney Lane (Patty), Gene Scandur (Schroeder), Don Potter (Snoopy), Boni Enten (Lucy) Songs: My Blanket and Me, Book Report, T.E.A.M., Suppertime, Happiness Gene Scandur & Courtney Lane Notes: This is an average day in the life of Charlie Brown, based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles Schulz. Charlie flies his kite, writes a book report for school, plays baseball, and meets up with his friends, the piano-playing Schroeder, the bossy Lucy, the blanket-loving Linus and the goggled canine Snoopy who imagines he’s the Red Baron. It managed just over a three month run. CABARET London run: Palace, February 28th (336 Performances) Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joe Masteroff Director: Harold Prince Choreographer: Ron Field Producer: Harold Prince & Richard Pilbrow Cast: Judi Dench (Sally Bowles), Barry Dennen (MC), Kevin Colson (Clifford), Lila Kedrova (Fraulein Schneider), Peter Sallis (Herr Schultz), Richard Owens (Ernst Ludwig) Songs: Willkommen, Don’t Tell Mama, Tomorrow Belongs to Me, Two Ladies, If You Could See Her Through My Eyes, Cabaret, The Money Song Story: A bitter evocation of Berlin in the 1930s just as the Nazis are coming to power, this is the story of Sally Bowles, an aspiring but untalented English actress working in a seedy nightclub. She is involved in a doomed romance with a visiting American writer, Clifford Bradshaw. The story is told in tandem with performances at the Kit-Kat Club, presided over by a leering, sinister Master of Ceremonies. Photo by Zoe Dominic Notes: The original book was based on the “Berlin Stories” by Christopher Isherwood, and on John van Druten’s stage-play version of the stories, “I Am a Camera”. The musical significantly changed the nationality of the leading man from British to American, presumably for an “international” market. This was another show which did so much better in New York than in London: the Broadway show ran 1,165 performances compared to London’s 336. Judi Dench 1968 17 CANTERBURY TALES London run: Phoenix, March 21st (2,082 Performances) Music: Richard Hill & John Hawkins Lyrics: Nevill Coghill Book: Nevill Coghill & Martin Starkie Director: Martin Starkie & Vlado Habunek Choreographer: David Drew Musical Director: Gordon Rose Cast: James Ottaway (Chaucer), Nicky Henson (Squire, Nicholas, Alan, Damian), Pamela Charles (Prioress, Prosperina), Jessie Evans (Wife of Bath, Old Woman), Gay Soper (Alison), Kenneth J. Warren (Miller, Gervase, Pluto), Wilfrid Brambell (Steward, Carpenter, January), Trevor Bannister, Daniel Thorndike Songs: I Have a Noble Cock, There’s the Moon, Some Call it Love, I’ll Give My Love a Ring, Love Will Conquer All, If She Has Never Loved Before, April Song. Notes: Based on Professor Nevill Coghill’s translation of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”, the show primarily uses four of the tales: “The Miller’s Tale” (two students competing for an affair with the carpenter’s wife); “The Merchant’s Tale” (the wife of a rich old man cheats on him with the young Squire); “The Steward’s Tale” (multiple bed-hopping in the house of the Miller) ; and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” (a witch turns into a beautiful young girl to please an amorous Knight.) This was another example of how American and British musicals could differ: over 2,000 performances in London, and just 121 when the show flopped on Broadway in 1969. MAN OF LA MANCHA London run: Piccadilly Theatre, April 24th (253 Performances) Music: Mitch Leigh Lyrics: Joe Darion Book: Dale Wasserman Director: Albert Marre Choreographer: Jack Cole Musical Director: Denys Rawson Producer: Donald Albery Cast: Keith Michell (Don Quixote), Joan Diener (Aldonza), Bernard Spear (Sancho Panza), David King (Innkeeper), Alan Crofoot (Padre), Peter Arne (Dr Carrasco), Olive Gilbert (Housekeeper) Songs: Little Bird, It’s All the Same, Dulcinea, I Really Like Him, Golden Helmet of Mambrino, The Impossible Dream. Notes: The show was adapted from Dale Wasserman’s TV play “I, Don Quixote”, which itself was based on the novel by Cervantes. It had a very long run in New York, playing 2,328 performances, almost ten times as long as the London run! In the Broadway production Richard Kiley played Quixote and gained great personal success. (He also appeared in a London revival – see June 1969) . Joan Diener came from America to repeat the role she had played in the original production. Bernard Spears and Keith Michell Photo by Anthony Crickmay Story: There are two threads to the story: the first deals with Cervantes and his imprisonment for debts during the Spanish Inquisition, the second deals with the adventures of Don Quixote that Cervantes tells his fellow-prisoners. Most of the adventures deal with the Don’s love for the servant girl, Aldonza – whom he calls his Dulcinea – and his battles to save her honour. At the end, as the old man lies dying, he manages to convey to the girl his belief in dreaming the impossible dream. 1968 18 I DO! I DO! London run: Lyric Theatre, May 16th (115 Performances) Music: Harvey Schmidt Lyrics & Book: Tom Jones Director: Gower Champion (restaged by Lucia Victor) Musical Director: Ian MacPherson Producer: H. M. Tennent Ltd Cast: Anne Rogers, Ian Carmichael Songs: I Love My Wife, My Cup Runneth Over, Love isn’t Everything, Nobody’s Perfect, The Honeymoon is Over, Where are the Snows?, When the Kids Get Married, Roll Up the Ribbons Story: With a cast of just two people, the show covers 50 years in the life of a married couple, Agnes and Michael, from their wedding day to the day they move out of their house. In between, they bring up a family, quarrel, threaten to break up, reconcile, plan for a life without children in the house, and reveal in song exactly what they mean to each other. Photo by Angus McBean Notes: Adapted from Jan de Hartog’s 1951 play “The Fourposter”, a musical with a cast of just two was an enormous risk, though the New York production was helped by having two of Broadway’s biggest stars in the show – Mary Martin and Robert Preston. It ran for 560 performances. Perhaps Anne Rogers and Ian Carmichael did not have the same pulling power in London, where the show was regarded as over-sickly and rather dull. It has become part of theatre folk-lore for the moment when during Act Two there was an offstage knock on the door, and a voice cried out from the front stalls “For God’s sake let them in – whoever it is!” Ian Carmichael & Anne Rogers CINDY London run: Fortune Theatre, May 30th (29 Performances) Music & Lyrics: Johnny Brandon Book: Joe Sauter & Mike Sawyer Director: Alexander Bridge Cast: Geraldine Morrow (Cindy Kreller), Johnny Tudor (Lucky), Kalman Glass (Irving Kreller), Hy Hazell (Zeuida Kreller), Dudley Stevens (Chuck Rosenfeld) Songs: Once Upon a Time, Is There Something to What He Said?, A Genuine Feminine Girl, Cindy, Think Mink, Tonight's the Night, If You've Got It You've Got It, Got the World in the Palm of My Hand Story: This was a version of the Cinderella story, which had done quite well in New York but did not succeed in London. Notes: Originally an off-Broadway success in 1964, written by British performer Johnny Brandon (who had moved to the USA after appearing several West End shows, including a featured star role in “Love From Judy”). The English production played a week of previews at the Palace Theatre Westcliff and moved into the Fortune. The critics hated it and it managed a run of just 29 performances. 1968 19 GOLDEN BOY London run: Palladium, June 4th (118 Performances) Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Clifford Odets & William Gibson Director: Arthur Penn, re-staged by Michael Thoma Choreographer: Donald McKayle , re-staged by Jaime Rogers & Lester Wilson Musical Director: Shepherd Coleman Cast: Sammy Davis (Joe Wellington), Gloria de Haven (Lorna Moon), Lon Satton (Eddie Satin), Mark Dawson (Tom Moody), Louis Basile (Roxy Gottlieb), Frank Nastasi Songs: Night Song, Everything’s Great. Don’t Forget 127th Street, Lorna’s Here, This is the Life, While the City Sleeps, I Wanna Be With You Story: Joe Wellington, a Negro-American, is a young man determined to get out, get rich and make it to the top. Despite his family’s objections, he turns to boxing as a means of escaping his ghetto roots. He crosses paths with Mephistopheles-like promoter Eddie Satin and eventually betrays his manager Tom Moody when he becomes romantically involved with Tom’s white girlfriend, Lorna Moon. Notes: The original play by Clifford Odets told of an Italian-American, Joe Bonaparte, a sensitive would-be surgeon, fighting in order to pay his way through college, but careful to protect his hands from serious damage so he could achieve his goal of saving the lives of blacks ignored by white doctors. In an ironic twist, the hands he hoped would heal kill a man in the ring. The story was altered to reflect the situation at the onset of the Civil Rights era. This was the first book musical to play the Palladium following its medium success on Broadway. It closed in London after four months. On the second night Sammy Davis walked out half-way through the show, claiming he was too upset to go on because of that day’s assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy. His understudy took over. Sammy Davis received a very bad press for this and it was said this had a serious effect on future ticket sales. THE DANCING YEARS (3rd Revival) London run: Saville Theatre, June 6th (52 Performances) Music: Ivor Novello Lyrics: Christopher Hassall Director: Joan Davis Choreographer: Kenneth Tillsen Musical Director: Robert Probst Producer: Tom Arnold Cast: David Knight (Rudi Kleber), June Bronhill (Maria Zeigler), Cathy Jose (Grete Schöne), Moyna Cope (Cäcile Kurt), Nicholas Hawtrey (Franzl), Robert Crewsdon (Prince Charles Metternich) Songs: Waltz of My Heart, I Can Give you the Starlight, My Dearest Dear, Wings of Sleep Story: The story begins in 1911 at an inn outside Vienna where poor Rudi Kleber and operetta star Maria Ziegler meet and fall in love. Three years later their bliss is shattered as a result of a misunderstanding and Maria leaves Rudi and marries a Prince Charles. In 1926 they meet again and discover that they are still in love, but they decide to separate for the sake of their son, who mistakenly believes the Prince to be his real father. Their paths cross again in 1938, following the German “Anschluss” with Austria. Rudi has been arrested for opposing the Nazi regime, but Maria manages to get him released. Notes: The original production had opened at Drury Lane in March 1939, and was forced to close after 187 performances when war was declared in September of that year. 1st Revival: Following a provincial tour, it returned to the Adelphi Theatre in London in March 1942, and ran for 969 performances, again forced to close because of increased bombing activity. 2nd Revival: It undertook yet another provincial tour, returning for the third time to the Casino Theatre in March 1947 for 96 performances, followed by yet another tour. All in all the show had run almost consecutively for ten years. 1968 20 THE STUDENT PRINCE (3rd Revival) London run: Cambridge Theatre, June 8th (9 months) Music: Sigmund Romberg Lyrics & Book: Dorothy Donnelly Director: Leslie Branch Music Director: Derek Taverner Cast: John Hanson (Karl Franz), Barbara Strathdee (Kathie), George Hancock (Dr Engel), Kenneth Henry (Lutz), Clare Herbert (Princess Margaret), Colin Thomas (Capt. Tarnitz), Richard Loring (Detlef) Songs: Golden Days, Come Boys Let’s All be Gay Boys, Drinking Song, Deep in My Heart Dear, Serenade, Just We Two, Gaudeamus Igitur Story: Set in 1860 , Crown Prince Karl Franz of Karlsberg has been promised in marriage since childhood to the Princess Johanna. His grandfather, King Ferdinand, sends him to Heidelberg University where Barbara Strathdee and John Hanson he will live incognito like a regular student, under the watchful eye of a kindly mentor, Doctor Engel, and his snooty valet Lutz. At the University Karl falls in love with a waitress, Kathie, who works at the Inn of the Three Golden Apples. They consider eloping, but Karl suddenly becomes King and must return and honour the arranged marriage with Princess Johanna (who is also in love with another man, Captain Tarnitz). He returns to Heidelberg two years later but discovers that youth cannot be recaptured and the past must be left in the past, although his true love will always be Kathie. Notes: The original novel “Karl Heinrich” by Wilhelm Meyer-Forster was adapted into a play called “Alt Heidelberg”, and Rudolf Bleichman’s English translation was a big hit in New York around 1900. In 1924 Dorothy Donnelly and Sigmund Romberg turned it into the longest-running Broadway musical of the 1920s (608 performances). The London production at His Majesty’s Theatre opened on February 3rd 1926, but closed after 96 performances. It was said to be “too German” and too close to the end of the Great War for London audiences, although a subsequent UK tour was extremely successfully. It saw London revivals in 1929 and 1944 (Stoll Theatre), and this, the 3rd revival was a revised version including some extra songs. LADY BE GOOD (1st revival) London run: Saville Theatre, July 25th (156 Performances) Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Guy Bolton & Fred Thompson Director: Hugh Goldie Musical Director: Ed Coleman Cast: Lionel Blair (Dick Trevor), Aimi Macdonald (Suzie Trevor) , Joe Baker (J. Watterson Watkins), Joe Chisholm (Jeff), Patyrick Rose (Jack Robinson), Raymond Clarke (Bertie Bassett), Pauline Garner, Elizabeth Connor Songs: Fascinating Rhythm, The Half of It Dearie Blues, Hang on to Me, Juanita, Swiss Miss Story: Dick and Suzie Trevor are a brother and sister dancing act who are rejected from the vaudeville circuit but manage to continue their career by entertaining at the homes of wealthy friends. Along the way Suzie pretends to be a Spanish heiress in order to claim a large inheritance, but she is found out. Somehow she and Dick come into some money anyway, and she manages to save Dick from a disastrous marriage to a gold-digger. Notes: The show was originally specially created for Fred and Adelle Astaire, who played it on Broadway from December 1924 and then came with the show to London’s Empire Theatre from April 14th 1926 . It ran for 326 performances. (The song “The Man I Love” was cut from the original production) Photo by Dezo Hoffmann Producer: Bernard Delfont & Emile Littler 1968 THE BEGGAR’S OPERA (Revival) 21 London run: Apollo Theatre, September 12th (32 Performances) Music: Trad (arranged David Turner) Book: John Gay Director: Toby Robertson Producer: Richard Pilbrow & Harold Prince Cast: Peter Gilmore (Macheath), James Cossins (Peachum), Hy Hazell (Mrs Peachum), Jan Waters (Polly), Angela Richards (Jenny Diver), Frances Cuka (Lucy Lockit) Notes: This was a “modernised” version, with completely new dialogue and up-to-date musical arrangements and had been first produced at the Edinburgh Festival. It was generally liked by the critics and the cast was highly praised, but lasted a few weeks only . VIVA! VIVA! London run: Arts Theatre, September 18th (17 Performances) Music & Lyrics: William Thacker & Trevor T. Smith Book: Ian Lindsay Director: Ian Lindsay Choreographer: Doremy Vernon Musical Director: Gerald Gouriet Cast: Julia Stanton (Sofronia), Nerys Hughes (Dona), Donald Layne-Smith (Nicomaco), Gerald Moon (Pyro), Alec Bregonzi (Friar) Story: The original story told of a father and son, both enamoured of Clizia, a ward in their home. (Clizia never actually appears). The father plans to marry her off to one of his servants who can then be forced to share her with his master. The son wants to marry her himself but his mother will not permit it since Clizia is an orphan and her family background is unknown, thus making her an unsuitable wife. The mother, disgusted with her love-sick husband, substitutes a male servant for the bride at the wedding, thus humiliating her husband when he tries to bed the “bride”. Clizia’s father suddenly appears, proving she is of noble birth, and can therefore marry the son. Notes: Adapted from Machiavelli’s “Clizia”, this version was described by one critic as “lust of the lavatory and codpiece variety” and another said “Like a dutiful mortuary attendant I stayed to the end”. It came off very quickly. HAIR London run: Shaftesbury Theatre, September 27th (1,198 Performances) Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics: Gerome Ragni & James Rado Director: Tom O’Horgan Choreographer: Julie Arenal Musical Director: Derek Wadsworth The London “Tribe” Unknown credit Producer: Robert Stigwood, David Conyers & John Nasht 1968 22 HAIR London run: Shaftesbury Theatre, September 27th (1,198 Performances) Music: Galt MacDermot Lyrics: Gerome Ragni & James Rado Director: Tom O’Horgan Choreographer: Julie Arenal Musical Director: Derek Wadsworth Producer: Robert Stigwood, David Conyers & John Nasht Cast: Paul Nicholas (Claude), Oliver Tobias (Berger), Michael Feast (Woof), Peter Straker (Hud), Annabel Leventon (Sheila), Linda Kendrick (Jeannie), Marsha Hunt (Dionne) Songs: Aquarius, Ain’t Got No, Frank Mills, Where Do I Go, Easy to be Hard, Good Morning Starshine, Let the Sunshine In. Story: The emotional turmoil of the Vietnam War Years co-incided with the “Flower-Power” generation of hippies and their anti-war, anti-draft, anti-Establishment, anti work-ethic, and their pro-drugs, pro-anarchy, and, above all, pro free-sex philosophy. A group of New York hippies including “Rinso-white” Berger, black Hud, gay Woof, campaigning Sheila, pregnant Jeannie and others fail to persuade Claude to reject the USA army draft, and they see their dreams of love and peace shattered when Claude is brought back from Vietnam in a coffin. Notes: Very much a piece of its time, this self-styled “American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” was a significant milestone in the history of musical theatre. On September 26th 1968 British Theatre Censorship was finally abolished after nearly 400 years. Bang on cue, the following night saw the opening of “Hair”. For the first time ever on the English stage the performers regularly used a whole range of four-letter words and ended the first half by throwing off their clothes and dancing naked. Photo by Michael Butler However, more than that, the show gave voice to a whole new generation of young people, and its anti-war message was powerful and influential. Each performance ended with the audience invited onto the stage to dance along with the cast for up to another hour or so. The show was a consistent sellout, and plans were being made for a special party to celebrate its 2,000th performance. However, during the night following the 1,998th performance the ceiling of the theatre collapsed into the stalls. The theatre closed and the show came to an abrupt end. (See June 1974 for the first revival) Paul Nicholas as Claude 1968 23 MAN WITH A LOAD OF MISCHIEF London run: Comedy Theatre, December 9th (25 Performances) Music: John Clifton Lyrics: John Clifton & Ben Tarver Book: Ben Tarver Director: Tad Danielewski Cast: Leon Eagles (Innkeeper), Julia McKenzie (Wife), Paul Dawkins (Nobleman), Valentine Palmer (Manservant), Lady (Roberta d’Esti) Songs: Wayside Inn, Rescue, Once You’ve Had a Little Taste, Hulabaloo-balay, Come to the Masquerade, Make Way for My Lady. Story: A tale of romance and intrigue set in a country inn in early 19th century England. A coach accident forces four travelers to spend the night at the inn: a lovely Lady and her maid, and a handsome Nobleman and his manservant. The Lady turns out to be a former actress who has become a royal mistress and has decided to run away from her lover, the Prince. The nobleman thinks he could earn some money and royal favour if he returns the Lady to the Palace. After much intriguing by the Innkeeper and his wife, the Lady ends up in love with the manservant, and after a series of complicated misunderstandings they determine to lead a life together free from the false pride and the foppish posturing of their shallow society. Notes: Based on the 1924 play by Ashley Dukes, this small-scale musical had a successful off-Broadway run of 241 performances. It was compared in style to “The Fantasticks” and its somewhat “twee” humour did not appeal to British audiences. MR AND MRS London run: Palace Theatre, December 11th (44 performances) Book, music & lyrics: John Taylor Director: Ross Taylor Choreographer: Norman Maen & Ross Taylor Musical Director: Derek New Producer: George W. George & Frank Granat Cast: John Neville (Henry Gow), Honor Blackman (Doris), Hylda Baker (Mrs Rockett), Liz Edmiston (Elsie), Alan Breeze (Albert Godby) Songs: Millions of People, Happy Family, I Want to Dance, Big Wide World, If the Right Man Should Ask Me, Give Us a Kiss Photo by Reg Wilson Notes: These were two separate musicals. “Mr” was adapted from Noel Coward’s “Fumed Oak” about the hen-pecked Henry Gow who finally asserts himself,. “Mrs” was adapted from “Still Life” which had earlier been the basis for the film “Brief Encounter”. The adaptations were by Ross Taylor. These intimate and much-loved one-act plays were expanded and blown-up in a way that proved they did not need nor want the musical and stage treatment they got. They were updated and and vulgarised, and came in for a great deal of criticism. The show lasted just 44 performances. Alan Breeze & Hylda Baker 1968 24 THE YOUNG VISITERS London run: Piccadilly Theatre, December 23rd (63 Performances) Music: Ian Kellam Lyrics & Book: Michael Ashton Director: Martin Landau Choreographer: Malcolm Clare Musical Director: Alexander Faris Producer: Martin Landau Cast: Alfred Marks (Mr Ashford/Mr Salteena), Jan Waters (Miss Ethel Monticue), Vivienne Ross (Nancy/Bessie Topp), Anna Sharkey (Maud/Rosie Topp), Frank Thornton (Butler) , Tom Chatto Songs: Daisy Ashford’s Written a Book, First and Last Love, My Young Visiters and Me, The Kitchens at Rickamere Hall, An English Gentleman, Crystal Palace, Belted Early, In Love with the Girl I See. Photo by Houston Rogers Story: The musical opens with a Prologue announcing that Daisy Ashford has written a story, and her family members then assume the characters in this story of “The Young Visiters”. In the story, the lovely Miss Ethel Monticue is pursued by Mr Salteena, who is not quite a gentleman, and his persistence takes them through the surroundings of Rickamere Hall even up to Buckingham Palace. However, Mr Salteena is ultimately obliged to settle for the hand of the maidservant, Rosie Topp. Notes: Based on the book written in 1919 by the nine-year-old Daisy Ashford. Its gentle, delicate child-like style was a bit lost in a large theatre, and it did not run very long. However, it did have something of an after-life in smaller venues, especially as a family show around Christmas times. Frank Thornton (Butler) and Anna Sharkey (extreme right)