Glamorous Night
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Glamorous Night By Ivor Novello, in a revised version by David Slattery-Christy. Lyrics: Christopher Hassall By arrangement with Samuel French Ltd Buxton Opera House 28 -29 - 30 August 2008 Evenings @ 7.30 and Matinee on Saturday 30th @ 2.30 |
| Presented by Present Company |
Some years ago I found myself involved with
a proposed West End revival of Novello's first
musical play Glamorous Night. I had the
unenviable task of trying to make sense of
Novello's script which would have been baffling
to a contemporary audience. Characters would
appear and vanish in the blink of an eye:
Elisabeth Welch commented years later that "no
one knew where I came from (to sing the song
'Shanty Town') or where I went". But in spite
of this convoluted narrative, the original
production was a great success. Glamorous
Night opened on the 2nd May 1935 at the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and starred
Novello and Mary Ellis in the lead roles.
Novello's character didn't sing, but Ellis, who
had begun her career at the Met in New York,
more than made up for her leading man's
inability in this area. Novello for his part
brought not only his charisma and his skill as a
comic actor but also his craftsmanship in
devising such a spectacular production. The
critics were perplexed and confused, thus the
Telegraph's critic likened the experience to
being "enveloped in an over-sweet pink
blancmange" but declared Novello to be "a
superb theatrical craftsman" whose tongue
"never visibly touched" his cheek throughout
the entire evening!
The work that was undertaken to make the
libretto more workable for a contemporary
audience was time consuming but enjoyable.
Eventually there was a plot and storyline which
made more sense. Cleo was now established as
the 'companion' to Militza (replacing Phoebe
the maid) and, along with Lorenti's character,
had a history and developed through the show.
The curtain song The Girl I Knew (sung by
Elisabeth Welch in the original version to enable
a scene change) was now a duet for Militza and
Cleo titled The Girls We Knew in the first act
to help establish their past history and
friendship. The song Why Isn't It You (from
Careless Rapture) was added to the second act
as a comic duet for Cleo and Lorenti in the
ballroom scene. During research in the archives
at Drury Lane I discovered that an early version
of Someday My Heart Will Awake was drafted
for Glamorous Night but cut early on in the
planning ( no doubt due to the running time of
the original - Novello eventually reused it in
King's Rhapsody some years later) and worked
well in terms of Militza's situation when faced
with the impending abdication of the King and
the decision she has to make. There were clear
references to the abdication scandal and the real
life affair between Edward VIII and Mrs
Simpson in Novello's story.
a proposed West End revival of Novello's first
musical play Glamorous Night. I had the
unenviable task of trying to make sense of
Novello's script which would have been baffling
to a contemporary audience. Characters would
appear and vanish in the blink of an eye:
Elisabeth Welch commented years later that "no
one knew where I came from (to sing the song
'Shanty Town') or where I went". But in spite
of this convoluted narrative, the original
production was a great success. Glamorous
Night opened on the 2nd May 1935 at the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and starred
Novello and Mary Ellis in the lead roles.
Novello's character didn't sing, but Ellis, who
had begun her career at the Met in New York,
more than made up for her leading man's
inability in this area. Novello for his part
brought not only his charisma and his skill as a
comic actor but also his craftsmanship in
devising such a spectacular production. The
critics were perplexed and confused, thus the
Telegraph's critic likened the experience to
being "enveloped in an over-sweet pink
blancmange" but declared Novello to be "a
superb theatrical craftsman" whose tongue
"never visibly touched" his cheek throughout
the entire evening!
The work that was undertaken to make the
libretto more workable for a contemporary
audience was time consuming but enjoyable.
Eventually there was a plot and storyline which
made more sense. Cleo was now established as
the 'companion' to Militza (replacing Phoebe
the maid) and, along with Lorenti's character,
had a history and developed through the show.
The curtain song The Girl I Knew (sung by
Elisabeth Welch in the original version to enable
a scene change) was now a duet for Militza and
Cleo titled The Girls We Knew in the first act
to help establish their past history and
friendship. The song Why Isn't It You (from
Careless Rapture) was added to the second act
as a comic duet for Cleo and Lorenti in the
ballroom scene. During research in the archives
at Drury Lane I discovered that an early version
of Someday My Heart Will Awake was drafted
for Glamorous Night but cut early on in the
planning ( no doubt due to the running time of
the original - Novello eventually reused it in
King's Rhapsody some years later) and worked
well in terms of Militza's situation when faced
with the impending abdication of the King and
the decision she has to make. There were clear
references to the abdication scandal and the real
life affair between Edward VIII and Mrs
Simpson in Novello's story.
Novello had been inspired by Lehar's The
Merry Widow as a young boy in 1907 - indeed
he also revered the actress Lily Elsie and would
eventually become her friend once his own
celebrity was established many years later. The
influence of Lehar's Merry Widow on Novello's
style of operetta is obvious. Even to his
non-singing role as a leading man in a musical
production. Joseph Coyne, who played Prince
Danilo in the 1907 production of The Merry
Widow, was unable to sing and recited or spoke
the lyric (much to the annoyance of Lehar, it
must be said) as he saw fit. Novello as a young
boy of 12 would watch Lily Elsie and Joseph
Coyne night after night from the gods of Daly's
Theatre and never forget what he saw. So it
would have seemed quite natural to him to
emulate that operetta style, considered old
fashioned even in 1935, and also place himself
in a leading role even though he couldn't sing at
that point in his life. Sheridan Morley said that
"Novello was, like Andrew Lloyd Webber, critic
proof" mainly because the audiences loved him
and the fantasy world he created for them -
however ridiculous and contrived it seemed. The
music he composed was enchanting and perhaps
the saving grace of Glamorous Night - and many
of his musical productions which followed.
Novello's friend Noel Coward would sit in the
audience at first nights and cringe at what he
considered to be the awful dialogue and
ridiculous plot and be heard to mutter: "How
does he get away with it!" But Coward would
be the first to stand and applaud as loudly and
enthusiastically as everyone around him.
Merry Widow as a young boy in 1907 - indeed
he also revered the actress Lily Elsie and would
eventually become her friend once his own
celebrity was established many years later. The
influence of Lehar's Merry Widow on Novello's
style of operetta is obvious. Even to his
non-singing role as a leading man in a musical
production. Joseph Coyne, who played Prince
Danilo in the 1907 production of The Merry
Widow, was unable to sing and recited or spoke
the lyric (much to the annoyance of Lehar, it
must be said) as he saw fit. Novello as a young
boy of 12 would watch Lily Elsie and Joseph
Coyne night after night from the gods of Daly's
Theatre and never forget what he saw. So it
would have seemed quite natural to him to
emulate that operetta style, considered old
fashioned even in 1935, and also place himself
in a leading role even though he couldn't sing at
that point in his life. Sheridan Morley said that
"Novello was, like Andrew Lloyd Webber, critic
proof" mainly because the audiences loved him
and the fantasy world he created for them -
however ridiculous and contrived it seemed. The
music he composed was enchanting and perhaps
the saving grace of Glamorous Night - and many
of his musical productions which followed.
Novello's friend Noel Coward would sit in the
audience at first nights and cringe at what he
considered to be the awful dialogue and
ridiculous plot and be heard to mutter: "How
does he get away with it!" But Coward would
be the first to stand and applaud as loudly and
enthusiastically as everyone around him.
I am delighted that Present Company have
chosen to stage my revised version of
Glamorous Night for this year's Novello
Festival at Buxton Opera House. There have
been some changes to allow for simplified
staging, which was inevitable, and the inclusion
of two more of Novello's songs including Why
Is There Ever Goodbye but these work in terms
of plot and character development.
I wish all the company the very best of luck
and look forward to seeing the production in
August.
chosen to stage my revised version of
Glamorous Night for this year's Novello
Festival at Buxton Opera House. There have
been some changes to allow for simplified
staging, which was inevitable, and the inclusion
of two more of Novello's songs including Why
Is There Ever Goodbye but these work in terms
of plot and character development.
I wish all the company the very best of luck
and look forward to seeing the production in
August.
| Novello & Mary Ellis in the elaborate (and camp) Gypsy Wedding scene. Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1935. |
| Novello & Mary Ellis - 1935 |
| Novello - circa 1930 |
| Jeremy Northam as Novello in Robert Altman's Oscar winning film Gosford Park |
Buxton Opera
House
28th - 29th - 30th
August 2008
House
28th - 29th - 30th
August 2008
| Present Company Presents Novello Festival, Buxton Opera House 25 - 30 August 2008 |
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Ivor & Noel In Concert
25th August @ 7.30pm
Buxton Opera House
25th August @ 7.30pm
Buxton Opera House
BUY NOW! Paperback £9.99 + pp Hardback £14.99 + pp
In Search of Ruritania: The life and times of Ivor Novello
Anything But Merry! The life and times of Lily Elsie
In Search of Ruritania: The life and times of Ivor Novello
Anything But Merry! The life and times of Lily Elsie