The show was first staged at an undergraduate club at Cambridge in 1954, two years before Beerbohm's death.[1] The impresario Donald Albery acquired the rights to stage it in the West End, and engaged Osbert Lancaster as designer and Alfred Rodrigues as director.[1] The production opened at the Saville Theatre on 11 April 1957. Beerbohm had died the year before, but his widow, Elisabeth interested herself in the production, and attended the first night.[2]
The plot of the novel was generally followed, except for the conclusion, which was changed to provide a happy ending.[3] Beerbohm had insisted that the name of the heroine should be pronounced "Zuleeka", but for the musical the pronunciation was changed to "Zulika", which was thought easier to sing.[4]
The actress originally cast as Zuleika, Diane Cilento, won excellent critical comment when the show previewed in Manchester,[5] but was taken ill before the show opened in London.[6] She was unable to appear, and the part was taken by Mildred Mayne, a performer best known at the time as a model, appearing on posters in the London Underground advertising underwear.[7]
The Times, having called the show "a most pleasing imitation of Edwardian musical comedy", added "Miss Mildred Mayne, taking the part of Zuleika at short notice, is not, perhaps, all that Beerbohm painted her, but she is always engaging and she sings easily and well." In The Manchester Guardian, Philip Hope-Wallace was unconvinced by the new Zuleika: "What the incomparable Max would have thought of Mildred Mayne, the new leading lady, one fails to imagine."[7] In The Observer, Kenneth Tynan called the show "the best British musical since The Boy Friend", but thought Mayne "competent in a role for which competence is not enough".[9]" Rupert Hart-Davis, who accompanied Elisabeth Beerbohm to the first night, was privately less tactful: he called the show "delightfully gay and charming," but added, "the leading lady is quite without looks, charm or talent. With someone like … Marilyn Monroe it would run for ever."[10]
The show ran for 124 performances, closing on 27 July 1957.[11]
Notesedit
^ ab"Zuleika Dobson as a Musical", The Times, 15 February 1957, p. 3
List of British musicals premiering in London in 1957
Peter Tranchell: Musical Works -- Zuleika
PDF of piano selections linked from the above website.
January 01, 1970
zuleika, musical, wife, potiphar, jewish, muslim, legend, zuleika, legendary, zuleika, musical, with, music, peter, tranchell, book, lyrics, james, ferman, musical, based, 1911, novel, zuleika, dobson, beerbohm, 1957, london, cast, contents, history, cast, mus. For the wife of Potiphar in Jewish and Muslim legend see Zuleika legendary Zuleika is a musical with music by Peter Tranchell and book and lyrics by James Ferman The musical is based on the 1911 novel Zuleika Dobson by Max Beerbohm 1957 London cast Contents 1 History 2 Cast 3 Music 4 Critical reception 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksHistory editThe show was first staged at an undergraduate club at Cambridge in 1954 two years before Beerbohm s death 1 The impresario Donald Albery acquired the rights to stage it in the West End and engaged Osbert Lancaster as designer and Alfred Rodrigues as director 1 The production opened at the Saville Theatre on 11 April 1957 Beerbohm had died the year before but his widow Elisabeth interested herself in the production and attended the first night 2 The plot of the novel was generally followed except for the conclusion which was changed to provide a happy ending 3 Beerbohm had insisted that the name of the heroine should be pronounced Zuleeka but for the musical the pronunciation was changed to Zulika which was thought easier to sing 4 The actress originally cast as Zuleika Diane Cilento won excellent critical comment when the show previewed in Manchester 5 but was taken ill before the show opened in London 6 She was unable to appear and the part was taken by Mildred Mayne a performer best known at the time as a model appearing on posters in the London Underground advertising underwear 7 Cast editKatie Batch Patricia Stark Noaks Peter Woodthorpe Lord Sayes Roderick Cook The Hon Charles Trent Garby Clive Exton Sir John Marraby Philip Bond Oover Michael O Connor The Duke of Dorset David Morton The Macquern John Gower The Warden of Judas Daniel Thorndyke Zuleika Mildred Mayne Melisande Hermione Harvey Aunt Mabel Patricia RoutledgeMusic editHere is a list of numbers 8 Eights Week City of Repose Zuleika Zuleika s Travels Lovely Time It s My Doorstep Too All Over Again Nellie O Mora lyric by Harry Porter Anything Can Happen The Last Dance of the Evening What Has She Got Always Be Wary of Women I Want A Man To Say No Someday Follow the Fashion Seventeen Years From NowCritical reception editThe Times having called the show a most pleasing imitation of Edwardian musical comedy added Miss Mildred Mayne taking the part of Zuleika at short notice is not perhaps all that Beerbohm painted her but she is always engaging and she sings easily and well In The Manchester Guardian Philip Hope Wallace was unconvinced by the new Zuleika What the incomparable Max would have thought of Mildred Mayne the new leading lady one fails to imagine 7 In The Observer Kenneth Tynan called the show the best British musical since The Boy Friend but thought Mayne competent in a role for which competence is not enough 9 Rupert Hart Davis who accompanied Elisabeth Beerbohm to the first night was privately less tactful he called the show delightfully gay and charming but added the leading lady is quite without looks charm or talent With someone like Marilyn Monroe it would run for ever 10 The show ran for 124 performances closing on 27 July 1957 11 Notes edit a b Zuleika Dobson as a Musical The Times 15 February 1957 p 3 Hart Davis pp 280 and 283 Saville Theatre Zuleika The Times 12 April 1957 p 3 Hart Davis p 280 Zuleika The Manchester Guardian 6 March 1957 p 7 Zuleika Postponed The Times 27 March 1957 p 3 a b Hope Wallace Philip A New Zuleika The Manchester Guardian 12 April 1957 p 9 Peter Tranchell Musical Works Tynan Kenneth At the Theatre The Observer 14 April 1957 p 13 Hart Davis p 283 The Times 27 July 1957 p 2References editHart Davis Rupert 1985 Lyttelton Hart Davis Letters Volumes One and Two 1955 57 London John Murray ISBN 0 7195 4246 4 External links editList of British musicals premiering in London in 1957 Peter Tranchell Musical Works Zuleika PDF of piano selections linked from the above website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zuleika musical amp oldid 1177369474, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
