''Careless Rapture'' is a 'musical play' by the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

composer

Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...

and lyrics by

Christopher Hassall Christopher Vernon Hassall (24 March 1912 – 25 April 1963) was an English actor, dramatist, librettist, lyricist and poet, who found his greatest fame in a memorable musical partnership with the actor and composer Ivor Novello after work ...

. It premiered on 11 September 1936 at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...

. It ran for 295 performances, a relatively modest success given Novello's other major successes. Written as another large-scale extravaganza (including a fair on

Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath (locally known simply as the Heath) is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band o ...

and an on-stage earthquake), it followed Novello's hugely successful ''

Glamorous Night ''Glamorous Night'' is a musical with a book and music by Ivor Novello and lyrics by Christopher Hassall, Novello's collaborator in six of the eight Novello musicals staged between 1935 and 1951. ''Glamorous Night'' was the first of several N ...

'' of 1935. ''Careless Rapture'' is the tale of an actress, Penelope Lee, engaged to the wealthy Sir Robert Alderney, but who is the object of Rodney's half-brother Michael's affections. Set in London, and ending up in China, Michael finally wins Penelope's affections by rescuing her from an earthquake. Novello himself took the speaking part of Michael in the original production, which also starred

Dorothy Dickson Dorothy Dickson (July 25, 1893 – September 25, 1995) was an American-born, London-based theater actress and singer, and a centenarian. Biography and Career Dickson is known mostly for her rendition of the Jerome Kern song "Look for the S ...

as Penelope Lee,

Zena Dare Zena Dare (born Florence Hariette Zena Dones; 4 February 1887 – 11 March 1975) was an English singer and actress who was famous for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and other musical theatre and comedic plays in the first half of ...

as Phyllida Frame and

Olive Gilbert Olive Sarah Gilbert (22 November 1898 – 19 February 1981) was a British singer and actress, who, in a career spanning seven decades, performed first in opera and then in many of Ivor Novello's musicals in London's West End. After the First Wor ...

as Mme Simonetti.

Ivy Tresmand Ivy Tresmand (15 December 1898 – 2 November 1980) was an English soubrette who appeared mostly in musical theatre. Tresmand was born in London. Her earliest appearances were in the chorus of the revue '' Shell Out'' (1915), in the musicals ''Ho ...

later took over the part of Penelope Lee. The production was directed by

Leontine Sagan Leontine Sagan (born Leontine Schlesinger; 13 February 1889 – 20 May 1974) was an Austrian-Hungarian theatre director and actress of Jewish descent. She is best known for directing ''Mädchen in Uniform'' (1931). Along with directing for ...

Principal songs

*"Music in May" *"Why is there ever goodbye?" *"The Manchuko" *"Love made the song" *"The Bridge of Lovers"

Notes

References

''Careless Rapture'' at The Guide to Musical Theatre
* Traubner, Richard.
''Operetta''
2nd edition, London: Routledge, 2003

External links

Recording of Dickson singing the song 'Music in May' from ''Careless Rapture''
{{Authority control 1936 musicals West End musicals Musicals by Ivor Novello British musicals Musicals set in London Musicals set in China