''Valmouth'' is a 1958

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

Sandy Wilson Alexander Galbraith "Sandy" Wilson (19 May 1924 – 27 August 2014) was an English composer and lyricist, best known for his musical '' The Boy Friend'' (1953). Biography Wilson was born in Sale, Cheshire, England, and was educated at Harrow ...

based on the novel of the same name by

Ronald Firbank Arthur Annesley Ronald Firbank (17 January 1886 – 21 May 1926) was an innovative English novelist. His eight short novels, partly inspired by the London aesthetes of the 1890s, especially Oscar Wilde, consist largely of dialogue, with referen ...

. It premiered in London at the

Lyric Hammersmith The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London.

, before transferring to the

Saville Theatre ODEON Covent Garden is a four-screen cinema in the heart of London's West End. Formerly known as The Saville Theatre, a former West End theatre at 135 Shaftesbury Avenue in the London Borough of Camden. The theatre opened in 1931, and became a ...

. The production was directed by

Vida Hope Vida Hope (16 December 1910 – 23 December 1963) was a British stage and film actress, who also directed stage productions. Life and career Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, to theatrical parents, she travelled widely as a child.Some of the Comp ...

. It made a star of

Fenella Fielding Fenella Fielding, OBE (born Fenella Marion Feldman; 17 November 1927 – 11 September 2018) was an English stage, film and television actress who rose to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s, and was often referred to as "England's first lad ...

as Lady Parvula de Panzoust. The musical has since been staged several times including twice at the

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya John Hidalgo Moya (5 May 1920 – 3 August 1994), ...

and several cast album recordings have been released. The musical has also been performed on

BBC radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...

, first broadcast in 1975.

Original cast

*Captain Dick Thoroughfare - Alan L Edwards *Cardinal Pirelli - Geoffrey Dunn *Carry - Denise Hirst *David Tooke -

Peter Gilmore John Peter Gilmore (25 August 1931 – 3 February 2013), known as Peter Gilmore, was an English actor, known for his portrayal of Captain James Onedin in 91 episodes of the BBC television period drama ''The Onedin Line'' (1971–1980), cre ...

*Dr Dee - Lewis Henry *Father Colley-Mahoney - Robert Bernal *Granny Tooke -

Doris Hare Doris Breamer Hare, MBE (1 March 1905 – 30 May 2000) was a British actress, comedian, singer, and dancer best known for portraying Mabel Butler in the British sitcom ''On the Buses'' and its film spin-offs, after replacing the original actres ...

*Lady Parvula de Panzoust -

*Lady Saunter - Celia Helda *Lt. Jack Whorwood -

Aubrey Woods Aubrey Harold Woods (9 April 1928 – 7 May 2013) was an English actor. Biography and career Woods was born on 9 April 1928 in Edmonton, Middlesex and grew up in nearby Palmers Green. He was educated at the Latymer School. His first film ...

*Madame Mimosa - Marcia Owen *Mrs Hurstpierpoint -

Barbara Couper Barbara Couper (1903–1992) was a British stage, film and television actress. She made her stage debut in 1925 and played leading roles at Stratford in the 1930s. Her screen work included several films and much television. Selected filmography ...

*Mrs Q. Comedy - Sally Alsford *Mrs Thoroughfare - Betty Hardy *Mrs Yajnavalkya -

Bertice Reading Bertice Reading (July 22, 1933 – June 8, 1991) was an American-born actress, singer and revue artiste, based in England for most of her career. Early life and career Reading was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. Her performing career started at ...

(played by

Cleo Laine Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Bullock; 28 October 1927)Maxine Daniels Maxine Daniels (2 November 1930 – 20 October 2003) was an English jazz singer who achieved notability in the post-war era. Early life Daniels was born Gladys Lynch in Stepney, London, an elder sister of singer and entertainer, Kenny Lynch.

*Sir Victor Vatt -

Roderick Jones Roderick Jones may refer to: *Roderick Jones (journalist), (1877–1962), British director of Reuters *Roderick Jones (baritone) (1910–1992), Welsh opera singer *Roddy Jones Roderick "Roddy" Stephen Gerrard Jones (born 2 December 1944) is a m ...

*Thetis Tooke -

Patsy Rowlands Patricia Amy Rowlands (19 January 1931 – 22 January 2005) was an English actress who is best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' films series, as Betty Lewis in the ITV Thames sitcom '' Bless This House'', and as Alice Meredit ...

Songs

*Opening / Valmouth - Company *Magic Fingers - Mrs Vajnanalkaya *Mustapha - Mrs Vajnanalkaya *I Loved a Man - Thetis Tooke *What Then Can Make Him Come So Low? - Niri-Esther *All the Girls Were Pretty - Mrs Hurstpierpoint, Lady Parvula, Mrs Thoroughfare *Just Once More - Lady Parvula *Lady of the Manor - Niri-Esther *What Do I Want With Love - David Tooke *My Big Best Shoes - Mrs Vajnanalkaya, Grannie Tooke *Niri-Esther - Jack Whorwood, Captain Dick *The Cry of the Peacock - Mrs Vajnanalkaya *Little Baby Girl - Mrs Vajnanalkaya *The Cathedral of Clemenza - Cardianl Pirelli *Only a Passing Phase - Lady Parvula *Valmouth - Captain Dick *Where the Trees Are Green With Parrots - Niri-Esther *My Talking Day - Sister Ecclesia *I Will Miss You - Grannie Tooke, Mrs Vajnanalkaya *Finale / Valmouth - Company

Critical reception

Plays and Players Hansom Books was a British publisher founded in 1950 by Philip Dosse to produce the magazine ''Dance and Dancers''. Magazines in a similar format were then founded to cover other arts, so forming the Seven Arts Group. The other titles were '' Ar ...

'' wrote "Sandy Wilson's lyrics include, by my reckoning, at least half a dozen potential hits beside 'Big Best Shoes'. Valmouth, in short, bewitches by its riches as the opening chorus swore it would."

References

1958 musicals British musicals Musicals based on novels West End musicals {{musical-theat-stub