212:, and a young woman, Lucy Veracity Willow, is having second thoughts about her imminent marriage to the Hon. Thomas Trout. He will not join her in her favourite game of croquet, preferring the "shocking" new game of lawn tennis ("Croquet, Croquet" / "What Will Mother Say"). Worse, he makes good-natured but pointed fun of her principles, especially her attachment to the truth ("Too Good to Be True"). She is resigned to her duty to marry the man approved by her parents, but bemoans the lack of love in their relationship ("Any Man but Thomas T."). Thomas introduces Lucy to a couple of new French friends of his, the debonair and romantic Pierre Fontaine, an actor, and his companion Suzanne, who is also on the stage. Lucy and Pierre quickly fall in love ("I Was Never Kissed Before"), much to Suzanne's chagrin, and they elope to France together in the middle of the elaborate preparations for Lucy and Thomas' wedding ("Bless the Bride").
229:
restaurant crash Lucy's father, mother, cousin George, and the jilted Thomas, who is determined to fight a duel with Pierre if they can find him ("The
Englishman"). They have come to "rescue" Lucy, and to this end have adopted disguises (including heavy beards). Their efforts to pass themselves off as French arouse suspicions, and Lucy and Suzanne have to step in to vouch for the party, saving them from arrest as Prussian spies. Lucy declares her love for Pierre to her family, and Thomas confronts Pierre. Dramatic news arrives of the declaration of the Franco-Prussian War. Pierre is a reserve officer and must leave at once to join his regiment. Suzanne and the exultant French crowd leave with him ("To France") – while poor Lucy must return to England with her family.
192:
237:
104:, the third of five musicals they wrote together. The story is about an English girl who elopes with a debonair French actor; he goes off to serve in the Franco-Prussian War, and his friend, who bears a grudge against the English, tells his bride that he has been killed in action. The musical is remembered as Ellis's best work and for the recordings of "This is my lovely day" and "I was never kissed before", with the original stars
233:
the date of the wedding. Suzanne shows up, interrupting the birthday party. She admits that, resentful of the
English, she had cruelly lied about Pierre, who is alive and here! Lucy is ecstatic, but Pierre is concerned when he sees Thomas's ring. However, Thomas nobly removes it and hands it to Pierre ("My Big Moment"), and the lovers can at last marry with everyone's approval ("This Is My Lovely Day" (reprise)).
232:
A year passes, and it is Lucy's twenty-first birthday ("Here's a Kiss"). A message has arrived from
Suzanne telling her that Pierre was killed in the disastrous war. A chastened Thomas renews his suit for Lucy's hand. She tells him that she cannot forget Pierre but will marry him if he does not rush
228:
In France, Pierre and Lucy are with
Suzanne, who seems to be overcoming her initial jealousy of Lucy and is acting as chaperone until the couple can be married ("Mon Pauvre Petit Pierre"). The three take a table in a beachside restaurant ("A Table for Two" / "This Is My Lovely Day"). Into the
168:, a break with the realism of earlier musical comedy sets. One of Webb's songs with Guétary, "This Is My Lovely Day", became one of the BBC's most requested songs of all times, and the song's popularity, and that of the show, were increased by their association with the wedding in 1947 of
35:
216:
164:. It was not overshadowed by the American hit, enjoying a good reception from the critics and audiences, and running for three years and a total of 886 performances. The production was notable for its highly stylised scenery by
183:
and
Roberto Cardinali, In 1994, a recording of songs by the original cast was released, produced by David Cunard, as a result of a discovery in the United States of recordings of a radio broadcast.
539:
334:
569:
179:
Only four of the songs were recorded as studio singles by the original cast. A "disappointing" studio recording was made in 1967 with
479:. It ran for 54 performances, with previews from 8 August and an official opening on 11 August. Jan Hartley starred as Lucy, and
654:
644:
547:
713:
173:
718:
703:
503:
was George. The show's intended to transfer to the West End fell through, and it sustained a loss of £600,000.
698:
519:
143:
offered her principal roles. After much negotiation, Cochran released her from the contract and hired
708:
120:
675:
659:
468:
263:– Diana Beall, Joan Elvin, Pamela Carroll, Winifred Hammick, Mildred Griffiths and Natasha Wills
693:
496:
65:
119:
in London on 26 April 1947 and ran for 886 performances. A revival was presented in London as
587:
8:
472:
383:
209:
191:
165:
132:
619:
298:
109:
650:
640:
83:
476:
151:
140:
116:
603:
314:
236:
687:
500:
488:
480:
205:
101:
70:
58:
254:
240:
169:
144:
105:
97:
48:
467:, at Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1987, was co-produced by the theatre with
180:
136:
492:
484:
368:
En
Angleterre, les Demoiselles – Suzanne, Pierre and Thomas with Chorus
304:
285:
161:
156:
219:
Set for Act II, showing the highly stylised design of the production
34:
215:
639:
Guinness Who's Who of Stage
Musicals – editor Colin Larkin –
259:
Alice, Ann, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Frances and
Millicent,
649:
Oxford
Companion to Popular Music – by Peter Gammond –
626:, Over the Footlights, p. 27, accessed 6 September 2020
458:
374:
Where Is the Times? – Augustus with Family and Chorus
135:'s 125th production. Cochran had signed 19-year-old
471:. This 40th anniversary production was directed by
413:Mon Pauvre Petit Pierre – Suzanne, Lucy and Pierre
685:
428:This Man Could Never Be a Spy – Lucy and Suzanne
195:Lucy Willow and sisters prepare for the wedding
434:Twenty-one Candles (Ducky) Nanny and Sisters
614:
612:
371:I Was Never Kissed Before – Lucy and Pierre
247:
33:
609:
534:
532:
463:The first London professional revival of
425:The Fish – The Family, Waiters and Chorus
395:Bless the Bride (Finale Act 1) – Company
365:Oh, What will Mother Say – Lucy's sisters
604:"Bless the Bride: London Revival (1987)"
377:Come, Dance, My Dear (Marry Me) – Chorus
235:
214:
190:
154:in London on 26 April 1947, just before
606:, Ovrtur.com, accessed 6 September 2020
499:was Thomas, Jean Challis was Nanny and
422:This Is My Lovely Day – Lucy and Pierre
686:
529:
139:as the lead, but the next day the new
126:
115:The original production opened at the
359:Too Good to Be True – Thomas and Lucy
345:
243:in white gown from "Bless the Bride"
208:England, it is 1870, the eve of the
459:Sadler's Wells Theatre 1987 revival
13:
416:The Englishman – Thomas and Family
340:
14:
730:
669:
407:Bobbing, Bobbing – French maidens
680:at the Guide to Musical Theatre
665:at the Guide to Musical Theatre
380:God Bless the Family – Ensemble
597:
580:
562:
513:
437:Here's a Kiss – Lucy's sisters
410:Bless the Sea – Girls and Lucy
331:maitre d'hôte, Café des Pommes
326:Cousin George – Stewart Vartan
1:
633:
431:To France – Pierre and Chorus
362:Any Man But Thomas T. – Lucy
7:
186:
96:is a musical with music by
10:
735:
392:Ducky – Lucy and her Nanny
356:Croquet, Croquet – Company
290:Thomas Trout – Brian Reece
150:The musical opened at the
520:"Obituaries: Adele Leigh"
100:and a book and lyrics by
76:
64:
54:
44:
39:Original cast album cover
32:
23:
570:"Obituary: Lizbeth Webb"
506:
419:A Table for Two – Pierre
714:Musicals set in England
588:"Lizbeth Webb obituary"
526:, accessed 21 June 2013
389:The Silent Heart – Lucy
248:Roles and original cast
719:Musicals set in France
704:Works by A. P. Herbert
440:My Big Moment – Thomas
244:
220:
196:
160:, and was directed by
121:Sadler's Wells Theatre
475:and choreographed by
239:
218:
194:
544:from Record Cabinet"
550:on 27 February 2001
473:Christopher Renshaw
386:– Pierre and Chorus
384:Ma Belle Marguerite
210:Franco-Prussian War
127:Original production
660:Information about
618:Ellacott, Vivyan.
586:Coveney, Michael.
576:. 22 January 2013.
321:Lucy's grandmother
311:Lucy's grandfather
245:
221:
197:
174:Philip Mountbatten
170:Princess Elizabeth
166:Tanya Moiseiwitsch
133:Charles B. Cochran
82:1987 Off-West End
699:West End musicals
594:, 27 January 2013
455:
454:
329:Monsieur Robert,
293:Pierre Fontaine,
273:Augustus Willow,
89:
88:
726:
709:British musicals
627:
620:"1987 Musicals:
616:
607:
601:
595:
584:
578:
577:
566:
560:
559:
557:
555:
546:. Archived from
536:
527:
517:
446:Finale – Company
346:
319:Harriet Willow,
280:Suzanne Valdis,
37:
27:
21:
20:
734:
733:
729:
728:
727:
725:
724:
723:
684:
683:
677:Bless the Bride
672:
662:Bless the Bride
636:
631:
630:
622:Bless the Bride
617:
610:
602:
598:
585:
581:
574:Daily Telegraph
568:
567:
563:
553:
551:
542:Bless the Bride
538:
537:
530:
518:
514:
509:
483:played Pierre.
477:Gillian Gregory
465:Bless The Bride
461:
456:
343:
341:Musical numbers
309:Albert Willow,
299:Georges Guétary
250:
189:
152:Adelphi Theatre
129:
117:Adelphi Theatre
110:Georges Guétary
93:Bless the Bride
81:
40:
26:Bless the Bride
25:
19:
12:
11:
5:
732:
722:
721:
716:
711:
706:
701:
696:
682:
681:
671:
670:External links
668:
667:
666:
657:
647:
635:
632:
629:
628:
608:
596:
579:
561:
528:
511:
510:
508:
505:
497:Simon Williams
491:was Augustus,
460:
457:
453:
452:
448:
447:
444:
441:
438:
435:
432:
429:
426:
423:
420:
417:
414:
411:
408:
404:
403:
398:
397:
396:
393:
390:
387:
381:
378:
375:
372:
369:
366:
363:
360:
357:
353:
352:
344:
342:
339:
338:
337:
327:
324:
317:
315:James Harcourt
307:
301:
291:
288:
278:
271:
270:– Edna Clement
264:
257:
253:Lucy Willow –
249:
246:
226:
225:
202:
201:
188:
185:
128:
125:
87:
86:
80:1947 West End
78:
74:
73:
68:
62:
61:
56:
52:
51:
46:
42:
41:
38:
30:
29:
17:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
731:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
705:
702:
700:
697:
695:
694:1947 musicals
692:
691:
689:
679:
678:
674:
673:
664:
663:
658:
656:
655:0-19-280004-3
652:
648:
646:
645:0-85112-756-8
642:
638:
637:
625:
623:
615:
613:
605:
600:
593:
589:
583:
575:
571:
565:
549:
545:
543:
535:
533:
525:
524:The Telegraph
521:
516:
512:
504:
502:
501:Jeremy Sinden
498:
495:was Suzanne,
494:
490:
489:Gerald Harper
486:
482:
481:Bernard Alane
478:
474:
470:
466:
451:
445:
443:Summer – Lucy
442:
439:
436:
433:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
412:
409:
406:
405:
401:
400:
399:
394:
391:
388:
385:
382:
379:
376:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
354:
350:
349:
348:
347:
336:
332:
328:
325:
322:
318:
316:
312:
308:
306:
302:
300:
296:
292:
289:
287:
283:
279:
276:
272:
269:
265:
262:
258:
256:
252:
251:
242:
238:
234:
230:
223:
222:
217:
213:
211:
207:
199:
198:
193:
184:
182:
177:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
158:
153:
148:
146:
142:
138:
134:
131:The show was
124:
122:
118:
113:
111:
107:
103:
102:A. P. Herbert
99:
95:
94:
85:
79:
75:
72:
71:A. P. Herbert
69:
67:
63:
60:
59:A. P. Herbert
57:
53:
50:
47:
43:
36:
31:
28:
22:
16:
676:
661:
621:
599:
592:The Guardian
591:
582:
573:
564:
552:. Retrieved
548:the original
541:
540:"Profile of
523:
515:
469:Noel Pearson
464:
462:
449:
335:Peter Lupino
330:
323:– Hebe Bliss
320:
310:
294:
281:
275:their father
274:
268:their mother
267:
266:Mary Willow
260:
255:Lizbeth Webb
241:Lizbeth Webb
231:
227:
203:
178:
155:
149:
145:Lizbeth Webb
130:
114:
106:Lizbeth Webb
98:Vivian Ellis
92:
91:
90:
49:Vivian Ellis
24:
15:
277:– Eric Fort
261:her sisters
181:Mary Millar
141:Royal Opera
137:Adele Leigh
77:Productions
688:Categories
634:References
493:Ruth Madoc
487:was Mary,
485:Una Stubbs
305:Anona Winn
286:Betty Paul
282:an actress
162:Wendy Toye
206:Victorian
157:Oklahoma!
123:in 1987.
303:Nanny –
295:an actor
187:Synopsis
172:and Lt.
84:revival
18:Musical
653:
643:
554:20 May
450:
402:Act II
224:Act II
55:Lyrics
507:Notes
351:Act I
200:Act I
45:Music
651:ISBN
641:ISBN
556:2008
108:and
66:Book
204:In
690::
611:^
590:,
572:.
531:^
522:,
333:–
313:–
297:–
284:–
176:.
147:.
112:.
624:"
558:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
