The Boy Friend
Encyclopedia
The Boy Friend is a musical by Sandy Wilson
. The musical's original 1954 London production ran for 2,078 performances, making it briefly the third-longest running musical in West End or Broadway history (after Chu Chin Chow
and Oklahoma!
) until it was surpassed by Salad Days. This musical marked Julie Andrews
' American stage debut.
Set in the carefree world of the French Riviera
in the Roaring Twenties
, The Boy Friend is a comic pastiche
of 1920s shows (in particular early Rodgers and Hart
). The title is an obvious parody of The Girl Friend
. Its relatively small cast and low cost of production makes it a continuing popular choice for amateur and student groups.
Sandy Wilson wrote a sequel to The Boy Friend. Set ten years later, and, appropriately, a pastiche of 1930s musicals (in particular those of Cole Porter
) it was titled Divorce Me, Darling!
and ran for 91 performances at London's Globe Theatre
in 1965. It is sometimes revived as a "double bill" with The Boy Friend.
in 1953. It opened at the Players' Theatre Club
on April 14 1953, and reopened in an expanded version on October 13. It transferred for a short season to the Embassy Theatre
, Swiss Cottage and then opened at Wyndham's Theatre
in the West End
on January 14, 1954. The light, tuneful piece proved immensely popular with the British public and ran for more than five years, a total of 2,082 performances.
The principal role of Polly Browne was to have been played by Diana Maddox, who fell sick on the afternoon of the final dress rehearsal. Anne Rogers
(at that point playing a minor role) volunteered to take over, having learnt the role on her own. The show opened the following evening and made an overnight star of Rogers, who stayed with the production through its expanded versions to the triumphant West End first night at Wyndham's.
In 1995, on its 40th anniversary, the musical returned to The Players' Theatre in London in a new production that was as near a reproduction of the original as possible. It was directed by Maria Charles, who played the original Dulcie. The choreography was by Geoffrey Webb who was also in the original production. It was originally planned that the choreography would be done by Larry Drew, the original Bobby van Husen, but he died suddenly during the early planning stages of the production. Set design was by Disley Jones who was responsible for the hat designs in the original production. Among the cast were Gemma Page, Oliver Hickey, Sophie Louise Dann and John Rutland (in his original role as Lord Brockhurst). Following its success at the Players' it went on a nationwide tour and was very successful.
A production played in 2006 at the Open Air Theatre at Regent's Park, London. This also proved to be a highly acclaimed production, and was revived during the Open Air Theatre's 2007 season.
The Boy Friend is the chosen title for the Showtime Challenge 2011 at Her Majesty's Theatre
, London, to be produced by Eyebrow Productions. Rehearsals take place over a 48 hour period immediately prior to the performance on Sunday 8 May, and all proceeds go to The Prince's Foundation for Children and The Arts
.
at the Royale Theatre on September 30, 1954 and closed on November 26, 1955 after 485 performances. Starring was newcomer Julie Andrews
in her Broadway debut as Polly, with a cast including John Hewer
, Geoffrey Hibbert, Dilys Laye
, Bob Scheerer, Stella Claire, Ann Wakefield, Millicent Martin
and Moyna MacGill
. Some of them had connections with The Players' Theatre in London, but only Wakefield had actually appeared in the show's London production (in the very first run at the Players'). For the Broadway opening, veteran orchestrator Ted Royal
and jazzman Charles L. Cooke contributed period authenticity to the 1920 arrangements.
In her Broadway debut Andrews received the Theatre World Award
. She was "discovered" by My Fair Lady
producers during her appearance in this play, prompting her casting in the lead in that production, catapulting her to fame on Broadway (and beyond) in the following years.
A revival opened on Broadway
at the Ambassador Theatre
on April 14, 1970, and ran for 111 performances. Starring were Judy Carne
as Polly, Sandy Duncan
as Maisie and Ronald Young as Tony. Duncan received the Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Performance as well as a Tony Award
nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
as Polly Browne and Sean Palmer
as Tony Brockhurst.
This production was presented at the Goodspeed Opera House, running from July 2005 through September 24 2005, where Sean Palmer returned as Tony and Jessica Grové took over the role of Polly after Meredith Patterson was unable to do the role due to scheduling conflicts with her new role in Irving Berlin's White Christmas
. Costume and scenic design were by Tony Walton
, with choreography
by John DeLuca. The show was performed in two acts, instead of three, and the song "Safety in Numbers" was moved from the scene on the beach to the Carnival Ball. The production then toured the United States and Canada, playing 11 cities, including Chicago
, Boston, Orange County
, and Toronto
, from October 2005 through March 2006. The touring cast included Bethe Austin as Hortense, Paul Carlin as Percival, Andrea Chamberlain as Maisie, Drew Eshelman as Lord Brockhurst, Rick Faugno as Bobby Van Husen, Nancy Hess as Madame Dubonnet, Darcy Pulliam as Lady Brockhurst, Scott Barnhardt as Alphonse, Andrew Briedis as Pierre, Jordan Cable as Marcel, Margot de La Barre as Nancy, Pamela Otterson as Monica, Krysta Rodriguez
as Fay, Eric Daniel Santagata as Phillipe, Tom Souhrada as Garcon, and Kirsten Wyatt as Dulcie.
Polly's widowed father, Percy, then arrives at the school to discover that the headmistress is an old flame of his. They sing "Fancy Forgetting" to rekindle the spark. Polly, though a millionaire's daughter, feels left out because she is the only one of her set who does not have a boyfriend, and she needs a partner for the fancy dress ball. However, when the errand boy, Tony, arrives to deliver her Pierrette costume, they are immediately attracted to each other, and sing "I Could Be Happy With You." Later, they meet at the beach (after the chorus number "Sur La Plage"), where Polly lies about being rich and sing about "A Room in Bloomsbury
." They then kiss and decide to meet at the ball. The "aging roué" character Lord Brockhurst arrives on the scene, leading to a comical meeting with the rigidly mannered Percival Browne. Lord Brockhurst's domineering wife Lady Brockhurst is also introduced. Percival Browne and Dubonnet then sing "The 'You-Don't-Want-To-Play-With-Me' Blues".
When Polly goes to meet Tony on the promenade, Lord and Lady Brockhurst, who are passing by, recognize him. When he runs off, everyone else assumes that he is a thief. The act ends on a sad note.
At the ball, Bobby and the three boys propose to Maisie and the three girls, but the girls reply in unison that "we'll let you know at midnight" and everyone dances to "The Riviera". Lord Brockhurst sings "It's Never Too Late To Fall In Love" with the flirty Dulcie, and is caught out by Lady Brockhurst. Polly confides in Hortense, and they sing "Poor Little Pierrette". Tony later arrives at the ball and takes Polly by surprise. He asks "May I have this dance, Pierrette?" to which Polly replies, "I'm afraid I can't dance with a stranger". He then kisses her to remind her. Polly discovers that Tony is really the son of Lord and Lady Brockhurst, who had left home to try to make his own way in the world. Percy and Mme. Dubonnet announce that they are getting married. The clock strikes midnight, and the girls unanimously say yes to the boys' proposals. The last scene has everyone dancing as soon as Bobby, with the last spoken line in the play, asks "So how about that Charleston?" The show ends with a reprise of "The Boy Friend" and "I Could Be Happy With You."
Act II
Act III
's 1971 film version of the show, starring Twiggy
and Christopher Gable
, was an alternative interpretation, weaving the basic plot into a more complicated story in which a seaside dramatic company, performing the show, is visited by a film producer (Vladek Sheybal
) on the very night that the leading lady (Glenda Jackson
) has to be replaced by her shy understudy Polly Browne (Twiggy). It also contained references to numerous other Busby Berkeley
and MGM movie musicals of the 1930s. The National Board of Review voted Ken Russell best director, and Twiggy won two Golden Globe awards as best newcomer and best actress (musical/comedy), but the film did not make a significant impact on the American box-office, perhaps because MGM edited it down to 109 minutes. (MGM/UA Classics' Michael Schlesinger reissued the full version theatrically in 1987.) It was released to DVD on April 12, 2011, as part of the Warner Archive Collection
, a series of made-to-order DVDs. The disc is remastered and is the 136-minute version.
Wilson's original score was freely adapted and augmented by Peter Maxwell Davies
for the film. Davies subsequently prepared (and recorded) a concert suite based on the music.
Sandy Wilson
Sandy Wilson is an English composer and lyricist, best known for his musical The Boy Friend .-Biography:Wilson was born Alexander Galbraith Wilson in Sale, Greater Manchester, and was educated at Harrow School and Oriel College, Oxford. During the war he served in the Royal Ordnance Corps in Great...
. The musical's original 1954 London production ran for 2,078 performances, making it briefly the third-longest running musical in West End or Broadway history (after Chu Chin Chow
Chu Chin Chow
Chu Chin Chow is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based on the story of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves...
and Oklahoma!
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
) until it was surpassed by Salad Days. This musical marked Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
' American stage debut.
Set in the carefree world of the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
in the Roaring Twenties
Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties is a phrase used to describe the 1920s, principally in North America, but also in London, Berlin and Paris for a period of sustained economic prosperity. The phrase was meant to emphasize the period's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism...
, The Boy Friend is a comic pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
of 1920s shows (in particular early Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and the lyricist Lorenz Hart...
). The title is an obvious parody of The Girl Friend
The Girl Friend
The Girl Friend is a musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Herbert Fields. This was the longest running show to date for the trio.-Production:...
. Its relatively small cast and low cost of production makes it a continuing popular choice for amateur and student groups.
Sandy Wilson wrote a sequel to The Boy Friend. Set ten years later, and, appropriately, a pastiche of 1930s musicals (in particular those of Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
) it was titled Divorce Me, Darling!
Divorce Me, Darling!
Divorce Me, Darling is a musical written by Sandy Wilson. Set ten years after the events depicted in Wilson's much better known The Boy Friend, it is a pastiche of 1930s musicals rather than the "Roaring Twenties" shows that inspired the earlier show.-Productions:Divorce Me, Darling ran for 91...
and ran for 91 performances at London's Globe Theatre
Globe Theatre
The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613...
in 1965. It is sometimes revived as a "double bill" with The Boy Friend.
London
The musical was first performed in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1953. It opened at the Players' Theatre Club
Players' Theatre
The Players' Theatre was a theatre in London as well as a theatre club for music hall in the style of the BBC programme "The Good Old Days".-Origins:...
on April 14 1953, and reopened in an expanded version on October 13. It transferred for a short season to the Embassy Theatre
Embassy Theatre (London)
The Embassy Theatre is a theatre at 64, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London.- Early years :The Embassy Theatre was opened as a repertory company in September 1928 on the initiative of Sybil Arundale and Herbert Jay., when the premises of Hampstead Conservatoire of Music were adapted by architect...
, Swiss Cottage and then opened at Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham . Located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, it was designed by W.G.R. Sprague about 1898, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916...
in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
on January 14, 1954. The light, tuneful piece proved immensely popular with the British public and ran for more than five years, a total of 2,082 performances.
The principal role of Polly Browne was to have been played by Diana Maddox, who fell sick on the afternoon of the final dress rehearsal. Anne Rogers
Anne Rogers
Anne Rogers is a retired English actress, dancer and singer.-Career:Anne Rogers began her career onstage at the age of 15. She was in the original London production of The Boy Friend, playing the female lead of Polly Browne for nearly four years...
(at that point playing a minor role) volunteered to take over, having learnt the role on her own. The show opened the following evening and made an overnight star of Rogers, who stayed with the production through its expanded versions to the triumphant West End first night at Wyndham's.
In 1995, on its 40th anniversary, the musical returned to The Players' Theatre in London in a new production that was as near a reproduction of the original as possible. It was directed by Maria Charles, who played the original Dulcie. The choreography was by Geoffrey Webb who was also in the original production. It was originally planned that the choreography would be done by Larry Drew, the original Bobby van Husen, but he died suddenly during the early planning stages of the production. Set design was by Disley Jones who was responsible for the hat designs in the original production. Among the cast were Gemma Page, Oliver Hickey, Sophie Louise Dann and John Rutland (in his original role as Lord Brockhurst). Following its success at the Players' it went on a nationwide tour and was very successful.
A production played in 2006 at the Open Air Theatre at Regent's Park, London. This also proved to be a highly acclaimed production, and was revived during the Open Air Theatre's 2007 season.
The Boy Friend is the chosen title for the Showtime Challenge 2011 at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
, London, to be produced by Eyebrow Productions. Rehearsals take place over a 48 hour period immediately prior to the performance on Sunday 8 May, and all proceeds go to The Prince's Foundation for Children and The Arts
The Prince's Foundation for Children and The Arts
The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts is an independent educational charity that provides access to professional arts venues for young people in the UK who would otherwise grow up having had no, or very limited opportunity, to engage with the arts....
.
Broadway
The Boy Friend opened on BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Royale Theatre on September 30, 1954 and closed on November 26, 1955 after 485 performances. Starring was newcomer Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
in her Broadway debut as Polly, with a cast including John Hewer
John Hewer
John Hewer was an English actor. He was born in Leyton, London.A stalwart of London's Players Theatre throughout his career, he appeared in many musical theatrical productions, including Sail Away and Six of One in London's West End theatre, but the highlight of his theatrical career was starring...
, Geoffrey Hibbert, Dilys Laye
Dilys Laye
Dilys Laye was an English actress and screenwriter, best known for comedy roles. She died of cancer aged 74.- Early life :...
, Bob Scheerer, Stella Claire, Ann Wakefield, Millicent Martin
Millicent Martin
Millicent Mary Lillian Martin is an English actress, singer and comedienne.Martin was born in Romford, England. She made her Broadway debut opposite Julie Andrews in The Boy Friend in 1954...
and Moyna MacGill
Moyna MacGill
Moyna Macgill was an Irish stage and film actress and the mother of actress Angela Lansbury and producers Edgar Lansbury and Bruce Lansbury.-Life and career:...
. Some of them had connections with The Players' Theatre in London, but only Wakefield had actually appeared in the show's London production (in the very first run at the Players'). For the Broadway opening, veteran orchestrator Ted Royal
Ted Royal
Ted Royal [Dewar] was an American orchestrator, conductor and composer for Broadway theatre. He was most active in the 1940s and 50s, being associated with the very successful original productions of Lerner and Loewe's Brigadoon and Paint Your Wagon...
and jazzman Charles L. Cooke contributed period authenticity to the 1920 arrangements.
In her Broadway debut Andrews received the Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
. She was "discovered" by My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
producers during her appearance in this play, prompting her casting in the lead in that production, catapulting her to fame on Broadway (and beyond) in the following years.
A revival opened on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Ambassador Theatre
Ambassador Theatre
Ambassador Theatre can refer to:* Ambassador Theatre * Ambassador Theatre * Ambassador Theatre * Ambassadors Theatre...
on April 14, 1970, and ran for 111 performances. Starring were Judy Carne
Judy Carne
Judy Carne is an English actress best remembered for the phrase "Sock it to me!" on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.-Career:...
as Polly, Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor...
as Maisie and Ronald Young as Tony. Duncan received the Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for Outstanding Performance as well as a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
Regional revival and North American tour
In 2003, Julie Andrews made her directorial debut with a production of The Boy Friend at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY, starring Meredith PattersonMeredith Patterson
Meredith Patterson is an American musical theatre actor known for her Broadway performances, as well as her television and film work.-External links:...
as Polly Browne and Sean Palmer
Sean Palmer
Sean Palmer is an actor, singer, and dancer of both stage and screen.His most recognizable role on television is that of Stanford Blatch's boyfriend, Marcus on the HBO series Sex and the City...
as Tony Brockhurst.
This production was presented at the Goodspeed Opera House, running from July 2005 through September 24 2005, where Sean Palmer returned as Tony and Jessica Grové took over the role of Polly after Meredith Patterson was unable to do the role due to scheduling conflicts with her new role in Irving Berlin's White Christmas
White Christmas (musical)
White Christmas is a musical based on the Paramount Pictures 1954 film of the same name. The libretto is by David Ives and Paul Blake, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin...
. Costume and scenic design were by Tony Walton
Tony Walton
Tony Walton is an English set and costume designer.Walton was born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, United Kingdom. He began his career in 1957 with the stage design for Noel Coward's Broadway production of Conversation Piece. Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s he designed for the New...
, with choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
by John DeLuca. The show was performed in two acts, instead of three, and the song "Safety in Numbers" was moved from the scene on the beach to the Carnival Ball. The production then toured the United States and Canada, playing 11 cities, including Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Boston, Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, from October 2005 through March 2006. The touring cast included Bethe Austin as Hortense, Paul Carlin as Percival, Andrea Chamberlain as Maisie, Drew Eshelman as Lord Brockhurst, Rick Faugno as Bobby Van Husen, Nancy Hess as Madame Dubonnet, Darcy Pulliam as Lady Brockhurst, Scott Barnhardt as Alphonse, Andrew Briedis as Pierre, Jordan Cable as Marcel, Margot de La Barre as Nancy, Pamela Otterson as Monica, Krysta Rodriguez
Krysta Rodriguez
Krysta Rodriguez is an American actress and singer. She grew up in Orange County, California and attended the Orange County High School of the Arts.- Career :...
as Fay, Eric Daniel Santagata as Phillipe, Tom Souhrada as Garcon, and Kirsten Wyatt as Dulcie.
Plot
In the Villa Caprice, or Madame Dubonnet's School for Young Ladies, Maisie and the girls live with the maid, Hortense, and Mme. Dubonnet. Hortense orders a costume for "a Miss Polly Browne" and Maisie and the other girls (Dulcie, Nancy, and Fay) sing the ironic "Perfect Young Ladies" with Hortense. Polly arrives and tells everyone about her made-up boy friend who is "motoring down from Paris" to meet her for the upcoming carnival ball, and sings about "The Boy Friend". Later, Bobby surprises Maisie and they dance to "Won't You Charleston With Me?"Polly's widowed father, Percy, then arrives at the school to discover that the headmistress is an old flame of his. They sing "Fancy Forgetting" to rekindle the spark. Polly, though a millionaire's daughter, feels left out because she is the only one of her set who does not have a boyfriend, and she needs a partner for the fancy dress ball. However, when the errand boy, Tony, arrives to deliver her Pierrette costume, they are immediately attracted to each other, and sing "I Could Be Happy With You." Later, they meet at the beach (after the chorus number "Sur La Plage"), where Polly lies about being rich and sing about "A Room in Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
." They then kiss and decide to meet at the ball. The "aging roué" character Lord Brockhurst arrives on the scene, leading to a comical meeting with the rigidly mannered Percival Browne. Lord Brockhurst's domineering wife Lady Brockhurst is also introduced. Percival Browne and Dubonnet then sing "The 'You-Don't-Want-To-Play-With-Me' Blues".
When Polly goes to meet Tony on the promenade, Lord and Lady Brockhurst, who are passing by, recognize him. When he runs off, everyone else assumes that he is a thief. The act ends on a sad note.
At the ball, Bobby and the three boys propose to Maisie and the three girls, but the girls reply in unison that "we'll let you know at midnight" and everyone dances to "The Riviera". Lord Brockhurst sings "It's Never Too Late To Fall In Love" with the flirty Dulcie, and is caught out by Lady Brockhurst. Polly confides in Hortense, and they sing "Poor Little Pierrette". Tony later arrives at the ball and takes Polly by surprise. He asks "May I have this dance, Pierrette?" to which Polly replies, "I'm afraid I can't dance with a stranger". He then kisses her to remind her. Polly discovers that Tony is really the son of Lord and Lady Brockhurst, who had left home to try to make his own way in the world. Percy and Mme. Dubonnet announce that they are getting married. The clock strikes midnight, and the girls unanimously say yes to the boys' proposals. The last scene has everyone dancing as soon as Bobby, with the last spoken line in the play, asks "So how about that Charleston?" The show ends with a reprise of "The Boy Friend" and "I Could Be Happy With You."
Songs
Act I- Perfect Young Ladies - Hortense, Maisie, Dulcie, Fay, Nancy, Ensemble
- The Boy Friend - Polly, Dulcie, Maisie, Fay, Nancy, Marcel, Pierre, Alphonse, Ensemble
- Won't You CharlestonCharleston (dance)The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
With Me? - Bobby, Maisie - Fancy Forgetting - Madame Dubonnet, Percival
- I Could Be Happy With You - Polly, Tony
- Finale Act 1 - Ensemble
Act II
- Sur La Plage - Dulcie, Nancy, Ensemble
- A Room In Bloomsbury - Tony, Polly
- Nicer In Nice - Hortense ensemble
- The You-Don't-Want-To-Play-With-Me Blues - Madame Dubonnet, Percival
- Safety In Numbers - Maisie, Bobby, Marcel, Alphonse, Pierre
- I Could Be Happy With You (Reprise) - Polly, Tony
- Finale Act 2 - ALL
Act III
- The Riviera - Bobby, Maisie, Dulcie, Fay, Nancy, Marcel, Alphonse, Pierre, Ensemble
- It's Never Too Late To Fall In Love - Lord Brockhurst, Dulcie
- Carnival Tango - Tango Dancers
- Poor Little Pierrette - Madame Dubonnet, Polly
- Finale Act 3 - ALL
Film version
Ken RussellKen Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
's 1971 film version of the show, starring Twiggy
Twiggy
Lesley Lawson née Hornby known as Twiggy is an English model, actress, and singer. In the early-1960s she became a prominent British teenage model of swinging sixties London with others such as Penelope Tree....
and Christopher Gable
Christopher Gable
Christopher Gable, CBE was an English ballet dancer, choreographer, and actor.Born in London, Gable studied at the Royal Ballet School, joining the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet in 1957...
, was an alternative interpretation, weaving the basic plot into a more complicated story in which a seaside dramatic company, performing the show, is visited by a film producer (Vladek Sheybal
Vladek Sheybal
Vladek Sheybal , born Władysław Sheybal, was a Polish character actor, whose career lasted from the 1950s into the 1980s. He was probably best known for his portrayal of the chess grandmaster Kronsteen in the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love, a role for which he had been personally...
) on the very night that the leading lady (Glenda Jackson
Glenda Jackson
Glenda May Jackson, CBE is a British Labour Party politician and former actress. She has been a Member of Parliament since 1992, and currently represents Hampstead and Kilburn. She previously served as MP for Hampstead and Highgate...
) has to be replaced by her shy understudy Polly Browne (Twiggy). It also contained references to numerous other Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. Berkeley was famous for his elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns...
and MGM movie musicals of the 1930s. The National Board of Review voted Ken Russell best director, and Twiggy won two Golden Globe awards as best newcomer and best actress (musical/comedy), but the film did not make a significant impact on the American box-office, perhaps because MGM edited it down to 109 minutes. (MGM/UA Classics' Michael Schlesinger reissued the full version theatrically in 1987.) It was released to DVD on April 12, 2011, as part of the Warner Archive Collection
Warner Archive Collection
The Warner Archive Collection is a manufactured-on-demand DVD series. It was started by Warner Home Video on March 23, 2009 with the intention of putting previously unreleased back catalog films on DVD for the first time ever. Using recordable DVDs, they custom burn discs for each order rather than...
, a series of made-to-order DVDs. The disc is remastered and is the 136-minute version.
Wilson's original score was freely adapted and augmented by Peter Maxwell Davies
Peter Maxwell Davies
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, CBE is an English composer and conductor and is currently Master of the Queen's Music.-Biography:...
for the film. Davies subsequently prepared (and recorded) a concert suite based on the music.