Introduced by Eric Maschwitz and 'The First-Nighter' Written by Gale Pedrick
Chapter 14
The music of: Charles Cuvilller Frederick Loewe
Nat D. Ayer, Frederic Nortoa with Billie Baker , Lucille Graham
Bruce Trent, Dudley Rolph
Jan van der Gucht
BBC Chorus
(Chorus-Master, Leslie Woodgate)
BBC Concert Orchestra
(Leader, John Sharpe)
Conductor, Gilbert Vinter
Produced by Michael North
We begin this week's edition with memories of one memorable record-breaking run at the Empire Theatre, and close it with others of an even more successful production which drew the playgoers to His Majesty's Theatre for five years. The first was 'The Lilac Domino' (whose star was Clara Butterworth, who married the composer of ' The Rebel Maid'), the second 'Chu Chin Chow,' which holds the London stage record for a continuous run of 2,238 performances. Both pieces brimmed over with easy-to-remember melodies and both made theatrical history. 'The Lilac Domino,' for instance, broke away from the Empire's tradition as home of ballet. For the first time tribute is paid to Nat D. Ayer's contribution to 'Nights of Gladness' in the theatre - with songs from his delightful musical play, 'Baby Bunting,' a 1919 memory of the Shaftesbury Theatre: and we strike a contemporary note with popular numbers from Loewe's 'Brigadoon.' G.P.