West End Broadway : the golden age of the American musical in London / Adrian Wright.
| Author/creator |
Wright, Adrian, 1947 July 1- |
| Format | Book and Print |
| Publication Info | Woodbridge ; Rochester, NY : Boydell Press, 2012. |
| Description | xi, 364 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 23 cm |
| Subject(s) |
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| Contents | 1939-1945. The war years -- 1946. Song of Norway -- 1947. Romany love ; Oklahoma! ; Annie get your gun ; Finian's rainbow -- 1948. Lute song ; High button shoes -- 1949. Brigadoon -- 1950. Carousel -- 1951. Kiss me Kate ; South Pacific -- 1952. Call me madam ; Love from Judy -- 1953. Paint your wagon ; Guys and dolls ; The king and I ; Wish you were here -- 1954. Pal Joey ; Can-can -- 1955. Wonderful town ; Kismet ; The pajama game -- 1956. Plain and fancy ; The threepenny opera ; Fanny -- 1957. The crystal heart ; Damn Yankees ; Bells are ringing -- 1958. Where's Charley? ; My fair lady ; Simply heavenly ; West side story ; Cinderella -- 1959. Candide ; The love doctor ; Aladdin -- 1960. The dancing heiress ; Flower drum song ; The most happy fella ; Rose-Marie ; Once upon a mattress -- 1961. The music man ; The sound of music ; Bye bye birdie ; The fantasticks ; Do re mi -- 1962. Little Mary sunshine ; Sail away ; Gentlemen prefer blondes ; Fiorello! -- 1963. Carnival ; How to succeed in business without really trying ; On the town ; A funny thing happened on the way to the forum ; The boys from Syracuse ; Pocahontas ; No strings -- 1964. All in love ; She loves me ; Camelot ; High spirits ; Little me -- 1965. The wayward way ; Hello, Dolly! -- 1966. Funny girl -- 1967. 110 in the shade ; Fiddler on the roof ; The desert song ; Sweet Charity -- 1968. You're a good man, Charlie Brown ; Cabaret ; Man of La Mancha ; I do! I do! ; Cindy ; Golden boy ; The student prince ; Lady be good! ; Hair ; Man with a load of mischief -- 1969. Your own thing ; Mame ; Belle Starr ; Dames at sea ; Promises, promises ; Anything goes -- 1970. 1776 ; The great waltz -- 1971. Show boat ; Ambassador ; Godspell -- 1972. Company ; Gone with the wind ; I and Albert ; Applause -- Appendix: American musicals in London, 1939-1972. |
| Abstract | A history and re-evaluation of the American musical in London between 1945 and 1972, a unique panoramic essay on British theatre of the Golden Age. This book deals specifically with the 'Golden Age' of American musicals in London. Here is a history and a re-evaluation not only of the British productions of Broadway's most popular product but of the works themselves, beginning with a brief account of the origins of the genre and of the shows seen during World War II. The difficult conditions of war-torn Britain prepared the ground for changes that would come with peace. While Britain clung to tried formulas, a refreshing breeze was blowing in from the Atlantic, altering the nature of British theatre by sending New York's commercially successful musicals to the West End. The wider relevance of this history is underscored, as is the fact that these works effectively imported American social history into the culture of a Britain coping with the aftermath of conflict. In London, critical reaction to Broadway musicals was often strikingly different from that awarded in New York, and Broadway success could result in West End failure, while off-Broadway shows struggled to gain hold in Britain. This book discusses every American musical seen in London between 1945 and 1972. As the final works of Cole Porter and Irving Berlin made way for a new wave of writers and composers, the arrival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! was celebrated as a breakthrough, heralding a period that included important works by Jule Styne, Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Robert Wright and George Forrest, Harold Rome, Frank Loesser, Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe, and the first stirrings of the next generation in Stephen Sondheim. Offering a unique panoramic essay on British theatre of the Golden Age, West End Broadway is an authoritative, challenging and diverting contribution to an understanding of a forgotten aspect of the Broadway musical. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 336-338) and index. |
| ISBN | 9781843837916 (hardback) |
| ISBN | 1843837919 (hardback) |
Available Items
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions | |
| Music | Music Stacks | ML2054 .W75 2012 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |