Bless The Bride
Encyclopedia
Bless the Bride is a musical
with music by Vivian Ellis
and a book and lyrics by A. P. Herbert
, the third of five musicals they wrote together. 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 Lizbeth Webb
and Georges Guetary
. It was Charles B. Cochran
's 125th production and was directed by Wendy Toye
.
The premiere production opened at the Adelphi Theatre
in London on 26 April 1947, just before Oklahoma!
. 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, a break with the realism of earlier musical comedy sets.
A studio recording was made in 1967, and a revival was presented in 1987. 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.
In Victorian
England, it is 1870, the eve of the Franco-Prussian War
, 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").
Act II
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 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.
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 to 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 two lovers can at last marry with everyone's approval ("This Is My Lovely Day" (reprise)).
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with music by Vivian Ellis
Vivian Ellis
Vivian Ellis was an English musical comedy composer best known for the song "Spread a Little Happiness" and the theme "Coronation Scot".-Life and work:...
and a book and lyrics by A. P. Herbert
A. P. Herbert
Sir Alan Patrick Herbert, CH was an English humorist, novelist, playwright and law reform activist...
, the third of five musicals they wrote together. 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 Lizbeth Webb
Lizbeth Webb
Elizabeth Holton , better known by her stage name, Lizbeth Webb, is a retired English soprano and stage actress. After entertaining British troops during World War II, Webb pursued a career in West End musicals, playing such roles as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls.-Early life and career:Webb was...
and Georges Guetary
Georges Guétary
Georges Guétary, born Lambros Worloou was a French singer, dancer, cabaret performer and film actor, best known his role in the 1951 musical An American in Paris.-Early life and career:...
. It was Charles B. Cochran
Charles B. Cochran
Sir Charles Blake Cochran , generally known as C. B. Cochran, was an English theatrical manager. He produced some of the most successful musical revues, musicals and plays of the 1920s and 1930s, becoming associated with Noel Coward and his works.-Biography:Cochran was born in Sussex and educated...
's 125th production and was directed by Wendy Toye
Wendy Toye
Wendy Toye, CBE, was a British dancer, stage and film director and actress.Beryl May Jessie Toye was born in London. She initially worked as a dancer and choreographer both on stage and on film, collaborating with the likes of directors Jean Cocteau and Carol Reed...
.
The premiere production opened at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
in London on 26 April 1947, just before 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...
. 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, a break with the realism of earlier musical comedy sets.
A studio recording was made in 1967, and a revival was presented in 1987. 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.
Synopsis
Act IIn Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
England, it is 1870, the eve of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, 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").
Act II
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 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.
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 to 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 two lovers can at last marry with everyone's approval ("This Is My Lovely Day" (reprise)).
Roles and original cast
- Lucy Willow – Lizbeth WebbLizbeth WebbElizabeth Holton , better known by her stage name, Lizbeth Webb, is a retired English soprano and stage actress. After entertaining British troops during World War II, Webb pursued a career in West End musicals, playing such roles as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls.-Early life and career:Webb was...
- Alice, Ann, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Frances and Millicent, her sisters – Diana Beall, Joan Elvin, Pamela Carroll, Winifred Hammick, Mildred Griffiths, and Natasha Wills
- Mary Willow their mother – Edna Clement
- Augustus Willow, their father – Eric Fort
- Suzanne Valdis, an actress – Betty Paul
- Thomas Trout – Brian Reece
- Pierre Fontaine, an actor – Georges GuétaryGeorges GuétaryGeorges Guétary, born Lambros Worloou was a French singer, dancer, cabaret performer and film actor, best known his role in the 1951 musical An American in Paris.-Early life and career:...
- Nanny – Anona WinnAnona WinnAnona Winn was an Australian-born actress, broadcaster and singer, who spent most of her career in the UK .-Career:...
- Albert Willow, Lucy's grandfather – James HarcourtJames HarcourtJames Harcourt was a British character actor. He was born on 20 April 1873 in Headingley, Yorkshire.He started work as a cabinet maker, and drifted into amateur dramatics...
- Harriet Willow, Lucy's grandmother – Hebe Bliss
- Cousin George – Stewart Vartan
- Monsieur Robert, maitre d'hôte, Café des Pommes – Peter Lupino
Musical numbers
Act I- Croquet, Croquet – Ensemble
- Too Good to Be True – Thomas
- Any Man But Thomas T. – Lucy
- Oh, What will Mother Say – Lucy's sisters
- I was never Kissed Before – Lucy and Pierre (duet)
- God Bless the Family – Ensemble
- Ma Belle Marguerite – Pierre
- Silent Heart – Lucy
- Ducky – Lucy and her Nanny
- Bless the Bride (Finale Act 1) – Company
Act II
- Bobbing, Bobbing – French maidens
- Mon Pauvre Petit Pierre – Suzanne, Lucy and Pierre
- The Englishman – Thomas and the family
- A Table for Two – Pierre
- This is my Lovely Day – Lucy and Pierre
- The Fish – The family
- To France – Pierre and Chorus
- Here's A Kiss – Lucy's sisters
- My Big Moment – Thomas