OPERETTE Musical in 2 Acts by Noel Coward Opera House, Manchester - 17 February, 1938 - 12 March, 1958 Transferred to Her Majesty's Theatre, London 16 March 1938 - 9 July, 1938 (133 perfs) SYNOPSIS Set backstage in early twentieth century London theatreland the story follows the role of a Viennese operetta star who comes to play in The Model Maid - a show within the show. The principals of the story were Rozanne Grey, a member of the sextet of The Model Maid, who is promoted to the leading role and stardom, and Nigel Vaynham who does not marry her but rather returns to his life in the army realising that a marriage to someone in theatre would be a social disaster for him. The musical part of the show is that of The Model Maid which gives the whole piece a very theatrical air. In a play within a play (an Edwardian musical comedy, The Model Maid), Liesl Haren, an aging Viennese operetta star, has another chance at stardom. Young Rozanne Grey, a member of the sextet of The Model Maid, falls in love with Nigel Vaynham, a nobleman serving in the army. Liesl counsels the younger woman not to marry him. Rozanne gains the leading role and stardom, but Nigel returns to the army, realising that a marriage to an actress would destroy his social reputation. ORIGINAL CAST • Grace Menteith - Pamela Randell • Violet Travers - Linda Gray • Rozanne Grey - Peggy Wood • Lala Montague - Lisa D'Esterre • Eleanor West - Heidi Anderson • Doreen Manners - Jean Barnes • Lily - Molly Lumley • Duggie - Tommy Hayes • Dora - Gladys Henson • Decima Drury - Winifred Davis • Edgar Fawcett - R J. Thurgood • Paul Trevor - Max Oldaker • Albert - Duncan Rider • Maisie Welbey - Phyllis Monkman • Eddie Gosling - Edward Cooper • Elsie Jewell - Muriel Barron • Liesl Haren - Fritzi Massary • Trudi - Violet Oldak • Phillip Jones - John Lauri • Charles - Charles Peters • Nigel Vaynham - Griffith Jones • Hon. David Messiter - Peter Vokes • Lord Elderley - Hugh French • Lord Camp - Kenneth Carten • Lord Sicken - John Gatrell • Lord Borrowmere - Ross Landon • Hon. Humphrey Gordon - Denis Carew • Jenner - J. Grant Anderson • Mabel - Marcelle Turner • Doris - Rosemary Lomax • George - Leonard Morris • Johnnie Knowles - Charles Gillespie • Blanche Wallace - Moya Nugent • Charles Hobson - George Butler • Countess of Messiter - Irene Vanbrugh • Sextet: Anthony Nicholls, Gordon Brand, Dunstan Hart, Peter Gibson, Donald Gordon, Angus Menzies with Judy Bennett, Phyllis Edmundsen, Ida Nicklin, Edna Brough, Jacqueline Le Geyt, Dilys Rees, Winifred Comstock, Peggy Hale, Jessica Roland, Daphne Day, Doris Ingham, Adèle Sivière, Janet Dunn, Maria Luth, Nina Terry, June Spencer Dyke, Dorothy Moyne, Diana Nash, Iris White; Peter Luxton, Richard Richards, Hugh Moor, Richard Stovold, Ronald Pope, Brian Vogel, Farleigh Price, Peter Evans.
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