Musical (1987)


Musique: Cole Porter
Paroles: Cole Porter • Susan Birkenhead
Livret: Arthur Kopit
Production à la création:

Version 4

High Society (2003-07-Open Air Theatre Regent's Park-London)

Type de série: Original London
Théâtre: Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 1 mois 3 semaines
Nombre :
Première Preview : mardi 22 juillet 2003
Première : jeudi 24 juillet 2003
Dernière : samedi 13 septembre 2003
Mise en scène : Ian Talbot
Chorégraphie : Gillian Gregory
Producteur :
Avec : Dale Rapley (Dexter), Hal Fowler (Mike), Tracie Bennett (Liz), Annette McLaughlin (Tracy), Brian Green (Uncle Willie), Peter Forbes, Brigit Forsyth, Claire Redcliffe, Walter van Dyck, John Conroy.
Commentaires : The original 1987 London production had a book by Richard Eyre using the eight songs from the original film version and incorporating an additional ten songs from other Cole Porter musicals. This was a different version with a book by Arthur Kopit - a version which had opened on Broadway in April 1998 where it ran for just 144 performances. The Kopit version also incorporated songs from other Cole Porter musicals - but a different selection of songs from the Richard Eyre version. Although based on the same story with the same characters, these were two very different versions.

Based on the Philip Barry play The Philadelphia Story and the musical screen adaptation it inspired, High Society, the plot centers on pretentious Long Island socialite Tracy Lord, who is planning a June 1938 wedding to an equally pretentious executive when ex-husband Dexter Haven arrives to disrupt the proceedings. Additional comic complications arise when tabloid reporter Mike Connor, who is there to cover the wedding, also falls for the bride-to-be.


Broadway
The musical had a try-out in San Francisco in 1997.

The musical premiered on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on April 27, 1998 and closed on August 30, 1998 after 144 performances and 27 previews. Directed by Christopher Renshaw, the cast included Stephen Bogardus (Macaulay Conner), Melissa Errico (Tracy), Daniel McDonald (Dexter), John McMartin (Uncle Willie), Randy Graff, Lisa Banes, Marc Kudisch, Betsy Joslyn and a 12-year-old Anna Kendrick. Sets were by Loy Arcenas, costumes were by Jane Greenwood, and lighting was by Howell Binkley. Des McAnuff was "brought in during the show's troubled tryout period" and is uncredited. Lar Lubovitch is credited as the choreographer, with Wayne Cilento uncredited

Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times, wrote: "...spirits are definitely high in 'High Society,' which stars a sadly misused Melissa Errico, but they also feel forced and even desperate. The show, first seen in a tepidly received version in San Francisco, has since undergone drastic retailoring. And it ominously shed its director and choreographer of record, Christopher Renshaw and Lar Lubovitch, during New York rehearsals, with Des McAnuff and Wayne Cilento stepping in to make last-minute revisions. Perhaps that accounts for the feverish, at-sea quality that seems to possess the show's team of talented, proven performers. The production's guiding rule appears to be to do whatever is necessary to land a joke or to sell a song... Numbers that should bubble with dry effervescence are more likely to come across as a thick ferment of suds."

London
A rather more successful West End production opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre on February 25, 1987 and ran for 420 performances. It starred Trevor Eve (Dexter), Stephen Rea (Mike), Angela Richards (Liz), Natasha Richardson (Tracy) and Ronald Fraser (Uncle Willie); the director was Richard Eyre.

On October 1, 2005, a West End revival starring Katherine Kingsley (Tracy Lord), Graham Bickley (Dexter Haven), Paul Robinson (Mike) and Jerry Hall (Mrs. Lord) opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre. This was based on the 2003 Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park production and subsequent tour. These productions were directed by Ian Talbot OBE. Tracie Bennett played Liz in the Open Air Theatre production and stole the show, according to The Guardian critic.


Act I
"High Society"
"Ridin' High"
"Throwing a Ball Tonight"
"Little One"
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
"I Love Paris"
"She's Got That Thing"
"Once Upon a Time"
"True Love"

Act II
"High Society" (Reprise)
"Let's Misbehave"
"I'm Getting Myself Ready for You"
"Once Upon a Time" (Reprise)
"Just One of Those Things"
"Well, Did You Evah!"
"You're Sensational"
"Say It With Gin"
"Ridin' High"
"It's All Right With Me"
"He's a Right Guy"
"I Love You, Samantha"
"True Love" (Reprise)

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant High Society


Version 1

High Society (1987-02-Victoria Palace Theatre-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Victoria Palace Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 10 mois 3 semaines
Nombre : 420 représentations
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première : mercredi 25 février 1987
Dernière : samedi 16 janvier 1988
Mise en scène : Richard Eyre
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Avec : True Love, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Now You Has Jazz, Samantha, (and interpolated from earlier Cole Porter Shows: I’ll Black Your Eyes, Hey Good Lookin’, In the Still of the Night)
Commentaires : Based on “The Philadelphia Story” by Philip Barry and the MGM film “High Society”. There was heavy criticism for the casting of non-singers -Natasha Richardson, Trevor Eve and Stephen Rea - in a musical, and for a number of occasions when the cast were obviously miming to pre-recorded tracks. (On August 10th major cast changes had Patrick Ryecart, Steven Pacey and the American Julie Osburn replacing the three main leads). The scenery was heavy, clunky and impractical and the production rather over-blown with an onstage orchestra being trucked forward, backwards and sideways in Wurlitzer juke-box shaped bandstands.

Version 2

High Society (1998-04-St. James Theatre-Broadway)

Type de série: Original
Théâtre: St. James Theatre (Broadway - Etats-Unis)
Durée : 4 mois
Nombre : 27 previews - 144 représentations
Première Preview : mardi 31 mars 1998
Première : lundi 27 avril 1998
Dernière : dimanche 30 août 1998
Mise en scène : Christopher Renshaw
Chorégraphie : Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Producteur :
Avec : Mike Connor ... Stephen Bogardus / Tracy Samantha Lord ... Melissa Errico / C.K. Dexter Haven ... Daniel McDonald / Uncle Willie ... John McMartin / Liz Imbrie ... Randy Graff / Margaret Lord ... Lisa Banes / Chester ... Barry Finkel / Seth Lord ... Daniel Gerroll / Sunny ... Kisha Howard / Patsy ... Betsy Joslyn

Version 3

High Society (1998-06-Metropol Theater-Vienna)

Type de série: Original Europe
Théâtre: Metropol Theater (Vienne - Autriche)
Durée : 1 mois 4 semaines
Nombre :
Première Preview : mercredi 03 juin 1998
Première : mercredi 03 juin 1998
Dernière : samedi 01 août 1998
Mise en scène : Rudi Klausnitzer
Chorégraphie : ???? ????
Producteur :
Commentaires longs: Daisy Lord - Therese Lohner / Dex - Yngve Gasoy Romdal / Lisa - Sigrid Hauser / Mickey - Andreas Steppan / Margret Lord - Else Ludwig / Sepp Lord - Wolfgang Pampel / Tina Lord - Maddalena Hirschal / Georg - Tim Kramer / Onkel Willie - David Cameron / James - Chevalier Richard Vaughan Rowlands

Version 4

High Society (2003-07-Open Air Theatre Regent's Park-London)

Type de série: Original London
Théâtre: Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 1 mois 3 semaines
Nombre :
Première Preview : mardi 22 juillet 2003
Première : jeudi 24 juillet 2003
Dernière : samedi 13 septembre 2003
Mise en scène : Ian Talbot
Chorégraphie : Gillian Gregory
Producteur :
Avec : Dale Rapley (Dexter), Hal Fowler (Mike), Tracie Bennett (Liz), Annette McLaughlin (Tracy), Brian Green (Uncle Willie), Peter Forbes, Brigit Forsyth, Claire Redcliffe, Walter van Dyck, John Conroy.
Commentaires : The original 1987 London production had a book by Richard Eyre using the eight songs from the original film version and incorporating an additional ten songs from other Cole Porter musicals. This was a different version with a book by Arthur Kopit - a version which had opened on Broadway in April 1998 where it ran for just 144 performances. The Kopit version also incorporated songs from other Cole Porter musicals - but a different selection of songs from the Richard Eyre version. Although based on the same story with the same characters, these were two very different versions.

Version 5

High Society (2005-10-Shaftesbury-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Shaftesbury Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)

Durée : 3 mois 1 semaine
Nombre : 120 représentations
Première Preview : samedi 01 octobre 2005
Première : lundi 10 octobre 2005
Dernière : samedi 21 janvier 2006
Mise en scène : Ian Talbot
Chorégraphie : Gillian Gregory
Producteur :
Avec : Graham Bickley (Dexter Haven), Katherine Kingsley (Tracy Lord), Paul Robinson (Mike Connor ), Ria Jones (Liz Imbrie), James Jordan (Seth Lord), Royston Kean (Uncle Willie), Claire Redcliffe (Dinah Lord) and Bryan Torfeh (George Kittredge).
Commentaires : This was a revival of the 2003 Open-Air Theatre production. According to the Independent: “In Regent’s Park this was just the summertime ticket ... inside the Shaftesbury, badly microphoned, desperately choreographed and tinnily accompanied by a band of just six musicians, it looks a bit cheap. Top billing was given to Jerry Hall, in the small and somewhat insignificant role of the mother of the bride. However, just eleven days after the Press Night, Jerry Hall withdrew from the show, suffering from glandular fever. (Exactly one year earlier Jerry Hall had left the cast of “My Darlin’ Janey” at the King’s Head, again suffering from glandular fever.) Her role was taken over by her understudy, Ali Mclnnes. Originally announced for a six-month run, the show closed on January 21st 2006 after just 15 weeks.
Presse : NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, " I get no kicks out of this staging...heavy-handed production leaves me as cold" MICHAEL COVENEY for THE INDEPENDENT says, "Badly microphoned, desperately choreographed and tinnily accompanied by a band of just six musicians, it looks a bit cheap and eager." CHARLERS SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Never quite achieves a satisfying coherence. Nevertheless, there remains much to enjoy...This High Society may not be quite out of the top drawer, but some of the magic remains." BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "fun is lacking. Maybe that upper-crust setting, with its clipped shrubs and distant mansion, has infected Talbot’s cast with chronic stiltedness in a way that Regent’s Park didn’t. Maybe what’s needed is a dose of life-enhancing chlorophyll. But they don’t keep such stuff in the Shaftesbury." LYN GARDNER fro THE GUARDIAN says, "there is something altogether starchy about Ian Talbot's production."

Version 6

High Society (2007-02-UK Tour)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: UK Tour ( - Angleterre)
Durée : 6 mois
Nombre :
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première : jeudi 01 février 2007
Dernière : samedi 04 août 2007
Mise en scène :
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Commentaires longs: Manchester - Palace Theatre - 1 to 10 February 2007 / Bristol - Hippodrome Theatre - 12 to 17 February 2007 / Glasgow - King's Theatre - 19 to 24 February 2007 / Southampton - Mayflower Theatre - 26 February to 3 March 2007 / Leeds - Grand Theatre - 5 to 10 March 2007 / Birmingham - Hippodrome Theatre - 12 to 17 March 2007 / Newcastle - Theatre Royal - 19 to 24 March 2007 / Edinburgh - Playhouse Theatre - 2 to 7 April 2007 / Woking - New Victoria Theatre - 16 to 21 April 2007 / Northampton - Derngate Theatre - 23 to 28 April 2007 / Cardiff - Wales Millenium Centre - 30 April to 5 May 2007 / Sheffield - Lyceum Theatre - 7 to 12 May 2007 / London - Richmond Theatre - 14 to 19 May 2007 / Wolverhampton - Grand Theatre - 21 to 26 May 2007 / Bromley - Churchill Theatre - 28 May to 2 June 2007 / Ipswich - Regent Theatre - 11 to 15 June 2007 / Brighton - Theatre Royal - 18 to 23 June 2007 / High Wycombe - Wycombe Swan - 25 to 30 June 2007 / Tunbridge Wells - Assembly Hall Theatre - 2 to 7 July 2007 / Cheltenham - Everyman Theatre - 9 to 14 July 2007 / Sunderland - Empire Theatre - 16 to 21 July 2007 / Plymouth - Theatre Royal - 23 to 28 July 2007 / Perth - Concert Hall - 30 July to 4 August 2007

Version 7

High Society (2009-12-Upstairs at the Gatehouse-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Upstairs at the Gatehouse (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 1 mois 1 semaine
Nombre :
Première Preview : vendredi 18 décembre 2009
Première : mardi 22 décembre 2009
Dernière : dimanche 31 janvier 2010
Mise en scène : John Plews
Chorégraphie : Lee Proud
Producteur :
Avec : Peter Kenworthy (Dexter), Brendan Cull (Mike), Hayley Emma Otway (Liz), Kirby Hughes (Tracy), Peter Breuilly (Uncle Willie), Dympna Le Rasle (Mother Lord), Tony Lewis, Jessica Bastick-Vines, Alex Wadham, Nicola Martin, Brendan Matthew, Tasmin Wakefield, Adam Pritchard
Commentaires : This was an example of a scaled-down musical that really did work, and was praised for its performance and production.

Version 8

High Society (2010-11-Baden Baden Stadttheater-Baden Baden)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Baden-Baden Stadttheater (Baden-Baden - Allemagne)
Durée : 1 mois 1 semaine
Nombre :
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première : samedi 06 novembre 2010
Dernière : samedi 18 décembre 2010
Mise en scène :
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Commentaires longs: Avec: Maya Hakvoort, Gabriele Kosik, Felicitas Morawitz, Beppo Binder, Franz Födinger, Jens Janke, Franz Josef Koepp, Klaus Ofczarek, Walter Schwab, Andreas Steppan, Christian Zmek

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