Darling Of The Day

Louise Gold starred as Alice Challice at the Ondaatje Wing Theatre at The National Portrait Gallery, on Sunday 22 & 29 August, 5, 12 & 19 September 2010

 

Cast

Oxford – Michael Roberts

Henry Leek – Paul Stewart

Priam Faril – Nicholas Jones

Lady Vale – Vivienne Martin

Cabby – Myra Sands

Doctor – Lee William-Davis

Alice Challice – Louise Gold

Daphne – Nicola Bryan

Bert – Lee William-Davis

Alf – Adam Dutton

Rosey – Cristin Curtin

Sydney – Michael Storrs

Duncan Faril – Chris Stanton

Attendant – Emma Hatton

Constable – Myra Sands

Miss Strawler – Emma Hatton

Pennington – Paul Stewart

Judge – Michael Storrs

Mrs Leek – Myra Sands

 

Production Team

 Music by – Jule Styne

Lyrics by – E Y Harburg

Book by – Nunnally Johnson, based on the play The Great Adventurer by Arnold Bennett

Original Production 27 January 1968 at The George Abbott Theatre, New York, with Patricia Routledge as Alice Challice

Produced by – The Discovering Lost Musicals Charitable TrustTM

Directed by – Ian Marshall Fisher

Musical Director – Mark Warman

Musical Staging – Stefan Reekie

Musical Staging Assistant – Emma Hutton

Programme Notes – Dominic McHugh

 

For a full review/account of Darling Of The Day please click here.

 

At the time of appearing in this Lost Musicals Concert Staging, Louise Gold was employed appearing in the musical Oliver!. It is likely she may have used her ‘holiday time’ to do the Lost Musical (like she had previously done when she was in Mamma Mia).

The programme for this production says under Paul Stewart’s resume that he had previously appeared in the Discovering Lost Musicals Charitable TrustTM’s production of Of Thee I Sing, however, an examination of the cast list for that concert staging does not include his name anywhere among it. As the musical in question has been staged on occasion by other organisations (such as Opera North), it could be possible that he appeared in one of those, rather than the Discovering Lost Musicals Charitable TrustTM production.

Louise Gold has previously played another role originated by Patricia Routledge, that of Dotty Otley in Noises Off.

Michael Roberts had previously been a guest on Let’s Do The Show Right Here (for which Louise Gold was a Team Captain).

Louise Gold, Michael Roberts, and, Myra Sands have previously appeared in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which also had a score by Jule Styne, and Mark Warman played it on the piano.

Michael Roberts had previously appeared at A Celebration Of The Life And Work Of Dick Vosbourgh.

Louise Gold, Myra Sands, and Paul Stewart have previously appeared in Red Hot & Blue, for which Mark Warman also played the piano.

Louise Gold, Myra Sands, and, Paul Stewart have previously appeared in Something For The Boys.

Nicholas Jones has previously appeared on television in The Alan Clark Diaries.

Louise Gold, Vivienne Martin, and Myra Sands have previously appeared in New Girl In Town.

Louise Gold and Myra Sands have previously appeared together in such Lost Musicals as: By Jupiter, One Touch Of Venus (1992 Production), Panama Hattie, and One Touch of Venus (2000 Production). They have also appeared together in Follies, Oliver!, and, a concert of highlights from the Ratepayers’ Iolanthe & Metropolitan Mikado, and, Camberwell Pocket Opera’s First Fundraising Gala. They can also be heard on Oliver! (Recording).

Louise Gold, and, Myra Sands have also previously appeared in Du Barry Was A Lady (1993 Production), for which Mark Warman also played the piano.

Myra Sands was previously scheduled to take part in Thing A Thon.

Louise Gold, and Lee William-Davis have previously appeared at The Prince Edward Theatre in Mamma Mia, and, Mary Poppins.

Mark Warman had previously played the piano for Of Thee I Sing, and conducted the orchestra for Du Barry Was A Lady (2001 Production), the latter being the last time Louise Gold was in a Lost Musical prior to this show.

Louise Gold, Michael Roberts, and, Myra Sands have gone on to appear in Mexican Hayride.

 

Critics Comments

 “Louise Gold makes a really rounded character out of the kindly but no-nonsense Alice, singing and dancing up a storm and even introducing a few Gracie Fields trills in the process.” Michael Darvell, CLASSICAL SOURCE.

 “Louise Gold played the role that won Patricia Routledge a Tony (despite a 32-performance run). She made Alice utterly lovely, self-assured and happy to be herself. No wonder Priam/Henry fell in love with her. What resonance she brought to the line, "I need someone to take care of."” Peter Filichia, THEATREMANIA, 22 December 2010

 “Although the cast perform from scripts, their interpretation is fluent and appealing. Especially good are Nicholas Jones, as Farll, and Louise Gold, playful yet affecting as his wife. Both add gravity to parts that don’t have much intrinsic psychological depth.” Henry Hitchings, THE EVEING STANDARD, 24 August 2010.

 “He marries a Cockney widow (Louise Gold) and settles down to another life”.... “Musically, it is almost too wayward – ranging from the jauntily Cowardesque ‘It’s Enough to Make a Lady Fall in Love’ to the Lionel Bart-ish Cockney knees-up ‘Not on Your Nellie’.”... “this is a perverse delight with a top-notch cast elegantly attired in evening wear giving it plenty of welly while performing from scripts. A real discovery.” Neil Norman, THE DAILY EXPRESS, Friday 27 August 2010.

 “In this case, it means that Nicholas Jones’s artist, and Louise Gold as the lonely heart who falls for him thinking that he’s the valet she’s been communicating with via a matrimonial agency, get to reveal a charming song, Let’s See What Happens.” Mark Shenton, THE STAGE, web 6 September 2010.

 

Links about Darling Of The Day

The Stage’s review of the show: http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/29451/darling-of-the-day

The Daily Express’s review of the show: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/195810/Darling-Of-The-Day-Lost-Musicals-Ondaatje-Wing-Theatre-The-National-Portrait-GalleryDarling-Of-The-Day-Lost-Musicals-Ondaatje-Wing-Theatre-The-National-Portrait-GalleryDarling-Of-The-Day-Lost-Musicals-Ondaatje-Wing-Theatre-The-National-Portrait-GalleryDarling-Of-The-Day-Lost-Musicals-Ondaatje-Wing-Theatre-The-National-Portrait-Gallery

Whats On Stage’s page for the show: http://www.whatsonstage.com/tickets/london/L757185977/Darling+of+the+Day+(1968).html  (WOS do not appear to have reviewed it themselves, but the user reviews are good)

Classical Source’s review of the show: http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_concert_review.php?id=8483

The Evening Standard’s review of the show: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/review-23870112-darling-of-the-day-deserves-this-revival.do or http://www.thefreelibrary.com/DARLING+OF+THE+DAY;+WHAT+ELSE+IS+NEW...+THEATRE-a0235208000

WebCowGirl’s review of the show: http://webcowgirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/review-darling-of-the-day-lost-musicals-at-the-ondaatje-wing-theatre/

A review, by Emma Shane, of seeing last year’s Discovering Lost Musicals production of Johnny Johnson (seeing as it has been referred to a few times in the review of Darling Of The Day): http://www.qsulis.demon.co.uk/Reviews/Johnny_Johnson.htm

Theatremania’s review of the show, by Peter Filicha: http://www.theatermania.com/peterfilichia/index.cfm?mode=viewentry&id=0E7B6452-2219-54E7-B9B40BDE2CBF2C6C

 

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