Gay Divorce

London Production

A Musical Comedy in Two Acts
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by Dwight Taylor

Opened November 2, 1933 at the Palace Theatre, London
Ran for 180 performances
Produced by Felix Edwardes
Entire Production under the personal supervision of Lee Ephraim
Ensemble Dances by Carl Randall and Barbara Newberry
Musical Direction by Percival Mackey










 

Synopsis

While traveling abroad, American novelist Guy Holden falls in love with a beautiful lady named Mimi, who mysteriously disappears after their initial meeting.  When he later runs into her at a seaside resort, she mistakes him for the paid corespondent she has hired to facilitate her divorce.  Other characters include Guy's lawyer friend, Teddy Egbert; Mimi's oft-divorced friend and protectress, Hortense; and the idiot corespondent Tonetti, whose motto is "Your wife is safe with Tonetti — he prefers spaghetti."

Cast

Fred Astaire (Guy Holden)
Claire Luce (Mimi [Mrs. Mann])
Erik Rhodes (Tonetti)
Joan Gardner (Barbara Wray)
Eric Blore (Waiter)
Claud Allister (Teddy Egbert)

Olive Blakeney (Gertrude Howard), Clifford Heatherley (Robert), Bert Beswick (Porter), and Fred Hearne (Mr. Octavius Mann)

Musical Numbers

    Act One

  • "After You, Who?" - Guy
  • "Salt Air" - Ensemble
  • "Never Say No" - Barbara and Chorus [new song for this production]
  • "Where Would You Get Your Coat?" - Gertrude [from Fifty Million Frenchmen]
  • "Night and Day" - Guy and Mimi
  • "How's Your Romance?" - Tonetti and Chorus

    • Act Two

  • "Waiters versus Waitresses" - Waiter and Chorus [new song for this production]
  • "I've Got You on My Mind" - Guy and Mimi
  • "I Love Only You" - Tonetti [new song for this production]
  • "You're in Love" - Guy, Mimi and Tonetti

Original Cast Recordings

"Night and Day" / "After You, Who?" - Fred Astaire

  • 78 RPM, 1933 [Columbia (UK) DB 1215]

Contemporaneous Recordings

"I've Got You On My Mind" - Ambrose and His Orchestra [vocal: Sam Browne]

  • 78 RPM, 1933 [Brunswick (UK) 01623]

Go to the Original Broadway Production of Gay Divorce