Original 2012 London Cast: Gay’s The Word, CD
Original 2012 London Cast

In 2012, London’s Finborough Theatre had an instant sell-out with Ivor Novello’s final musical, Gay’s the Word. This sparkling backstage musical comedy (written in 1951 for Dame Cicely Courtneidge) was the first commercial production of a Novello show in London for over forty years.

Bankrupt stage star Gay Daventry opens a drama school, but finds what is needed to get her back on top is, to name the show’s hit song, Vitality!. Other numbers include If Only He’d Looked My Way (subsequently recorded by Frank Sinatra), Bees Are Buzzin’ and On Such a Night as This, combining Novello’s melodies with Alan Melville’s wit.

West End favourite Sophie-Louise Dann stars as Gay, alongside fast-rising Helena Blackman and Josh Little, and an amazing supporting cast including Tony Award-winner Elizabeth Seal, whose career began in the chorus of the original production of Gay’s the Word.

Welsh-born composer, author and actor Ivor Novello (1893-1951) was one of the most eminent British entertainers of the last century. His West End musicals included Glamorous Night, The Dancing Years and King’s Rhapsody. As an actor, he was Britain’s first major male film star, appearing in over twenty silent features including Alfred Hitchcock’s classic The Lodger.

This production of Gay’s the Word was revived at Jermyn Street Theatre in 2013. Ben Stock replaced Jonny Purchase; Andrea Miller took over from Myra Sands; Adam Anderson and Martin Milnes replaced James Irving and Sebastian Smith; production assistance was by Gareth McLeod; lighting was by Rob Mills; music supervision was by Ross Leadbeater.

TRACK LISTING

1. RURITANIA – Boys
2. EVERYTHING REMINDS ME OF YOU – Prince, Linda and Chorus
3. GUARDS ON PARADE – Gay and Boys
4. IT’S BOUND TO BE RIGHT ON THE NIGHT – Gay
5. FATHER THAMES – Madame Nicolini and Students
6. FINDER, PLEASE RETURN – Linda
7. AN ENGLISHMAN IN LOVE – Peter
8. IF ONLY HE’D LOOKED MY WAY – Gay
9. VITALITY! – Gay and Company
10. TEACHING – Madame Nicolini, Monica and Margaret
11. VITALITY! Reprise – Reprise Linda, Gay and Company
12. SWEET THAMES – Linda, Boys and Girls
13. GAIETY GLAD – Gay and Company
14. IF ONLY HE’D LOOKED MY WAY reprise – Gay and Peter
15. A MATTER OF MINUTES – Peter and Linda
16. A MATTER OF MINUTES Reprise – Peter and Linda
17. ON SUCH A NIGHT AS THIS – Linda, Girls and Boys
18. BEES ARE BUZZIN’ – Gay and Company
19. BEES ARE BUZZIN’ reprise – Gay and Company
20. FINALE – Company