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Around the World (musical)
Encyclopedia
Around the World is a musical
with a book adapted by Orson Welles
, based on the Jules Verne
novel, Around the World in Eighty Days. It involves an around-the-world adventure by Phileas Fogg.
Music, lyrics and incidental score are by Cole Porter
. The expensive "musical extravaganza
" opened on Broadway
in 1946 but it flopped and closed after 75 performances.
had decided to make a musical out of one of his favorite childhood books, Around the World in Eighty Days. He wanted an entire circus on stage, a train running through the West, and had other extravagant production ideas. He raised money from Mike Todd
, the producer William Goetz, and the holder of the European rights to the title, Alexander Korda
. However, he had no money left for a star cast and used performers who were not well known. According to Charles Higham (writer of the Welles biography) "Porter wrote the songs far too quickly and badly".
The show had a cast of 70 and included four mechanical elephants and 54 stage hands. Mike Todd pulled out, and Welles put up his own money. He also borrowed from Columbia Pictures
president, Harry Cohn
, on a promise to write, produce, direct and star in a film for Cohn for no fee. He kept his promise, making the film The Lady of Shanghai.
Playwright John van Druten described the musical as "enormous fun" and Joshua Logan
said it was "fresh, witty, magical, exciting". However, with no story and unclear relationships between the characters, the show closed quickly, with Welles losing his savings, and the investors losing "large sums".
Act II
on April 28, 1946, moved to the Shubert Theatre
, New Haven on May 7, 1946, and then transferred to the Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia on May 14, 1946.
The production premiered on Broadway
at the Adelphi Theater
on May 31, 1946 and closed on August 3, 1946 after 75 performances. It was produced and directed by Orson Welles with circus sequences created by Barbette
, choreography by Nelson Barclift, costumes by Alvin Colt
, set design by Robert Davison, and lighting by Peggy Clark. The cast featured Arthur Margetson as Phileas Fogg, Larry Laurence as "Pat" Passepartout, Julie Warren as Molly Muggins, and Orson Welles
as Dick Fix.
The "Lost Musicals" series presented a concert version at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler’s Wells, London, in June - July 2007
calling the musical "only fitfully amusing", noted that the production "has spared no expense in gadgets and effects. There are movies of the flicker era, a miniature train crossing a bridge ... and desperate men and bold clinging to the rails of pounding ships at sea. In other words, Around the World has the making for an hilarious evening. It does not come off because it lacks unity. There are too many styles fighting among themselves ... the dances generally are miles removed from Mr. Welles' burlesque. Finally, Cole Porter has written an inferior score, the songs being on the usual musical comedy subjects and delivered without the zest brought to the show by its mainstay.... Perhaps the best part of the show is a circus, with acrobats, a rope walker and with Mr. Welles, himself, as the magician."
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book adapted by Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
, based on the Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
novel, Around the World in Eighty Days. It involves an around-the-world adventure by Phileas Fogg.
Music, lyrics and incidental score are by Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
. The expensive "musical extravaganza
Extravaganza
An extravaganza is a literary or musical work characterized by freedom of style and structure and usually containing elements of burlesque, pantomime, music hall and parody. It sometimes also has elements of cabaret, circus, revue, variety, vaudeville and mime...
" opened on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1946 but it flopped and closed after 75 performances.
History
Orson WellesOrson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
had decided to make a musical out of one of his favorite childhood books, Around the World in Eighty Days. He wanted an entire circus on stage, a train running through the West, and had other extravagant production ideas. He raised money from Mike Todd
Mike Todd
Michael Todd was an American theatre and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of Around the World in Eighty Days, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture...
, the producer William Goetz, and the holder of the European rights to the title, Alexander Korda
Alexander Korda
Sir Alexander Korda was a Hungarian-born British producer and film director. He was a leading figure in the British film industry, the founder of London Films and the owner of British Lion Films, a film distributing company.-Life and career:The elder brother of filmmakers Zoltán Korda and Vincent...
. However, he had no money left for a star cast and used performers who were not well known. According to Charles Higham (writer of the Welles biography) "Porter wrote the songs far too quickly and badly".
The show had a cast of 70 and included four mechanical elephants and 54 stage hands. Mike Todd pulled out, and Welles put up his own money. He also borrowed from Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
president, Harry Cohn
Harry Cohn
Harry Cohn was the American president and production director of Columbia Pictures.-Career:Cohn was born to a working-class German-Jewish family in New York City. In later years, he appears to have disparaged his heritage...
, on a promise to write, produce, direct and star in a film for Cohn for no fee. He kept his promise, making the film The Lady of Shanghai.
Playwright John van Druten described the musical as "enormous fun" and Joshua Logan
Joshua Logan
Joshua Lockwood Logan III was an American stage and film director and writer.-Early years:Logan was born in Texarkana, Texas, the son of Susan and Joshua Lockwood Logan. When he was three years old his father committed suicide...
said it was "fresh, witty, magical, exciting". However, with no story and unclear relationships between the characters, the show closed quickly, with Welles losing his savings, and the investors losing "large sums".
Synopsis
Phileas Fogg bets that he can go around the world in 80 days. Fogg is accompanied by his assistant, "Pat" Passepartout. They are pursued on this adventure by a police officer, Inspector Fix, who is persistent but incompetent. Inspector Fix believes that Fogg has possession of stolen money.Songs
Act I- Look What I Found - Molly, Pat, Ensemble
- There He goes, Mr. Phileas Fogg - Phileas, Pat
- Meerahiah - Ensemble
- Suttee Procession - [instrumental]
- Sea Chantey - Ensemble
- Should I Tell You I Love You? - Mrs. Aouda
- Pipe Dreaming - Pat
- Oka Saka Circus
Act II
- California Scene Dance - [instrumental]
- If You Smile at Me - Lola (reprised by Molly)
- Wherever They Fly the Flag of Old England - Phileas, Ensemble
- The Marine’s Hymn - Mrs. Aouda and Singing Boys
- Should I Tell You I Love You? (Reprise) - Mrs. Aouda
Productions
Around the World began pre-Broadway tryouts at the Boston Opera House, BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on April 28, 1946, moved to the Shubert Theatre
Shubert Theatre (New Haven)
The Shubert Theatre is a 1600-seat theatre located at 247 College Street in New Haven, Connecticut. Originally opened in 1914, it was designed by Albert Swazey, a New York architect and built by the H.E. Murdock Construction Company...
, New Haven on May 7, 1946, and then transferred to the Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia on May 14, 1946.
The production premiered on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Adelphi Theater
Adelphi Theater
The Adelphi Theatre , originally named the Craig Theatre, opened on December 24, 1928. The Adelphi was located at 152 West 54th Street in New York City, with 1,434 seats. The theater was taken over by the Federal Theater Project in 1934 and renamed the Adelphi...
on May 31, 1946 and closed on August 3, 1946 after 75 performances. It was produced and directed by Orson Welles with circus sequences created by Barbette
Barbette (performer)
Barbette was an American female impersonator, high wire performer and trapeze artist born in Texas on December 19, 1899...
, choreography by Nelson Barclift, costumes by Alvin Colt
Alvin Colt
Alvin Colt was an American costume designer. Colt worked on over 50 Broadway shows.His first job was in a theatrical fabric house, he also worked on painting scenery during the summer. On the Town was the first Broadway show he worked on in 1944...
, set design by Robert Davison, and lighting by Peggy Clark. The cast featured Arthur Margetson as Phileas Fogg, Larry Laurence as "Pat" Passepartout, Julie Warren as Molly Muggins, and Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
as Dick Fix.
The "Lost Musicals" series presented a concert version at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler’s Wells, London, in June - July 2007
Response
Critic Lewis Nichols of The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
calling the musical "only fitfully amusing", noted that the production "has spared no expense in gadgets and effects. There are movies of the flicker era, a miniature train crossing a bridge ... and desperate men and bold clinging to the rails of pounding ships at sea. In other words, Around the World has the making for an hilarious evening. It does not come off because it lacks unity. There are too many styles fighting among themselves ... the dances generally are miles removed from Mr. Welles' burlesque. Finally, Cole Porter has written an inferior score, the songs being on the usual musical comedy subjects and delivered without the zest brought to the show by its mainstay.... Perhaps the best part of the show is a circus, with acrobats, a rope walker and with Mr. Welles, himself, as the magician."