Careless Rapture
Encyclopedia
Careless Rapture is a 'musical play' by the Welsh
composer Ivor Novello
and lyrics by Christopher Hassall
. It premiered on 11 September 1936 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
. It ran for 295 performances, a relatively modest success given Novello's other major successes.
Written as another large-scale extravaganze (including an on-stage earthquake) following Novello's hugely successful Glamorous Night
, Careless Rapture is the tale of an actress, Penelope Lee, engaged to the wealthy Sir Robert Alderney, but who is the object of Rodney's half-brother Michael's affections. Set in London, and ending up in China, Michael finally wins Penelope's affections by rescuing her from an earthquake.
Novello himself took the speaking part of Michael in the original production, which also starred Dorothy Dickson
as Penelope Lee, Zena Dare
as Phyllida Frame and Olive Gilbert
as Mme Simonetti.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
composer Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello
David Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
and lyrics by Christopher Hassall
Christopher Hassall
Christopher Vernon Hassall was an English actor, dramatist, librettist, lyricist and poet, who found his greatest fame in a memorable musical partnership with the actor and composer Ivor Novello after working together in the same touring company...
. It premiered on 11 September 1936 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
. It ran for 295 performances, a relatively modest success given Novello's other major successes.
Written as another large-scale extravaganze (including an on-stage earthquake) following Novello's hugely successful Glamorous Night
Glamorous Night
Glamorous Night is a musical with a book and music by Ivor Novello and lyrics by Christopher Hassall, Novello's collaborator in six of the eight Novello musicals staged between 1935 and 1951...
, Careless Rapture is the tale of an actress, Penelope Lee, engaged to the wealthy Sir Robert Alderney, but who is the object of Rodney's half-brother Michael's affections. Set in London, and ending up in China, Michael finally wins Penelope's affections by rescuing her from an earthquake.
Novello himself took the speaking part of Michael in the original production, which also starred Dorothy Dickson
Dorothy Dickson
Dorothy Dickson , was an American-born, London-based theater actress and singer.-Biography:Dickson is known mostly for her rendition of the Jerome Kern song "Look for the Silver Lining". She was also a member of the Ziegfeld Follies and made many appearances in New York and abroad...
as Penelope Lee, Zena Dare
Zena Dare
Zena Dare was an English singer and actress who was famous for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and other musical theatre and comedic plays in the first half of the 20th century, and for her role as Mrs...
as Phyllida Frame and Olive Gilbert
Olive Gilbert
Olive Sarah Gilbert was an operatic singer and actress, who performed in many of Ivor Novello's musicals.-Biography:Gilbert was born in Carmarthen, Wales....
as Mme Simonetti.
Principal songs
- 'Music in May'
- 'Why is there ever goodbye?'
- 'The Manchuko'
- 'Love made the song'
- 'The Bridge of Lovers'