Year: 1991
Title of the play: Valentine’s Day
Author: Benny Green and David William from the play You Never Can Tell by Bernard Shaw; Music: Denis King; Lyrics: Benny Green
Director: Gillian Lynne
Others in the Cast: John Turner, Edward de Souza, Elizabeth Counsell
Company/Event: Chichester Festival
Theatre and location: Minerva Theatre, Chichester
Other productions of the same play: 1992 - Globe Theatre, London
Plot summary: The musical was based on George Bernard Shaw’s play “You never can tell”. Couldn’t find a summary for the musical, but here goes the summary for the original play: Mrs Clandon and her three children, Dolly, Phillip and Gloria have just returned to England after an eighteen-year stay in Madeira. The children have no idea who their father is and, through a comedy of errors, end up inviting him to a family lunch. At the same time a dentist named Mr Valentine has fallen in love with the eldest daughter, Gloria. However, Gloria considers herself a modern woman and claims to have no interest in love or marriage. The play continues with a comedy of errors and confused identities, with the friendly and wise waiter, Walter (most commonly referred to by the characters as "William," because Dolly thinks he resembles Mr Shakespeare), dispensing his wisdom with the titular phrase "You Never Can Tell." - Wikipedia
Peth’s role: William, the waiter
Reviews: Shaw littered this piece with song cues, which are duly snapped up with
love duets for Gloria and the Valentine (Alexander Hanson), a progressive
education trio for the Clandon family, and a title-point number for the Waiter.
As danced by Edward Petherbridge, who is as delicately acrobatic on his feet as
he is in serving a round of drinks, this is the best thing in Gillian Lynne's
production. Irving Wardle, The Independent, 20 September, 1992
On Chichester's studio stage, the Minerva, "Valentine's Day" is a new
musical by Benny Green and Denis King based with considerable care and
fidelity on Bernard Shaw's "You Never Can Tell." It has been directed
by Gillian Lynne, choreographer of "Cats" and "Phantom" among much
else, and strongly cast with Edward Petherbridge, Fiona Fullerton and
Judy Parfitt, all of whom treat the show as a play with music rather
than as a fully-fledged singalong in the semi-Shavian traditions of "My
Fair Lady" or "The Chocolate Soldier." - Sheridan Morley, NY Times
Production details:
Related links:
Gallery: Pic here
