Sail Away (musical)
| Sail Away | |
|---|---|
| Music | Noël Coward |
| Lyrics | Noël Coward |
| Book | Noël Coward |
| Productions | 1961 Broadway 1962 West End 1998 Woking, England revival |
Sail Away is a musical with a book, music and lyrics by Noël Coward. The show was the last musical for which Coward wrote both the book and music, although he wrote the music for one last "book" musical in 1963. The story centres on brash, bold American divorcee Mimi Paragon, working as a hostess on a British cruise ship. The musical ran on Broadway (1961) and in the West End (1962) and has been revived since.
Elaine Stritch started in the show in a "relatively minor role and was only promoted over the title and given virtually all the best songs when it was reckoned that the leading lady...although excellent, was rather too operatic for a musical comedy." During out-of-town tryouts in Boston, Coward was "unsure about the dramatic talents" of one of the leads, opera singer Jean Fenn. "They were, after all, engaged for their voices and...it is madness to expect two singers to play subtle 'Noel Coward' love scenes with the right values and sing at the same time." Joe Layton suggested "What would happen if ...we just eliminated [Fenn's] role and gave everything to Stritch? ...The show was very old-fashioned, and the thing that was working was Elaine Stritch...every time she went on stage [she] was a sensation. The reconstructed 'Sail Away'...opened in New York on 3 October."
According to Ben Brantley, "Coward wrote in his diary that Ms. Stritch sang 'so movingly that I almost cried.' He went on to say about making her the show's star: 'There is no doubt about it. I made the right decision.'"
Sail Away had out-of-town tryouts for three weeks each in Boston and Philadelphia. The show opened on Broadway 3 October 1961, at the Broadhurst Theatre and closed on 24 February 1962 after 167 performances. Directed by Coward, Joe Layton choreographed, with scenic design by Oliver Smith, costumes by Helene Pons and Oliver Smith, and lighting by Peggy Clark. The original Broadway cast starred Elaine Stritch as Mimi Paragon, James Hurst as John Van Mier, and Margalo Gillmore as Mrs. Van Mier.
The show was then staged at the Savoy Theatre in the West End in 1962, where it ran for 252 performances, directed by Coward. The original London cast starred Stritch and David Holliday as John, and featured Grover Dale, Sheila Forbes, Edith Day, John Hewer, Stella Moray and Tony Adams. The musical was then produced, with Coward's personal directorial attention, in Melbourne in 1963, starring Maggie Fitzgibbon.
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