The Boy Friend
Written by Sandy Wilson
Directed by Harry Dunphy
27 June – 4 July 1981
Madame Dubonnet’s finishing school, near Nice, could exist only in musical comedy. The charming young pupils burst into song at the least provocation, and forbidden boy friends are forever popping through the french windows to make up the numbers. Polly Browne is too rich to be allowed a boy friend. Tony, for whom she falls, turns out to be the Hon. Tony Brockhurst, which is very lucky, because Polly thought he was just a delivery boy. Written in the fifties as “a new musical of the twenties” this is still the most successful, tuneful and witty of the send-up musicals, which ape the style of earlier, lighter-hearted and more disarming days.
Cast
Hortense – Shelley Nottage
Maise – Jackie Annal
Dulcie – Stella Jarman
Fay – Kim Daniels
Nancy – Sarah Payne
Polly Browne – Claire Kingshott
Marcel – Dennis Kingshott
Pierre – David Higley
Alphonse – Derek Wheeler
Madame Dubonnet – Mavis Dunphy
Bobby van Husen – Peter Hunt
Percival Browne – Ray Bevan
Tony – Chris Chapman
Lord Brockhurst – Kevin Harris
Lady Brockhurst – Betty Bailey
Gendarme – David Maun
A Waiter – Michael Angell
Pepe – Ross Holland
Lolita – Linda Jeffries
Guests – Margaret Milligan, Tracy Rafferty
Crew
Musical Director – Jennifer Anderson
Choreographer – Julie Burton
Set Design – Martin Wood
Stage Manager – Bill Fielder
Assistant Stage Manager – David Maun
Lighting – Mike Auvray, C D’oyley Watkins
Properties – Molly Pritchard
Costumes – Joan Robarts
Piano – Jennifer Anderson
Bass – Fritz Howman
Drums – Peter Henderson
Guitar/Banjo – Jan Moffat