Adele
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A Forgotten Romance: Adele on the West End
The West End has long been a stage for musical innovation and spectacle, and among its early 20th-century offerings was Adele, a romantic comedy that briefly lit up London’s theater scene. Opening at the Gaiety Theatre on May 30, 1914, this American import ran for just 73 performances, closing on August 8 of that year amid the outbreak of World War I. With a book and lyrics by Paul Hervé (adapted into English by Adolf Philipp and Edward A. Paulton) and music by Jean Briquet and Philipp, Adele brought a lighthearted tale of love and mistaken identities to the West End, showcasing the talents of British stars like Lily Elsie and George Grossmith Jr. Though its run was short-lived, the musical offers a glimpse into the transatlantic theatrical exchange of its era and the challenges of wartime entertainment.
Origins and Journey to London
Adele began life as La Demoiselle en Lotterie, a French operetta by Alfred Willemetz and Marcel Bertal, before being reworked into an American musical comedy by Philipp and Hervé. It premiered on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on August 28, 1913, running for 196 performances and earning praise for its charming score and frothy plot. Produced by A.H. Woods, the show starred Natalie Alt as Adele de Laniere and featured a young Adolph Menjou in a supporting role, cementing its success in New York.
Its West End transfer was orchestrated by George Edwardes, the Gaiety Theatre’s impresario, known for hits like The Geisha and A Runaway Girl. Edwardes saw potential in Adele’s blend of romance and farce, casting Elsie fresh from her triumph in The Merry Widow and Grossmith Jr., a Gaiety regular, to anchor the production. The London version retained the essence of the Broadway original but tailored its humor and pacing for British tastes, debuting just months before the war would darken Europe’s cultural landscape.
The Plot: A Tale of Love and Lottery
Adele follows Adele de Laniere, a spirited young woman whose father, Baron de Laniere, faces financial ruin after a failed investment. To secure her future, he arranges her engagement to Robert, his wealthy nephew, despite Adele’s love for Maurice, a dashing painter. When Adele wins a lottery prize of 50,000 francs, she sees a chance to escape her father’s plans and pursue her heart’s desire. Disguising her intentions, she navigates a series of comedic misunderstandings Robert mistakes her affection, Maurice doubts her loyalty before the lovers reunite in a triumphant finale.
The plot, a classic operetta confection, hinges on mistaken identities and romantic entanglements, delivered with a wink to the audience. Its breezy tone and happy resolution offered a brief respite for Londoners on the brink of wartime austerity, though its simplicity may have struggled to hold attention as global tensions mounted.
A Musical Charm
Jean Briquet and Adolf Philipp’s score for Adele is a delightful mix of waltzes, duets, and comedic patter songs, typical of early 20th-century musical comedy. Standouts include “Like Swallows Homeward Flying,” a soaring romantic ballad for Adele and Maurice, and “Adele,” a sprightly title number that captures the heroine’s pluck. The English adaptation by Paulton preserved the French flair while adding British wit, with Grossmith’s droll delivery enhancing songs like “Is This Love at Last?”
Performed with the Gaiety’s polished orchestra, the music charmed critics, with The Times noting its “tunefulness” and “grace.” Yet, lacking a breakout hit to rival contemporaries like The Merry Widow’s “Vilja Song,” the score faded from memory after the show’s closure, a casualty of its brief run and the era’s shifting tastes.
The West End Run
Opening at the Gaiety Theatre, Adele leaned heavily on its star power. Lily Elsie, as Adele, brought her signature elegance and crystalline soprano, fresh from a string of Edwardes successes. George Grossmith Jr., playing Robert, infused the role with his trademark charm and comedic timing, while W.H. Berry as the Baron added vaudevillian flair. The production’s sets elegant Parisian salons and sunlit gardens reflected Edwardes’s lavish style, though wartime constraints loomed.
The show’s 73-performance run was respectable but curtailed by history. As Britain entered World War I in August 1914, theatergoing plummeted, and Adele closed prematurely. Reviews were kind The Stage praised Elsie’s “captivating presence” but the war’s shadow overshadowed its potential, leaving it a footnote in the Gaiety’s storied legacy.
A Transatlantic Echo
Before its West End stint, Adele enjoyed a robust Broadway run and toured the U.S., with companies in cities like Chicago and Boston. Its London engagement marked its only major European outing, though a planned Australian tour in 1915 was scuttled by the war. The musical’s journey reflects the era’s vibrant exchange between American and British stages, a trend Edwardes often exploited, yet its wartime timing dulled its broader impact.
Why It Faded
Adele’s brevity on the West End stems from both circumstance and content. The outbreak of World War I in August 1914 shifted public focus from frivolous romance to grim reality, cutting short many theatrical runs. The musical’s lightweight plot and lack of enduring hits also left it vulnerable as tastes evolved toward more robust narratives or wartime patriotism. Unlike The Merry Widow, which thrived on operatic depth, Adele remained a charming trifle, easily overshadowed by the era’s upheavals.
A Fleeting Gaiety Memory
For West End audiences in 1914, Adele was a fleeting delight a last taste of pre-war levity before the lights dimmed. Its 73 performances showcased Elsie and Grossmith at their peak, offering a momentary escape amid gathering storm clouds. Though it never achieved the lasting fame of Edwardes’s other hits, Adele embodies the Gaiety’s golden age of musical comedy, a transatlantic whisper of romance and laughter lost to time. In the West End’s vast history, it remains a delicate, if overlooked, relic of a world on the cusp of change.