Mame

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Introduction to "Mame"

"Mame" premiered in London’s West End at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on February 20, 1969, running for 443 performances until late 1970. With music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, this musical adapts Patrick Dennis’ 1955 novel "Auntie Mame" and its 1956 play. Directed by Gene Saks, it starred Ginger Rogers as Mame Dennis, with Margaret Courtenay as Vera Charles and Barry Kent as Patrick. Following a blockbuster 1966 Broadway debut with Angela Lansbury, its West End run produced by Harold Fielding brought Depression-era New York to life with hits like "We Need a Little Christmas" and "Open a New Window." A 14-month engagement, including a Royal performance for Queen Elizabeth II, it remains a cherished showcase of Herman’s flair and Mame’s irrepressible spirit.

The Creative Team Behind the Show

Jerry Herman crafted the buoyant score and lyrics, fresh from "Hello, Dolly!," while Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s book captured Mame’s wit from Dennis’ novel. Gene Saks, who helmed Broadway’s triumph, directed, with Jack Cole’s choreography adding pizzazz. Ginger Rogers, Hollywood’s dance icon, debuted on the West End as Mame, joined by Margaret Courtenay’s sardonic Vera and Ann Beach as Agnes Gooch. Harold Fielding’s lavish production his first musical venture featured Tony Adams as Patrick’s friend and orchestrations by Philip J. Lang, amplifying Herman’s melodies. This team, blending Broadway polish with British flair, delivered a spectacle that sparkled, buoyed by Rogers’ star power and Herman’s timeless tunes, despite Saks’ initial reluctance to cast a film legend.

A Whirlwind of Eccentricity and Love

Mame Dennis, a bohemian New Yorker, lives by her motto: “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” When her orphaned nephew Patrick arrives in 1929, she sweeps him into her dazzling world crashing Wall Street parties and dodging the Depression’s gloom. She marries Southern millionaire Beauregard Burnside ("My Best Girl"), only to lose him in a mountain fall, returning a widow to raise Patrick. His snobbish fiancée Gloria Upson tests Mame’s unconventional ways, but she triumphs, matchmaking him with Pegeen Ryan. Songs like "Bosom Buddies" (with Vera) and "Mame" fuel her adventures travel, jobs gone awry, and a fox hunt ending with Patrick’s son poised for her next escapade, a testament to living boldly.

Performance and Reception

Opening with buzz from Broadway’s 1,700-show run, "Mame" dazzled London with Rogers’ “radiant” debut The Times praised her “verve” logging 443 performances over 14 months. Critics lauded Herman’s “irresistible” score and Courtenay’s Vera, though some found the book “slight” beside its tunes. Audiences cheered Rogers, 57, defying age with dance and charm, filling Drury Lane then London’s largest theatre for a Royal gala on June 24, 1969. Fielding’s £250,000 gamble paid off, outpacing peers like "Hair," with a cast album preserving its joy. Juliet Prowse’s 1969 sub-in kept it fresh, cementing its status as a feel-good hit, though it didn’t match Broadway’s longevity, closing amid a shifting West End scene.

Legacy in West End Theatre

"Mame" solidified Jerry Herman’s West End reign post-"Dolly!," its 443 performances a hit if not a record-breaker beside "Les Misérables." Its five 1966 Tony wins including Best Musical and London acclaim fueled tours Prowse led a 1970 Dallas run and a 1974 film with Lucille Ball, though panned. Rarely revived in the West End, its 2006 Kennedy Center staging and 2019 Hope Mill Theatre run with Tracie Bennett kept it alive, with cast recordings a fan staple. Rogers’ turn remains a highlight of 1960s Theatreland, its Depression-era pluck a precursor to glitzier shows. A buoyant artifact, "Mame" endures as a West End memory of life’s banquet, served with Herman’s melodic zest.