Nymph Errant

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Introduction to "Nymph Errant"

"Nymph Errant" premiered in London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre on October 6, 1933, following a tryout at Manchester’s Opera House from September 11, and ran for 154 performances until February 17, 1934. With music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Romney Brent, this musical adapts James Laver’s 1933 novel of the same name. Directed by Brent, with choreography by Agnes de Mille, it starred Gertrude Lawrence as Evangeline Edwards, Elisabeth Welch as Haidee Robinson, and David Burns as Constantine. Produced by Charles B. Cochran for £25,000 equivalent to £2 million today its tale of a young woman’s quest to lose her virginity across Europe dazzled with Porter’s sophisticated score, including "The Physician" and "Experiment." Though it never reached Broadway, its U.S. premiere came in 1982 at Equity Library Theatre, and its cheeky charm revived in 2011 at San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon marks it a bold, if short-lived, West End rarity, seen by over 60,000 in its original run.

The Creative Team Behind the Show

Cole Porter penned the worldly music and lyrics calling it his finest work while Romney Brent crafted the book and directed, adapting Laver’s novel with a risqué edge. Agnes de Mille’s choreography, her first major gig, brought sensual flair, with Doris Zinkeisen’s lavish costumes and sets evoking a continental whirl. Gertrude Lawrence’s magnetic Evangeline, Elisabeth Welch’s soulful Haidee, and Moya Nugent’s prim Miss Pratt led the cast, joined by David Burns’ suave Constantine and Bruce Winston as Count Mantalini. Producer Charles B. Cochran, swayed by Lawrence from a straight play, gambled big, with orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett amplifying Porter’s wit. This team, blending Porter’s American verve with British polish, delivered a provocative romp that pushed 1930s boundaries, its sophistication shining despite a West End eclipsed by "The Merry Widow"’s dazzle.

A Scandalous Journey Across Europe

Evangeline Edwards, fresh from a Swiss finishing school, heeds Miss Pratt’s call to "Experiment," embarking on a virginity-shedding odyssey from Oxford ("How Could We Be Wrong?"). In Paris, she flirts at Café du Dôme with producer André ("Si Vous Aimez Les Poitrines"), then tangles with violinist Alexei in a nudist colony near Vienna ("Back to Nature With You"). Venice lures her to Count Mantalini’s palazzo ("Casanova"), followed by a Turkish harem under Pasha Ali ("Solomon"), each stop thwarting her quest with unsuitable suitors played by one actor in a dizzying whirl. Songs like "Nymph Errant" and "The Physician" chart her exploits, ending back in Oxford where gardener Joe’s apple offers a coy finale ("Experiment" reprise). A satirical spree of sexual misadventure, it swaps Laver’s bleakness for Porter’s playful gloss, a whirlwind of 1930s naughtiness.

Performance and Reception

Opening after Manchester’s splash, "Nymph Errant" ran 154 performances, drawing over 60,000 modest beside "Anything Goes"’ future reign. The Times hailed Porter’s “delectable” score and Lawrence’s “bewitching” lead, though The Observer’s Noël Coward, who declined to write it, privately sniped at its “smut.” Audiences cheered de Mille’s dances and Zinkeisen’s glamour royalty like Prince George attended yet critics split: Punch adored its “sparkle,” while The Stage found it “too English” for mass appeal. Its £25,000 cost broke even, per Cochran’s records, but a planned film flopped Fox’s rights later fueling "Star!" with Julie Andrews. A cast recording never emerged, though 1989’s Drury Lane concert preserved its sound. Outshone by operetta giants, its wit and daring won a loyal niche, a West End fling too bold for its time.

Legacy in West End Theatre

"Nymph Errant"’s 154-show run pales beside "Les Mis"’ thousands, yet its cult status spurred by a 1982 U.S. debut, 1999 Chichester stint, and 2011 San Francisco revival endures, with no Oliviers but a 2012 Off-Broadway nod via Prospect Theater. Porter’s score, sans standards, lives in cabaret "The Physician" a staple while Brent’s book shaped 1930s musical daring, influencing "Anything Goes." Global stagings hit Japan and Russia, with over 100,000 seeing it by 2025, per amateur licenses from Concord Theatricals. Lawrence’s star soared, de Mille’s career launched, yet its Englishness nixed Broadway unlike "Kiss Me, Kate." A 1989 Drury Lane concert and 2004 Medicine Show revival, unedited for racism, underscore its edge. Less a titan than "Phantom," it’s a West End whisper Porter’s sauciest, a flirty relic of pre-war verve.