Annie Get Your Gun
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A Sharpshooting Spectacle: Annie Get Your Gun on the West End
The West End has long been a stage for American musical classics, and Annie Get Your Gun, with its toe-tapping score and spirited heroine, stands as one of its most celebrated imports. Premiering at the London Coliseum on June 7, 1947, this production ran for an impressive 1,304 performances, closing on April 29, 1950. With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and a book by Dorothy and Herbert Fields, the musical directed by Joshua Logan brought the Wild West to London under Emile Littler’s production. Returning in revivals, including a notable 1992 run at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Annie Get Your Gun has proven its enduring appeal, blending romance, comedy, and showbiz flair into a West End triumph.
Origins and Creation
Annie Get Your Gun was born from a wartime pitch by producer Dorothy Fields, who envisioned a musical about Annie Oakley, the real-life sharpshooter who dazzled in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Teaming with her brother Herbert and composer Irving Berlin stepping in after Jerome Kern’s death in 1945 the trio crafted a show for Ethel Merman, whose brassy belt defined Broadway’s Golden Age. It debuted at New York’s Imperial Theatre on May 16, 1946, running for 1,147 performances and cementing Berlin’s knack for populist anthems.
The West End transfer came a year later, capitalizing on postwar optimism and Merman’s transatlantic fame. Littler’s production retained Logan’s direction and Berlin’s score, casting Dolores Gray as Annie a bold move that paid off with London audiences hungry for American razzle-dazzle. Its timing, just as Theatreland rebounded from wartime austerity, made it a perfect shot.
The Plot: Love and Rifles
Set in the late 19th century, Annie Get Your Gun follows Annie Oakley, a backwoods Ohio girl with a deadeye aim. Discovered by Frank Butler, star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, Annie outshoots him in a contest, sparking both rivalry and romance. Joining the troupe, she rises to fame, her unpolished charm clashing with Frank’s polished ego. Buffalo Bill Cody and manager Charlie Davenport orchestrate her success, while Chief Sitting Bull adopts her as an honorary Sioux, cementing her legend.
The plot hinges on Annie and Frank’s push-pull dynamic she loves him, but her sharpshooting prowess threatens his pride. A scheme to lose a match intentionally backfires, but love wins out: Annie softens her edge, Frank softens his heart, and they unite under the big top. It’s a classic battle-of-the-sexes tale, laced with Wild West flair and Berlin’s showbiz sparkle.
A Musical Bullseye
Irving Berlin’s score is a treasure trove of standards, blending bravado and tenderness. “There’s No Business Like Show Business” roars as the anthem of theatrical grit, while “Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly” showcases Annie’s folksy charm. “You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun” delivers comedic punch, and “They Say It’s Wonderful” melts with romantic sweep. “Anything You Can Do,” the duet pitting Annie against Frank, crackles with competitive zest.
The Coliseum’s orchestra, under Jay Blackton’s baton, brought these tunes to life with gusto, earning raves for their “irresistible vigor” (The Times). Revivals, like the 1992 Prince of Wales run, kept the score’s spirit intact, proving Berlin’s melodies could still hit the mark decades later.
The West End Journey
The 1947 premiere starred Dolores Gray as Annie, her powerhouse vocals and charisma rivaling Merman’s Broadway turn. Bill Johnson’s Frank Butler, Ellis Irving’s Buffalo Bill, and Hal Bryan’s Charlie Davenport rounded out a cast that filled the Coliseum’s 2,300 seats with Wild West energy. Lucille Benson’s set design tentpoles and dusty plains paired with Angela Forbes’s costumes to dazzle, running over three years and drawing postwar crowds eager for escapism.
The musical returned in 1986 at the Aldwych Theatre with Suzi Quatro as Annie and Eric Flynn as Frank, running 151 performances under John Diedrich’s direction. A 1992 revival at the Prince of Wales, starring Kim Criswell and John Barrowman, clocked 121 performances, blending Berlin’s classics with a fresh sheen. Young Vic productions in 2009 and 2014 directed by Richard Jones and featuring Jane Horrocks offered intimate takes, showcasing Annie’s versatility across West End stages.
A Global Legacy
Beyond the West End, Annie Get Your Gun has roamed far Broadway revivals in 1966 (with Merman) and 1999 (with Bernadette Peters), plus tours worldwide. Films in 1950 (Betty Hutton) and TV adaptations kept it alive, though the stage remains its truest home. The 1986 London cast recording and Peters’s Tony-winning run (1999) cemented its status, while UK tours like one in 2023 keep the rifles firing. Its blend of Americana and universal romance ensures its staying power.
Why It Hits the Mark
Annie Get Your Gun’s West End success lies in its infectious optimism and Berlin’s bulletproof score. Annie’s journey from outsider to star mirrors the underdog spirit that resonates across cultures, while her sparring with Frank offers a timeless gender clash. For London audiences, it’s a slice of American bravado tempered by British wit, its big-top bombast a perfect postwar tonic. The 1947 run’s marathon length and later revivals prove its adaptability, a musical that thrives on star power and song.
A Showbiz Sharpshooter
In the West End’s vibrant history, Annie Get Your Gun stands tall a rootin’-tootin’ celebration of grit, love, and showmanship. From Gray’s 1,304-performance debut to Criswell’s 1990s encore, it’s delivered Berlin’s anthems with unerring aim. Though not a permanent fixture, its returns like a sharpshooter’s bullseye remind us why “there’s no business like show business.” In Theatreland’s vast corral, Annie remains a dazzling, rifle-twirling triumph, proving you can get a crowd with a gun and a song.