The Boy Friend

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The Boy Friend: A 1920s Romp on the West End

The Boy Friend, a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Sandy Wilson, premiered at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End on January 14, 1954, following an initial run at the Players’ Theatre Club on April 14, 1953. Directed by Vida Hope and produced by Players’ Theatre Ltd with Cyril Bennett, it ran for an impressive 2,078 performances, closing on November 29, 1958. Set on the French Riviera in the Roaring Twenties, this comic pastiche of 1920s musicals think Rodgers and Hart follows heiress Polly Browne’s quest for love amid mistaken identities. Starring Anne Rogers and boosted by a Broadway transfer with Julie Andrews, it became the third longest-running musical in West End history at the time, blending nostalgia, catchy tunes, and a frothy charm that endures.

Origins and West End Triumph

Wilson crafted *The Boy Friend* as a love letter to 1920s musical comedies, debuting it at the intimate Players’ Theatre Club before expanding it for a short stint at the Embassy Theatre, Swiss Cottage, in October 1953. Its West End transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre cemented its success, running over five years with choreography by John Heawood and designs by Reginald Woolley. Diana Maddox was set to star as Polly but fell ill, thrusting understudy Anne Rogers into the spotlight an overnight sensation who stayed with the show throughout its triumphant run. Its modest cast and low production costs later made it a favorite for amateur groups, while its initial 2,078-performance streak trailed only *Chu Chin Chow* and *Oklahoma!* until *Salad Days* surpassed it.

The Plot: Love and Laughter in Nice

In Madame Dubonnet’s finishing school near Nice, Polly Browne, a wealthy English heiress, pines for a boyfriend but hides her riches per her father Percival’s warning about fortune hunters. Enter Tony, a messenger boy who delivers her carnival costume love sparks instantly. Polly poses as a working girl, unaware Tony is the missing heir to Lord Brockhurst. Complications arise with the arrival of Polly’s father, a former flame of Madame Dubonnet, and Tony’s aristocratic parents. Mistaken identities unravel Tony’s no thief, Polly’s no pauper leading to a flurry of proposals at a masquerade ball. The finale reprises “I Could Be Happy With You,” uniting all in a Charleston-fueled celebration of young love.

Standout Performances and Staging

Anne Rogers’ Polly Browne was a breakout, her last-minute step-in earning raves and a career launch, while Anthony Hayes debuted as Tony with boyish charm. Joan Sterndale-Bennett’s flirty Madame Dubonnet and Hugh Paddick’s stern Percival Browne added depth, with Violetta Farjeon’s Hortense leading the “perfect young ladies.” Hope’s direction leaned on sprightly dance numbers Charleston and tango galore set against Woolley’s Riviera backdrops. The Wyndham’s stage burst with 1920s flair, from flapper frocks to French windows popping with suitors. Julie Andrews’ 1954 Broadway turn as Polly later stole headlines, but Rogers’ West End original set the tone for its joyous, tongue-in-cheek spirit.

Musical Score and Reception

Wilson’s score twinkles with 1920s homage “The Boy Friend,” “Won’t You Charleston With Me?,” and “I Could Be Happy With You” became instant classics, their jaunty rhythms and clever lyrics evoking Rodgers and Hart. “A Room in Bloomsbury” and “It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love” layered romance with wit, while “Sur la Plage” brought beachside bounce. Critics adored its “tuneful lightness” (*The Times*), and the Queen herself was a fan, yet some found its fluff predictable. Its five-year run and 1954 cast recording featuring Rogers proved its public pull, cementing Wilson’s knack for pastiche that both spoofed and honored its Golden Age roots.

Legacy Beyond the West End

After its West End glory, *The Boy Friend* hit Broadway’s Royale Theatre on September 30, 1954, running 485 performances and launching Julie Andrews to stardom spotted there by *My Fair Lady* producers. Revivals followed: a 1967 West End return, a 1970 Broadway stint, and a 2019 Menier Chocolate Factory run directed by Matthew White. Ken Russell’s 1971 film with Twiggy added a meta twist, earning her Golden Globes. A sequel, *Divorce Me, Darling!*, debuted in 1965, extending the saga into the 1930s. Its score and script, held at the Harry Ransom Center, fuel ongoing amateur stagings, keeping its flapper fizz alive as a British musical staple.

Why The Boy Friend Endures

*The Boy Friend* thrives on its playful nod to a simpler era, its Riviera revelry a tonic for post-war Britain. Wilson’s melodies and the plot’s daffy disguises like Tony’s dual identity deliver timeless charm, while its small-cast agility suits diverse stages. Rogers’ rise and Andrews’ breakout underscore its star-making magic. In a West End of grand spectacles, its breezy intimacy stands out, a “light-hearted soufflé” (*Menier Chocolate Factory*) that spoofs yet celebrates musical theatre’s past. Over 70 years on, it remains a sparkling escape, proving love, laughter, and a good Charleston never go out of style.