Three Sisters
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Three Sisters: A West End Musical Romance
"Three Sisters" premiered in London’s West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on April 9, 1934, a musical by Jerome Kern with lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II. Directed by Hassard Short and produced by Charles Cochran, it ran for just 62 performances, closing on June 9, 1934. Set against the backdrop of World War I, this lighthearted show marked Kern’s final original West End production before his focus shifted to Broadway. Starring Victoria Hopper and Stanley Holloway, it introduced the song “I Won’t Dance,” later popularized in the 1935 film "Roberta." Though a commercial disappointment, its charm endures through a 2011 San Francisco revival by 42nd Street Moon, preserving a rare Kern-Hammerstein collaboration.
A Countryside Love Story
The plot follows three sisters Tiny, Dorrie, and Mary Barbour daughters of itinerant photographer Will Barbour, as they navigate romance in the English countryside from 1914 to post-war years. Tiny, the eldest, is engaged to the earnest constable Eustace Titherley but drawn to carnival performer George Dewar. Dorrie, ambitious and ashamed of her roots, pursues aristocrat Sir John Marsden, while Mary loves Gypsy Wood. As war looms, their suitors enlist, leaving the sisters to face separation and uncertainty. The story resolves with joyful reunions at a circus, blending wartime poignancy with musical comedy’s optimism a gentle tale of love tested by circumstance.
Melodies of Wartime Whimsy
Jerome Kern’s score, with Hammerstein’s lyrics, offers a mix of tender ballads and playful tunes, including “I Won’t Dance,” “Lonely Feet,” and “Hand in Hand.” Songs like “My Beautiful Circus Girl” and “Now I Have Springtime” reflect the show’s romantic core, while the circus setting adds a festive flair. Conducted by an uncredited maestro, the music leaned on Kern’s signature melodic grace, though it lacked the blockbuster punch of his later works. Revived in 2011 after Greg MacKellan reconstructed lost parts with an NEA grant, the score recorded by that cast remains a bittersweet echo of 1930s optimism, with “I Won’t Dance” its standout legacy.
A Cast of 1930s Talents
Victoria Hopper led as Tiny, her delicate charm anchoring the sisters, alongside Adele Dixon as Dorrie and Charlotte Greenwood as Mary, whose lanky charisma shone in comic moments. Stanley Holloway played Will Barbour with warm gravitas, while Esmond Knight’s George Dewar brought dashing appeal. Raymond Newell and Binnie Barnes rounded out the suitors as Eustace and Marsden. Short’s direction, with Albertina Rasch’s choreography, aimed for spectacle circus tents and all but couldn’t overcome tepid reviews. The ensemble’s energy offered a fleeting spark in a production that flickered out too soon.
A Brief West End Footnote
Opening amid the Great Depression, "Three Sisters" faced stiff competition from operettas like “The Merry Widow” and struggled to find its audience, closing after two months. Its 62-performance run paled beside Kern’s earlier hits, and plans for a U.S. debut fizzled Hammerstein later called it a misstep. A 1995 San Francisco concert reading and the 2011 Eureka Theatre revival, running three weeks, revived interest, spotlighting its quaint charm. As of March 2025, it’s a minor West End memory outshone by Kern’s "Show Boat" yet a curious relic of 1930s musical theatre, blending wartime nostalgia with a song that outlived its stage.