Valmouth
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Valmouth: A West End Eccentric Gem
"Valmouth" premiered in London’s West End at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre on October 2, 1958, a musical adaptation of Ronald Firbank’s 1919 novel. With music, lyrics, and book by Sandy Wilson, it ran for 92 performances, closing on December 20, 1958. Directed by Vida Hope and produced by Michael Codron with Oscar Lewenstein, the show transferred to the Saville Theatre from January 27 to February 14, 1959, for an additional 17 performances, totaling 109. Starring Bertice Reading as Mrs. Yajnavalkaya, it followed Wilson’s hit "The Boy Friend" but struggled commercially despite critical intrigue. Its offbeat charm born from a Chichester Festival Theatre workshop later found cult status via a 1982 BBC broadcast and Chichester revival, marking it as a peculiar footnote in West End history.
A Seaside Satire of Excess
Set in the fictional coastal spa of Valmouth, the story unfolds around the town’s centenarian inhabitants, kept spry by a mysterious elixir. Mrs. Yajnavalkaya, a Caribbean masseuse and mystic, reigns over this decadent enclave, where Captain Dick Thoroughfare woos heiress Thetis Tooke amid a web of quirky locals nymphomaniac Lady Parvula, pious Mrs. Hurstpierpoint, and farmer Grannie Tooke. A wedding looms, but a flood biblical in scope threatens to wash away their hedonistic haven. Firbank’s baroque prose morphs into a satirical romp, skewering Edwardian mores with a mix of lust, religion, and absurdity, ending in a soggy reckoning that leaves Valmouth’s fate ambiguous yet oddly poetic.
A Whimsical Score of Wit
Sandy Wilson’s music and lyrics weave a tapestry of vaudeville and operetta, with numbers like “Magic Fish,” “I Loved a Lad,” and “The Cathedral of Clemenza” blending seaside jauntiness with sly commentary. Conducted by Geoffrey Corbett, the score lighter than "The Boy Friend" charms with “Just Once More” and “My Talking Day,” though it lacks breakout hits. Critics praised its “delicate perversity,” but its niche appeal limited mainstream traction. A 1958 cast recording captures Reading’s sultry flair, while the 1982 Chichester revival, recorded by Jay Records, revived interest, showcasing Wilson’s knack for quirky, literate tunes that echo Firbank’s florid style.
A Cast of Colorful Oddballs
Bertice Reading headlined as Mrs. Yajnavalkaya, her commanding presence and rich voice dominating the stage, fresh from Broadway’s "Simply Heavenly." Jessie Evans played Lady Parvula with lascivious glee, while Barbara Couper’s Mrs. Hurstpierpoint offered prim contrast. Alan Edwards portrayed Captain Thoroughfare, and Ann Martin debuted as Thetis Tooke, with Patsy Rowlands as Grannie Tooke adding rustic charm. Hope’s direction leaned into the ensemble’s eccentricities, backed by Malcolm Pride’s lavish sets think gaudy spas and storm-soaked vistas. Reading’s star turn, lauded as “magnificent” by The Times, couldn’t lift the show’s oddball weight, but it shone as a showcase for theatrical outliers.
A Quirky West End Legacy
After its 109-performance run modest beside "My Fair Lady"’s 2,281 "Valmouth" faded from the West End, its £20,000 budget a gamble that didn’t pay off amid a season of safer bets. Its 1958 debut followed a Manchester tryout, but Firbank’s arcane source and Wilson’s whimsy baffled many, earning a “curious dud” label from The Observer. The 1982 Chichester revival, with Cleo Laine and Fenella Fielding, plus a BBC airing, sparked renewed interest, as did a 2000 Bridewell Theatre concert. Licensed via Concord Theatricals, it’s a fringe favorite today. As of March 2025, "Valmouth" endures as a West End curio too strange to soar, too unique to forget.