Yvonne
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Yvonne: A West End Enigma
"Yvonne" is a shadowy figure in West End history, a musical comedy that flickered briefly at the Strand Theatre later renamed the Novello opening on May 22, 1926, and closing after a mere 49 performances on July 3, 1926. With music by Percy Fletcher and Jean Gilbert, lyrics by Percy Greenbank, and a book possibly by Fred Thompson or Guy Bolton, it’s loosely tied to the French operetta *Mam’zelle Nitouche*. Produced by Charles Gulliver, this tale of romantic mix-ups in a convent setting aimed to charm but faded fast. Sparse records and its short run make "Yvonne" a tantalizing puzzle, a forgotten footnote in London’s theatrical annals as of March 2025.
Origins and Creation
"Yvonne" emerged from the 1883 French operetta *Mam’zelle Nitouche* by Hervé, a farce about a convent girl turned stage star. Adapted for London, its creative team blended British and continental talents: Fletcher, a noted composer of light music, and Gilbert, a German operetta veteran, crafted the score, while Greenbank’s lyrics added local wit. The book’s authorship is murky Thompson and Bolton, prolific in the era, are speculated but unconfirmed. Gulliver, a seasoned impresario, likely saw potential in its frothy plot for post-war audiences, launching it after a probable provincial tryout, though no such record survives.
The Cast and Creative Team
Details of the original cast are frustratingly scarce. Period norms suggest a mix of comic actors and singers, possibly featuring West End regulars like Binnie Hale or Bobby Howes, though no evidence confirms this. The production leaned on Gilbert’s melodic flair and Fletcher’s orchestral touch, with Greenbank’s lyrics likely peppering the dialogue with charm. Direction and design credits are lost to time, but the Strand’s intimate stage would have hosted a modest, colorful affair convent grays clashing with theatrical glitz aiming to echo the era’s penchant for lighthearted escapism.
West End Reception and Demise
Opening in May 1926, "Yvonne" met a tepid response. Reviews, if they exist, are buried in archives, but its 49-performance run barely six weeks hints at critical indifference or audience fatigue. Competing with juggernauts like *No, No, Nanette* and *The Vagabond King*, it struggled to stand out in a saturated season. The plot’s convent-to-stage antics, while playful, may have lacked the punch or star power to sustain interest. By July, it vanished, leaving the Strand to pivot to other fare, its failure a whisper amid louder West End triumphs.
Legacy and Obscurity
"Yvonne" left no lasting ripple no cast recording, no revival, no cultural echo. Its 49-show stumble pales beside contemporaries that ran for hundreds, like *Rose-Marie* (581 performances). Fletcher and Gilbert moved on, their reputations intact, while Greenbank’s lyrics faded with the show. Theatre historians occasionally note it as a curio, a victim of timing or execution in the bustling 1920s scene. As of 2025, "Yvonne" remains a ghost in West End lore its melodies lost, its story a faint memory of a convent girl who never found her spotlight.