A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine

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A Double Delight: A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine on the West End

The West End has a storied tradition of embracing innovative and eclectic musicals, and A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine stands out as a unique gem in its repertoire. This musical comedy, consisting of two distinct one-act plays, premiered at London’s Mayfair Theatre on March 28, 1979, offering audiences a blend of Hollywood nostalgia and Marx Brothers-inspired farce. With a book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh and music by Frank Lazarus augmented by classic songs from other composers the show ran for 168 performances, leaving a quirky imprint on the West End before crossing the Atlantic to greater fame on Broadway. Today, it remains a fascinating snapshot of theatrical creativity from the late 1970s.

Origins and Concept

A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine began as an ambitious experiment, born from Vosburgh’s love for the Marx Brothers and Lazarus’s musical versatility. The show’s dual structure was a bold departure from conventional musicals: the first act, A Day in Hollywood, is a revue celebrating the Golden Age of 1930s film musicals, while the second, A Night in the Ukraine, reimagines Anton Chekhov’s one-act play The Bear as a zany Marx Brothers-style comedy. The concept emerged from Vosburgh’s desire to craft a “new” Marx Brothers film in theatrical form, paired with Lazarus’s idea to salute Hollywood’s silver screen legacy.

Before hitting the West End, the musical debuted at London’s fringe New End Theatre in 1978, a tiny 70-seat venue that once served as a morgue. Its transfer to the Mayfair Theatre marked its ascent into the mainstream, backed by producers Alexander H. Cohen and Hildy Parks. The West End production retained the intimacy of its fringe origins while amplifying its humor and musicality for a broader audience.

The Plot: Two Acts, Two Worlds

The show’s first act, A Day in Hollywood, transports audiences to the lobby of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where a troupe of ushers and usherettes dressed in period uniforms perform a revue of 1930s Hollywood classics. The ensemble, often credited by their real names in early stagings, sings and dances through a medley of tunes, from “Just Go to the Movies” (by Jerry Herman) to “Too Marvelous for Words,” while sharing witty anecdotes about Tinseltown’s stars and censorship codes. It’s a nostalgic tribute, brimming with tap-dancing exuberance and insider charm.

The second act, A Night in the Ukraine, shifts gears into screwball comedy. Set in a grand Ukrainian mansion before the Russian Revolution, it follows Serge B. Samovar, a Groucho Marx-esque lawyer, as he attempts to collect a 1,800-ruble debt from the wealthy widow Mrs. Pavlenko. Chaos ensues with characters like Gino (a mute, Harpo-inspired gardener), Carlo (a Chico-like footman with piano flair), and Nina (Mrs. Pavlenko’s daughter), all caught in a whirlwind of mistaken identities and slapstick antics. Loosely adapted from Chekhov, the act is a love letter to the Marx Brothers’ irreverent humor, complete with a Groucho-style patter song, “Samovar the Lawyer.”

A Musical Melting Pot

The score is a delightful patchwork, blending original compositions by Lazarus and Vosburgh with iconic standards. In A Day in Hollywood, audiences hear classics like Cole Porter’s “Easy to Love,” Ralph Rainger’s “Thanks for the Memories,” and a Richard Whiting medley, alongside Lazarus’s “Doin’ the Production Code,” a tap-heavy satire of Hollywood censorship. The second act leans on Lazarus’s original melodies, including the jaunty “Samovar the Lawyer” and the romantic “Again,” punctuated by playful instrumentals like Gino’s “Harp” Solo and Carlo’s “Tchaikovsky” riff.

For the West End, the music was performed with a small ensemble often just two pianos preserving the show’s intimate, vaudevillian feel. This simplicity allowed the performers’ triple-threat talents (singing, dancing, and comedy) to shine, making it a showcase of raw theatrical energy rather than lavish orchestration.

The West End Run

Opening at the Mayfair Theatre, A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine was directed and choreographed by Tommy Tune, with Thommie Walsh as co-choreographer names that would later propel its Broadway success. The cast featured British performers alongside Frank Lazarus himself, who played the piano live, bridging the two acts with his musical presence. The minimalist set a theatre lobby for Act I, a mansion drawing room for Act II relied on Tony Walton’s clever scenic design to evoke both Hollywood grandeur and Ukrainian absurdity.

Running for 168 performances, the show earned praise for its originality and the cast’s versatility, though it didn’t achieve the blockbuster status of other West End hits like Cats or Les Misérables. Its modest run reflected its niche appeal audiences loved the nostalgia and Marxian mayhem, but its unconventional structure and lack of a unifying narrative may have limited its staying power in London.

A Transatlantic Leap

The West End production laid the groundwork for a more celebrated Broadway run, opening at the John Golden Theatre on May 1, 1980, and clocking 588 performances. There, it garnered nine Tony nominations, winning two (Best Featured Actress for Priscilla Lopez and Best Choreography for Tune and Walsh). The Broadway version amplified the spectacle slightly but retained the West End’s core charm, proving the show’s universal appeal. Its journey from London’s fringe to New York’s spotlight underscores its unlikely rise a testament to Vosburgh and Lazarus’s creative gamble.

Why It Endures (and Fades)

A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine thrives on its dual identity: a heartfelt homage to Hollywood’s past and a gleeful riff on the Marx Brothers’ anarchy. Its West End incarnation captured a moment when theater could revel in nostalgia while poking fun at its own conventions. Yet, its reliance on 1930s references and Marxian humor ties it to a specific cultural context, making revivals rare. The 1979 production remains its most prominent West End outing, with no major London revival since.

Still, its legacy lies in its fearless originality and the joy it brought to those who saw it. For West End audiences, it was a chance to escape into Hollywood’s golden glow and laugh at the absurdity of a faux-Marx Brothers romp all in one night. In a theater district known for grand spectacles, this double feature carved a niche as a quirky, endearing oddity.

A Theatrical Time Capsule

Today, A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine is a curiosity a snapshot of the West End’s late-1970s flair for blending high art with low comedy. Its Mayfair Theater run may not have matched the longevity of its Broadway successor, but it introduced London to a show that dared to be different. For theater buffs and nostalgists, it’s a reminder of a time when a piano, a few triple threats, and a dash of Marxian madness could light up the West End stage. In the words of its own song, it’s “just go to the movies” and a night of theatrical mischief rolled into one unforgettable package.