Canterbury Tales

Recently Updated

Canterbury Tales: A West End Medieval Marvel

"Canterbury Tales" strode onto the West End stage at the Phoenix Theatre on March 21, 1968, after previews from March 19, running an astonishing 2,080 performances until March 24, 1973. Conceived by Martin Starkie, with a book by Starkie and Nevill Coghill, music by Richard Hill and John Hawkins, and lyrics by Coghill, this musical brought Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th-century tales to life. Directed by Vlado Habunek, it starred Wilfred Brambell and Jessie Evans, becoming the Phoenix’s longest-running show at the time. As of March 23, 2025, its five-year reign and bawdy charm mark it as a standout in Theatreland’s history.

From Oxford to London

The musical began at the Oxford Playhouse in 1964, a modest adaptation of Chaucer’s pilgrimage stories by Coghill and Starkie. Expanded for the West End, it landed at the Phoenix with Derek Cousins’ vivid sets and Loudon Sainthill’s costumes, transforming medieval yarns into a theatrical feast. After a 1969 Broadway stint earned three Tony nominations, its London triumph—outpacing all prior Phoenix runs until Blood Brothers in 1991—cemented its legacy, driven by Coghill’s scholarly flair and Starkie’s theatrical vision.

A Pilgrimage in Song

A band of pilgrims, led by Michael Logan’s Host, journeys to Canterbury, each spinning a tale of love, lust, and trickery. From the Miller’s raucous “I Have a Noble Cock” to Nicholas and Alison’s “Love Duet,” the show revels in Chaucer’s humor and humanity. Songs like “Come on and Marry Me, Honey” and “Where Are the Girls of Yesterday?” blend folk and musical theatre, while tales of cuckolded husbands and sly foxes unfold. It’s a bawdy, sublime romp, ending with the pilgrims’ arrival, their stories a mirror to human folly.

A West End Record-Breaker

Opening with a cast including Billy Boyle, Pamela Charles, and Nicky Henson, "Canterbury Tales" drew crowds with its cheeky spirit and robust score. Critics praised its fidelity to Chaucer—The Times noted its “lively authenticity”—and its five-year run shattered Phoenix records, totaling over 2,000 shows. Nominated for three Tonys on Broadway (Choreography, Costume Design, Scenic Design), it thrived in London, offering a medieval escape that resonated with post-60s audiences until economic shifts dimmed its stage lights.

A Lasting Echo

By March 23, 2025, "Canterbury Tales" lingers as a West End milestone, its 1973 close giving way to a 1991 Arts Theatre concert revival. Though no full London staging has followed, its influence ripples—Broadway saw it in 1969 and 1980, and its tales inspire modern adaptations like the RSC’s 2006 play. With no surviving cast album, its melodies fade, yet its record run and Chaucerian zest endure, a testament to a time when pilgrims’ yarns ruled Theatreland for half a decade.