Privates on Parade: A Play with Songs in Two Actsis a 1977 farce by English playwrightPeter Nichols(book and lyrics), with music byDenis King.The drama draws upon Nichols' own experiences in the real-lifeCombined Services Entertainment,the postwar successor to ENSA,Entertainments National Service Association.The play is noteworthy for,inter alia,a series of musical numbers, performed by the male lead, parodying the style of such performers as Noël Coward, Marlene Dietrich and Carmen Miranda.
| Privates on Parade | |
|---|---|
 West Yorkshire Playhouseproduction | |
| Written by | Peter Nichols |
| Date premiered | 17 February 1977 |
| Place premiered | Aldwych Theatre London |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | British army ENSA group after World War II |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | 1948, South East Asia |
Plot
editThe play is set around the activities and exploits of the fictional Song and Dance Unit South East Asia (SADUSEA), a British militaryconcert partystationed inSingaporeandMalayain the late 1940s during theMalayan Emergency.
Productions
editIt was premiered at Stratford by theRoyal Shakespeare Company,before receiving its London première at theAldwych Theatreon 17 February 1977, where it ran for 208 performances. This production won the 1977Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.[1]
It was revived in 1979 at theDerby Playhouseand at York Theatre Royal, and again in 1982 withBruce Payneas Flight Sergeant Kevin Cartwright andTim Barlow;another revival was produced in 1989.[2]A 2001 revival directed byMichael Grandageat theDonmar Warehousehad a cast includingRoger Allam,James McAvoy,Malcolm SinclairandIndira Varma,set design byChristopher Oramand choreography byScarlett Mackmin.[3]Allam received the 2002Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actorfor his performance.[4]
In 2012 it was staged at theNoël Coward Theatrein London as the opening production of the first season of work from the newly formedMichael Grandage Company,withSimon Russell Bealein the lead.[5]
Original cast
edit- Charles Bishop -Tim Wylton
- Cheng - Richard Rees
- Corporal Len Bonny -Joe Melia
- Eric Young-Love -Simon Jones
- Kevin Cartwright -Ben Cross
- Lee - John Venning
- Major Giles Flack -Nigel Hawthorne
- Reg Drummond -David Daker
- Steven Flowers -Ian Gelder
- Sylvia Morgan - Emma Williams
- Terri Dennis -Denis Quilley[6]
Film adaptation
editThe play was adapted by Nichols andHandmade Filmsfor a 1982 film withJohn CleeseandDenis Quilley,directed byMichael Blakemore.
Awards and nominations
edit- Awards
- 1977Laurence Olivier Awardfor Best New Comedy
- 1990New York Drama Critics' CircleAward Best Foreign Play
- 1990Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:Simon Jones[7]
References
edit- ^"Olivier Winners 1977".Olivier Awards.
- ^Guernsey, Otis L.; Sweet, Jeffrey (1990).The Best Plays of 1989-1990: The Complete Broadway and Off-Broadway Sourcebook.
- ^Loveridge, Lizzie (1 December 2001)."Privates on Parade".CurtainUp.Retrieved21 October2008.
- ^"Roger Allam wins Best Actor".Olivier Awards.
- ^Billington, Michael (10 December 2012)."Privates on Parade – review".The Guardian– via www.theguardian.com.
- ^"Production of Privates On Parade | Theatricalia".theatricalia.com.
- ^"Simon Jones".Playbill.
Further reading
edit- Nichols, Peter (1977).Privates on Parade: A Play with Songs in Two Acts(First ed.). New York: Samuel French.ISBN0-573-11347-5.
