Musical by Cole Porter. Among the passengers heading for England on the luxury liner SS American are Reno Sweeney, a sometime celebrity evangelist turned nightclub entertainer and Lord Oakleigh, a wealthy English aristocrat, accompanied by his debutante fiancée, Hope Harcourt, her protective mother, and Wall Street millionaire, Eli Whitney. Less legally on board are the stowaways Billy Crocker, desperately pursuing Hope, and Moonface Martin, Public Enemy Number Thirteen, desperately seeking the kind of notoriety enjoyed by Snake Eyes Johnson, whom the FBI believe to be making the trip in disguise.
The fabulous tune-filled, dance-peppered score includes I Get A Kick Out of You, You're The Top, It's De-Lovely, Blow, Gabriel, Blow, You'd Be So Easy To Love, All Through The Night and the galvanic title number Anything Goes, which in both music and lyric so captures the spirit of the age. The first golden age of American musical comedy in the 1930s produced a crop of masterworks from the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. Their content was intentionally and exuberantly light-hearted, with farcical plots concerning highly satirised characters, but they nonetheless presented musical scores of exquisite sophistication and elegance.
Musical by Cole Porter, with original book by P G Wodehouse and Guy Bolton, 1935 revised book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, and 1989 new book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman.
1935: Premiere West End London with Jeanne Aubert/Diana Ward
1969: 1st West End London Revival with Marian Montgomery
1989: 2nd West End London Revival with Elaine Paige/Louise Gold
2003: 3rd West End London Revival with Sally Ann Triplett
2021 London Revival with Sutton Foster/Rachel York
1935: Premiere West End London at the Palace Theatre
Opened 14 June 1935 (no previews), Closed 25 January 1936 at the Palace Theatre
The cast featured Jeanne Aubert as 'Reno Lagrange' (from Friday 14 June to Saturday 12 October 1935), Diana Ward as 'Reno Lagrange' (from Monday 14 October 1935 to 25 January 1936), Jack Whiting as 'Billy Crocker', Sydney Howard as 'Moonface Martin', Betty Kean as 'Bonnie', Richard Clarke as 'Elisha J Whitney', Diana Wilson as 'Mrs Wadsworth T Harcourt', Adele Dixon as 'Hope Harcourt', and Peter Haddon as 'Sir Evelyn Oakleigh'.
Directed by Frank Collins, with choreography by Buddy Bradley, sets by Alick Johnstone, and costumes by Ada Peacock.
Produced by Charles B. Cochran, this production run for 257 performances.
1969: 1st West End London Revival at the Saville Theatre
Previewed 12 November 1969, Opened 18 November 1969, Closed 29 November 1969 at the Saville Theatre (now Odeon Covent Garden Cinema)
The cast featured Marian Montgomery as 'Reno Sweeney', James Kenney as 'Billy Crocker', Michael Segal as 'Moonface Martin', Janet Mahoney as 'Bonnie', Peter Honri as 'Elisha J Whitney', Linda Gray as 'Mrs Wadsworth T Harcourt', Valerie Verdon as 'Miss Hope Harcourt', and Michael Malnick as 'Sir Evelyn Oakleigh'.
Directed and choreographed by Michael Clare, with sets by John Stoddart, costumes supervised by Helen Coles, and lighting by Michael Saddington.
This production run for 15 performances, plus 6 previews (for a total of 21 performances).
Produced by Cameron Mackintosh in association with David Dien and the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. This was the 11th theatre production that Cameron Macintosh had produced, but the first in London's West End. He was 23-year-old at the time, and this made him the youngest ever West End theatrical impresario.
This production was originally presented at the Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre - opened 13 August 1969 (no previews), closed 30 August 1969 - with a slightly different cast that included Eileen Gourlay as 'Reno Sweeney', Brendan Barry as 'Elisha J Whitney', and Gordon Rollings as 'Sir Evelyn Oakleigh'.
Following the Guildford run, Cameron Mackintosh took over as Producer and, with the same cast as for the Saville Theatre, the production went on a four week tour - Wimbledon Theatre (Monday 29 September to Saturday 4 October 1969); Bristol Hippodrome (Monday 6 to Saturday 11 October 1969); Manchester Palace Theatre (Monday 13 to Saturday 18 October 1969); and Croydon Ashcroft Theatre (Monday 20 to Saturday 25 October 1969) - prior to opening at the West End's Saville Theatre, where it unfortunately flopped, running for just two weeks.
1989: 2nd West End London Revival
Previewed 19 June 1989, Opened 4 July 1989, Closed 25 August 1990 at the Prince Edward Theatre
The original cast featured Elaine Paige as 'Reno Sweeney', Howard McGillin as 'Billy Crocker', Bernard Cribbins as 'Moonface Martin', Kathryn Evans as 'Erma', Harry Towb as 'Elisha J Whitney', Ursula Smith as 'Mrs Evangeline Harcourt', Ashleigh Sendin as 'Miss Hope Harcourt', and Martin Turner as 'Lord Evelyn Oakleigh', with Jacqui Boatswain as 'Purity', Nicola Meerloo as 'Charity', Sarah Drummond as 'Chastity', Suzanne Maria Thomas as 'Virtue', Anita Pashley as 'Young Girl', Anthony Lyn as 'Sailor', Brian Ellis as 'Minister', David Bacon as 'Captain', David Bexon as 'Purser', Hi Ching as 'Luke', John Shin as 'John', June Bland as 'Mrs Wentworth Frick', Nigel Waugh as 'Fred', Philip Griffiths as 'Louie', Chris Baldock, Darryl Knock, David Samuel, Denise Ranger, Janice Torrens, Jason di Mascio, Lorraine Lacey, Nils Seibaek, Pamela Bennett, Patrick Long, Peter Alex Newton, Stephen Graf, Stephen Mear, and Stephen Tye.
Directed by Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Michael Smuin, designs by Tony Walton, lighting by Paul Gallo, and sound by Tony Meola.
The role of 'Reno Sweeney' was played by Elaine Paige from Monday 19 June 1989 to Saturday 30 June 1990; and by Louise Gold from Monday 2 July 1990 to Saturday 25 August 1990.
The role of 'Billy Crocker' was played by Howard McGillin from Monday 19 June 1989 to Saturday 30 September 1989; and by John Barrowman, in his West End debut, from Monday 2 October 1989 to Saturday 25 August 1990.
The role of 'Moonface Martin' was played by Bernard Cribbins from Monday 19 June 1989 to Saturday 30 June 1990; and by Matt Zimmerman from Monday 2 July 1990 to Saturday 25 August 1990.
This production run for 476 performances, plus 15 previews (for a total of 491 performances) - and is therefore the longest running production of Anything Goes in London's West End.
2003: 3rd West End London Revival
Previewed 11 December 2002, Opened 18 December 2002, Closed 22 March 2003 at the National Theatre's Olivier Theatre
Previewed 26 September 2003, Opened 7 October 2003, Closed 28 August 2004 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Trevor Nunn's award winning revival of Cole Porter's classic musical Anything Goes in London
Winner of the 2002 Critics' Circle Award for 'Best Musical' and the 2003 Laurence Olivier Award for 'Outstanding Musical Production'.
The cast at London's Olivier Theatre featured Sally Ann Triplett as 'Reno Sweeney', John Barrowman as 'Billy Crocker', Martin Marquez as 'Moonface Martin', Annette McLaughlin as 'Erma', Denis Quilley as 'Elisha Whitney', Susan Tracy as 'Mrs Evangeline Harcourt', Mary Stockley as 'Miss Hope Harcourt', and Simon Day as 'Lord Evelyn Oakleigh', with Paul Grunert as 'Captain', Robin Soans as 'Purser', Alexis Owen Hobbs as 'Purity', Jane Fowler as 'Virtue', Rachel Stanley as 'Chastity', Samantha Modeste as 'Charity', Anthony Cable as 'Henry T Dobson', Raymond Chai as 'Luke', Yao Chin as 'John', Akiya Henry, Charlotte Gorton, Christopher Bennett, Claire Winsper, Corey Skaggs, Daniel Crossley, Duncan MacVicar, Duncan Smith, Jason Gardiner, Jye Frasca, Lee William-Davis, Nicola Sloane, Nikki Worrall, Richard Henders, Shaun Henson, Tam Mutu, Tom Espiner, Christian Gibson, Jane Mark, Kevin Brewis, and Robbie O'Reilly.
The original cast at the West End's Drury Lane Theatre featured Sally Ann Triplett as 'Reno Sweeney', John Barrowman as 'Billy Crocker', Martin Marquez as 'Moonface Martin', Annette McLaughlin as 'Erma', Barrie Ingham as 'Elisha Whitney', Susan Tracy as 'Mrs Evangeline Harcourt', Mary Stockley as 'Miss Hope Harcourt', and Simon Day as 'Lord Evelyn Oakleigh', with Paul Grunert as 'Captain', David Delve as 'Purser', Edwina Cox as 'Charity', Elizabeth Cooper-Gee as 'Virtue', Julia Hinchcliffe as 'Purity', Rachel Stanley as 'Chastity', Anthony Cable as 'Henry T Dobson', Raymond Chai as 'Luke', Yao Chin as 'John', Christopher Bennett, Christopher Howell, Corey Skaggs, Danielle Young, Duncan MacVicar, Duncan Smith, Emma-Jay Hurst, Gary Milner, Jason Gardiner, Joseph Pitcher, Lisa O'Hare, Matthew Malthouse, Nick Searle, Nicola Sloane, Philip Browne, Sarah Keeton, Shaun Henson, Adam Jones, Andrew Wright, Claire Taylor, Julia-Ann Dixon, Leigh Constantine, and Phil Snowden.
Directed by Trevor Nunn, with choreography by Stephen Mear, sets by John Gunter, costumes by Anthony Powell, lighting by David Hersey, and sound by Paul Groothius.
This production run for 75 performances, with 5 previews (for a total of 80 performances) at London's Olivier Theatre, and for 374 performances, with 10 previews (for a total of 384 performances) at the West End's Drury Lane Theatre - making a combined total of 449 performances, with 15 previews (for a combined total of 464 performances).
Denis Quilley, who had played the role of 'Elisha Whitney' at the Olivier, sadly died from liver cancer on 5 October 2003. The opening night of the West End transfer was dedicated to his memory.
"You can't get enough of a good thing - and indeed, thanks to some tightening-up, Trevor Nunn's production is even better the second time round... The story has often been described as 'fluffy', which is true enough - provided you bear in mind that high-quality fluff is a difficult product to manufacture. The results here are often exquisitely funny. The production itself has an energy and attack which was once regarded as the monopoly of Broadway, and which a British cast couldn't be expected to emulate. At the same time it displays the craftsmanship which you expect from British theatre at its best. Characters look right; performances are beautifully detailed. Top honours must go to Sally Ann Triplett as the red-hot evangelist Reno Sweeney and John Barrowman as the romantic lead. There are glorious performances from Simon Day as a dotty milord, Martin Marquez as Public Enemy Number Thirteen and Annette McLaughlin as his moll." The Sunday Telegraph
"Director Trevor Nunn's production brought the house down last night. A superb cast delivered a series of super songs which, in the seven decades since they were written, have rightly become classics... As the lovesick leading man Billy Crocker, John Barrowman's flawless voice contributes in no small way to a triumphant night. Hope Harcourt, the debutante girl of his dreams, is played in fine high-kicking style by Mary Stockley. And unlikely lovers' nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and the upper- crust Lord Evelyn Oakleigh - Sally Ann Triplett and Simon Day - had the packed audience in stitches. In the role of hard-drinking tycoon Elisha Whitney, Barrie Ingham is a hoot. But the real star is Cole Porter's unbelievable way with words. And you should see the dancing. Choreographer Stephen Mear deserves a medal. And the orchestra is wonderful." The Daily Mirror
"Forget your winter cruise - book a berth here and go full steam ahead into musical-comedy heaven... thanks partly to Cole Porter's scintillating songs, but also to Trevor Nunn's effervescent production which sparkles like vintage champagne. You leave the theatre on a high tide of exuberance and exhilaration... In its new home, Trevor Nunn's production seems to have come into sharper focus. In particular, Sally Ann Triplett, as the evangelist-turned-nightclub-singer, soars into her element. She performs like the star she deserves to be - saucy, sassy and sensationally good... Simon Day is funnier than ever as the impossibly posh Lord Evelyn Oakleigh... The tap-dancing in Anything Goes is brilliantly choreographed to develop characters and push a preposterous plot, and is performed in perfect synchronicity by a vast ensemble dressed in the most spectacular and stylish pleats, polka dots and sequins. Moreover, all that to the accompaniment of some of the wittiest songs and wonderful melodies, you'll ever hear." The Mail on Sunday
"I've never seen a show warm up so dazzlingly in its second half as Trevor Nunn's new production of Anything Goes... Nunn's romantic leads look emotionally frozen at first. The stowaway hero Billy, an office boy who pursues a glam deb called Hope, is played by handsome but hollow John Barrowman. He looks like a cross between Hugh Grant and Christopher Reeve, but the self-consciousness of his acting and dancing is painful to behold. Meanwhile, Sally Ann Triplett as Billy's would-be sweetheart, Reno, strains to amuse us with exaggerated brassiness and initially, at least, a metallic singing voice. That said, Porter's scintillating score is enough to get the whole cast rolling within an hour or so. Triplett really starts enjoying herself when Reno's role as a night-club singer comes to the fore... Stephen Mear's choreography gathers momentum, with arm-whirling and shimmying tap dancing. Also Simon Day is splendidly ludicrous as the limp English aristocrat, Evelyn... The subplot, featuring an incognito gangster, is a hoot." The Independent on Sunday
Anything Goes in London at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane previewed from 26 September 2003, opened on 7 October 2003, and closed on 28 August 2004.
2021: London Revival
Previewed 23 July 2021, Opened 4 August 2021, Closed 6 November 2021 at the Barbican Theatre
A major revival of Cole Porter's musical Anything Goes in London for a strictly limited summer season
The cast featured Sutton Foster as 'Reno Sweeney' (up to Sunday 10 October 2021), Rachel York as 'Reno Sweeney' (from Tuesday 12 October 2021), Samuel Edwards as 'Billy Crocker', Robert Lindsay as 'Moonface Martin', Carly Mercedes Dyer as 'Erma', Gary Wilmot as 'Elisha Whitney', Felicity Kendal as 'Mrs Evangeline Harcourt' (up to Sunday 17 October 2021), Haydn Gwynne as 'Mrs Evangeline Harcourt' (from Tuesday 19 October 2021), Nicole-Lily Baisden as 'Miss Hope Harcourt', Haydn Oakley as 'Lord Evelyn Oakleigh', Alexandra Wright as 'Chasity', Alistair So as 'Luke', Charlene Ford as 'Charity', Clive Hayward as 'Captain', Frances Dee as 'Virtue', Graham MacDuff as 'Purser', Jon Chew as 'John', Marc Akinfolarin as 'Henry T Dobson', Selina Hamilton as 'Purity', Eamonn Cox, Emily Ormiston, Gabrielle Cocca, George Beet, Georgie Ashford, Jack Wilcox, Jordan Crouch, Liam Wrate, Maddie Harper, Michael Lin, Natalie Chua, Robbie McMillan, Simon Anthony, Tom Partridge, and Vivien Carter.
Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, with sets by Derek McLane, costumes by Jon Morrell, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, and sound by Jonathan DeansNeil Austin.
NOTE: This production was originally scheduled to star Megan Mullally as 'Reno Sweeney' but unfortunately, in her pre-rehearsal preparations, she sustained a foot injury which sadly forced her to withdraw. Sutton Foster then took over the role. Sutton Foster previously won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in Kathleen Marshall's 2011 revival of Anything Goes at Brodway's Stephen Sondheim Theatre in New York.
NOTE: This production was originally scheduled to run from 8 May 2021 through to 22 August 2021 but, due to the COVID-19 situation, this was delayed with public preview performances starting on 5 June 2021.
Robert Lindsay's London theatre credits include 'Ebenezer Scrooge' in Shaun Kerrison's production of the Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens musical A Christmas Carol at at the Lyceum Theatre in 2016 and 2017; 'Lawrence Jameson' in Jerry Mitchell's production of David Yazbek's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre in 2014; 'King Henry II' in Trevor Nunn's production of James Goldman's The Lion in Winter at the Haymarket Theatre in 2011; the title role of 'Aristotle Onassis' in Nancy Meckler's production of Martin Sherman's Onassis at the Novello Theatre in 2010; the title role of 'Archie Rice' in Sean Holmes' revival of John Osborne's The Entertainer at the Old Vic Theatre in 2007; 'Fagin' in Sam Mendes' revival of Lionel Bart's Oliver! at the London Palladium in 1996; the title role in Elijah Moshinsky's revival of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 1992; and 'Bill Snibson' in the original cast of Mike Ockrent's revival of Noel Gay's Me and My Girl at the Adelphi Theatre in 1985.
Gary Wilmot's London theatre credits include playing the roles of 'Jethro' in Scott Schwartz's production of Stephen Schwartz's The Prince of Egypt at the Dominion Theatre in 2020; 'Dame Betty Barnum' in Michael Harrison's production of the pantomine Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the London Palladium in 2019; 'Mrs Crumble' in Michael Harrison's production of the pantomine Snow White at the London Palladium in 2018; 'Sarah the Cook' in Michael Harrison's production of the pantomine Dick Whittington at the London Palladium in 2017; 'Badger' in Rachel Kavanaugh's production of the George Stiles and Anthony Drewe musical The Wind in the Willows at the London Palladium in 2017; 'Andre Thibault' in Jerry Mitchell's production of David Yazbek's musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre in 2014; 'Vernon J Hines' in Richard Eyre's revival of the Richard Adler and Jerry Ross musical The Pajama Game at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2014; 'Zeke'/'The Cowardly Lion' in Jude Kelly's revival of the Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg musical The Wizard of Oz at the Royal Festival Hall in 2008; 'Dick Deadeye' in Ian Talbot's revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta HMS Pinafore at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2005; 'Caractacus Potts' in Adrian Noble's production of the Sherman Brothers' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium in 2003; 'The Pirate King' in Ian Talbot's revival of Joseph Papp's musical version of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2001; 'Elliot Garfield' in Rob Bettinson's production of the Neil Simon, Marvin Hamlisch and David Zippell musical The Goodbye Girl at the Albery Theatre (now Noel Coward Theatre) in 1997; 'Tony' in Roger Redfarn's production of Barry Manilow's musical Copacabana at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1994; 'Joe' in Simon Callow's production of the Oscar Hammerstein and Georges Bizet musical Carmen Jones at the Old Vic Theatre in 1991; and 'Bill Snibson' in Mike Ockrent's revival of Noel Gay's Me and My Girl at the Adelphi Theatre in 1989.
Felicity Kendal's London theatre credits include 'Sheila' in Lindsay Posner's revival of Alan Ayckbourn's Relatively Speaking at the Wyndham's Theatre in 2013; the title role on Michael Rudman's revival of Oscar Wilde's Mrs Warren's Profession at the Harold Pinter Theatre in 2010; the ensemble of Richard Eyre's production of Simon Gray's The Last Cigarette at the Trafalgar Studios in 2009; 'Esme Allen' in Peter Hall's revival of David Hare's Amy's View at the Garrick Theatre in 2006; 'Flora Humble' in John Caird's production of Charlotte Jones' Humble Boy at the Gielgud Theatre in 2002; 'Irina Arkadina' in Peter Hall's revival of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull at the Old Vic Theatre in 1997; the title role of 'Millie Pochet' Peter Hall's revival of Georges Feydeau's Mind Millie For Me at the Haymarket Theatre in 1996; 'Flora Crewe' in Peter Wood's production of Tom Stoppard's Indian Ink at the Aldwych Theatre in 1995; 'Hannah Jarvis' in Trevor Nunn's production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia at the National Theatre's Lyttelton Theatre in 1993; 'Dorine' in Peter Hall's revival of Moliere's Tartuffe at the Playhouse Theatre in 1991; 'Anna Pretrovna' in Elijah Moshinsky's revival of Anton Chekhov's Ivanov at the Strand Theatre in 1989; 'Annie' in Peter Wood's production of Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing at the Strand Theatre in 1985; 'Desdemona' in Peter Hall's revival of William Shakespesare's Othello at the National Theatre's Olivier Theatre in 1980; 'Constanze Weber' in Peter Hall's production of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus at the National Theatre's Olivier Theatre in 1979; and 'Anne Danby' in Frank Hauser's production of Jean Paul Sartre's Kean at the Globe Theatre in 1971.
Anything Goes in London at the Barbican Theatre previewed from 23 July 2021, opened on 4 August 2021, and closed on 6 November 2021