''Dorothy Fields Forever'' is a musical revue featuring the lyrics and life of

Dorothy Fields Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote more than 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Her best-known pieces include " The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (193 ...

and the music of

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, J ...

Arthur Schwartz Arthur Schwartz (November 25, 1900 – September 3, 1984) was an American composer and film producer, widely noted for his songwriting collaborations with Howard Dietz. Biography Early life Schwartz was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New ...

Albert Hague Albert Hague (born Albert Marcuse, October 13, 1920 – November 12, 2001) was a German–born American songwriter and actor. Early life Hague was born to a Jewish family in Berlin, Germany. His father, Harry Marcuse, was a psychiatrist a ...

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his Musical theatre, musicals and operettas, particularly ''The Student Prince'' (1924), ''The Desert Song'' (1926) and ''The New Moo ...

and

Cy Coleman Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. Life and career Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, to Ashkenazi, Eastern European Jewish parents, an ...

It was devised and written by Eden Phillips, and co-devised and directed by

David Kernan David Stanley Kernan (23 June 1938 – 26 December 2023) was an English actor, best known as an interpreter of the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Kernan appeared in stage musicals and was a soloist in various British variety shows throughout the 19 ...

, with musical arrangements by Jason Carr and Nathan Martin. Choreography was by

Nick Winston Nick Winston is an English director and choreographer working in theatre, opera and film. Life and career Winston directed ''Bonnie & Clyde in Concert'' at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, starring Jeremy Jordan, followed by ''Bonnie & Clyde'' ...

and the musical director was Nathan Martin.

History

The show originated at the

Theatre Museum The Theatre Museum in the Covent Garden district of London, England, was the United Kingdom's national museum of the performing arts. It was a branch of the UK's national museum of applied arts, the Victoria and Albert Museum. It opened in 197 ...

, Covent Garden, London in December 2001. It transferred to

Jermyn Street Theatre Jermyn Street Theatre is a performance venue situated on Jermyn Street, in London's West End. It is an Off West End studio theatre. History Jermyn Street Theatre opened in August 1994. It was formerly the changing rooms for staff at a Spaghet ...

in February 2002 and then to the King's Head Theatre Islington for three runs between June and November 2002.

Cast

Angela Richards Angela Richards (born 18 December 1944) is an English actress. A graduate of RADA, she is also known for her body of work in musical theatre. Biography Theatre Richards has starred in several West End productions such as '' Robert and Elizab ...

played Dorothy Fields throughout. Narrating, singing, dancing and playing other characters in her life were: Susannah Fellows, Harry Burton,

Laura Michelle Kelly Laura Michelle Kelly (born 4 March 1981) is an English actress and singer, best known for originating the roles of Mary Poppins in ''Mary Poppins'' in the West End, for which she received the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and ...

, Darren Carnall (Theatre Museum); Daniel Crossley, Andrew Halliday,

Rebecca Lock Rebecca Lock (born on 22 April 1976 in Ely) is an English actress who has worked extensively in musical theatre, including many leading West End roles. Early life Lock was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre, and attended Central Scho ...

, Kathryn Akin, Stori James,

Robert Meadmore Robert Meadmore is a British singer and actor. Theatre Born in RomfordRobert Meadmore
Biography, accessed J ...

(Jermyn Street and/or King's Head.)

Reception

Among the reviews: "an utterly delightful revue" ''Variety Magazine''; "this joyful celebration of Fields' songs and a talented young quartet of singer/dancers performs so dazzlingly that the audience yells for more. I shall go again at least twice" ''The Times''; "Ms Richards gives a master-class in effortless style; I could have sat and listened to her all night" ''The Daily Mail''.

Songs

Act One

* I Can't Give You Anything But Love (music, Jimmy McHugh) * On the Sunny Side of the Street (McHugh) * Blue Again (McHugh) * I'm in the Mood for Love (McHugh) * I Won't Dance/Never Gonna Dance (Jerome Kern) * Bojangles of Harlem (Kern) * A Fine Romance (Kern) * Remind Me (Kern) * The Way You Look Tonight (Kern) * A Lady Needs a Change (Kern) * Pink Taffeta Sample Size 10 (Cy Coleman) * Close As Pages in a Book (Sigmund Romberg) * Make the Man Love Me (Arthur Schwartz) * He Had Refinement (Schwartz) * Lottie Gibson Specialty (Schwartz) * The Uncle Sam Rag (Albert Hague) * ‘Erbie Fitch's Twitch (Hague) * Where Am I Going? (Coleman)

Act Two

* There's Gotta Be Something Better/ My Personal Property/ * It's a Nice Face/I'm a Brass Band/ The Rhythm of Life (Coleman) * If My Friends Could See Me Now (Coleman) * Soliloquy (Coleman) * Welcome To Holiday Inn (Coleman) * I'm Way Ahead (Coleman) * Nobody Does It Like Me (Coleman) * I Must Have That Man/Don't Blame Me (McHugh) * I Can't Give You Anything but Love/On The Sunny Side of The Street ''reprise'' (McHugh) * More People Like You (Coleman) * It's Not Where You Start (Coleman) * Finale medley: I Feel a Song Coming On/Exactly Like You/You Couldn't Be Cuter/Big Spender/Lovely To Look At/I Love to Cry at Weddings/Pick Yourself Up/It's Not Where You Start/The Rhythm of Life All lyrics by

References

{{reflist 2001 musicals West End musicals British musicals Original musicals Musicals set in the 20th century Biographical musicals Revues