1939 41 run: Drury Lane, March 23 rd (187 performances – ended on outbreak of war) Music: Lyrics: Director: Leontine Sagan Choreographer: Freddie Carpenter Musical Director : Charles Prentice

Cast: Ivor Novello (Rudi Kleber) , (Maria Zeigler) , Roma Beaumont (Grete Schöne) , (Cäcile Kurt), Peter Graves (Franzl) , Anthony Nicholla (Prince Charles )

Songs: Waltz of My Heart, I Can Give you the Starlight, My Dearest Dear, Wings of Sleep, My Life Belongs to You, Leap Year Waltz, Primrose, Lorelei

hoto McBean Angus by P Story: The story begins in 1911 at an Ivor Novello & Mary Ellis inn outside Vienna where poor Rudi Kleber and operetta star Maria Ziegler meet, fall in love, and run away to live together, leaving behind Rudi’s infatuated admirer Grete and Maria’s boyfriend, Prince Charles Metterling. Three years later Grete comes back into his life – now a star of the English – and jokingly reminds him that he promised never to marry anyone else until she had the chance to reject his proposal. In jest he proposes to her, but is accidentally overheard by Maria, who not realising the situation, and not hearing the rejection, immediately returns to Vienna, where she will finally marry Prince Charles. In 1926 they meet again and discover that they are still in love, but they decide to separate for the sake of their son, who mistakenly believes the Prince to be his real father. Their paths finally cross again in 1938, following the German “Anschluss” with Austria. Rudi has been arrested for opposing the Nazi regime, but Maria manages to get him released.

Notes: The original production had opened at Drury Lane in March 1939, and was forced to close after 187 performances when war was declared in September of that year.

1st Revival: Following a provincial tour, it returned to the in London in March 1942, and ran for 969 performances, again forced to close because of increased bombing activity.

2nd Revival: It undertook yet another provincial tour, returning for the third time to the Casino Theatre in March 1947 for 96 performances, followed by yet another tour. All in all the show had run almost consecutively for ten years.

Mary Ellis (on stairs) with Roma Beaumont & Ivor Novello hoto McBean Angus by P