The Desert Song
Opening Date: June 29, 1939
Closing Date: August, 1939
Air date: July 13, 1939
Medium: TV
Where to watch: not available
Closing Date: August, 1939
Air date: July 13, 1939
Medium: TV
Where to watch: not available
Stage Production Notes
The Desert Song is an operetta set in Morocco. Loosely based on real-life Berber Abd el-Krim, the story follows the notorious Red Shadow as he leads a rebellion of Morrocon Riff tribes against the French. Red Shadow is actually Pierre, the son of a French general. In his disguise, Pierre kidnaps Margot who longs to escape her humdrum life. Eventually Pierre’s true identity is revealed, and all ends happily.
With a book by Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Frank Mandel, music by Sigmund Romberg, and lyrics by Harbach and Hammerstein II, the operetta began life as Lady Fair. Following out-of-town try-outs, the title was changed to The Desert Song. The operetta opened on Broadway at the Casino Theatre on November 30, 1926. It proved a huge hit, and played for 471 performances. During its run, the show transferred to the Century Theatre, and later the Imperial Theatre.
The operetta opened on the West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in April, 1927. The production featured a live donkey named Sally. The show proved immensely popular, and touring productions could be regularly found around the United Kingdom.
The Desert Song was revived on the West End in 1939 at the Garrick Theatre, once again featuring Sally the donkey. The revival was generally well received, though a critic for The Observer noted that the show had a “gruelling libretto” and “survives on the strengths of its songs.” The revival ran for 75 performances and was broadcast live on television by the BBC.
A second West End revival took place in 1967 at the Palace Theatre.
The operetta was first revived on Broadway in 1946 at City Center, and again in 1973 at the Uris Theatres. Both revivals ran for less than a few weeks.
In the late 1980s, New York City Opera Company twice staged The Desert Song for well-received short runs.
The Desert Song has been adapted to screen multiple times. It became the first Broadway musical to be made into a film in its entirety when Warner Bros released the “all singing all dancing all talking” version in 1929. The talking picture starred John Boles, Carlotta King, and Myrna Loy. Two more film versions were released by Warner Bros in 1943 and 1953, starring Dennis King and Irene Manning, and Gordon McRae and Kathryn Grayson respectively. NBC aired a live television version in 1955.
The Desert Song has received professional productions around the world, and is available for licensing through Tams-Witmark.
The Desert Song is an operetta set in Morocco. Loosely based on real-life Berber Abd el-Krim, the story follows the notorious Red Shadow as he leads a rebellion of Morrocon Riff tribes against the French. Red Shadow is actually Pierre, the son of a French general. In his disguise, Pierre kidnaps Margot who longs to escape her humdrum life. Eventually Pierre’s true identity is revealed, and all ends happily.
With a book by Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Frank Mandel, music by Sigmund Romberg, and lyrics by Harbach and Hammerstein II, the operetta began life as Lady Fair. Following out-of-town try-outs, the title was changed to The Desert Song. The operetta opened on Broadway at the Casino Theatre on November 30, 1926. It proved a huge hit, and played for 471 performances. During its run, the show transferred to the Century Theatre, and later the Imperial Theatre.
The operetta opened on the West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in April, 1927. The production featured a live donkey named Sally. The show proved immensely popular, and touring productions could be regularly found around the United Kingdom.
The Desert Song was revived on the West End in 1939 at the Garrick Theatre, once again featuring Sally the donkey. The revival was generally well received, though a critic for The Observer noted that the show had a “gruelling libretto” and “survives on the strengths of its songs.” The revival ran for 75 performances and was broadcast live on television by the BBC.
A second West End revival took place in 1967 at the Palace Theatre.
The operetta was first revived on Broadway in 1946 at City Center, and again in 1973 at the Uris Theatres. Both revivals ran for less than a few weeks.
In the late 1980s, New York City Opera Company twice staged The Desert Song for well-received short runs.
The Desert Song has been adapted to screen multiple times. It became the first Broadway musical to be made into a film in its entirety when Warner Bros released the “all singing all dancing all talking” version in 1929. The talking picture starred John Boles, Carlotta King, and Myrna Loy. Two more film versions were released by Warner Bros in 1943 and 1953, starring Dennis King and Irene Manning, and Gordon McRae and Kathryn Grayson respectively. NBC aired a live television version in 1955.
The Desert Song has received professional productions around the world, and is available for licensing through Tams-Witmark.
Filmed Production Notes
In July 1939, the BBC sponsored an “outside broadcast” of The Desert Song live from the Garrick Theatre. The program aired on July 13, 1939.
Led by the President of the Society of West End Theatre Managers, Walter Payne, a group of theatre professionals petitioned Post-Master General Major Tryon to prevent the broadcast for fears that television would have a detrimental effect on live theatre.
The Desert Song was the BBC’s final outside broadcast before the outbreak of World War II.
Live broadcasts were not recorded at this time, and The Desert Song is therefore unavailable to view.
In July 1939, the BBC sponsored an “outside broadcast” of The Desert Song live from the Garrick Theatre. The program aired on July 13, 1939.
Led by the President of the Society of West End Theatre Managers, Walter Payne, a group of theatre professionals petitioned Post-Master General Major Tryon to prevent the broadcast for fears that television would have a detrimental effect on live theatre.
The Desert Song was the BBC’s final outside broadcast before the outbreak of World War II.
Live broadcasts were not recorded at this time, and The Desert Song is therefore unavailable to view.
The Desert Song PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Garrick Theatre, London
Book: Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel
Music: Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics: Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II
Cast:
Bruce Carfax (Pierre Birabeau), Doris Francis (Margot Bonvalet), Alexander Cameron (Bennie Kidd), Greta Buchanan (Azuri), Rhys Thomas (Sid El Kar), Warwick Ashton (Captain Paul Fontaine), Kathleen Fraser (Clementina), Phyllis Bourke (Susan)
Theatre: Garrick Theatre, London
Book: Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel
Music: Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics: Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II
Cast:
Bruce Carfax (Pierre Birabeau), Doris Francis (Margot Bonvalet), Alexander Cameron (Bennie Kidd), Greta Buchanan (Azuri), Rhys Thomas (Sid El Kar), Warwick Ashton (Captain Paul Fontaine), Kathleen Fraser (Clementina), Phyllis Bourke (Susan)
Sources
Books
Articles
Websites
- Donald Crafton,The Talkies: American Cinema's Transition to Sound, 1926-1931, University of California Press (1999)
- Dan Dietz, The Complete Book of 1970s Broadway Musicals, Rowman & Littlefield (2015)
- William A. Everett and Paul R. Laird, Historical Dictionary of the Broadway Musical, Rowman & Littlefield (2016)
- Oscar Andrew Hammerstein, The Hammersteins: A Musical Theatre Family, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers (2010)
- Stanley Green, Revision by Kay Green, Broadway Musicals, Show by Show, Hal Leonard Corporation, Fifth Edition, (1996)
- Adrian Wright, West End Broadway: The Golden Age of the American Musical in London, The Boydell Press (2012)
Articles
- Anon, (1939) “Effect of Television on the Theatre,” The Times (London), 18 May 1939, p.14
- Kurt Gänzl, “THE DESERT SONG Musical play in 3 acts,” Operetta Research Center (Jan 1, 2001)
- H.H. “The Desert Song,” The Observer (July 2, 1939), p.13
- Robert Lynd, “Dramatis Personae,” The Observer (June 25, 1939), p.13
- John Wyver, “From the theatre, 1938-1939,” Screen Plays (Sept 27, 2011)
Websites
- Internet Broadway Database, “The Desert Song,” Accessed via: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-desert-song-10167
- Tams-Witmark, “The Desert Song,” Accessed via: http://www.tamswitmark.com/search/the+desert+song
Written by Luisa Lyons (December, 2017)