Comments on: “Pretty little China girl, velly, velly nice”: How Do You Revive Kerker’s “Belle of New York” Today?

By: Marc Kenig

Marc Kenig — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 22:29:09 +0000

Having revived several of this era, I say it is not a matter of all or none. None of these shows were Shakespeare in dialog or lyrics and it just may interfere with the audience’s enjoyment if they are cringing.

So, I’ve changed words (the coon song in Florodora, racial reference in A Country Girl), cut songs and sometimes plowed right through. Sometimes these shows have alternative songs from different venues or times you can substitute – or a number by the same composer from a different show.

The Edwardian Musical Police didn’t come and arrest me, and the audience (unaware of any change since nobody had ever seen a production) was entertained. Result.

In the USA, the last thing you want to do is lose a municipal venue because the Cultural Appropriation Investigators have complained (usually because of the title, but some may look up a list of numbers or character names). Not all publicity is good.

But if the audience came away with a newfound appreciation of “Not Gilbert and Sullivan” (Monckton, Kerker, Caryll, Talbot, etc.) and have a few jolly good tunes to hum on the way home, all is good. MK

By: John Groves

John Groves — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 15:58:00 +0000

I saw the show in an excellent amateur production(London Transport Players) at Wimbledon Theatre many years ago and remember enjoying it very much indeed. the plot was amusing and the dialogue did not seem dated; the music was very pleasant even if it is a ‘one song’ show, the title number being reprised many times. LPT employed an excellent professional orchestra of about 20. I still wonder why it is not staged more frequently – it works better than The Arcadians which I saw at about the same time.

By: Kurt Gänzl

Kurt Gänzl — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 21:05:37 +0000

The BELLE was actually a failure in America. But its Americanised version of the style of show produced at London’s Gaiety Theatre proved a hit in London largely through its energy and novelty. The Gaiety girls were inclined to be languid!!! And it went on from there to become the most successful American musical comedy of it’s time OUTSIDE America.
Totally agree with Bill White, if you are going to do a show of this era you need to do it as it was written, ‘censoring’ C19th shows is foolish and wasteful of time.

Kurt

By: Bill White

Bill White — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 07:40:51 +0000

It seems to me you agonize too much over something you did not create, this can be considered an item of historical interest. It is probably Kerker’s best work and undeniably popular on Broadway of the time.I believe a faithful reproduction would be my heartfelt recommendation.
I heard something about the rights to this work being held captive by some collector in the midwest. Know anything about that?

Bill White

By: Dario Salvi

Dario Salvi — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 12:19:34 +0000

Thank you ORCA for publishing this. I would be really curious to read other opinions, so please post your comments here.
Thank you

Dario