Ace Of Clubs
A "revue musical", with book, music and lyrics by Nol Coward, Ace Of Clubs opened at London's Cambridge Theatre on 7 July 1950. In contrast to Coward's previous sophisticated comedies, it was set mainly in a Soho nightclub, and involved small-time gangsters and parcels of stolen jewels. The songs were still of the same high quality and Coward's score contained several amusing numbers such as "Josephine", "Three Juvenile Delinquents", the tongue-in-cheek "I Like America" ("New Jersey dames go up in flames if someone mentions bed/In Chicago, Illinois, any girl who meets a boy, giggles, and shoots him dead"), and a late-night invitation from a female cat to her mate, entitled "Chase Me, Charlie" ("I'd like to wander for miles and miles/Wreathed in smiles/Out on the tiles with you"). As usual with Coward, there were ballads of yearning and regret, such as "Why Does Love Get In The Way?", "I'd Never, Never Know", "Nothing Can Last Forever" and "Sail Away", which the composer used as the title song of one of his last shows in 1962. The main love interest was provided by Graham Payn, and Pat Kirkwood, who registered strongly with "My Kind Of Man". The cast also included Sylvia Cecil, Elwyn Brook-Jones, and future leading players such as June Whitfield, Vivien Merchant and Jean Carson. On the first night, a section of the audience continually booed the production, and, although Coward still retained a loyal theatrical following in London, Ace Of Clubs closed in January 1951, after a run of 211 performances. Several of the songs were subsequently featured regularly by Coward in his cabaret act.
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