Synopsis:
The story is set in 1930s England. Thrilled to have found its long-lost heir to the Earldom of Hareford, the residents are equally horrified to discover that the heir is an unapologetically unrefined cockney bloke from the wrong side of London, Bill Snibson. According to the will, Bill’s uncouth ways must change if he has any hope to earn the approval of the executors and gain the title. His Lambeth sweetheart, Sally, is immediately declared an ‘inappropriate’ match. Encouraged by Sally to take his rightful place, Bill’s efforts at refinement don’t always go as planned to hilarious and chaotic effect. As Bill strains to get up to snuff without his love, Sally’s own efforts on his behalf may ultimately provide his acceptance into the nobility. Me and My Girl is a high-energy comedy, packed with memorable characters and music, from beginning to end.
Background:
Me and My Girl opened in 1937 on London’s West End, and despite its premiere in war-struck London, became the longest-running West End musical of the 1930s. It was one of the first musicals to be broadcast live on the BBC and was adapted into a movie in 1939. The cockney anthem “Lambeth Walk” and its dance catapulted to fame throughout Europe, eventually making its way into New York City nightclubs. Even Winston Churchill regarded the show as a joyous reprieve for war-weary Londoners, as the front page of The Times of London in October 1938 ran a story claiming: “While dictators rage and statesmen talk, all Europe dances to the Lambeth Walk!”
In 1984, a production with a revised script opened to renewed critical acclaim in London, earning two Olivier Awards, including Musical of the Year. After transferring to Broadway in 1986, it was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, winning Best Choreography, Best Actor, and Best Actress. (The Best Actor and Best Actress awards were won over their competition from the original production of Les Mis!) The show also won 5 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Book, Music, Actor, and Actress, out of 11 Nominations.