La Cava

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La Cava is a musical with a book by Dana Broccoli, lyrics by John Claflin and Laurence O'Keefe, and music by O'Keefe and Stephen Keeling.

Based on Broccoli's novel Florinda, its title is derived not from the sparkling wine but for the Spanish word for a scarlet woman. The plot focuses on Florinda Espatorias, the feisty daughter of a Spanish general who is governor of Ceuta in North Africa. When the colony is threatened by Moorish invasion, she is sent to Toledo, Spain to be schooled in the womanly arts in the court of King Roderic, who kills her childhood sweetheart Somal when he mistakes him for an invading soldier. Seeking revenge, Florinda accuses the king of rape, thereby inciting a war.

Directed by Steven Dexter and choreographed by Mitch Sebastian, the West End production opened on June 8, 2000 at the Victoria Palace Theatre, where it ran for six weeks before transferring to the Picadilly. It remained there until closing on February 3, 2001. The original cast included Oliver Tobias, Julie-Alanah Brighten, Paul Keating, Marilyn Cutts, and David Bardsley.

Reviews were mixed. Sarah Hemming of The Financial Times described it as "not dislikeable, just rather relentless . . . Everything about La Cava is huge: big themes, grand passions, epic story, towering set, soaring score. It is like being swallowed up by a historical romance." [1] In CurtainUp London, Lizzie Loveridge wrote, "It is an effervescent mix of stars with sex appeal, original choreography, sweet music, tongue in cheek lyrics, and high drama." [2] David Benedict of The Times observed, "Laurence O'Keefe and Stephen Keeling's score has size, energy, and even a bit of soul." [3] The Daily Telegraph review began, "Another day, another doomed musical. Yet of all the turkeys that have arrived on our stages recently, La Cava is the one I've enjoyed most." [4]