Glamorous Night is a musical with a book and music by Ivor Novello and lyrics by Christopher Hassall, Novello's collaborator in six of the eight Novello musicals staged between 1935 and 1951.[1] Glamorous Night was the first of several Novello musicals in the 1930s given an expensive, spectacular production, with several scene changes and a large cast, including many extras and dancers. Scenes included a London street, the set of an operetta performed in the fictional country of Krasnia, shipboard skating and assassination scenes, the sinking of the ship, a bustling gypsy wedding and a Royal ballroom.
The musical was first performed in London in 1935. In 1937 it was adapted as a film of the same name starring Mary Ellis and Otto Kruger.
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Glamorous Night was produced by Ivor Novello. The musical opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on 2 May 1935, but had a limited run due to the pre-booking of a pantomime at the theatre. It re-opened at the London Coliseum in May 1936 for another short run. The role of Anthony Allen was played by Novello, and that of the gypsy (Militza Hajos) was played by Mary Ellis. Others in the original cast were Peter Graves, Olive Gilbert, Roma Beaumont, Zena Dare, Robert Andrews and Elisabeth Welch.
A movie was made of Glamorous Night in 1937, with Barry MacKay taking the role of Anthony Allen, Otto Kruger as King Stephen and Mary Ellis reprising her stage role of Militza.
Anthony Allen, a young inventor, has created a successful television. In order to prevent the competition and possible demise of radio, the chief of a radio organisation pays Allen not to promote the invention. Allen travels to Central Europe and goes to the kingdom of Krasnia. Like many plays of this period, Krasnia is a "Ruritania"-type country. There he meets a gypsy princess, who is engaged to marry the King of Krasnia. Allen falls in love with her after saving her life in a shipwreck. For the good of the kingdom, he denies his love and gives her up. The gypsies help the King quell a revolution. The inventor returns to England to watch the king's wedding on his new invention.
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