| Stop the World – I Want to Get Off |
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|---|---|
London Cast Recording |
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| Music | Leslie Bricusse Anthony Newley |
| Lyrics | Leslie Bricusse Anthony Newley |
| Book | Leslie Bricusse Anthony Newley |
| Productions | 1961 West End 1962 Broadway 1966 Film 1978 Broadway revival |
Stop the World – I Want to Get Off is a musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.
Set against the backdrop of a circus, it focuses on Littlechap, whose first major step towards improving his lot is to marry Evie, his boss's daughter. Saddled with the responsibilities of a family, he allows his growing dissatisfaction with his existence to lead him into the arms of various women—Russian Anya, German Ilse, and American Ginnie—as he searches for something better than he has, only to realize in the twilight of his life what he always had—the love of his wife— was more than enough to sustain him.
According to Oscar Levant, the play's title was derived from a graffito.[1]
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The West End production, directed by Newley, opened on July 20, 1961 at the Queen's Theatre, where it ran for 485 performances. Newley starred as Littlechap, with Anna Quayle playing the multiple roles of Evie and the other women in his life. Marti Webb was a member of the chorus. An original cast recording was released by Decca Records [1].
Producer David Merrick, always impressed by a low-cost project requiring minimal sets, costumes, and a small cast, decided to stage the show in New York City. Directed by Newley, scenery and lighting design by Sean Kenny, musical supervision by Ian Fraser, musical direction by Milton Rosenstock, orchestrations by Ian Fraser, After one preview, the Broadway production opened on October 3, 1962 at the Shubert Theatre, eventually transferring to the Ambassador to complete its 555-performance run. Newley and Quayle reprised their London roles. Newley later was replaced by Kenneth Nelson, then Joel Grey, and Joan Eastman assumed the roles of Evie et al. A Broadway cast recording was released by Polydor [2]. On the national company tour, the show starred Grey and Julie Newmar.
A Broadway revival directed by Mel Shapiro opened on August 3, 1978 at the New York State Theatre in Lincoln Center, where it ran for 30 performances. The cast included Sammy Davis, Jr. and Marian Mercer. A revival cast recording was released by Warner Bros. Records [3].
A 1966 Warner Bros. release was little more than a filmed version of a staged production. Directed by Philip Saville, it featured additional material by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, David Donable, and Al Ham. The cast included Tony Tanner and Millicent Martin. Neither a critical nor commercial success, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Music Scoring.
Sammy Davis, Jr. and Marian Mercer reprised their Broadway revival roles for Sammy Stops the World, a 1978 television adaptation [4].
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| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Nominated | |
| Best Author | Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley | Nominated | ||
| Best Composer and Lyricist | Nominated | |||
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Anthony Newley | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Anna Quayle | Won | ||