Still Dancing (or Still Dancing!) is a 1925 musical revue produced by Charles B. Cochran, with book by Arthur Wimperis and Ronald Jeans, lyrics by Philip Braham, Noble Sissle & Eubie Blake, and music by Ivor Novello, Irving Berlin, Vivian Ellis, Isham Jones and Marc Anthony. Dialogue was by Ernest Thesiger, and ballet numbers were choreographed by Leonid Massine. The cast included Alice Delysia, Joan Clarkson, Hermione Baddeley, Florence Desmond, Nigel Bruce, Douglas Byng, Richard Dolman, Walter Gore, as well as Thesiger and Massine.
The show opened at the London Pavilion on 19 November 1925 and closed on 27 February 1926, after 114 performances.
Background
Still Dancing was a second edition of On with the Dance, with the original ballets retained from the original show but without any of Noël Coward's material.
In a preview published in the Weekly Dispatch on 15 November 1925, the reviewer—"B. N."—highlighted the following elements of the new show: Massine's ballet, "Pompeii à la Massine"; a scene by Aubrey Beardsley featuring Greta Fayne and Richard Dolman; a "secret" scene inspired by Gordon Selfridge; Ernest Thesiger appearing as a boxer, a Cockney, a sportsman lover, a cricketer, and a mountain climber; and French designer Jean Patou, who created 12 frocks that Alice Delysia had to change into within eight minutes. Printed alongside the preview was a photo of Felice Lascelles, with a caption reading: "Felice Lascelles, to appear in Still Dancing, the new revue at the Pavilion."
On the eve of the show's opening, the theatrical newspaper The Era summarised the new show thus: "(...) there are 27 scenes, and new songs by Braham, Novello, Sissle and Blake, Irving Berlin, Marc Anthony and others. Delysia, who will wear twenty new gowns, has been provided with "Poppy of the Pav", by Arthur Wimperis and Philip Braham; Hermione Baddeley has a song with music by Ivor Novello, entitled "The First Up Is the Best Dressed"; Greta Fayne has a "South Sea" number with Richard Dolman; Ernest Thesiger plays a variety of new roles, and there are many other changes. The Hogarth Impressions and Dance Memories will be retained. Max Rivers has produced the dances and Massine the ballets."
Original production The show opened at the London Pavilion on 19 November 1925 and closed on 27 February 1926, after 114 performances. It was directed by Charles B. Cochran, with the following programme and cast:
Part I
Scene 1. "Lost Property Office" Keeper of Lost Property office – Fred Winn A Reporter – Lance Lister A Wife – Joan Clarkson An Elderly Lady – Violet Gould A Chauffeur – Nigel Bruce A Timid Gentleman – Douglas Byng A Flash Young Lady – Hermione Baddeley A Stranger – Ernest Thesiger
Scene 2. Song: "Poppy" (Wimperis & Ellis) Alice Delysia Terri Story, Greta Beronius, Vera Bryer, Averil Haley, Decilia Mobray, Noranna Rose, Nancy Barnett, Nora Lorrimore, Florence Desmond, Felice Lascelles, Clare Watson, Thalia Barberova, William Cavanagh, Billy Reynolds, Kenneth Henry, Fred Wallace, Jean Perrie, Donald Neville
Scene 3. "At the Fight" Bill – Douglas Byng Alf – Nigel Bruce Sid – Lance Lister Ivy – Hermione Baddeley Attendant – Ernest Thesiger A Lady – Joan Clarkson Her Son – Herbert Richards M.C. – Ernest Lindsay
Scene 4. "Still Dancing" The Hussars – Decilia Mobray, Nancy Barnett, Nora Lorrimore, Thalia Barberova Danse Eccentrique – Florence Desmond Valse Moderne – Greta Beronius The Faun – Terri Story Old Moscow – Vera Bryer The River Rag – Felice Lascelles, Florence Desmond, Clare Watson, Noranna Rose, Terri Story, Decilia Mobray, Nora Lorrimore, Greta Beronius, Averil Haley, Thalia Barberova, Vera Bryer, Nancy Barnett
Scene 5. "Number 13" Ruby – Hermione Baddeley Young Doctor – Nigel Bruce A Postman – Ernest Lindsay A Lady Journalist – Joan Clarkson
Scene 6. "The Rake" A Hogarth Impression (Choreography by Leonide Massine: Music by Roger Quilter) First Dancer – Greta Fayne Second Dancer – Greta Beronius Third Dancer – Betty Oliver Posture Woman – Florence Desmond Corset Woman – Eleanora Marra First Fat Woman – Ernest Lindsay Second Fat Woman – Violet Gould The Rake – Terry Kendall Musicians: The Dog – Helen Gardom The Bull – Edith Tooley The Cat – William Cavanagh The Cock – Billy Reynolds The Woman with Bound Hair – Laurie Devine The Thin Man – Richard Dolman The Beau – Leonide Massine Man Dancer – Jean Perrie Boot Man – Donald Neville Giant – Kenneth Henry Globe Man – Fred Wallace Man with Compass – Fred Winn Cupid – Arthur Howe Coloured Woman – Emma Williams Dances: Trio – Greta Fayne, Greta Beronius, Betty Oliver Solo – Eleanora Marra Duo – Eleanora Marra and Leonide Massine Entrance of Grotesques – Donald Neville, Kenneth Henry, Laurie Devine
Scene 7. "Remember" (Music and Words by Irving Berlin) Yvonne – Alice Delysia Major Hamilton – Nigel Bruce Maid – Jessie Taylor
Scene 8. Song: "South Sea Blues" (Wimperis & Ellis) The Man – Richard Dolman The Maid – Greta Fayne Mr. Gloom – Douglas Byng
Empire Theatre, 1890 Song: "Georgie" (Chateau and Albertino) Yvonne – Alice Delysia Gaiety Theatre, 1888 Pas de Quatre (Meyer Luis) Greta Beronius, Vera Bryer, Thalia Barberova, Terri Story
Moulin Rouge, 1888–1890 "Quadrille" (Offenbach) La Goulue – Greta Fayne Grille d'Egout – Josephine Head Casque d'Or – Pat Kendall La Melinite – Laurie Devine Valentin le Desosse – Terry Kendall
Scene 9. "Gown and Out" or "The Animals Went in Tout-Pa-Tout" Magenta Slipp-Boddys – Alice Delysia Sir John Slipp-Boddys – Nigel Bruce Geoffrey Blazer – Ernest Thesiger Sir Rupert Slumberware – Lance Lister Georgette (Magenta's Maid) – Vera Bryer
Scene 10. "Still Dancing" (Braham) Hermione Baddeley, Richard Dolman and Greta Beronius, Vera Bryer, Felice Lascelles, Nancy Barnett, Nora Lorrimore, Terri Story, Florence Desmond, Averil Haley, Decilia Mobray, Noranna Rose, Thalia Barberova, Clare Watson The Dancers: Greta Fayne and Max Rivers Vera Bryer, Florence Desmond, Terri Story, Decilia Mobray, Nancy Barnett, Thalia Barberova, Douglas Byng, Billy Reynolds, Kenneth Henry, Fred Wallace, William Cavanagh, Jean Perrie Pat and Terry Kendall Laurie Devine Head and Zapp
Finale – Part I Alice Delysia and Entire Company
Part II
Scene 11. "A Hungarian Wedding" The Bride – Greta Fayne The Bridegroom – Terry Kendall The Best Man – Jean Perrie The Chief Bridesmaid – Pat Kendall The Groom's Man – Kenneth Henry The Second Bridesmaid – Laurie Devine The Maid of Honour – Jessie Taylor Serving Men – Fred Wallace and Billy Reynolds The Host – Nigel Bruce The Hostess – Alice Delysia The Congratulating Boys – Donald Neville, Ernest Lindsay Little Girls – Edith Tooley, Averil Haley Little Boys – Louie Bermon, Walter Gore Horse Boys – Betty Oliver, Greta Beronius, Felice Lascelles, Terri Story, Clare Watson, Nancy Barnett, Vera Bryer Peasant Girls – Nora Lorrimore, Florence Desmond, Decilia Mobray, Noranna Rose, Thalia Barberova The Highwayman – Leonide Massine Gipsy Girl – Eleanora Marra Song: "Hungarian Song" (Anderson & Bela) – Alice Delysia
Scene 12. "Shades of Shakespeare"Prologue An Elderly Actor – Fred Winn A Young Actor – Richard Dolman Characters in Play: Candelabra – Joan Clarkson Tantalus (Her Butler) – William Cavanagh Asbestos (Lover of Candelabra) – Ernest Thesiger Guests: Caramel – Dorothea Varda Nujol – Lance Lister Ovaltine – Sybil Wise Organdy – Douglas Byng Gospo (Husband of Candelabra) – Nigel Bruce Bodega – Hermione Baddeley
Scene 13. "That Means Nothing To Me" Alice Delysia
Scene 14. "Pompeii À La Massine" (Choreography by Massine: Music by Louis Ganne and others) Ariadne – Josephine Head Attendant Cupid – Averil Haley Master of the Ceremonies – Douglas Byng Gazelle-Girl – Laurie Devine Peacock-Girl – Dorothea Varda Leopard-Girl – Clare Watson Dove-Girl – Thalia Barberova Caterpillar – Greta Fayne Flowers – Betty Oliver, Greta Beronius, Terri Story Blacksmith – Percy Val Alchemist – Eleanora Marra Customers – Jean Perrie, Donald Neville The Chinese Visitor – Leonide Massine
Scene 15. "I Am Tired of Everything but You" (Isham Jones) Pat and Terry Kendall
Scene 16. "The Pattern Wife" John Caravel – Ernest Thesiger Enid Caravel – Alice Delysia Helen Dering – Hermione Baddeley Parlour Maid – Kate Strudwick
Scene 17. "3 a.m." Percy Val
Scene 18. "The First Up Is the Best Dressed" Hermione Baddeley and Terri Story, Greta Beronius, Nancy Barnett, Vera Bryer, Averil Haley, Decilia Mobray, Nora Lorrimore, Florence Desmond
Scene 19. "Two's Company" Clare – Alice Delysia Dennis – Lance Lister George – Nigel Bruce
Scene 20. "Pyjama Jazz" (Wimperis and Anthony) Nancy Barnett, Greta Beronius, Decilia Mobray, Nora Lorrimore, Florence Desmond, Vera Bryer, Clare Watson, Terri Story Richard Dolman, Lance Lister, William Cavanagh, Billy Reynolds, Kenneth Henry, Fred Wallace, Jean Perrie Ensemble: Ernest Thesiger, Douglas Byng, Nigel Bruce, Donald Neville, Ernest Lindsay, Sybil Wise, Hermione Baddeley, Kate Strudwick, Dorothea Varda, Jessie Taylor, Noranna Rose, Paula York, Betty Oliver, Edith Tooley, Felice Lascelles, Helen Gardom, Averil Haley Pat and Terry Kendall Eleanora Marra Laurie Devine Leonide Massine Head and Zapp Greta Fayne and Max Rivers Alice Delysia
Finale – The Entire Company
Orchestra under the direction of J. B. Hastings
Songs "Poppy" (Wimperis & Ellis/Braham) "Remember" (Music and Words by Irving Berlin) "South Sea Blues" (Wimperis & Ellis) "Georgie" (Chateau and Albertino) "Still Dancing" (Braham) "Hungarian Song" (Anderson & Bela) "I Am Tired of Everything but You" (Isham Jones) "The First Up is the Best Dressed" (Wimperis & Novello) "Pyjama Jazz" (Wimperis and Anthony)
Ballets "The Rake" A Hogarth Impression (Choreography by Leonide Massine: Music by Roger Quilter) "A Hungarian Wedding" (Produced by Massine: Music by Imre Magyari and Tzigane Orchestra) "Pompeii À La Massine" (Choreography by Massine: Music by Louis Ganne and others)
Critical reception The day after the opening, on 20 November, the Aberdeen Press and Journal reviewer wrote that "Still Dancing is the most spectacular revue in town, but it is also the most undressed", and speculated that "[i]t must have cost the producers many thousands of pounds in dresses alone, particularly in the scene depicting a Hungarian wedding." The reviewer also complained that "[t]here is a lack of humour about this revue, but one cannot have everything, and certainly Still Dancing is a sufficient attraction without that ancillary to successful revue." The same day, Hubert Griffith in the London Daily Chronicle noted that "Mr. Cochran's sequel to On With the Dance at the London Pavilion, still contains almost as amazing a series of acrobatics as ever." He also mentioned that, of all the sketches, "one, a blank-verse version of Spring Cleaning, is witty", and singled out for praise "Greta Beronius (...), Mr. Percy Val, Mr. Nigel Bruce (very good), Mr. Thesiger, Mdlle. Delysia, and Miss Hermione Baddeley (...)" Finally he quipped that "there is a certain economy about most of the dance costumes, and citizens of Birmingham should keep away."