Based on Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan; with score by The Master Noel Coward and headed by a star-studded cast - Mary Ellis, Vanessa Lee, Peter Graves, Graham Payn, Irene Browne, a who’s-who of the then London stage, it seemed extraordinary that After the Ball only managed 188 performances. Perhaps the combination of Wilde and Coward did not work but the score is top quality and Coward supplied a charming set of lyrics.

This would be the last major stage appearance for Mary Ellis, the American born star who had reigned the West End stage between the two world wars achieving great success in Jerome Kern’s Music in the Air and two shows by Ivor Novello - The Dancing Years and Glamorous Night.

For bonus tracks we have included performances from three other Coward productions - Graham Payn singing “Matelot” and “Sigh No More” from the revue Sigh No More and selections from Pacific 1860 performed by the stars Mary Martin and Graham Payn. We have also included a “live” recording introduced by Coward of Payn singing “In A Boat On A Lake With My Darling” from Ace of Clubs.

Vanessa Lee was discovered by Ivor Novello who starred her in his King’s Rhapsody and made her a star over night. She recorded Novello’s “Finder, Please Return” and “On Such A Night As This” from his final production Gay’s the Word and these two songs complete our bonus track selection.

Estimated despatch 14-20 days after ordering.