The PHILIP QUAST Guide - Stage - Musicals

CANDIDE

Music by Leonard BERNSTEIN
Book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh WHEELER
Lyrics by Richard WILBUR, Stephen SONDHEIM & John LATOUCHE

Venue: York Theatre, Sydney & Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
Year: April to July 1982

Produced by: The Nimrod Theatre Company
Director: John BELL
Musical director: Robert GAVIN
Set Designer: Roger KIRK
Coreographer: Robyn MOASE

MAIN CAST:

Voltaire, The Narrator / Dr Pangloss	Jon EWING
Candide	Philip QUAST
Cunegonde	Susann van COTT
Grand Inquisitor	Rick BURCHALL
Maximillian	John HANNAH
Paquette	Christine MAHONEY
The Baron Thunder-Ten-Tronck	Barry LOVETT
The Baroness / The Old Lady	Deidre RUBINSTEIN

RELATED SECTIONS:	Full Cast & Crew Review Production Photo
WEBLINKS: (new browser windows)	Synopsis from The Guide to Musical Theatre Article about The Nimrod Theatre Company Factsheet from Stephen Sondheim.com

The book which Voltaire rattled off in 1759 as "a schoolboy jest" has proved to be a persistent stayer. Its wickedly joyful satire of foolish optimism, its gleeful attack on institutionalised corruption are balanced by an earthly commonsense and mature humanity. It has been adapted for the stage many times but never more brilliantly than by the writers and composer who challenged the conventions of Broadway and gave to the American Musical a new dimension.

(Source: Theatre programme - Introduction by the director John Bell)

Let dreamers dream what worlds they please,
Those edens can't be found.
The sweetest flow'rs, the fairest trees
Are grown in solid ground.

Candide

MUSICAL NUMBERS:

ACT ONE
1. Overture -
2. Life is Happiness Indeed - Candide, Cunégonde, Maximilian, Paquette
3. The Best of All Possible Worlds - Pangloss, Candide, Cunégonde, Maximilian, Paquette
4. Oh Happy We - Candide & Cunégonde
5. It Must Be So - Candide
5a. O Miserere - Chorus
6. Glitter and Be Gay - Cunégonde
7. Auto Da Fe (What A Day) - Chorus, Inquisitor, Agent
8. This World - Candide
9. You Were Dead You Know - Candide, Cunégonde
10. I am Easily Assimilated - Old Lady, 3 Dons, Waiter
10a. I am Easily Assimilated (reprise) - Cunégonde, Candide, Old Lady, Chorus

ACT TWO
11. My Love - Governor, Maximilian
12. Alleluia - Chorus, Maximilian
13. Sheep's Song - 2 Sheep, Lion, Paquette, Candide
14. Bon Voyage - Schottische - Chorus, Governor
15. The Best of All Possible Worlds (reprise) - Paquette, Old Lady, Candide, 2 Sheep
16. You Were Dead You Know - Candide, Cunégonde
17. Make our Garden Grow (Finale) - Candide, Cunégonde, Maximilian, Paquette, Voltaire, Old Lady, Chorus

Obvously we do live in the best of all possible worlds, as Voltaire sought to prove in his 18th century story Candide, which, like most philosophy, now comes to us as a lavish musical.

Candide, at the Seymour Centre, proves it all through fun, energetically, with a fast and big production. It is a huge international success late in reaching Sydney.

Curly-top Candide, played by Philip Quast, has world-wide crazy adventures. The acting bouquet goes to Jon Ewing as Dr Pangloss.

Sydney Morning Herald, May 2, 1982

Last modified: 29-Oct-2009

CANDIDE

(Source: Theatre programme - Introduction by the director John Bell)

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