Dresden to premiere lost Gershwin musical set in 1930s Germany
Dresden State Operetta is preparing to stage the European premiere of George Gershwin’s musical "Pardon My English", which is set in the Saxon city, more than 70 years after it opened on Broadway.
The comic musical tells the story of a small-time local gangster who suffers a blow to the head which turns him into a respectable citizen – much to the disappointment of his fellow crooks.
He also falls in love with the daughter of the policeman who is trying to arrest him and his criminal friends.
The show, described as a mix of parody and slapstick with a dash of absurdity, opened on Broadway in 1933, but was only performed 43 times before being shelved as the Nazis made it no longer acceptable to laugh about something set in Germany.
It was forgotten until now being dusted off in Dresden for its first ever European performance, which will take place on November 27.
The Dresden State Operetta bills itself as one of the only dedicated operetta theatres in Europe, with a repertoire of comic opera, musicals and operettas.
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The comic musical tells the story of a small-time local gangster who suffers a blow to the head which turns him into a respectable citizen – much to the disappointment of his fellow crooks.
He also falls in love with the daughter of the policeman who is trying to arrest him and his criminal friends.
The show, described as a mix of parody and slapstick with a dash of absurdity, opened on Broadway in 1933, but was only performed 43 times before being shelved as the Nazis made it no longer acceptable to laugh about something set in Germany.
It was forgotten until now being dusted off in Dresden for its first ever European performance, which will take place on November 27.
The Dresden State Operetta bills itself as one of the only dedicated operetta theatres in Europe, with a repertoire of comic opera, musicals and operettas.
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