The fascinating and uplifting tale of ‘the worst singer in the world’ comes to Hope Mill Theatre this February.
Glorious! shares the true story of American socialite Florence Foster Jenkins, who was known for her flamboyant costumes, enigmatic performances and infamously off-key voice.
Nominated for Best New Comedy at the 2006 Olivier Awards, and now seen by 2 million people across 36 countries and six continents, Glorious! follows Florence’s journey as she prepares for her shows and her unlikely friendship with accompanist Cosme McMoon.
At first, bewildered by her lack of talent, Cosme is gradually won over by Florence’s indomitable spirit. As her recitals gained a devoted following in 1940s New York (including admirers like Enrico Caruso and Cole Porter), they, against all odds, became must-see events, culminating in a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall, where Florence performed Mozart in angel wings and a halo.
The show is written by Peter Quilter, whose other celebrated credits include End of the Rainbow, which would subsequently be adapted into the Oscar-winning Judy starring Renee Zellweger.
We caught up with Peter to talk about the show’s success, the casting of Wendi Peters (Coronation Street, White Christmas) as Florence, and the excitement of bringing Glorious! to Manchester.
What was it that drew you to Florence’s story?
A friend had one of her recordings on an old cassette tape and I was really intrigued by it. So I went along to the English National Opera shop to see if anybody had heard of Florence. When I mentioned her name, everybody smiled. I immediately knew I was on to something!
There was very little information on her back at that time, so I had to go to the Library of Congress in Washington to get hold of material. There were only a few documents, but all of it was exciting – the reviews of her concerts, magazine articles about her eccentric life and the great discovery that her pianist was “young and rather fey”. It just opened up her whole world and lots of possibilities for a comedy.
Is the writing process more difficult when it comes to telling a true, personal story?
You have to avoid having a list of facts and bullet points sitting alongside you. Otherwise, you just find you are forcing the script to hit the next piece of information. So I gathered it all in my head, then forgot about it and wrote freely.
The play is part truth and part fiction. But in addition to making it funny, I wanted the play to be warm and to ultimately embrace her rather than mocking her. So it is a tribute, I think.
Glorious has obviously been met with loads of critical acclaim, has it exceeded what you expected or was there a point you knew that you had something so great?
It all happened very quickly. I had an offer for West End within a year and then about a dozen international productions immediately afterwards. Sometimes a subject or idea just clicks with producers and the public. But you still don’t know what you have until the first performance. Luckily, the audience laughed!
But what’s really special is that people seem to really enjoy the play wherever it goes – Japan, Brazil, USA, Australia, Eastern Europe, wherever. We even have a current very successful production in the Ukraine. There is something universal about the inherent humour of the show, but also it’s a story of defiance and hope. Living your Dreams is something the whole world can relate to.
What was it about Wendi Peters that you believed made her right for the lead role?
She was on the very first list of casting ideas on the very first day. We are thrilled to have her. You need someone funny, who can also be dramatic, who can also sing, who can also sing badly. It’s not easy. But with Wendi we have the whole package. We got lucky.
How excited are you about bringing the show to Manchester?
Well, I’m a Brit (an Essex boy) so having a UK show always feels like coming home. Especially as I now live in Spain. After college in Leeds, I set up a theatre company in Manchester, so I had a period working there. It’s genuinely exciting and I do think the Hope Mill is a remarkable place, bursting with ambition.
If you were to sum up and sell the show to anyone who might be thinking about buying a ticket, what would you say?
It’s the incredible true story of a terrible singer in New York in the 1940s who defied her critics to pursue what she loved doing most in the world. Florence was a true eccentric and so the show is great fun and full of laughter. Plus you get the added bonus of hearing her murder some of the world’s finest music. It’s a very heart-warming play, I think. We want the audience to leave feeling good and smiling widely. It’s joyous.
Glorious! comes to Hope Mill Theatre from Thu 27 Feb – Sun 30 Mar. Book your tickets using the button below.
Thu 27 Feb - Sun 30 Mar, Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard St, Manchester M4 7JA
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Tue 23 Jan 2024
