Au tournant du siècle, à Paris, La Mome Pistache, fière propriétaire de l'infâme "Bal du Paradis", affronte Aristide Forestier, un juge extrêmement rigoureux qui a pour but de fermer tous les cabarets parisiens.
Par hasard, ils tombent amoureux et Aristide avoue qu'il n'y a obscénité que dans le fait de celui qui regarde…
In Paris in 1893, the dance-hall in Montmartre owned by La Môme Pistache, Bal du Paradis, is being threatened with closing by a self-righteous judge, Aristide Forestier. He is offended by the scandalous but popular dance that the attractive dancers perform at the dance-hall, the "Can-Can." The judge sends the police to harass the owner and dancers, but the police like the dancers so much that they are reluctant to testify against them in court. The judge decides to gather evidence himself, and takes a trip to the club. Once there, he and the owner, La Môme, fall in love. He tries to keep his identity a secret but the girls recognize him. He sees the Can-Can and gets photographic evidence of its scandalousness. La Môme and the dancers are sent to jail.
One of the dancers, Claudine, a laundry girl by day, has been pursued by Hilaire, an art critic, who plans to host to hold an elaborate ball at the club. Claudine, who loves a sculptor, Boris, arranges to have dinner with Hilaire so that her sculptor will receive a favourable review. Now, with the proprietress and dancers locked up, the ball cannot go forward. The judge is struggling with the conflict between his moral scruples and his love for La Môme. Eventually, he concedes that "obscenity is in the eye of the beholder". He urges her to escape, but a journalist gets a photograph of him kissing her – a scandal for him!
Hilaire criticises Boris's sculptures, and the cowardly artist manages to challenge the critic to a duel before fainting. Eventually, Hilaire writes a gushing review of Boris's work. Judge Aristide loses his judgeship and is disbarred, but La Môme and the girls all go to court with him and all win their cases.
Can-Can est l’avant-dernière comédie musicale écrite par Cole Porter pour Broadway (sur un livret d’Abe Burrows). Comme beaucoup de ses œuvres précédentes, elle rend un hommage vibrant à Paris, une ville chère à son cœur. Cole Porter y fait montre de sa maestria habituelle tant dans l’écriture de la musique que dans celle des lyrics (qui d’autre ferait rimer “prayers” et “derrières” ?)
Créée en 1953, elle tiendra l’affiche deux ans et fera une star de Gwen Verdon, qui ne tenait pourtant que le second rôle féminin.
After the pre-Broadway tryout at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia in March 1953, Can-Can premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on May 7, 1953, and closed on June 25, 1955 after 892 performances. The original production, which Burrows also directed, starred Lilo as La Mome, Hans Conried as Boris, Peter Cookson as the judge, Gwen Verdon as Claudine, Dania Krupska, Phil Leeds, Dee Dee Wood, and Erik Rhodes as Hilaire. Michael Kidd was the choreographer. According to Ben Brantley, Claudine was "the part that made Gwen Verdon a star."
The West End production premiered at the Coliseum Theatre on October 14, 1954, and ran for 394 performances. Restaged by Jerome Whyte, the cast included Irene Hilda (La Mome), Edmund Hockridge (Aristide), Alfred Marks (Boris), Gillian Lynne (Claudine) and Warren Mitchell (Theophile).
A Broadway revival opened April 30, 1981 at the Minskoff Theatre and closed after five performances and sixteen previews. It was directed by Burrows with choreography by Roland Petit and starred Zizi Jeanmaire. Frank Rich wrote: "...mediocre material, no matter how it's sliced, is still mediocre material. 'Can-Can' never was a firstrate musical, and now, almost three decades after its original production, it stands on even shakier legs."
A 1983 outdoor production played at The Muny in St. Louis, starring Judy Kaye, John Reardon, John Schuck, Lawrence Leritz, Lorene Yarnell and Beth Leavel to excellent reviews.
The London revival at the Strand Theatre ran from October 26, 1988 through January 21, 1989. David Taylor directed, with choreography by Kenn Oldfield, with a cast that featured Donna McKechnie (Mme. Pistache), Bernard Alane, Norman Warwick, Janie Dee (Claudine) and Milo O'Shea. Producer Lovett Bickford explained that "his version was less a revival than a complete revision. 'For all intents and purposes, this is a new show,' he said."[6] It had a revised book which incorporated songs from Fifty Million Frenchmen, Nymph Errant, Silk Stockings, Out of This World and other Cole Porter musicals.
Also in 1988, an international tour starred Chita Rivera and Ron Holgate. The tour featured the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. This production was directed by Dallett Norris, with choreography by Alan Johnson.[7]
In 2004, a City Center Encores! staged concert production featured Patti LuPone as La Mome Pistache, Michael Nouri (Judge Aristide Forestier), Charlotte d'Amboise (Claudine), Reg Rogers, and Eli Wallach. This production was directed by Lonny Price, with sets by John Lee Beatty and lighting by Kenneth Posner.
Acte I
Introduction
Maidens Typical of France – Company
Never Give Anything Away – La Môme Pistache
C'est Magnifique – Pistache and Judge Aristide Forestier
Quadrille
Come Along with Me – Hilaire Jussac and Boris Adzinidzinadze
Live and Let Live – Pistache
I Am in Love – Judge
If You Loved Me Truly – Claudine and Judge
Montmartre – Company
Garden of Eden Ballet
Allez-Vous-En – Pistache
Acte II
Entracte
Who Said Gay Paree? –
Never, Never Be An Artist – Boris and Company
It's All Right With Me – Judge
Every Man is a Stupid Man – Pistache
The Apaches (dance)
I Love Paris – Pistache and Company
Can-Can – Pistache and Women
Finale – Company
Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Can-Can
Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Can-Can
Version 1
Can-Can (1953-03-Forrest Theatre-Philadelphia)
Type de série: Pre-Broadway Try OutThéâtre: Forrest Theatre (Philadelphia - Etats-Unis) Durée : Nombre : Première Preview : Inconnu
Première: 23 March 1953
Dernière: InconnuMise en scène : Abe Burrows • Chorégraphie : Michael Kidd • Producteur : Star(s) :
Version 2
Can-Can (1953-05-Schubert Theatre-Broadway)
Type de série: Original BroadwayThéâtre: Shubert Theatre (Broadway - Etats-Unis) Durée : 2 ans 1 mois 2 semaines Nombre : 892 représentationsPremière Preview : Inconnu
Première: 07 May 1953
Dernière: 25 June 1955Mise en scène : Abe Burrows • Chorégraphie : Michael Kidd • Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: Bailiff ... David Collyer
Registrar ... Michael Cavallaro
Policeman ... Michael Cavallaro
Version 3
Can-Can (1954-10-Coliseum Theatre-London)
Type de série: Original LondonThéâtre: Coliseum Theatre (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : Nombre : 394 représentationsPremière Preview : Inconnu
Première: 14 October 1954
Dernière: InconnuMise en scène : Abe Burrows • Chorégraphie : Michael Kidd • Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: Bailiff ... Bernard Quinn
Registrar ... Richard Lawrence
Policemen ... George Pastell
Version 4
Can-Can (1955-06-US Tour 1)
Type de série: US TourThéâtre: US Tour ( - Etats-Unis) Durée : Nombre : Première Preview : Inconnu
Première: 25 June 1955
Dernière: InconnuMise en scène : Abe Burrows • Chorégraphie : Michael Kidd • Producteur : Star(s) : Commentaires longs: Opened at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Version 5
Can-Can (1957-01-Paper Mill Playhouse-Milburn)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Paper Mill Playhouse (Milburn - Etats-Unis) Durée : Nombre : Première Preview : Inconnu
Première: 01 January 1957
Dernière: InconnuMise en scène : Abe Burrows • Chorégraphie : Michael Kidd • Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: Judge Aristide Forestier ... Ted Scott
Claudine ... Ina Hahn
Hilaire Jussac ... Don Crabtree
Boris Adzinidzinadze ... Jack Harrold
La Mome Pistache ... Evelyn Page
Bailiff ... Donald Slagel
Policemen ... Fred Patrick, Laurence Stith
Judge Paul Barriere ... Robert Eckles
Court President, Henri Marceaux ... Peter J. Leeds
Version 6
Can-Can (1960-03-Film)
Type de série: FilmThéâtre: *** Film (*** - ***) Durée : Nombre : Première Preview : 09 March 1960
Première: 09 March 1960
Dernière: 09 March 1960Mise en scène : Walter Lang • Chorégraphie : Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: François Durnais ... Frank Sinatra
Simone Pistache ... Shirley MacLaine
Paul Barriere ... Maurice Chevalier
Philipe Forrestier ... Louis Jourdan
Claudine ... Juliet Prowse
Version 7
Can-Can (1968-03-Theater an der Wien-Vienne)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Theater an der Wien (Vienne - Autriche) Durée : Nombre : 52 représentationsPremière Preview : 02 March 1968
Première: 02 March 1968
Dernière: InconnuMise en scène : Karl Vibach • Chorégraphie : Miss Baron • Producteur : Star(s) :
Version 8
Can-Can (1981-04-Minskoff Theatre-Broadway)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Minskoff Theatre (Broadway - Etats-Unis)
Durée : Nombre : 16 previews - 5 représentationsPremière Preview : 16 April 1981
Première: 30 April 1981
Dernière: 03 May 1981Mise en scène : Abe Burrows • Roland Petit • Chorégraphie : Roland Petit • Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: Bailiff/Tabac Waiter/Chief Justice ... Joseph Cusanelli
Judge Paul Barniere ... David Brooks (i)
Court President/Monarchist/Prosecutor ... Tom Batten
Judge Aristide Forestier ... Ron Husmann
Claudine/Eve ... Pamela Sousa
Hilaire Jussac ... Swen Swenson
Boris Adzinidzinadze ... Avery Schreiber
Waiter/Jail Guard ... John Remme
La Mome Pistache ... Zizi Jeanmaire
Hercule ... Michael DantuonoCommentaires longs: This version featured a revised book by Abe Burrows.
Version 9
Can-Can (1988-10-Strand Theatre-London)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Novello Theatre (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : 2 mois 3 semaines Nombre : 102 représentationsPremière Preview : Inconnu
Première: 26 October 1988
Dernière: 21 January 1989Mise en scène : Abe Burrows • David Taylor • Chorégraphie : Kenn Oldfield • Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: Donna McKechnie (La Mome Pistache), Milo O’Shea (Paul) , Bernard Alane (Aristide Forestiere), Jean-Michel Dadory (Boris), Janie Dee (Claudine)Commentaires : This was a newly scripted version by Julian More, incorporating additional songs written for other Cole Porter shows. However, in the words of Sheridan Morley “instead of an appallingly inadequate book by Abe Burrows we merely get a very disappointing one by Julian More”.
Version 10
Can-Can (1996-03-Grand Theatre-Takarazuka )
Type de série: TakarazukaThéâtre: Takarazuka Grand Theatre (Takarazuka - Japon) Durée : 1 mois 1 semaine Nombre : Première Preview : 29 March 1996
Première: 29 March 1996
Dernière: 06 May 1996Mise en scène : ???? ???? • Chorégraphie : ???? ???? • Producteur : Star(s) :
Version 11
Can-Can (1996-07-Takarazuka Theatre-Tokyo)
Type de série: TakarazukaThéâtre: Takarazuka Theatre (Tokyo - Japon) Durée : 3 semaines Nombre : Première Preview : 04 July 1996
Première: 04 July 1996
Dernière: 30 July 1996Mise en scène : ???? ???? • Chorégraphie : ???? ???? • Producteur : Star(s) :
Version 12
Can-Can (2004-02-New-York City Center-New York) Encores! Concert
Type de série: ConcertThéâtre: New-York City Center (New-York - Etats-Unis) Durée : Nombre : 5 représentationsPremière Preview : Inconnu
Première: 12 February 2004
Dernière: 15 February 2004Mise en scène : Abe Burrows • Chorégraphie : Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: Judge Paul Barriere ... Eli Wallach
Judge Aristide Forestier ... Michael Nouri
Claudine ... Charlotte d'Amboise
La Mome Pistache ... Patti LuPone
Bailiff ... Dale Hensley
Court President, Henri Marceaux ... Michael X. Martin
First Policeman ... Josh Rhodes
Second Policeman ... Alex Sanchez
Third Policeman ... Thom Graham
Pierre ... Joshua JohnstonCommentaires longs: In the “Garden of Eden” ballet, Adam was played by Robert Wersinger, Eve was played by Charlotte d'Amboise, and the Snake was played by Caitlin Carter.
Version 13
Can-Can (2007-04-Lilian Baylis Theatre-London) Lost Musicals Concert
Type de série: ConcertThéâtre: Lilian Baylis Theatre (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : Nombre : 5 représentationsPremière Preview : Inconnu
Première: 01 April 2007
Dernière: 28 April 2007Mise en scène : Abe Burrows • Chorégraphie : Producteur : Star(s) : Avec: La Mome Pistache ... Valerie Cutko
Judge Aristide Forestier ... Christopher Dickins
Claudine ... Selina ChiltonCommentaires longs: "Lost Musicals" Performed April 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Directed Ian Marshall Fisher, starring Valerie Cutko (La Mome Pistache), Christopher Dickins (Judge Aristide Forestier), Selina Chilton (Claudine), Lara Denning, Sarah Applewood, Joanna Fell, Stewart Permutt, James Vaughan, Ahmet Ahmet, Christopher Stanton, David Phipps Davis, Alex Brown, Fabio Tassone.
Pas encore de video disponible pour ce spectacle