Anything Goes

The production originally opened in the Olivier Theatre at the National, where it received ecstatic reviews and played to sell-out houses, with daily queues for returns. The 14 week run at the National Theatre was an outstanding triumph, and the show won the 2003 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production.

As at the National Theatre, the 45-strong company in the West End was headed by Sally Ann Triplett as ‘Reno Sweeney’ and John Barrowman as ‘Billy Crocker’. The musical supervisor was Gareth Valentine, who also conducted the 20-strong band.

This production of Anything Goes, originally seen on Broadway in 1934 and in London in 1935, had an original book by Guy Bolton and PG Wodehouse, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, whose other musicals include High Society and Kiss Me, Kate. The score includes standards such as I Get a Kick Out of You, You’re the Top, It’s De-lovely and the title song Anything Goes.