Based onThe Madwoman of Chaillot by French dramatistJean Giraudoux, as adapted byMaurice Valency, the plot follows the eccentric Countess Aurelia and her struggles against the straitlaced authority figures in her life. She and herChaillot cohort defend their Parisian neighborhood against scheming and corrupt developers. The forces of idealism, love, and poetry win over those of greed, materialism, and science.
The musical had a notably troubled preview period that included multiple changes to the script and score. Lucia Victor,Gower Champion's assistant and a director of several revivals, includingHello, Dolly!,[1] was hired as director, but resigned shortly thereafter, due to "artistic differences" with the musical's star, Angela Lansbury, and the authors, according toThe New York Times.[1][2]Peter Glenville was then hired, but resigned following negative reviews during tryouts in Boston, Massachusetts. ProducerAlexander H. Cohen stated (in an article inThe New York Times of November 19, 1968) that "there was no friction between Mr. Glenville and Miss Lansbury, the composer, the authors or the producer... an advance arrangement had been made with Mr. Glenville to direct the show through last week only."[2] The show's final director,Joe Layton, was then hired, also replacing the choreographerDonald Saddler.[3]
The musical opened on Broadway at theMark Hellinger Theatre on February 6, 1969 and closed on May 31, 1969 after 132 performances and 45 previews. In addition to direction and choreography by Joe Layton, scenic design was byOliver Smith, costume design was byFreddy Wittop and lighting design was byJean Rosenthal.
Originally conceived as a chamber musical,Dear World fell victim to a massive production that effectively overwhelmed the simplicity of the original tale. After the Broadway closing, Herman, Lawrence, and Lee rewrote the show, "putting back the intimacy that had been undermined on Broadway."[4]
A revised version was produced atGoodspeed Musicals (Connecticut) in November–December 2000, withSally Ann Howes as Aurelia. This version had a revised book byDavid Thompson plus three songs written after the musical closed.[5] A concert version was staged by42nd Street Moon in San Francisco, September 6–24, 2000. This production used the revision by Herman, Lawrence and Lee.[6]
A further revised version was produced at the Sundance Theatre (Utah) from June to August 2002 withMaureen McGovern playing Aurelia. This is the version currently available for licensing. Thompson revised his previous revision of the book and the score was reshuffled with some new or previously cut songs included.A Sensible Woman, about how the "madwoman" feels one's life should be led, opens the show (as it did at the Goodspeed).One Person, cut at Goodspeed, is back in, ending Act One. The title song is sung by the three madwomen, as a kind of lullaby that leads intoOne Person. The song calledThrough the Bottom of the Glass that opened the original production does not appear in the revised show, and the songHave a Little Pity on the Rich, sung by the Sewerman during Broadway previews but cut before opening night, has been restored. The original 26-personPhilip J. Lang orchestrations (26 was the minimum for the Mark Hellinger Theatre in 1969) have been distilled for a chamber ensemble with 8 players.[7]
The Canadian premiere of this revised version was presented by the Toronto Civic Light Opera Company in May 2012. Directed by Joe Cascone, the production starred Barbara Boddy as Aurelia, David Haines as the Sewerman and featured Elizabeth Rose Morriss and Daniel Cornthwaite as the young lovers.[8]
The musical had its UK premiere at London'sCharing Cross Theatre from February 4 through March 16, 2013. The production was directed and choreographed byGillian Lynne and starredBetty Buckley as Aurelia,Paul Nicholas as Sewerman andStuart Matthew Price as Julian. Set design was by Matt Kinley, costumes byAnn Hould-Ward, lighting by Mike Robertson, musical direction by Ian Townsend, sound by Mike Walker, and orchestrations were by Sarah Travis.[9]
TheYork Theatre Company (New York City) presented the musical from February 25 to March 5, 2017, starringTyne Daly as Countess Aurelia.[10] Daly had previously starred in a concert version ofDear World at the Valley Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles on September 30, 2016.[11] The concert featuredSteven Weber as the Sewerman andVicki Lewis and Bets Malone as Aurelia's friends.[12]
New York City CenterEncores! presented a staged concert from March 15 to March 19, 2023 directed by Josh Rhodes using the original full orchestrations. The production starredDonna Murphy as Countess Aurelia.[13]
A corporation has discovered oil under the streets of Paris, directly under a bistro. The Countess Aurelia (known asThe Madwoman of Chaillot) lives in the bistro's basement, driven mad because of a lost lover and reminiscing about her past. When the corporation decides to blow up the bistro to get the oil, a young executive, Julian, helps to foil the plan because he has fallen in love with Nina, the bistro's waitress. Aurelia lures the corporation executives to the underground in the sewer system.
The show received mostly negative reviews.Time magazine called the songs "a total zero," while Martin Gottfried, noting that the plot line had been cut to ribbons, found "the story impossible to follow."[14]
Walter Kerr wrote that the musical "is in the main quite charming...the actress [Lansbury]...is endearing throughout the evening and at her commanding best here." Her song "I Don't Want to Know" is "a song surprised by its own unexpected passion. The effect doesn't always work out for composer Jerry Herman...'Dear World' is attractive when it is staying close to its addled Good People...it is in trouble whenever it turns to the Bad People...Oliver Smith's settings are perfect."[15]Clive Barnes inThe New York Times gave Lansbury a positive review: "The minor miracle is Miss Lansbury...no connoisseur of musical comedy can afford to miss Miss Lansbury's performance. It is lovely."[16]
According to Steven Citron, "[Sally Ann] Howes and the majority of critics now believe that with a rewritten libretto it could be turned into a successful musical."[14]
