The Card (musical): History and Key Facts

The Card is a musical with a book by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall and music and lyrics by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent.

Based on Arnold Bennett's 1911 comedic novel of the same name, it chronicles the rise of Denry Machin from washerwoman's son to Mayor of Bursley through initiative, guile, and luck.

Cameron Mackintosh's West End production opened on 24 July 1973 at the Queen's Theatre where it ran for 130 performances. Directed by Val May and choreographed by Gillian Lynne, it starred Jim Dale, Millicent Martin, Joan Hickson, Marti Webb, and Eleanor Bron.

The 1994 revival at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London, starred Peter Duncan, Jessica Martin, Hayley Mills, and Jenna Russell and was extensively re-worked by the original authors with lyricist Anthony Drewe. Amendments were made to the libretto, existing songs were re-written and others dropped and new ones introduced. This production was also presented in Moscow as part of a cultural exchange program, one of the first times a western-style musical was staged in the former Soviet Union.

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