Tomfoolery (musical): History and Key Facts

Tomfoolery (or Tom Foolery) is a musical revue based on the songs of American satirist Tom Lehrer.

Devised and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, it premiered in London at the Criterion Theatre, directed by Gillian Lynne, on 5 June 1980, where it had a successful run. It subsequently opened on December 14, 1981 Off-Broadway at the Top of the Gate in Greenwich Village, New York, where it ran for 120 performances. The cast included Jonathan Hadary. Lehrer himself was brought in as a consultant.

The revue features 28 of Lehrer's satirical songs that were written in the 1950s and 1960s, known for their "witty naughtiness". Stage directions suggest each actor use their own name and wait onstage in a bar area while the others perform.

Two cast recordings have been released, one by the original London cast (Robin Ray, Jonathan Adams, Martin Connor and Tricia George), the other much rarer one by the Canadian cast.

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