Composer

:

Noël Coward

Genre

:

Musical Theatre

Style

:

Show/Musical

Compose Date

:

1946

'Pacific 1860' is a musical play composed by Noël Coward in 1946. The plot of the play revolves around the story of a group of passengers traveling on a steamship from San Francisco to Yokohama in the year 1860. The passengers include a wealthy American businessman, his wife, their daughter, a British diplomat, a French countess, a Chinese businessman, and a Japanese geisha. The play is divided into three movements, each representing a different stage of the journey. The first movement takes place on board the ship, where the passengers are introduced and their relationships are established. The second movement takes place during a stopover in Honolulu, where the passengers explore the island and encounter various adventures. The third movement takes place in Yokohama, where the passengers disembark and their fates are revealed. The music of 'Pacific 1860' is characterized by Coward's signature wit and charm, with catchy tunes and clever lyrics. The songs range from upbeat numbers like "Sail Away" and "Honolulu" to more introspective ballads like "I'll See You Again" and "Tokyo Blues". The music is also notable for its use of traditional Japanese and Chinese instruments, which add an exotic flavor to the score. 'Pacific 1860' premiered on Broadway in 1946, with a cast that included Mary Martin, Alfred Drake, and Clifton Webb. The play was a critical and commercial success, running for over 200 performances and earning Coward a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score. The play has since been revived several times, both on Broadway and in regional theaters, and remains a beloved classic of the musical theater canon.

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