Promises, Promises

Synopsis

Based on the screenplay The Apartment by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond. The story follows the tormented love affair of Chuck, a clerk, who achieves promotion by renting his room to his bosses for their extra-marital affairs. In the course of his career rise, Chuck learns that one of these 'temporary tenants' is having an affair with Fran, the girl he loves. Amongst the score's many delightful songs was 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again', which became a hit for Dionne Warwick in the US, and was a UK number one for Bobby Gentry.

Our Review:

8 December 2005

These days successful productions of 1960s American musicals are standard Christmas fare at the Crucible, but the seldom revived Promises, Promises has a unique selling point as the only stage musical by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

Its development from Billy Wilder’s The Apartment, with book by Neil Simon, guarantees a sharp story-line with a healthy dose of mordant wit, if somewhat diluted from the film. The plot revolves around Chuck Baxter, an insignificant staff member at Consolidated Life, and his conveniently sited apartment. His promotion to junior executive is assured when assorted heads of department, notably personnel chief J.D. Sheldrake, use his apartment for illicit affairs, while Chuck’s own love life is limited to fantasies about canteen-worker Fran Kubelik. Chuck’s realisation that Sheldrake’s deceived inamorata is none other than Ms. Kubelik moves the plot into potential tragedy, a bout of heavy moralising and a sweet happy en...

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Latest User Review

88.107.244.129) - 12 January 2006:

Loved this show. All the cast were fabulous and gave 100%. I particularly liked Emma Williams' performance....

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