Stop the World – I Want to Get Off is a
musical with a book, music, and lyrics by
Leslie Bricusse and
Anthony Newley.
Set against the backdrop of a
circus, it focuses on Littlechap, whose first major step towards improving his lot is to marry Evie, his boss' daughter. Saddled with the responsibilities of a family, he allows his growing dissatisfaction with his existence to lead him into the arms of various women—
Russian Anya,
German Ilse, and
American Ginnie—as he searches for something better than he has, only to realize in the twilight of his life what he always had—the love of his wife— was more than enough to sustain him.
According to
Oscar Levant, the play's title was derived from a
graffito.Oscar Levant,
The Unimportance of Being Oscar, Pocket Books 1969 (reprint of G.P. Putnam 1968), page 6 (ISBN 0-671-77104-3)
Production history
The
West End production, directed by Newley, opened on July 20, 1961 at the
Queen's Theatre, where it ran for 485 performances. Newley starred as Littlechap, with
Anna Quayle playing the multiple roles of Evie and the other women in his life.
Marti Webb was a member of the chorus. An
original cast recording was released by
Decca Records .
Producer
David Merrick, always impressed by a low-cost project requiring minimal sets, costumes, and a small cast, decided to stage the show in
New York City. After one preview, the
Broadway production opened on October 3, 1962 at the
Shubert Theatre, eventually transferring...
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