Poster THE LAND OF SMILES - November 1968

The Land of Smiles is a 1929 operetta by Franz Lehár and is set in China. The heroine Lisa is a European girl who marries a Chinese visitor and returns with him to his homeland despite the warnings of her friends and family, but eventually finds she is unable to come to terms with his native culture.

This was one of Lehár's later works, and has a bittersweet ending which the Viennese loved. Prince Sou-Chong is left alone, while his beloved Lisa returns to her homeland. His sister, Princess Mi had also become attached to the Viennese official, Gustl and so the ending is doubly sad.

General Count Lichtenfels Geoff Gingell
Countess Roheim Muriel Alford
Colonel Bloch Allan Smith
Captain Gustl von Ploetz Barry Street
Lisa Sheila Noyce
Franz Jerry Parkes
Lt Rudi von Westhof Bill Renouf
Lore Marilyn Trenchard
Toni Betty Smith
Franzi Barbara Thwaites
Valli Betty Richards
Prince Sou-Chong Trevor Chapman
Fu Li Colin Blow
Prince Tschang Bill Coulstock
Mi Marilyn Felix
Chi Fu Geoff Gingell
Wang Tau George Beddoes
Dancers Sonia Atkinson, Jean Brown, Rosemary Brown, Marie Murray, Audrey Pring, Janet Smith, Helen Stevens, Sarah Walker
Ladies of the Chorus Sylvia Bayliss, Josie Beckwith, Audrey Blow, Myra Clark, Hilda Coulstock, Joyce Game, June Jones, Sharron Kelly, Rosemary Press, Queenie Walker, Midge Wallace
Gentlemen of the Chorus Colin Blow, Peter Blow, George Beddoes, Chris Hogg, Dennis Jones, Francis Mitchell, Jerry Parkes, Allan Smith, Alan Smith, Tony Willcocks, Bob Wisdom, Bill Payne
Producer & Choreographer Audrey Pring
Musical Director Don Preskett
Wardrobe Kay Packer
Stage Director Edward Nadal
Sound and Lighting John Felix
Scenic Artists Edward Nadal, Fred Hennen
Stage Crew Charles Blake, William Blow, Jim Walduck, Duncan McClellan
Properties Molly Hennen, Edna McRae
Ticket Control Myra Clark
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