There are some – in fact, very few – plays, where you find that whilst watching them you have a continual smile on your face because they have that “feel-good” factor. Glorious! is one of those!
Peter Quilter’s play, first seen twenty years ago, concerns wealthy American socialite, Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944), an amateur coloratura soprano, who became known, and often mocked, for her flamboyant performance costumes and poor singing ability. She was once called, in the Book of Heroic Failures, “the world’s worst opera singer…. No one, before or since, has succeeded in liberating themselves so completely from the shackles of musical notation“. At the age of 76, she booked Carnegie Hall for a recital, and 2,000 fans had to be turned away on the night. Many of the reviews were scathing, and Florence suffered a heart attack and died a few weeks later.
Even now, it is not clear whether or not she was completely serious about her singing, or whether she just loved to make people laugh and “spread joy”, because that is what she undoubtedly did! She made eleven professional recordings in the years immediately prior to her death, and Wendi Peters, who plays Jenkins in Glorious!, has obviously listened to them in great detail, as they are hilariously very similar! Included in the show are the Habanera from Carmen, the Laughing Song from Die Fledermaus, and the Queen of the Night’s aria from the Magic Flute, all of which are suitably “murdered” by Jenkins as well as by Peters!
She has tremendous energy in the role, manically pushing the play forward as if her life depended on it and is quite charismatic! She uses the witty dialogue to great effect, especially the various “double entendres“!
At the start of the play, we meet her new accompanist, Cosme McMoon – she sacked the previous one after she caught him giving ‘knowing’ looks at the audience! – who is played very competently by Matthew James Morrison, who appropriately grows into the role as the play proceeds, being an ideal, innocent foil to Jenkins, and in real life actually composing some songs for her to sing, designed to bring out the “glory” in her voice.
The Italian maid, Maria, is amusingly portrayed by Caroline Gruber and Florence’s friend, Dorothy, by Sioned Jones.
Kirk Jameson, the director, evidently knows just how to bring Quilter’s witty script alive, and his production speeds along with just the occasional pause for breath. Ingrid Hu has designed some magnificently awful costumes – Jenkins is supposed to have made her own – such as Little Bo-Peep and the Queen of the Night’s white angel, complete with wings and tiara, which are very funny, adding to the mayhem of the evening, but perhaps rather sad if indeed Jenkins really did think she was a “glorious” singer! Her father clearly thought she had no talent as he refused to pay for any vocal lessons for her, even though she was an excellent, musical pianist! When he died a very wealthy man, she spent his money on giving recitals.
As I said at the top of this review, Glorious! has that “feel-good” factor – one leaves the theatre happy and uplifted. As I heard at least one audience member say afterwards, it was “brilliant”!
Thoroughly recommended for a good night at the theatre.
Review by John Groves
Glorious! follows Florence’s journey as she prepares for her concerts, builds an unlikely friendship with her accompanist, Cosme, and defies her critics to follow her dreams.
Dubbed ‘the worst singer in the world’, Glorious! is the true story of American socialite Florence Foster Jenkins, who was known for her flamboyant costumes, enigmatic performances and decidedly off-key voice.
Wendi Peters – Florence Foster Jenkins
Matthew Morrison – Cosmé McMoon
Sioned Jones – Dorothy / Cover Florence Foster Jenkins
Caroline Gruber – Maria / Mrs Verrinder-Gedge
Ryan Hall – Cover Cosmé McMoon
Ella-Maria Danson – Cover Maria, Dorothy and Mrs Verrinder-Gedge
Written by Peter Quilter
Director: Kirk Jameson
UK Tour Casting Director: JJ Bee
Musical Supervision: Nick Barstow
Scenographer and Costume Designer: Ingrid Hu
Lighting Designer: Mike Robertson
Sound Designer: Mark Goggins
Wig Designer: Helen Keane
Italian Translation & Dialect Coach: Judith Blazer
Associate Costume Designer: Lorraine Parry
General Management & Tour Booking: Thomas Hopkins Productions
Marketing: Dressing Room Five
PR: Kevin Wilson Public Relations
Thomas Hopkins, Craig Haffner & Sherry Wright, and SAMS Entertainment present the Hope Mill Theatre production of
GLORIOUS!
Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, 17 to 21 February 2026
Tour continues to 6 June 2026
