Let 'Em Eat Cake is a 1933 American musical comedy with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Herbert Fields (with contributions from Michael Stewart). The work is most commonly noted as a sequel to Porter’s earlier Broadway hit Anything Goes.
Production History
- Broadway premiere: October 23 1933, Imperial Theatre, New York City.
- Run: The production closed after nine performances, making it one of Porter’s less successful shows.
- Direction and staging: Directed by Robert B. Sinclair; choreography by Robert Alton.
- Principal cast: William Gaxton (Billy Crocker), Eva Puck (Hope Harcourt), and Frank Morgan (Mr. Bow).
Plot Overview
Set in the aftermath of the First World War, the narrative revisits the characters Billy Crocker and Hope Harcourt from Anything Goes. The couple, now married, navigate a series of comedic misunderstandings involving political intrigue and romantic entanglements. The title alludes to the historical phrase “Let them eat cake,” employed here as a humorous commentary on the characters’ carefree attitudes toward societal concerns.
Musical Numbers
The score includes several songs that have survived in the Cole Porter repertoire, most notably:
- “You Were Never Lovelier”
- “Easter Parade” (originally written for the show, later incorporated into the 1948 film Easter Parade)
- “From This Moment On” (later reused in other Porter productions)
Critical Reception
Contemporary reviews were mixed; while Porter’s melodic craftsmanship received praise, critics cited a weak book and uneven pacing. The brief run reflected both the economic difficulties of the Great Depression era and the increasingly competitive Broadway market.
Legacy
Although Let 'Em Eat Cake was a commercial failure, several of its songs have entered the standard American Songbook and are performed independently of the original production. The musical is occasionally staged in concert or revival formats, primarily by companies specializing in historical American musical theatre.
Etymology of the Title
The phrase “Let ‘Em Eat Cake” is a colloquial contraction of the apocryphal quotation “Let them eat cake,” historically (though inaccurately) attributed to Marie Antoinette in the context of the French Revolution. The expression has become a cultural idiom denoting a dismissive or patronizing attitude toward the hardships of lower classes. The musical’s title uses this idiom in a light‑hearted, ironic manner.
References
- Bordman, Gerald; American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle. Oxford University Press, 2010.
- Stempel, Larry. Showtime: A History of the Broadway Musical. Oxford University Press, 2010.
- Green, Stanley; The American Musical Theatre: A Critical Guide. Cambridge University Press, 1993.