The play is a delightfully uplifting and enchanting piece of theatre, based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a soprano singer in 1940s New York who whose pitch was far from perfect, but who was the performer that everyone wanted to see. This is a hilarious and heart-warming comedy and an affectionate tribute to the eccentric, courageous and joyously happy Florence Foster Jenkins, who paid little attention to her critics as she screeched her way through the evening to an audience who mostly fell about with laughter. Glorious! opens in the Wharfeside Theatre on June 20 (Image: Ilkley Playhouse) The play, which premiered at the Birmingham Rep in 2005 and transferred to the West End, ran for over two hundred performances.
The play spins from Florence’s charity recitals and extravagant balls, through to her bizarre recording sessions and an ultimate triumph at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York in 1944, where she played to a packed house of three thousand people. Florence’s story teaches us about the power of self-belief and the beauty of pursuing our passions with enthusiasm. Her resilience in the face of criticism reminds us that true greatness lies not in perfection, but in embracing who we are.
You are sure to leave the theatre feeling joyful, uplifted and with a warm glow in your heart. The play runs until Saturday, June 29. As part of National Refugee Week, Amnesty International is delighted to be screening the 2023 Ken Loach film The Old Oak in the Wharfe.
