About the Show

This irreverent musical journey travels the globe through an array of gems from the vast Porter canon. Part of "The Musicals in Mufti" series of minimally staged, script-in-hand productions.

From the show:

The irreverent musical journey that is THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ENTIRE WORLD AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF COLE PORTER, originally conceived by Ben Bagley in 1965, travels the globe through an array of gems from the vast Porter canon, both familiar and forgotten. The "world" under scrutiny is that between 1919 and 1945 when, indeed, some considerable declining and falling went on. Unfortunately (but fortunately for us), it's just as relevant now as it was over fifty years ago. As Porter wrote,"times have changed, and we've often rewound the clock"-- and here we are doing it again.

The New York Times, in its original review, declared that the revue “relishes Cole Porter, feasting on his lively and lilting tunes, tunes that are so marked by the Porter dash and swagger that they are immediately recognizable even though one may never have heard them before.” In times of great turmoil, Porter created a world of his own through his songs, and made ours richer in the process.

Critic Reviews (6)

"The York Revisits Ben Bagley's 'THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ENTIRE WORLD AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF COLE PORTER'"
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"This revue, originally assembled by the producer Ben Bagley in 1965, could also be termed Porter 202, an advanced course of study that uses as its syllabus a lineup of lesser-known items from the master Broadway songwriter's catalogue, all of which provide a steady stream of delight."
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"Most Porter shows are saddled with less than brilliant books, so ripping a couple dozen of his choicest songs out of them and placing them in these performers' expert care makes excellent sense."
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2/5 Stars "'Too Much Winking': Vintage songs curdle in coy performances"
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4/5 Stars "'The Decline Rises': The 1965 Ben Bagley revue well treated by director Pamela Hunt, with Lee Roy Reams"
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"As part of its Fall 2019 Musicals in Mufti Cole Porter Series, The York Theatre Company has smartly revived this 1965 Ben Bagley - Cole Porter revue not seen in New York in 54 years. Pamela Hunt's delightfully sophisticated production uses four talented performers at the height of their powers."
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