Later Years
Cecil continued to act both in London and on provincial tours for many years and appeared regularly in concerts. She performed in Les Folies des Paris et Londres at the Prince of Wales's Theatre in 1937. In 1941, she appeared in the film Inspector Hornleigh Goes to It (released in the U.S. as Mail Train). In 1942, she starred in the title role of a revival of The Maid of the Mountains at the London Coliseum. Together with Martyn Green, she toured Variety Halls during the early years of World War II. They called their act Words with Music, featuring songs from Gilbert and Sullivan. In the 1940s, Cecil continued to sing regularly on the radio with a variety of orchestras. In 1945 she appeared in Perchance to Dream by Ivor Novello. She next starred as Rosa Cariatanza in Pacific 1860 by Noël Coward opposite Mary Martin in 1946. Theatre World wrote of her performance, "it stirs the audience to a semblance of life". In 1948–49 she toured in a long-running revival of Novello's Glamorous Night.
She starred as Rita in Coward's Ace of Clubs with Pat Kirkwood and Graham Payn in 1950. Theatre.com wrote of the cast album, "All three stars shine in this smart, sophisticated and amusing score." In 1953 she appeared in Novello's King's Rhapsody. The Manchester Guardian said, "The production... is worth seeing for the performance of Sylvia Cecil. While all the rest of the cast are straining every sinew to put their parts over (and showing it), Miss Cecil gives the impression of playing with no effort at all. She makes no attempt to take the limelight, but succeeds in being more convincing than all the rest put together. It is a brilliant performance." In 1955, Cecil sang in a revival of Novello's The Dancing Years staged on ice with a cast of 80 skaters.
Cecil appeared at the Savoy Theatre in 1975 with other former members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in the chorus of Trial by Jury at the last night Centenary production of that opera. After the performance, she spoke before the curtain thanking the audience on behalf of the "old favourites" for their warm reception.
Read more about this topic: Sylvia Cecil, Biography
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