Wait a Minim! (1962–68) was a musical revue conceived by Leon Gluckman, with original songs by Jeremy Taylor, and a collection of international folk music arranged by Andrew Tracey. Many authentic instruments were played to accompany dances and pantomimes satirizing the national characteristics and political and social eccentricities of many countries. The only spoken words were when the cast was introduced, and in the South African scene where apartheid was ridiculed.
The revue originated in South Africa and toured Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and London before opening on Broadway in New York City.
Andrew and Paul Tracey were the sons of Hugh Tracey, the founder of the International Library of African Music and a man considered "the world's foremost authority on African music" during his lifetime. By 1959, Andrew and Paul performed professionally as the Tracey Brothers and were producing a musical skit comedy radio program in Johannesburg called "The Nutcrackers."
In 1961, Leon Gluckman was producing a show at the Intimate Theatre in Johannesburg when the leading actress broke her leg, leaving him six weeks to find a replacement show. Gluckman commissioned Andrew and Paul to create a musical revue out of the folk song repertoire the brothers had already developed. The revue was eventually called "Wait a Minim."
Wait a Minim opened in Johannesburg on January 17, 1962, at the Intimate Theatre. After a year, the show put on a revival tour called Minimbili. Another iteration of the production called Minim Export played at the Alexander Theatre in Johannesburg for a few more months before the show moved abroad to London.
After more than two years in Africa, the show moved to London, where it opened at the Fortune Theatre on April 9, 1964.
Devised and directed by Leon Gluckman - Musical arrangements and direction by Andrew Tracey - Costumes by Heather MacDonald-Rouse - Choreography by Frank Staff and Kendrew Lascelles - Lighting and design supervised by Klaus Holm. Cast in London:
After more than two years in London, the show moved to Broadway, where it opened at the John Golden Theatre on 7 March 1966, and ran for 456 performances until 15 April 1967. The U.S. cast included Sarah Atkinson, Kendrew Lascelles, Michel Martel, April Olrich, Nigel Pegram, Andrew Tracey, Paul Tracey, and Dana Valery. It was directed by Leon Gluckman and choreographed by Frank Staff and Kendrew Lascelles. Scenic design was by Gluckman and Frank Rembach, costume design by Heather Macdonald-Rouse, and lighting design by Rembach and Gluckman. Guitar, drums and other instruments were played by Andrew Tracey, Paul Tracey and Nigel Pegram, and trumpet by Kendrew Lascelles. Other members of the cast played percussion instruments. Olrich and Pegram were married for 46 years after meeting in this production.