Described as “A Musical Arabian Night”, Kismet is based on a successful play set in 1071 AD in the court of the Caliph, ruler of the Islamic Empire during its golden age. The play had already been used for two movies when the musical hit Broadway, winning the Best Musical Tony Award for 1954.  The musical was filmed in 1955.

“Kismet” means “fate” and it’s with the help of fate (and his own glib tongue) that a destitute street poet goes from rags to riches in the space of twenty-four hours, and sees his beautiful daughter married to the Caliph of Baghdad.  Throw in the most glorious music (adapted from themes of Alexander Borodin), various scheming villains, beautiful dancing princesses and a host of other colourful characters and you have a show that’s as entertaining as you can get.