<P> A production was transferred from Sheffield's Crucible Theatre to London's New London Theatre with previews beginning on April 9, 2016, and an official opening on April 25 2016 . It was directed by Daniel Evans using the Goodspeed Musicals version of the show . The cast included Gina Beck as Magnolia, Lucy Briers as Parthy Ann and Malcolm Sinclair as Cap'n Andy . Despite very favorable reviews, the show closed at the end of August 2016 . </P> <P> Show Boat has been adapted for film three times, and for television once . </P> <Ul> <Li> 1929 Show Boat . Universal . Released in silent and partial sound versions . Not a film version of the musical; its plot is based on the original Edna Ferber novel . Immediately after the silent film was completed, a prologue with some music from the show was filmed and added to a part - talkie version of the same film, which was released with two sound sequences . </Li> <Li> 1936 Show Boat . Universal . Directed by James Whale . A mostly faithful film version of the show, featuring four members of the original Broadway cast . Screenplay by Oscar Hammerstein II; music arrangements by Robert Russell Bennett; music direction and conducting by Victor Baraville . </Li> <Li> 1946 Till the Clouds Roll By . MGM . In this fictionalized film biography of composer Jerome Kern (played by Robert Walker), Show Boat's 1927 opening night on Broadway is depicted in a lavishly staged fifteen - minute medley of six of the show's songs . The number features Kathryn Grayson, Tony Martin, Lena Horne, Virginia O'Brien, Caleb Peterson, and William Halligan as, respectively, Magnolia, Ravenal, Julie, Ellie, Joe, and Cap'n Andy . </Li> <Li> 1951 Show Boat . MGM . Somewhat revised Technicolor film version . Follows the basic storyline and contains many songs from the show, but makes many changes in the details of plot and character . The most financially successful and frequently revived of the three film versions . </Li> <Li> 1989 A live performance by the Paper Mill Playhouse was videotaped for television and shown on Great Performances on PBS . It contains more of the songs (and fewer cuts) than any of the film versions . It includes the choral number "Let's Start the New Year", which was dropped from the show before its Broadway opening, and "Ah Still Suits Me", a song written by Kern and Hammerstein for the 1936 film version of the show . </Li> </Ul> <Li> 1929 Show Boat . Universal . Released in silent and partial sound versions . Not a film version of the musical; its plot is based on the original Edna Ferber novel . Immediately after the silent film was completed, a prologue with some music from the show was filmed and added to a part - talkie version of the same film, which was released with two sound sequences . </Li>

The first two film versions of show boat (1929 and 1936 respectively) were produced by what studio