Overview
Synopsis
Geoffrey has left the little village of Devonshire and set off to sea to seek his fortune. Around the same time his lover, Marjorie, also left the village for London. When the show begins, Geoffrey returns to his village from the Orient after a five year absence. He has brought with him some Eastern passengers, the Rajah of Bhong and his intended bride, the Princess Mehelaneh. Since it is the homecoming season in Devonshire, Marjorie has also come back from London where, unbeknown to all at home, she has become a singing star under an assumed name. She is longing to see Geoffrey again. Although she is now a fine lady, she wants him to find her as he left her and dons her country girl clothes. Trouble ensues when the Princess Mehelaneh decides that she wants Geoffrey as her husband. Marjorie mistakenly thinks that Geoffrey is also interested in the Princess. However, in the end, it is clear that Geoffrey still only has love for his country girl, Marjorie.
Show Information
- Book
- James T. Tanner
- Music
- Lionel Monckton , Paul Alfred Rubens
- Lyrics
- Adrian Ross
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1902
- Genres
- Romance
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Devon, London, 1900s
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Large Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
Songs
Act I
- No. 1 - Chorus & Mummery - "When the birds begin to sing, out we go a-harvestin."
- No. 2 - Nan & Chorus - "Johnnie came from London Town for a bit of fun"
- No. 3 - Marjorie - "Over the hills and far away, borne on the summer breeze"
- No. 4 - Geoffrey & Chorus - "A sailor's life's the life I trow, he works now late, now early"
- No. 5 - Barry & Chorus - "I went to sea as a bold A. B., and I thought when I got on board"
- No. 6 - Marjorie & Geoffrey - "When we were children, going through meadows after mowing"
- No. 7 - Chorus & Scene - Rajah & Princess - "Here he comes, here he comes! In his Eastern glory"
- No. 8 - Nan & Chorus - "Oh, Molly was tall and fair to see, her manners were frank, her language free"
- No. 9 - Chorus - "Come and see them, only see! Never did anyone look so funny!"
- No. 10 - Barry & Sophie - "Two little chicks lived in a farmyard, happy as chicks can be"
- No. 11 - Princess - "Over the mountain passes, under the peaks of snow"
- No. 12 - Finale Act I - "Hurrah! for the squire, our gallant young squire, head of the house that was head of the shire"
Act II
- No. 13 - Chorus - "From 1795 to 1799, Republican France would dress for a dance in fashions extremely fine."
- No. 14 - Sophie & Chorus - "I'm quite the most attractive of all the girls, they say"
- No. 15 - Rajah, Geoffrey, Marjorie, Nan & others - "We are invited everywhere by people we can't say No to"
- No. 16 - Barry - "Mrs. Brown's a wonder, she's fifty-six or more"
- No. 17 - Barry & Chorus - "Oh! a sailor loves a chance of a partner at a dance, when his ship comes into port"
- No. 18 - Marjorie - "An actress smiles and an actress sighs, an actress hopes and fears or cries"
- No. 19 - Geoffrey - "Time passes slowly by, my little Girlie"
- No. 20 - Nan & Chorus - "Oh, London girls are all so haughty, proud, and chilly"
- No. 21 - Rajah & Chorus - "When once I was given to dances, no doubt I committed some faults"
- No. 22 - Sophie & Barry - "You're a very funny man!" "Oh! really? You're a very curious girl!"
- No. 23 - Finale Act II - "Yo-ho! little girls, yo-ho! That's so, little girls, that's so"
Addenda
- No. 24 - Nan & Chorus - "The world was not for pain, not for remorse; but though we strive in vain"
- No. 25 - Marjorie, Nan, Sophie, Rajah, Douglas & Grassmere - "When rushing round the whirl of parties"
- No. 26 - Geoffrey, with Marjorie - "Dear little maid, I can recall her clearly"
- No. 27 - Rajah & Chorus - "When I've quitted my wfe for a bachelor life in a pastoral Eastern dominion"
- No. 28 - Barry & Chorus - "You women nowadays are a mass of affectation"
- No. 29 - Nan - "Down along the valley by the willows and the stream"
- No. 30 - Nan - "I'm just a simple country girl and looking so well and hearty"
- No. 31 - Princess - "Some girls weep when a love goes by; What care I?"
- No. 32 - Geoffrey & Chorus - "Tommy Atkins is a chap that is useful in a scrap"
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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