Havana (Edwardian musical)
Encyclopedia
Havana is an Edwardian musical comedy
in three acts, with a book by George Grossmith, Jr.
and Graham Hill, music by Leslie Stuart
, lyrics by Adrian Ross
and additional lyrics by George Arthurs. It premiered on 25 April 1908 at the Gaiety Theatre, London
, starring Evie Greene
as Consuelo, W. H. Berry
as Reginald Brown, Lawrence Grossmith
as Don Adolfo and Mabel Russell
as Pepita. A young Gladys Cooper
was in the chorus.
The production ran for 221 performances before touring the provinces. It also soon played in Berlin, Germany. An American production played at the Casino Theatre in New York after a Philadelphia tryout, with revisions by its star, James T. Powers. This production was staged by Ned Wayburn
and ran from 11 February 1909 to 25 September 1909 for a total of 236 performances.
Among the show's musical numbers are the songs Little Miquette, Cupid's Telephone, How Did the Bird Know That? and Pensacola. Musical selections from the show were recorded by the Victor Light Opera Company in 1909.
Act II – Patio of the Torre del Campo.
Act III – The Harbour, Havana.
Edwardian Musical Comedy
Edwardian musical comedies were British musical theatre shows from the period between the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the American musicals by Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin and Cole Porter following World War I.Between...
in three acts, with a book by George Grossmith, Jr.
George Grossmith, Jr.
George Grossmith, Jr. was a British actor, theatre producer and manager, director, playwright and songwriter, best remembered for his work in and with Edwardian musical comedies...
and Graham Hill, music by Leslie Stuart
Leslie Stuart
Leslie Stuart was an English composer of early musical theatre, best known for the hit show Florodora and many popular songs. Stuart began writing songs in the late 1870s, including songs for blackface performers, such as "Lily of Laguna"; songs for musical theatre; and ballads such as "Soldiers...
, lyrics by Adrian Ross
Adrian Ross
For the NFL player see Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes , better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
and additional lyrics by George Arthurs. It premiered on 25 April 1908 at the Gaiety Theatre, London
Gaiety Theatre, London
The Gaiety Theatre, London was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was established as the Strand Musick Hall , in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. It was rebuilt several times, but closed from the beginning of World War II...
, starring Evie Greene
Evie Greene
Edith Elizabeth Greene was a much-photographed English actress and singer who played in Edwardian musical comedies in London and on Broadway. She is most notable for starring as Dolores, the central character in the international hit musical Florodora...
as Consuelo, W. H. Berry
W. H. Berry
William Henry Berry , always billed as W. H. Berry, was an English comic actor. After learning his craft in pierrot and concert entertainments, he was spotted by the actor-manager George Grossmith Jr., and appeared in a series of musical comedies in comic character roles. His greatest success was...
as Reginald Brown, Lawrence Grossmith
Lawrence Grossmith
Lawrence Grossmith was a British actor, the son of Gilbert and Sullivan performer George Grossmith and the brother of actor George Grossmith, Jr.-Life and career:...
as Don Adolfo and Mabel Russell
Mabel Philipson
Mabel Philipson was a British actress and politician. She was the third female member to serve in the House of Commons after this became legally possible in 1918, representing Berwick-upon-Tweed....
as Pepita. A young Gladys Cooper
Gladys Cooper
Dame Gladys Constance Cooper, DBE was an English actress whose career spanned seven decades on stage, in films and on television....
was in the chorus.
The production ran for 221 performances before touring the provinces. It also soon played in Berlin, Germany. An American production played at the Casino Theatre in New York after a Philadelphia tryout, with revisions by its star, James T. Powers. This production was staged by Ned Wayburn
Ned Wayburn
Ned Wayburn, born Edward Claudius Weyburn, was a choreographer. He was born in Pennsylvania but spent much of his childhood in Chicago where he was introduced to theater and studied classical piano. At the age of 21, he abandoned his family’s tradition of manufacturing and began teaching at the...
and ran from 11 February 1909 to 25 September 1909 for a total of 236 performances.
Among the show's musical numbers are the songs Little Miquette, Cupid's Telephone, How Did the Bird Know That? and Pensacola. Musical selections from the show were recorded by the Victor Light Opera Company in 1909.
Roles and original cast
- Jackson Villiers (of the Steam Yacht Jaunty June) – Leonard Mackay
- The Hon. Frank Charteris – Robert Hale
- Bombito del Campo (Mayor of Havana) – Arthur Hatherton
- Don Adolfo (his son) – Lawrence GrossmithLawrence GrossmithLawrence Grossmith was a British actor, the son of Gilbert and Sullivan performer George Grossmith and the brother of actor George Grossmith, Jr.-Life and career:...
- Antonio (Adolfo's valet) – Barry LupinoBarry LupinoBarry Lupino , born George Barry Lupino Hook, was a British comedian, film actor and producer. He was the brother of the actor and comedian Stanley Lupino, the father of the actress Antoinette Lupino, and the uncle of the actresses Ida and Rita Lupino.As a television producer he worked on The Fred...
- Diego de la Concha – Edward O'Neill
- Nix (bo'sun of the Jaunty June) – Alfred Lester
- Reginald Brown (the yacht's boy) – W. H. BerryW. H. BerryWilliam Henry Berry , always billed as W. H. Berry, was an English comic actor. After learning his craft in pierrot and concert entertainments, he was spotted by the actor-manager George Grossmith Jr., and appeared in a series of musical comedies in comic character roles. His greatest success was...
- Anita (a cigar seller) – Jean Aylwin
- Isabelita (Bombito's sister) – Gladys Homfreye
- Tita (chief of the cigar store) – Olive May
- Pepita – Mabel Russell
- Lolita – Adelina Balfe
- Zara – Jessie Broughton
- Newspaper reporter – Gladys CooperGladys CooperDame Gladys Constance Cooper, DBE was an English actress whose career spanned seven decades on stage, in films and on television....
- Consuelo (Bombito's niece) – Evie GreeneEvie GreeneEdith Elizabeth Greene was a much-photographed English actress and singer who played in Edwardian musical comedies in London and on Broadway. She is most notable for starring as Dolores, the central character in the international hit musical Florodora...
Synopsis
According to The Manchester Guardian: "The plot is slight, and is concerned with Consuelo, the niece of the proprietor of a cigar factory and Mayor of Havana. She is betrothed to her cousin Adolfo, but loves an English yachtsman, Jackson Villiers. He is suspected of participation in the plots of the Red Liberados, so she publicly insults him; but he does not seem to mind much, and all ends well."Musical numbers
Act I – Cigar Store of Bombito and Co.- No. 1 – Chorus – 'Tis noon, the noon of tropic day
- No. 2 – Bombito and chorus of girls – If I was a ruler despotical, presumably properly paid
- No. 3 – Anita – Once a sailor man I married, seven years ago today
- No. 4 – Tita, Lolita, Pepita, Bombito, Hilario and Alejandro – There's a yacht in the harbour today
- No. 5 – Consuelo and chorus – I'm a Cuban girl from the island pearl
- No. 6 – Adolfo and girls – Six little girls went on a tour run by a daily print
- No. 7 – Jackson and girls – As I sit on my hammock, smoking and smoking
- No. 8 – Reginald and Nix – When I play the buccaneer I'm a flier, never fear
- No. 9 – Finale Act I – The girl with the yellow roses
Act II – Patio of the Torre del Campo.
- Nos. 10 and 11 – Chorus and Zara – The sun is down and over the town, far above is the star that we love
- No. 12 – Consuelo and girls – Little Miquette, you mustn't forget
- No. 13 – Reginald and chorus – When I was born, my birthmark was a pirate flag of black
- No. 14 – Anita and Reginald – If you go where duty calls, from a station at St. Paul's
- No. 15 – Anita, Pepita, Frank and Reginald – If you see a little bag lying down upon a flag
- No. 16 – Adolfo and chorus of girls – If you desire to see your little girlie
- No. 17 – Frank – When a fellow loves a girl in London Town
- No. 18 – Finale Act II – Welcome to the lovely bride
Act III – The Harbour, Havana.
- No. 19 – Chorus – The morning breaks upon the shore
- No. 20 – Anita and Nix – If you're the dear departed
- No. 21 – Reginald – When I was once a naughty little nipper
- No. 22 – Pepita and chorus – I know there's a little girl that you know
- No. 23 – Consuelo – I know a man who's waiting for me down there by the sea
- No. 24 – Ensemble – girls, will you take a walk for a while?
- No. 25 – Finale Act III – I'm a Cuban girl from the island of pearl
External links
- Havana at the IBDB database
- Photo of Evie Greene in Havana
- Photo of Gladys Cooper in Havana
- Havana on the National Library of AustraliaNational Library of AustraliaThe National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
website