The Toreador
Encyclopedia
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 two acts by James T. Tanner
James T. Tanner
James Tolman Tanner was an English stage director and dramatist who wrote many of the successful musicals produced by George Edwardes.-Life and career:...
and Harry Nicholls, with 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 Percy Greenbank
Percy Greenbank
Percy Greenbank was an English lyricist, best known for his contribution of lyrics to a number of successful Edwardian musical comedies in the early years of the 20th century. His older brother, lyricist Harry Greenbank, had a brilliant career in the 1890s that was cut short by his death at the...
and music by Ivan Caryll
Ivan Caryll
Félix Marie Henri Tilkin , better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language...
and Lionel Monckton
Lionel Monckton
Lionel John Alexander Monckton was an English writer and composer of musical theatre. He was Britain's most popular musical theatre composer of the early years of the 20th century.-Early life:...
. It opened at the Gaiety Theatre
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...
in London, managed by George Edwardes
George Edwardes
George Joseph Edwardes was an English theatre manager of Irish ancestry who brought a new era in musical theatre to the British stage and beyond....
, on 17 June 1901 and ran for an extremely successful 675 performances. It starred Marie Studholme
Marie Studholme
Marie Studholme , born Caroline Maria Lupton or Marion Lupton, was an English actress and singer known for her supporting and sometimes starring roles in Victorian and Edwardian musical comedy...
, Gertie Millar
Gertie Millar
Gertrude "Gertie" Millar was one of the most famous English singer-actresses of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies....
, Harry Grattan
Harry Grattan
Harry Grattan was a British stage actor, singer, dancer and writer best known for his performances in musical comedies around 1900.- Life and career :...
, Edmund Payne
Edmund Payne
Edmund Payne , was an actor, comedian, singer and dramatist best known for his comic appearances in Edwardian Musical Comedy. His father was Edmund Payne, a master cabinet builder and his mother was Eliza Payne née Ince....
, 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 the young Sidney Bracy. Gabrielle Ray
Gabrielle Ray
Gabrielle Ray , was an English stage actress, dancer and singer, best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies....
later joined the cast. The show also enjoyed Broadway runs in 1902 and 1904 and toured internationally.
Key songs include "Captivating Cora", "I'm Romantic", "When I Marry Amelia", "Keep Off the Grass", and "Archie".
As was customary for musicals at the time, other songs were interpolated into the show. For example Christie MacDonald
Christie MacDonald
Christie MacDonald was a Canadian-American actress and opera singer. She was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia...
performed "Moon, Moon" in the show, which was written by Nathaniel D. Mann
Nathaniel D. Mann
Nathaniel D. Mann was an American composer best known for his work with L. Frank Baum. He composed at least two songs with Baum, "Different Ways of Making Love" and "It Happens Ev'ry Day," and another with John Slavin, "She Didn't Really Mind the Thing at All," for The Wizard of Oz stage musical...
.
Roles and original cast
- Augustus Traill (of the British Consulate at Villaya) – Lionel Mackinder
- Pettifer (a dealer in wild animals) – Fred. Wright, Junr.
- Sir Archibald Slackitt, Bart. (Lieut. Welsh Guards) – 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...
- Rinaldo (Carlist) – Robert Nainby
- Governor of Villaya – Harry GrattanHarry GrattanHarry Grattan was a British stage actor, singer, dancer and writer best known for his performances in musical comedies around 1900.- Life and career :...
- Bandmaster – Willie WardeWillie WardeWillie Warde was an English actor, dancer, singer and choreographer. The son of a dancer, his first theatre work was with a dance company. He was engaged to arrange dances for London productions and was later cast as a comic actor in musical theatre...
- Carajola (a toreador) – Herbert Clayton
- Mr. Probitt (a solicitor) – A. Hatherton
- Moreno (Carajola's friend) – Sidney Bracy
- Waiter – Frank Greene
- Sammy Gigg (a tiger) – Edmund PayneEdmund PayneEdmund Payne , was an actor, comedian, singer and dramatist best known for his comic appearances in Edwardian Musical Comedy. His father was Edmund Payne, a master cabinet builder and his mother was Eliza Payne née Ince....
- Dora Selby (a Ward in Chancery) – Marie StudholmeMarie StudholmeMarie Studholme , born Caroline Maria Lupton or Marion Lupton, was an English actress and singer known for her supporting and sometimes starring roles in Victorian and Edwardian musical comedy...
- Susan (proprietress of the Magazin des Fleurs, Grand Hotel, Biarritz) – Violet Lloyd
- Mrs. Malton Hoppings (a widow) (a.k.a. Amelia) – Connie Ediss
- Doña Teresa – Queenie Leighton
- La Belle Bolero – Maidie Hope
- Cora Bellamy (a bridesmaid) – Gertie MillarGertie MillarGertrude "Gertie" Millar was one of the most famous English singer-actresses of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies....
- Ethel Marshall – Maie Saqui
- Isabella – Sybil ArundaleSybil ArundaleSybil Arundale was a stage and film actress.In 1893 she appeared in music halls with her sister, Grace where they were billed as "The Sisters Arundale". She also starred in musicals, including My Lady Molly...
- Inez – Kitty Mason
- Nancy Staunton (friend of Dora) – Florence Collingbourne
Musical numbers
ACT I – Interior of Susan's Flower Shop, Biarritz- No. 1 – Opening Chorus – "Where the gigantic ocean Atlantic breaks in a beautiful bay..."
- No. 2 – Chorus of Bridesmaids – "We're all of us lovely and young, so draw no distinction between us..."
- No. 3 – Song – Mrs. Hoppings & Chorus – "I have always had a passion for a man of rank and fashion..."
- No. 4 – Song – Carajolo & Chorus – "I'm the glory and pride of the land of Spain..."
- No. 5 – Quartet – Dora, Nancy, Mr. Probitt, & Porter – "Oh, a journey by train is a terrible strain..."
- No. 6 – Trio – Dora, Nancy, & Susan – "We're dear little girls, you know, and dear little lives we've led..."
- No. 7 – Song – Archie – "I'm an awf'lly simple fellow as I'm sure you'll all agree..."
- No. 8 – Duet – Susan & Gigg – "If ever I marry, my husband must be in some occupation attractive to me..."
- No. 9 – Song – Pettifer & Chorus – "Whenever you're my way, quite close to Ratcliffe Highway..."
- No. 10 – Duet – Dora & Nancy (with Kate) – "Now I have married you, Sir! – Now I have married you, Madam! ..."
- No. 11 – Quartet – Dora, Nancy, Gus, & Archie – "Away to España, today or manaña..."
- No. 12 – Song – Nancy & Chorus – "If you want to know your passion in a floral kind of fashion..."
- No. 13 – Scena – Teresa & Gigg – "Oh, Señor, pray be bold of heart, do not delay, but make a start..."
- No. 14 – Finale Act I – "Hear me, Amelia! When you saw me lately, appearances might seem against me greatly..."
ACT II – Market Square, Villaya
- No. 15 – Opening Chorus – "With all the town in bright array upon this most auspicious day..."
- No. 16 – Song – Governor & Chorus – "We are that person glorious – the Governor, the Governor..."
- No. 17 – Trio – Gus, Archie, & Gigg – "Oh, memory's a funny thing indeed, it's often very feeble and uncertain..."
- No. 18 – Song – Pettifer & Chorus – "Oh, when I marry my blushing bride, it will cost a monarch's ransom..."
- No. 19 – Song – Nancy & Chorus – "Oh, I'm a little maid who's not at all afraid of what my friends may think or say..."
- No. 20 – Song – La Belle Bolero & Chorus – "Hark to the sound of multitudes assembling, keen with excitement..."
- No. 21 – Duet – Susan & Gigg – "You all know me, I'm Mr. Punch, you see; observe the funny hump upon my back..."
- No. 22 – Song – Cora & Bridesmaids – "When the children go to play in summer time, they will frolic all the day..."
- No. 23 – Grand Chorus and March – "Here they come in glittering glory, bound to battle grim and gory..."
- No. 24 – Song – Sir Archie & Chorus – "Sir Archie was a subaltern who sallied to the south..."
- No. 25 – Finale Act II – "When I'm a little wife, I'll have some fun in life..."
Addenda
- No. 26 – Song – Mrs. Hoppings & Chorus – "Maidie's just the 'cutest thing that I have ever met..."
- No. 27 – Song – Cora – "I love to see young people good, it's really so amusing..."
- No. 28 – Duet – Cora & Dora – "At a wedding that is smart, if you want to lose your heart keep an eye on Cora..."
- No. 29 – Song – Mrs. Hopping – "Never thought I'd live to see such a time as this is..."
- No. 30 – Duet – Archie & Gigg – "When extremities encounter there is sure to be some fun..."