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The Earl and the Girl

Cover to Original Vocal Score

A Musical Comedy in 2 Acts by Seymour Hicks. Lyrics by Percy Greenbank; Music by Ivan Caryll.

Adelphi Theatre, London - 10 December, 1903. Transferred to the Lyric Theatre 12 September, 1904. Closed 17 December, 1904. (Total 371 perfs).

Casino Theatre, New York 4 November, 1905 (148 perfs)

Aldwych Theatre, London - 4 November, 1914. Transferred to the Lyric Theatre 26 December, 1914. Close 6 February, 1915. (total 107 perfs).

Story

Act I

The Hon. Crewe Boodel believes himself to be the heir to the earldom of Hole. He and a party of his friends are on their way to a fancy dress ball at Hole Hall, but their vehicle breaks down, and they take refuge in a country inn, the Fallowfield Arms. Jim Cheese, the owner of a troupe of performing dogs, and his coster sweetheart, Liza Shoddam, have walked from London to attend the local fair. They are at first mistaken by Boodel's party for two more guests for the fancy dress party. Jim and Liza are in debt to the landlord of the inn, who threatens to turn them out or have them arrested.

The real heir to the Hole property is Dick Wargrave, a friend of Boodel's. He has eloped from Paris with a schoolgirl, Elphin Haye, who is an American heiress masquerading as a penniless orphan. They arrive at the inn, preceded by four people who are in pursuit of them. A. Bunker Bliss is after Dick for eloping with his niece, and, being a good republican, Bliss is not impressed by Dick's earldom. Mrs. Shimmering Black is after Dick because the Earl of Hole has jilted her daughter (in fact it is Boodel who has done so). Mr. Talk and Mr. Downham are both lawyers; the first is English and the second American. They are both in search of the missing heir and after the reward for finding him. Dick is unaware that these two are bearing him good news, and when he learns from the landlord that some strangers have been asking about him, he concludes that there is trouble brewing.

Dick persuades Jim Cheese to exchange identities with him, taking his name and even his girlfriend, and entrusting Elphin to Jim's care. The American lawyer finds Jim and tells him that he is an earl, and advances him money on the strength of his title. Elphir runs across a friend, Daisy Fallowfield, at the inn, and the whole party go off to the ball, where Elphir has to introduce Jim to her aunt, Miss Virginia Bliss, as her fiancé.

Act II

All the characters turn up at the ball at Hole Hall. Boodel brings Dick and passes him off as another guest. Liza slips in after Jim, who is announced as the Earl of Hole. The four pursuers gatecrash the party. Jim has a rough time with Bunker Bliss and Mrs. Black when they find him – the former is intent on shooting him, and the latter, a circus strongwoman, is a terrifying prospect – but when he tells them the truth about who is who, everyone is satisfied. Mrs Black's wrath subsides when she realises that the man who jilted her daughter is not, in fact, an earl, Bunker Bliss is appeased, and all ends happily.

Cast

JIM CHEESE (a Dog Trainer) - MR. WALTER PASSMORE.
DICK WARGRAVE (the Real Heir) - MR. HENRY A. LYTTON.
HON. CREWE BOODLE (the Supposed Heir) - MR. ROBERT EVETT.
A. BUNKER BLISS (Elphin Hayes Uncle) - MR. JOHN C. DIXON.
DOWNHAM (an American Solicitor) - MR. M. R. MORAND.
MR. TALK (an English Solicitor) - MR. FRANK ELLISTON.
MR. HAZELL (Host of "Fallowfield Arms") - MR. REGINALD CROMPTON.
DUDLEY CRANBOURNE - MR. POWIS PINDER.
GEORGE BELLAMY (Friends of Crewe Boodle) - MR. CHAS. CHILDERSTONE.
HUGH WALLANDER - MR. ALEC FRASER.
ROSSITER - MR. ERNEST TORRENCE.
GEORGE (Footmen at Stole Hall) - MR. RUDOLPH LEWIS.
CHARLES - MR. J. GORDON.
ELPHIN HAYE (an American Heiress) - MISS AGNES FRASER.
LIZA SHODDAM (Yim Cheese's Sweetheart) - MISS FLORENCE LLOYD.
MRS. SHIMMERING BLACK (a Strong Lady) - MISS HELEN KINNAIRD.
DAISY FALLOWFIELD (Elphin Haye's Friend) - MISS LOUIE POUNDS.
MISS VIRGINIA BLISS (Elphin Haye's Aunt) - MISS PHYLLIS BROUGHTON.

(Ladies of Crewe Boodle's Party)

LADY GUSSIE - MISS L. LEIBRANDT.
LADY VIOLET - MISS OLIVE RAE.
LADY GWENDOLINE - MISS G. THORNTON.
LADY ETHEL - MISS STANDEN.
LADY MURIEL - MISS WINIFRED HART-DYKE.

(Guests at the Hall)

The Hon. Birdie Harold - Miss Florrie Sutherland.
The Hon. I. O. Ewe - Miss Hammerton.
Miss Astorbilt - Miss Taylor.
Miss D. Licht - Miss Glenn.
The Hon. Mrs. De Brett - Miss Williams.
Miss T. Gordon - Miss Rosie Edwards.
Miss Bertha Late - Miss Ricards.
Miss R. Rollo - Miss Francis.
Miss P. R. Brighton -Miss Ohmead.
Miss L. Montez - Miss Lily McIntyre.
Violet Rose - Miss Beresford.
Miss Ventnor - Miss Harris.

Musical Numbers:

Act I

  1. OPENING CHORUS - (After a capital day)
  2. SONG (Daisy) AND CHORUS - "The Sporting Girl" (Some girls I know like living in a town)
  3. DUET (Jim and Liza) "Celebrities" (Oh, the public don't appreciate them dogs)
  4. CONCERTED NUMBER "Little Ladies in Distress" (Oh, dear me, what on earth are we to do?)
  5. SONG (Daisy) AND CHORUS " Shopping " (When my ship comes in)
  6. SONG (Crewe Boodle) "Thou Art My Rose" (In the hush of silver morning)
  7. SONG (Downham) "I Haven't a Moment to Spare" (I'm sure I shall always remember)
  8. QUARTET (Talk, Bunker Bliss, Mrs. Black, and Downham) "When We Get Hold of Him" .. (I know somebody I want to meet)
  9. DUET (Elphin and Dick) "We Were So Happy, You and I " (The first time that we met)
  10. SONG (Elphin) AND CHORUS "When a Maiden Leaves School " (When a maiden leaves school)
  11. SONG (Dick) AND CHORUS "By the Shore of the Mediterranean" (Away, come away from the gray
    land
    )
  12. QUARTET (Dick, Elphin, Jim, and Liza) "For One Night Only" (To-night you'll be a bloomin' swell)
  13. FINALE (Fancy his getting the Earldom!)

ACT II

  1. OPENING CHORUS (Madly and merrily here we go)
  2. SONG (Daisy) "The Prettiest Girl in Town" (There's a girl who is always so busy)
  3. SONG (Elphin) "Careless Kate" (Simple little maiden once I used to know)
  4. CHORUS "Hail! Your Lordship" (Hail! the heir so long expected)
  5. SONG (Jim) AND CHORUS "I'm a Lord, What Ho!" (Behold in me a belted Earl)
  6. VOCAL GAVOTTE "To and Fro" (To and fro, dignified and slow)
  7. SONG (Dick) "My Cosy Corner Girl" (Beside the murmuring sad sea waves)
  8. SONG (Daisy) "Sammy" (Did you ever meet the fellow fine and dandy)
  9. SONG (Crewe Boodle) AND CHORUS "The Grenadiers" (There's a far-off hum)
  10. SONG (Crewe Boodle) "The Queen of June" (Out in the garden closes)
  11. FINALE .. (By the Shore of the Mediterranean)

Scenes and Settings:

ACT I. — "FALLOWFIELD ARMS." (Afternoon)
ACT II. —THE CONSERVATORY AT STOLE HALL. (Same Evening)