Mercenary Mary

Book and lyrics by William B. Friedlander & Isabel Leighton. Music by Con Conrad & William B. Friedlander
based on Herbert Hall Winslow and Emil Nyatray's farce What's Your Wife Doing?
London Hippodrome, 7 October, 1925 (262 perfs.)

 

Synopsis

Chris and Mary Skinner had married despite the objections of Chris's grandfather. They fear he will disinherit them so they decide to stage a divorce, get back in the will, and then quietly remarry. Chris's friend, Jerry, agrees, for a fee, to play co-respondent in his apartment. Mary is so nervous she drinks too much and almost spoils everything, but grandfather relents and all ends well.

Musical Numbers

1. Beautiful Baby
2. Charleston Mad
3. Cherchez la Femme
4. Come Along, Everything's Going To Be All Right
5. Dipping in the Moonlight
6. Give a Little, Get a Little Kiss
7. Honey, I'm In Love With You
8. I Am Thinking of You
9. I Want To Be A Chaste Woman
10. I'm A Little Bit Fonder
11. I'm Going to Dance at Your Wedding
12. Just You and I and Baby
13. Mercenary Mary
14. Over a Garden Wall
15. That's When a Fellow Needs a Friend
16. They Still Look Good To Me
17. Tie a String Around Your Finger
18. Tomorrow (based on Chopin's Nocturne #12)