Shows B

marching home before the rousing Finale. CASTING Below Stairs requires a minimum cast of 12. Excluding minor roles, there are named parts for six females (one being early teens), and eight males (one also early teens). The première had a cast of two dozen, a comfortable number, and all subsequent productions have had about the same. The most demanding role is that of ladies maid Lucy. Apart from excellent acting and singing ability, she must be capable of speaking with convincing ‘London’, American, posh and French accents. And in her alter ego as the French entertainer Arlette on the music hall stage, she also is required to sing with a French accent. In the first production, the chorus had 12 ladies, three of whom also had named cameo parts. There were six men, all playing small roles as well. The chorus is easily augmented by involving more kitchenmaids, suffragettes, bathers, etc. This gives the show a useful versatility, in that, for example, it is easily adapted for schools, which often prefer to have as large a cast as possible. Musically, there is a good mixture of styles and tempi. The two romantic ballads are a Tom/Lucy duet My girl and Tom’s solo When I’m alone at night. There are seven chorus numbers including Below stairs, Votes for women, I am a very fine cook, High days and holidays, Ridiculogical, The stage is no place for a decent girl, and the rousing final march When our boys come marching home. Mr Town, the butler, has an Elgarian solo Order in our lives and social climber Edward has the charming Would you like to take a little walk with me. MUSICAL NUMBERS Opening Chorus - Below Stairs - Servants Solo - Nobody Is Better Than Me - Lucy Chorus of Suffragettes - Votes For Women Solo - My Girl - PC Snodgrass Solo - I’m A Very Fine Cook - Doris Lovegrove & Chorus At the Dance - Waltz Solo - Order In Our Lives - Mr Town Duet: - Would You Take A Little Walk With Me? - Lucy & Edward Solo - High Tea - Tom Audition Solo - My Name Is Arlette - Lucy Chorus - High Days and Holidays Trio - Ridiculogical - Tom, Bert and Fred Solo - A Parlour Maid - Lucy Solo Stage Is No Place ||For a Decent Girl Solo - When I’m Alone At Night - Tom Duet - Lucy and Mr Town Solo - When Our Boys Come Marching Home - Lucy Finale INSTRUMENTATION Below Stairs is available in two forms: a piano score or a three-part arrangement by Bryan Williams for piano, electronic keyboard (variously brass, string, woodwind, etc. as appropriate to the number) and double bass.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=