she is soon busy sizing up alternatives to her nervous Rajah. Barry has been having a fine time whipping up support for Geoffrey's unwitting Parliamentary candidature. Now he has an attempt at filling his master's empty purse by selling off the worthless old tin mine to Verity on the pretext that providing work for the locals will earn his son the votes he needs to win the election. He also indulges in a bit of chit-chat with a fancy lady from the manor only to find that she is no lady but his old sweetheart, Sophie. Barry's meddling produces problems as well as successes. The Princess, who has installed herself at the manor, has decided that her choice of husband shall be Geoffrey whom she will set up at her side in her native land. Barry is delighted at such an advantageous bit of matchmaking and, without realising the harm he is doing, talks about the affair to Marjorie Joy. As the finale begins, and the villagers welcome Geoffrey to the polls, the Princess publicly stakes her claim. Geoffrey, politely kissing her hand, declines the oriental match. Marjorie, who has seen only the kiss, has gone, back to London and the stage. Act 2 At Lord Anchester's London house a bal à la Directoire is being held to which all the principals in turn arrive to join in the ensemble. There is Nan, the Rajah accompanied by the Princess, desperately avoiding his widowed wife and longing for the happy land of Bhong, Sophie, still under the social protection of Mrs Raikes who clearly hasn't yet paid her dressmaker's bill, and Marjorie Joy in her London persona as Miss Montague exerting a strange fascination over Geoffrey who finds in her an amazing resemblance to his lost sweetheart. Most surprisingly, there is Barry, disguised as an old lady to get in past the doorman. Nan has another go at the Princess who has still not renounced her pretensions to Geoffrey, while Barry ends up quarelling with Sophie who has seen through his disguise and is determined to give him plenty to be jealous about. Sir Joseph Verity, on the other hand has not penetrated the disguise and makes such heavy approaches to the 'lady' that Barry is obliged to seek refuge in the arms of the surprised Rajah. In the hearing of Miss Montague, Geoffrey squarely refuses the Princess's renewed offer in favour of the love of his 'little country girl' and, when Lord Anchester requests the actress to favour the company with a song, she obliges revealing her double identity to a grateful Geoffrey. In the gilded galleries of Belgravia, the simple country girl gets her simple country boy while the rest of the company pair off in happy imitation. CAST OF CHARACTERS: • Geoffrey Challoner • Mr Quinton Raikes (The Rajah of Bhong) • Sir Joseph Verity • Douglas Verity • Granfer Mummery • Lord Anchester • Lord Grassmere • Major Vicat • Sir Charles Corteylou • Tzanticheff • Rube Fairway • Barry • Marjorie Joy • Princess Mehelaneh • Nan • Mrs Quinton Raikes • Madame Sophie Lady Anchester, Miss Powyscourt, Lady Arnott, Miss Courtlands, Miss Ecroyd, Miss Sydney, Miss Ormonde, Miss Selwyn, Miss Carruthers, etc. MUSICAL NUMBERS: ACT 1 1. "When the birds begin to sing" (Opening Chorus) 2. "Young Jan he were a harvester" (Song) Granfer Mummery 3. "Try Again, Johnnie" (Song) Nan 4. "Coo!" (Song) - Marjorie (Music by Paul Rubens. Lyrics by Percy Greenbank.) 5. "The Sailor's Life" (Traditional Song) - Geoffrey
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