SAN TOY or The Emperor's Own Book by Edward Morton, Lyrics by Harry Greenbank and Adrian Ross, Music by Sidney Jones; Additional music by Lionel Monckton Daly's Theatre, London - 21 October, 1899 Daly's Theatre, Broadway - 1 October, 1900 (65 perfs) SYNOPSIS Act I In the town of Pynka Pong, where Sir Bing Preston is the British Consul, two jade merchants bribe Li, the private secretary of the mandarin Yen How. Li flirts with Dudley, the maid at the British Consulate, but Li is in love with Ko Fan, one of the Emperor's female guards, a service into which all noble daughters are conscripted. The Mandarin, however, has got around the conscription law for his favourite daughter, San Toy, by raising her as a boy. However, the student Fo Hop discovers the secret, and his price for silence is San Toy's hand in marriage. The Mandarin allows this on the condition that no one must ever know that San Toy is a girl, cleverly preventing the marriage from happening. San Toy is in love with the Consul's son, naval Captain Bobby Preston, but a marriage between the two would never be permitted by either of their fathers. adBobby must leave San Toy to go to Peking on his father's business and departs sadly. Fo Hop, discovering their romance, tells San Toy that he will turn her into the model Chinese wife. A new edict from the Emperor is announced, ordering that now all sons, as well as daughters, of Mandarins must join a new regiment in Peking, so San Toy must depart for Peking, where she will admit her sex, entering the girls' regiment, and can see Bobby. The Mandarin declares that he will also go to Peking and petition the Emperor to return his daughter. Act II In the Emperor's Palace at Peking, San Toy is introduced to the Emperor, and he is charmed by her, telling her that she will be treated with favour. Li arrives, followed by Dudley, who entertains the Emperor. The Preston family and consulate staff arrive. Poppy Preston, the Consul's daughter, explains Western marriage customs. San Toy assures Bobby that she is still his, and Yen How and his wives also arrive and are pleased to see that San Toy is receiving the amorous attentions of the Emperor. However, it is declared that the Emperor is astrologically ill-suited to San Toy but well-suited to one of the other girls, leaving San Toy free to marry Bobbie, Li to his old love Ko Fan and Yen How to be promoted to Viceroy. MUSICAL NUMBERS: We'll Keep the Feast in Pynka Pong - Opening Chorus The Mandarin - Quintette (Li, Wai Ho, Ah Wen, Yu Sam & Me Koui) & Chorus The Lady's Maid - Dudley A Posy From Over the Sea - Poppy Six Little Wives - Yen How & Wives The Petals of the Plum Tree - San Toy A.B.C. - San Toy & Bobby The Moon - Concerted Number Pynka Pong - Poppy, Dudley, Tucker and Li Love Has Come From Lotus Land - Bobby When You Are Wed To Me - San Toy and Fo Hop Samee Gamee - Dudley and Li
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