THE VICAR OF BRAY An original English comic opera in 2 acts - Written by Sydney Grundy : Composed by Edward Solomon Globe Theatre, London - July 22, 1882 (69 perfs) Savoy Theatre, London - 28 January 1892 (143 perfs) Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York - 7 October, 1882 (7 perfs) SYNOPSIS The Rev. William Barlow is Low Church. He became Low Church in order to marry his rich wife who, now dead, has left him with one daughter, Dorothy. Dorothy is in love with her father's curate, Henry Sandford, a decidedly priggish young man with a habit of speaking in rounded and polysyllabic periods. The Vicar has other designs for his daughter in the form of Sandford's old schoolmate, Tommy Merton, son of the proprietor of the living of Bray. To get Sandford out of the way the Vicar, on the advice of his confidential family solicitor, Mr Bedford Rowe, turns High Church. Aghast, Sandford flees to become a missionary in the Cassowary Isles. But alas! now that the Vicar and all his students have become 'High' they are doomed to celibacy and the Chorus of Lady Sunday School Teachers is distraught at the loss of their matrimonial prospects. So, too, is Mrs Merton who has had her eye on the Vicar. Tommy Merton is prepared as a husband for Dorothy but suddenly Sandford, whom everyone supposed to have been devoured by cannibals, returns-a decidedly better young man with his rounded periods knocked out of him by the King of the Cassowaries. Dorothy returns to her first love, but her father is adamant. Suddenly the solicitor arrives: the Vicar's High Church propensities have displeased his Bishop who has declared him defrocked, his living to be bestowed on Sandford. There is only one way out. The Vicar becomes 'Low' again. He is now eligible to wed the wealthy Mrs Merton while Henry gets his Dorothy and Tommy goes off with the leading danseuse of the local theatre. CAST: Reverend William Barlow, Vicar of Bray Reverend Henry Sandford, his curate Thomas Merton, Esq., of Bray Manor Mr. Bedford Rowe, a Confidential Family Solicitor Dorothy, the Vicar's Daughter Mrs. Merton, widow of the late Thomas Merton, of Jamaica Nelly Bly, of the Theatre Royal, Bray Students of Divinity, Ladies of the Ballet, Teachers, Huntsmen, Jockeys. SCENES AND SETTINGS Act 1: Low Church. The Village Green. Act 2: High Church. The Vicarage Grounds. MUSICAL NUMBERS: Act I Chorus of Children - "Hooray, hooray! " Chorus of Lady Teachers - "To a slow and stately measure" Song: - Winifred - "O, Why is my love?" Chorus of Teachers - "All the bold …"
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