DOROTHY
Music by Alfred Cellier: Written by B.C. Stephenson
Gaiety Theatre, London 25 September, 1886
Standard Theatre, Broadway 5 November, 1887.
THE STORY
(Rural Kent in 1740)
The plot surrounds the Squire's daughter, Dorothy and her cousin Lydia, who, tired of the social rounds, decide to pose as villagers during the festival of the Hop Pole, (An annual celebration occurring in the vicinity of the Hop Pole Inn), at the end of the Hop picking season. It so happens that Geoffrey, a "young English gentleman", and his friend Harry, under assumed names, are using the Hop Pole Inn as a hideout to escape Lurcher, a Sheriff's officer who has been chasing them with a bundle of writs. The men and girls are mutually attracted but neither pair knows the other's true identity. Lurcher arrives on the scene and is tricked into posing as a servant to the two men when they visit the house of the Squire. There is a faked burglary, Lurcher dines too well, identities are exposed, but the end is obvious and happy.
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS (plus Chorus)
- Dorothy (soprano)
- Lydia (mezzo)
- Geoffrey (tenor)
- Sir John (baritone)
- Lurcher (baritone)
- Harry (baritone)
- Phyllis (contralto)
- Mrs Privett (non-singing)
MUSICAL NUMBERS
- Be Wise In Time (Dorothy, Lydia, Phyllis)
- To Bed
- Are You Sure That They Are All in Bed?
- I Hear the Quarter Chime
- Under the Pump
- Lads and Lasses
- Hark For'ard! (Away) (Dorothy, Chorus)
- Dorcas
- I Am the Sherrif's Faithful Man
- No Time Has Come When I Must Yield
- Duke of Berkshire
- A Father's Pride and Joy
- What Joy Untold
- We're Sorry to Delay You
- Though Born a Man of High Degree
- Contentment I Give You
- With A Welcome To All (Sir John, Chorus)
- Queen Of My Heart (Harry)
- Dancing Is not What It Used to Be
- Now Take Your Seats
- The Time Has Come (Phyllis)
- Who Swore to Be Good and True? (You Swear to Be Good and True)
- What Noise Was That?
- With Such a Dainty Dame
INSTRUMENTATION (Total number of books = 17)
2 Violins I ; 1 Violin II ; 1 Viola ; 1 Cello/Double Bass ;1 Flute I ; 1 Flute II ; 1 Oboe ; 1 Clarinet I ; 1 Clarinet II ; 1 Bassoon ; 1 Horn I ; 1 Cornet ; 1 Trombone ; 1 Drums ; 1 Timpani ; 1 Conductor Score annotated vocal score
Note
Three acts of one scene each should present little trouble for any company. Choreography calls for many short dances in the period of the piece. In all, it is an easy show to stage and, despite its age, is a delightful musical.