The French Maid is a musical comedy in two acts by Basil Hood, with music by Walter Slaughter, first produced at the Theatre Royal, Bath, England, under the management of Milton Bode on 4 April 1896. It then opened London's Terry's Theatre under the management of W. H. Griffiths beginning on 24 April 1897, but later transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre on 12 February 1898, running for a very successful total of 480 London performances. The piece starred Louie Pounds, Kate Cutler, Eric Lewis, Herbert Standing and Richard Green. There was a New York production in 1897.
Suzette, a French maid, has attracted several men, including a jealous gendarme, Paul Lecuire, and a waiter at the hotel where she works, Charles Brown. She must choose an escort to the upcoming bal-masqué. But things are complicated when several visitors to the hotel all call for the pretty maid, including an Indian Prince, his attaché, and Jack Brown, an English soldier who is the waiter's twin brother. In traditional French style, Suzette strings them all along, causing confusion in the lives of all concerned, including the aristocratic Admiral and Lady Hawser, their niece Dolly and her lover, Harry, who gets involved in situations full of jealousy, disguises and misunderstandings. Finally everything is revealed, and a chastened Suzette returns to her faithful gendarme.
Musical numbersedit
Act I
No. 1 - Opening Chorus – "Les femmes de chambre de cet Hôtel (Hôtel Anglais, Boulogne-sur-Mer)"
No. 2 - Paul – "O pretty Suzette! Delightful Suzette, you're a bright little, slight little, sweet soubrette"
No. 3 - Entrance of Sir Drummond & Maharajah – "I'm General Sir Drummond Fife, V.C., K.C.B."
No. 4 - Sir Drummond & Prince with Chorus – "In eighteen hundred and ninety-four the Maharajah of Punkapore"
No. 5 - Charles – "I'm only a waiter today, but the thought is most exhilarating"
No. 6 - Suzette – "The sort of girl I am the gentlemen adore, although I am a Femme de Chambre"
No. 7 - Dolly – "With my pencil and paper (my sketch-block or book) I frequently caper to some quiet nook"
No. 8 - Dolly and Harry – "'Tis a law in Society's code that, whatever a damsel may do"
No. 8a - Dolly – "There is a castle in the air, and Cupid holds the key"
No. 10 - Jack and Chorus – "When quite a little chap, a-sitting on my mother's lap"
No. 11 - Charles and Jack – "Some twins are very much alike, but we are not a bit"
No. 12 - Jack and Chorus of Sailors – "The Admiral! Sir Hercules! Let every gal get off your knees"
No. 13 - Admiral and Chorus – "I'm an Admiral of the Fleet, with character untarnish'd"
No. 14 - Finale Act I – "She's going with the Admiral, the Admiral, the Admiral"
Act II
No. 15 - Act II Opening Chorus – "Tho' Englishmen in England may take their pleasures sadly"
No. 16 - Harry and Chorus – "When Elizabeth ruled England, in the gallant days of yore"
No. 17 - Chorus of Girls and Sailors – "It's gone eight bells, or, leastways, sev'n-- Ashore that spells half past elev'n"
No. 18 - Jack and Suzette – "You seem to say the proper way of making love's an art"
No. 19 - Charles, Jack and Paul – "We're bound to follow Nature's laws, whatever we may do"
No. 20 - Charles and Chorus – "As a child my father told me of the good that people reap"
No. 21 - Paul and Gendarmes – "When danger sounds the alarm, the bold Gendarme must nerve his arm"
No. 22 - Dolly and Harry – "No one I ever heard a sentence could compress"
No. 23 - Admiral – "I'm as proud as a Plantagenet - you mightn't, p'raps, imagine it"
No. 24 - Jack – "I ain't no famous 'ero of 'alf a hundred fights"
No. 25 - Finale Act II - "Ah! Ah! Ah! that's a way we have in France"
Additional item
Song with Chorus - soloist probably Jack – "I ain't the sort of man as you meets now and then"
Referencesedit
^"Terry's Theatre", The Times, 26 April 1897, p. 13
External linksedit
Cast list and links to midi files
Brief Synopsis and other information
Information about shows opening in London in 1897
Information about the New York production from the IBDB database
January 01, 1970
french, maid, musical, comedy, acts, basil, hood, with, music, walter, slaughter, first, produced, theatre, royal, bath, england, under, management, milton, bode, april, 1896, then, opened, london, terry, theatre, under, management, griffiths, beginning, april. The French Maid is a musical comedy in two acts by Basil Hood with music by Walter Slaughter first produced at the Theatre Royal Bath England under the management of Milton Bode on 4 April 1896 It then opened London s Terry s Theatre under the management of W H Griffiths beginning on 24 April 1897 but later transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre on 12 February 1898 running for a very successful total of 480 London performances The piece starred Louie Pounds Kate Cutler Eric Lewis Herbert Standing and Richard Green There was a New York production in 1897 The French MaidMusicWalter SlaughterBookBasil HoodProductions1896 West End The Times gave the piece a very favourable review at its London opening saying that a fresher brighter piece has not been seen for many a day 1 Contents 1 Roles and original London cast 2 Synopsis 3 Musical numbers 4 References 5 External linksRoles and original London cast editAdmiral Sir Hercules Hawser H O Clarey General Sir Drummond Fife Windham Guise Lt Harry Fife Richard Green Paul Lecuire Herbert Standing Monsieur Camembert Eric Lewis Maharajah of Punkapore Percy Percival Charles Brown Murray King Jack Brown Joseph Wilson Alphonse J W MacDonald Dorothy Dolly Travers Louie Pounds Lady Hawser Kate Talby Violet Tavers Hilda Jeffries Madame Camembert Lillie Pounds Suzette the title role Kate CutlerSynopsis editSuzette a French maid has attracted several men including a jealous gendarme Paul Lecuire and a waiter at the hotel where she works Charles Brown She must choose an escort to the upcoming bal masque But things are complicated when several visitors to the hotel all call for the pretty maid including an Indian Prince his attache and Jack Brown an English soldier who is the waiter s twin brother In traditional French style Suzette strings them all along causing confusion in the lives of all concerned including the aristocratic Admiral and Lady Hawser their niece Dolly and her lover Harry who gets involved in situations full of jealousy disguises and misunderstandings Finally everything is revealed and a chastened Suzette returns to her faithful gendarme Musical numbers editAct I No 1 Opening Chorus Les femmes de chambre de cet Hotel Hotel Anglais Boulogne sur Mer No 2 Paul O pretty Suzette Delightful Suzette you re a bright little slight little sweet soubrette No 3 Entrance of Sir Drummond amp Maharajah I m General Sir Drummond Fife V C K C B No 4 Sir Drummond amp Prince with Chorus In eighteen hundred and ninety four the Maharajah of Punkapore No 5 Charles I m only a waiter today but the thought is most exhilarating No 6 Suzette The sort of girl I am the gentlemen adore although I am a Femme de Chambre No 7 Dolly With my pencil and paper my sketch block or book I frequently caper to some quiet nook No 8 Dolly and Harry Tis a law in Society s code that whatever a damsel may do No 8a Dolly There is a castle in the air and Cupid holds the key No 10 Jack and Chorus When quite a little chap a sitting on my mother s lap No 11 Charles and Jack Some twins are very much alike but we are not a bit No 12 Jack and Chorus of Sailors The Admiral Sir Hercules Let every gal get off your knees No 13 Admiral and Chorus I m an Admiral of the Fleet with character untarnish d No 14 Finale Act I She s going with the Admiral the Admiral the Admiral Act II No 15 Act II Opening Chorus Tho Englishmen in England may take their pleasures sadly No 16 Harry and Chorus When Elizabeth ruled England in the gallant days of yore No 17 Chorus of Girls and Sailors It s gone eight bells or leastways sev n Ashore that spells half past elev n No 18 Jack and Suzette You seem to say the proper way of making love s an art No 19 Charles Jack and Paul We re bound to follow Nature s laws whatever we may do No 20 Charles and Chorus As a child my father told me of the good that people reap No 21 Paul and Gendarmes When danger sounds the alarm the bold Gendarme must nerve his arm No 22 Dolly and Harry No one I ever heard a sentence could compress No 23 Admiral I m as proud as a Plantagenet you mightn t p raps imagine it No 24 Jack I ain t no famous ero of alf a hundred fights No 25 Finale Act II Ah Ah Ah that s a way we have in France Additional item Song with Chorus soloist probably Jack I ain t the sort of man as you meets now and then References edit Terry s Theatre The Times 26 April 1897 p 13External links editCast list and links to midi files Brief Synopsis and other information Information about shows opening in London in 1897 Information about the New York production from the IBDB database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The French Maid amp oldid 1153559102, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
