Three Little Maids is an Edwardian musical comedy by Paul Rubens, with additional songs by Percy Greenbank and Howard Talbot. The story concerns three simple curate's daughters who go to London to earn their livings serving tea in a Bond Street tea shop. They become the romantic rivals of three ladies of fashion but succeed because of their freshness.
Contemporary cartoon of Three Little Maids
The musical opened at the Apollo Theatre in London on 10 May 1902 and later transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre, running for a total of 348 performances. Edna May, Delia Mason and Lily Elsie (on tour) each starred as Edna Branscombe. Ada Reeve was a replacement as Ada Branscombe. Choreography was by Willie Warde, scenery by Hawes Craven and Joseph Harker, and costumes by C. Wilhelm.
There were also a Broadway production in 1903 and international tours. The New York Times gave the show a rave review after its opening night in New York: "It is just possible that there have been better musical comedies ... but if there have, nobody in the audience could think of them at the end of the evening.... It was the marvel of ... good looks, good dancing, and good acting working together for the common weal."[1] The paper particularly praised the humour of G. P. Huntley and Maurice Farkoa. The title characters were played in New York by Maggie May, Madge Crichton, and Delia Mason.[1] Another rave review was published in the New York Dramatic Mirror.[2]
The Branscombe girls are three simple curate's daughters from the countryside, not far from London. They meet Lady St. Mallory (proprietress of a fashionable tea shop) and her friends from London, including three young gentlemen to whom they immediately are attracted. The girls happily accept Lady St. Mallory's offer to go to London to work as waitresses serving tea in her Bond Street tea shop.
Act II
The three men, Lord Cheyne, Brian Molyneux and Monsieur de Lorme flirt with the girls at the tea shop, not recognizing them from the earlier out-of-town meeting, as the girls' serving uniform is the costume of Holland. Each of the men also has a London girlfriend of position in London society who becomes jealous of the Branscombe sisters. The society girls decide to disguise themselves as waitresses to meet their rivals on their own ground. The three men prefer the Branscombe girls and invite them to a dance at Lady St. Mallory's country house.
Act III
At the country house, the three girls charm the men and defeat their rivals, who are philosophical about their loss.
Rolesedit
De L'Orme and Hilda
Edna, Hilda and Ada Branscombe (Daughters of the Rev. Theodore Branscombe) – Edna May, Hilda Moody,[3] and Madge Crichton
three, little, maids, this, article, about, 1902, paul, rubens, musical, other, uses, disambiguation, edwardian, musical, comedy, paul, rubens, with, additional, songs, percy, greenbank, howard, talbot, story, concerns, three, simple, curate, daughters, london. This article is about the 1902 Paul Rubens musical For other uses see Three Little Maids disambiguation Three Little Maids is an Edwardian musical comedy by Paul Rubens with additional songs by Percy Greenbank and Howard Talbot The story concerns three simple curate s daughters who go to London to earn their livings serving tea in a Bond Street tea shop They become the romantic rivals of three ladies of fashion but succeed because of their freshness Contemporary cartoon of Three Little Maids The musical opened at the Apollo Theatre in London on 10 May 1902 and later transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre running for a total of 348 performances Edna May Delia Mason and Lily Elsie on tour each starred as Edna Branscombe Ada Reeve was a replacement as Ada Branscombe Choreography was by Willie Warde scenery by Hawes Craven and Joseph Harker and costumes by C Wilhelm There were also a Broadway production in 1903 and international tours The New York Times gave the show a rave review after its opening night in New York It is just possible that there have been better musical comedies but if there have nobody in the audience could think of them at the end of the evening It was the marvel of good looks good dancing and good acting working together for the common weal 1 The paper particularly praised the humour of G P Huntley and Maurice Farkoa The title characters were played in New York by Maggie May Madge Crichton and Delia Mason 1 Another rave review was published in the New York Dramatic Mirror 2 Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Roles 3 Musical numbers 4 References 5 External linksSynopsis editAct I The Branscombe girls are three simple curate s daughters from the countryside not far from London They meet Lady St Mallory proprietress of a fashionable tea shop and her friends from London including three young gentlemen to whom they immediately are attracted The girls happily accept Lady St Mallory s offer to go to London to work as waitresses serving tea in her Bond Street tea shop Act II The three men Lord Cheyne Brian Molyneux and Monsieur de Lorme flirt with the girls at the tea shop not recognizing them from the earlier out of town meeting as the girls serving uniform is the costume of Holland Each of the men also has a London girlfriend of position in London society who becomes jealous of the Branscombe sisters The society girls decide to disguise themselves as waitresses to meet their rivals on their own ground The three men prefer the Branscombe girls and invite them to a dance at Lady St Mallory s country house Act III At the country house the three girls charm the men and defeat their rivals who are philosophical about their loss Roles edit nbsp De L Orme and Hilda Edna Hilda and Ada Branscombe Daughters of the Rev Theodore Branscombe Edna May Hilda Moody 3 and Madge Crichton Lady St Mallory Lottie Venne Lady Rosemary Beaulieu Venetia Grafton and Lady Marjory Crichton Protegees of Lady St Mallory Millie Legarde Betty Belknap and Ruby Ray Miss Deare Postmistress at Market Mallory Sybil Grey Miss Crane A Village Girl Hilda Jeffreys Miss Price Manageress of the Tea Shop Jane May Hon Bobbie Windsor An Eton Boy Miss Vincent Miss Effie Thames Effie Rivers Lord Cheyne Nicknamed Daisy G P Huntley Brian Molyneux J L Mackay Rev Theodore Branscombe Vicar of Market Mallory John Beauchamp Cupid A Caddy George Carroll M De L Orme of the French Embassy Maurice FarkoaMusical numbers editACT I Golf Links at Market Mallory No 1 Chorus Since daybreak the sun very brightly has shone No 2 Mrs Deare amp Chorus When I first saw Market Mallory there wasn t much Market then No 3 Edna Hilda amp Ada When the season s over and you want a holiday mong the corn and clover No 4 Country Girls amp London Girls A mouse once lived in the country No 5 Cupid I keep my eye on those maidens three and strictly entre nous No 6 de l Orme amp Chorus Of all the games that a man can play Love is the hardest to beat No 7 Edna amp Brian In the future come what may I shall not forget today No 8 Ada I m sure you ve never seen a gal like my gal Sal No 9 Cheyne amp Ada Golf is an excellent game in its way But ev rything s all in the way No 10 Finale Act I All the luggage has been put upon the cart ACT II A Bond Street Tea Shop No 11 Chorus When Society goes shopping in the regions of the West No 12 Hilda amp Chorus A miller s daughter liv d beside a mill No 13 de l Orme When you are by my side the world seems gay No 14 Edna When I think of all the tales you ve told me No 15 Ada You men are a terrible bore why were you ever invented No 16 Cupid amp Chorus Tho I m only a boy it is true women play havoc with me as with you No 17 Cheyne You must have met a friend of mine called Algy No 18 Edna Hilda amp Ada We are little tea girls as you see No 19 Ada Edna Hilda Cheyne Brian amp de l Orme You pull at a lever or press a knob No 20 Finale Act II ACT III Lady St Mallory s Drawing room at Market Mallory No 21 Chorus Lady St Mallory s friends this ev ning are highly delighted No 22 Edna When a maid loves a man tis a sad to do No 23 Hilda amp Chorus When a little lady first comes out she ll find no end of men about No 24 Ada amp Chorus I don t believe I m witty I cannot think I m smart No 25 Hilda amp de l Orme Je vous adore ev ry day more oh how I long for the day when you re mine No 26 Edna amp Brian Hilda amp de l Orme Ada amp Cheyne Oh what a splendid thing to have a wedding ring No 27 Finale Act III reprise of no 26 Oh what a splendid thing Addendum No 28 Hilda with Cheyne It won t be very long before I get to town References edit a b Three Little Maids A Masterpiece of Musical Comedy at Daly s The New York Times 2 September 1903 p 3 Daly s Three Little Maids The New York Dramatic Mirror 12 September 1903 p 14 accessed 27 July 2011 Hilda Moody profileExternal links editMidi files lyrics and London cast list Three Little Maids at the IBDB database Vocal score List of shows opening in London in 1902 Life magazine note on the musical Footlight Interview of Lily Elsie mentioning Three Little Maids Another New York Times article about the musical Three Little Maids at Theatricalia com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Three Little Maids amp oldid 1213585299, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
