The Boy (musical)

Infobox Musical
name = The Boy
subtitle =

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caption = Song from "The Boy"
music = Lionel Monckton
Howard Talbot
lyrics = Adrian Ross
Percy Greenbank
book = Fred Thompson
Percy Greenbank
basis = Pinero's play, "The Magistrate"
productions = 1917 West End
awards =

"The Boy" is a musical comedy with a book by Fred Thompson and Percy Greenbank (based on Arthur Wing Pinero's 1885 play, "The Magistrate"), music by Lionel Monckton and Howard Talbot and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Greenbank. It opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 14 September 1917 and ran for 801 performances - one of the longest runs of any musical theatre piece up to that time.

During the gloomy days of World War I, audiences, including servicemen on leave, wanted light and uplifting entertainment, and they flocked to theatres to see lighhearted musical comedies, a number of which broke box-office records. These included "The Bing Boys Are Here" (1916), "Chu Chin Chow" (1916), and "The Maid of the Mountains" (1917). [ [http://www.peopleplayuk.org.uk/guided_tours/musicals_tour/first_musicals/chu_chin_chow.php "Chu Chin Chow",] Musical Theatre Guided Tour (PeoplePlay UK), accessed October 3, 2008] Almost as popular were "The Boy" and "Yes, Uncle!" (1917).

The musical was later later produced in Australia. It was also adapted for Broadway as "Good Morning, Judge" in 1919 at the Shubert Theatre, running for 140 performances and then touring successfully. Two songs by George Gershwin were added to the score, including "I am so Young," published as "I was so Young (You were so Young)." [ [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=8834 Pollack, Howard. "George Gershwin: His Life and Work", (2006) University of California Press, p. 230 ISBN 0520248643] ] It starred George Hassell, Charles King and Mollie King. [ [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=8834 IBDB entry for "Good Morning, Judge"] ]

Roles and original cast

*Horatio Meebles (Magistrate of Bromley Street Police Court) - W. H. Berry
*Millicent Meebles (Late Cavanagh) - Maisie Gay
*Hughie Cavanagh (Her Son) - Donald Calthrop
*Diana Fairlie (Her Sister) - Nellie Taylor
*Colonel Bagot (From Bengal, Retired) - C. M. Lowne
*Albany Pope (of Lloyd's) - Peter Gawthorne
*Joy Chatterton (a Flapper) - Billie Carleton
*Katie Muirhead (Hughie's Music Mistress) - Heather Thatcher
*Mr. Burridge (Magistrate of Bromley Street Police Court) - W. H. Rawlins
*Juniori Fratti (Proprietor of the Cosmos) - André Randall
*Napoleon (a Waiter) - T. Del Lungo
*Mr. Honeyball (Chief Clerk at Bromley Street) - George Elton
*Inspector Eason, Sergeant Dix, and Constable Styles (of the Metropolitan Police) - F. Russell, W. Matthews and George Wilson
*Cash (Servant at the Meebles') - Eddie Garr
*Turner (Maid at the Meebles') - Dorothy Munroe
*Cuthbert Sutton, Lyall Hewson-Galway, and an Elderly Lady (Guests at the Meebles') - R. G. Sydney, H. B. Lane and Marie Clavering
*Tich Ridley (a Young Man) - P. Madgewick
*Doris Cuddley and Winnie Sweet (Friends of Joy) - Gwen Hughes and Dora Fraser

Musical numbers

ACT I - Mr. Meebles' House at West Hampstead
*No. 1 - Introduction & Opening Chorus - "We will finish the rub and we've only to pay..."
*No. 2 - Song - Joy & Chorus - "There are lots of games with childish names, and I know ev'ry one of them..."
*No. 3 - Quarrelling Trio - Katie, Joy & Hughie - "When you see a lady talking to a friend, why d'you want to interfere? ..."
*No. 4 - Duet - Diana & Pope - "I'm kept busy all day in a general way, signing cheques perhaps, or meeting City chaps..."
*No. 5 - Quintet - Millicent, Diana, Hughie, Burridge & Meebles - "This is the day of young folks..."
*No. 6 - Song - Millicent & Chorus - "When I used to go to school some time ago, no one thought I was a fool, I got on so..."
*No. 7 - Duet - Millicent & Meebles - "All my life through I have yearn'd for Romance, to cheer and to comfort my soul..."
*No. 8 - Song - Diana & Chorus - "I've some news to tell - you will never guess! ..."
*No. 9 - Song - Meebles - "When first I practised at the Bar, and earned my reputation..."
*No. 10 - Chorus and Exit - "Oh, we now must say goodbye, for we really must be going..."
*No. 11 - End of Act I ACT II - Scene 1 - The Cosmos Hotel, Verrey Street, London W.C.
*No. 12 - Introduction and Dance - "Cheer O! Keep your toes a-wagging..."
*No. 13 - Song - Joy & Chorus - "It's hard to make my mind up when I am at a ball..."
*No. 14 - Song - Pope - "I'm absolutely fed up with all the female sex! They puzzle and perplex; I'd like to wring their necks..."
*No. 15 - Duet - Meebles & Hughie, with Chorus - "When two young fellows like us go out upon the spree..."
*No. 16 - Song - Diana & Chorus - "There lived a little maid, and oh, her heart was light..." ("Little Miss Melody")
*No. 17 - Dance
*No. 18 - Duet - Diana & Pope - "I fear I've been a bit of a fool, though as a rule I'm pretty cool..."
*No. 19 - Trio - Joy, Hughie & Meebles, with Chorus - "The girls all listen and their bright eyes glisten..."
*No. 20 - Finale - Scene 1 - "We're stiff and stolid, large and solid representatives of the law..." ACT II - Scene 2 - The Magistrate's Room, Bromley Street
*No. 21 - Recitative & Song - Meebles - "Ah, can it be? A few short hours ago my heart was light..." ("When the Heart Is Young")ACT II - Scene 3 - The Garden of Meebles' House
*No. 22 - Opening Chorus - "Pansy Day! Pansy Day! Here are some flow'rs for you..."
*No. 23 - Song - Meebles & Chorus - "I've not had so much as a wink all the night - it's distressing! ..."
*No. 24 - Duet - Millicent & Diana - "I am feeling quite a wreck ... Well, you are a trifle torn! ..."
*No. 25 - Finale Act II - "They'll be sporty boys! Rollicking rorty-torty boys! Painting the town a regular red..." Supplementary items:
*No. 26 - Duet - Diana & Pope - "Why do you seem cold, uncaring, oh! you beautiful maid? ..."
*No. 27 - Song - Meebles - "The years roll back; once more I seem to be a rosy-cheek'd and pudding-faced young urchin..."
*No. 28 - Song - Diana - "When a girl comes out and goes about to lots of dinners, and dances..."
*No. 29 - Duet - Millicent & Meebles - "Horatio, do you remember? ... My dearest, how could I forget? ... "
*No. 30 - Duet - Joy & Hughie, with Chorus - "Little Dicky was a wonder at any sort of dance... "

References

External links

* [http://www.halhkmusic.com/theboy.html Song list and links to Midi files, lyrics and cast list]
* [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-longr.html List of longest running plays in London and New York]