The Belle of Mayfair

Infobox Musical
name= The Belle of Mayfair
subtitle=


caption= Edna May in the title role
music= Leslie Stuart
lyrics=
book= Basil Hood
Charles Brookfield
Cosmo Hamilton
basis= Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"
productions= 1906 West End
awards=

"The Belle of Mayfair" is a musical comedy composed by Leslie Stuart with a book by Basil Hood, Charles Brookfield and Cosmo Hamilton. It opened at the Vaudeville Theatre in London on 11 April 1906, produced by Charles Frohman. It ran for 431 performances and starred Edna May, Louie Pounds, Arthur Williams, Camille Clifford and Courtice Pounds. Phyllis Dare later took over the lead role. It also had successful Broadway and Australian runs.

The show is inspired by the Shakespeare play "Romeo and Juliet". Hood withdrew his name from the original production after Frohman started altering the text to suit casting changes that occurred during the run. Some of these changes resulted from disputes between the female leads and the management, one of which resulted in court action. Edna May stormed out of the production, and the role later made Phyllis Dare a star.

Roles and original cast list

*Julia Chaldicott (The Belle of Mayfair) - Edna May
*Hon. Raymond Finchley (Julia's lover) - Farren Soutar
*Princess Carl of Ehrenbreitstein - Louie Pounds
*Sir John Chaldicott (Julia's father) - Arthur Williams
*Lady Chaldicott (Julia's mother) - Maud Boyd
*Hugh Meredith (a bachelor) - Courtice Pounds
*Perrier (Julia's 'official' suitor) - Charles Angelo
*Lord Mount Highgate (Raymond's father) - Sam Walsh
*Countess of Mount Highgate (Raymond's Mother) - Irene Desmond
*Duchess of Dunmow - Camille Clifford
*Captain Theobald - Mervyn Dene
*Lady Violet - Jane May
*Lady Rosaline - Ruby Ray

ynopsis

A young couple, Julia and Raymond, fall madly in love during a sham auction taking place at a bazaar held in a London private park. This causes alarm to Julia's father who does not like Raymond's family. Raymond's friends advise him not to worry about marriage and to enjoy himself instead, while Julia's high powered friends try to get him sent overseas as a diplomat. Julia's father tries to end the match by announcing that his daughter is going to become engaged to a conductor of a foreign band that is touring in the vicinity, and he is paid to become an admirer of Julia. As a result, Raymond threatens to elope with Julia. Much confusion ensues, with Raymond disguised as the bandleader, and Julia's friends advise her not to elope as the shock to her farther would be too much. As a result, Julia calls off the elopement but pleads with her farther to let her marry Raymond. Finally, the father gives his consent, and every one lives happily ever after.

Musical numbers

;Act I
* Bells in the Morning -- The Belle of Mayfair
* Eight Little Debutantes Are We -- Debutantes
* I'm a Duchess -- Duchess of Dunmow
* In Gay Mayfair -- Julia
* Welcome to Princess -- Chorus
* Said I to Myself -- H.S.H. Princess Carl of Ehbreneitstein
* Where You Go Will I Go -- Julia
* Come to St. George's -- Julia, H.S.H. Princess Carl, Honorable Raymond Finchley and Hugh Meredith
* Finale -- Chorus ;Act II
* My Lady Fair -- Stall-holder and Chorus
* My Little Girl is a Shy Little Girl -- The Belle of Mayfair and Comte de Perrier
* Hello, Come Along Girls -- Hugh Meredith, Debutantes and Little Buds
* We've Come from Court -- Julia, H.S.H. Princess Carl, Lady Chaldicott, Comte de Perrier, Sir George Cheatham, K.C. and Guests
* And the Weeping Willow Wept -- H.S.H. Princess Carl
* The Little Girl at the Sweet Shop -- Julia
* What Makes the Woman? -- Honorable Raymond Finchley
* Why Do They Call Me a Gibson Girl -- Duchess of Dunmow, The Earl of Mount Highgate and Debutantes
* I Know a Girl -- Hon. Raymond Finchley, Hugh Meredith, Comte de Perrier, The Earl of Mount Highgate and Sir John Chaldicott, Bart, M.P.
* Come to St. George's (Finale) -- Chorus

External links

* [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stage2/produce/bellm/th-bellm.html Cast list, review, photos and other information]
* [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=6295 Information about the Broadway production]
* [http://www.collectorspost.com/Pounds.htm Includes a review of a scene in the London production]
* [http://www.nodanw.com/london_shows_chronology/1906.htm Information about shows opening in London in 1906]
*www.gabrielleray.150m.com/ArchivePressText2006/20060923.html Information about the Australian production