- The Beauty of Bath
Infobox Musical
name = The Beauty of Bath
subtitle =
caption = Maudi Darrell
music =Herbert Haines
Additional music:
Jerome Kern
lyrics = C. H. Taylor
Additional lyrics:
P. G. Wodehouse
book =Seymour Hicks
Cosmo Hamilton
basis =
productions = 1906 West End
awards ="The Beauty of Bath" is a musical comedy by
Seymour Hicks andCosmo Hamilton , with lyrics by C. H. Taylor, and music byHerbert Haines ; additional lyrics were provided byP. G. Wodehouse , with music byJerome Kern . It was produced byCharles Frohman , opened at theAldwych Theatre onMarch 19 1906 , moved onDecember 26 1906 to the newly built Hicks Theatre, and ran for a total of 287 performances. It starred Hicks andEllaline Terriss .Zena Dare later joined the cast, replacing Terriss.As often happened with
Gaiety Girls inEdwardian musical comedies , May Gates, a chorus girl in "The Beauty of Bath", married a nobleman, Baron Von Ditton, of Norway. This was reported in "The New York Dramatic Mirror" on 18 July 1908, p.3b. Similarly, Sylvia Lillian Storey (1890-1947), who appeared in the chorus married William John Lydson, Earl Poulett as reported in "The New York Dramatic Mirror" on 12 September 1908, p.2b.Roles
*Betty Silverthorne - "The Beauty of Bath" - Ellaline Terriss
*Richard Alington - "Lieutenant, R.N." - Seymour Hicks
*Mr Beverley - "An Actor" - Stanley Brett
*Mrs Alington - "Richard's Mother" - Rosina Filippi
*Lord Bellingham - "Betty's father" - William Lugg
*Miss Truly St Cyr - "An Actress" - Maudi Darrell
*Sir Timothy Bun - Murray King
*Lady Bun - Mollie Lowell
*Mrs Goodge - Sydney Fairbrother
*Lemon Goodge - Master Valchera
*Jane - Topsy Sinden
*Tatersall Spink - Bert SindenNotable musical numbers
*"The Beauty of Bath"
*"The Things you Never Learn at School"
*"The Frolic of the Breeze"ynopsis
At the interval of a play, the fashionable audience mill about in the foyer, complimenting the new hit play and its leading actor, Mr. Beverley. Sir Timothy Bun, Lady Bun, and their large family of "adopted" daughters, "the twelve Bath Buns," are part of the crowd. An actress, Miss Truly St. Cyr, is courted by a young lord. Mrs. Alington, a widow, is eagerly anticipating the return of her naval Lieutenant son, Richard, whom she has not seen for ten years. The lovely Betty Silverthorne, has fallen in love with the dashing Beverley during Act I to the chagrin of her father, Lord Bellingham.
Six months before the present time, Mrs. Alington had sent her son a photograph of Betty, and the young Lieutenant had fallen in love with the girl depicted. It turns out that Lieutenant Richard Alington, R.N., is identical in appearance to the actor, Mr Beverley. Richard arrives at the theatre in his sailor's undress uniform. He meets Betty and instantly recognises the girl he has loved since seeing her photograph. Betty also recognises the man she loves, mistaking him for Beverley, who has been playing a sailor's part and wearing the same uniform. Lord Bellingham next meets Richard, also mistaking him for Beverly. He objects to an actor's courting his daughter, and he invites the young Lieutenant to a ball to be given the next night at his mansion, on condition that "Beverly" must pretend to be tipsy, in order to cure his daughter's love.
"Beverley" creates an embarrassing disturbance at the ball and does his utmost to draw Betty's ire. However, Betty outsmarts her father, having already figured out the likeness and true identity of Dick Alington. In addition, it happens that the man she really loves is Dick, not Beverley. This is a good thing, because her friend is already engaged to Beverly. Dick, meanwhile, has inherited five million pounds, and Lord Bellingham is delighted with the match.
External links
* [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stage2/produce/bbath/th-bbath.html Cast list, review, photos and other information]
* [http://www.nodanw.com/london_shows_chronology/1906.htm Information about shows opening in London in 1906]
* [http://www.gabrielleray.150m.com/ArchivePressText2006/20060923.html Photos and information]
* [http://www.blandings.org.uk/stage/Beauty_Bath.htm Review and info]
* [http://library.kent.ac.uk/library/special/icons/playbills/playdat1.htm Cast and song information]
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