First produced in 1880 at the Imperial Theatre, London,
and a few months later at the Standard Theater, New York.

Dramatis Personæ

(The above details have been derived from an article in Kurt Ganzl's
"Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre.")

Synopsis of Scenery

MIDI Files

• Overture

ACT I -   The Village Green of the village of Southampton Water.

• No. 1 - Opening Chorus of Peasants, with Solo - Crab - "Today, today is holiday..."
• No. 2 - Ballad - Billee Taylor - "Let others prate of grand estate, I envy not such station..."
• No. 3 - Duett - Arabella and Billee - "If you were a maiden, and I were a youth..."
• Nos. 4 & 5 - Chorus of Charity Girls, and Song - Phoebe - "Though we're bred upon charity, we have lots of hilarity..."
• No. 5a - Chant - Charity Girls - "Always seem to be modest and bashful..."   (unaccompanied and in unison)
• No. 5b - Entrance of Peasants
• No. 6 - Song - Sir Mincing Lane and Chorus - "Many years ago I made a start with nothing, as a grocer's boy..."
• No. 6a - Reprise for Exit of Chorus - "For a self made man you see is he..."
• No. 7 - Song - Phoebe - "A modest maid, precise and staid..."
• No. 8 - Trio - Arabella, Capt. Flapper, and Crab - "Revenge! Revenge! and retribution..."
• No. 9 - Sailors' Chorus - "She can swim like a duck, and her flag's never struck..."
• No. 10 - Romance - Ben Barnacle - "The yarn as I'm about to spin is all on account of Eliza..."
• No. 10½ - For Exit of Chorus - "All on account, all on account, all on account of Eliza..."
• No. 11 - Song - Eliza - "How I love my Benjamin, Benny!..."
• No. 12 - Wedding Chorus - "Hark! the merry marriage bells! Ding-a-ding-dong! ding-a-ding!..."
• No. 13 - Finale - Act I - "'Tis hard by fate thus to be parted..."

ACT II -   On board "H. M. S. Thunderball" at Portsmouth.

• No. 13a - Entr'acte
• No. 14 - Act II Opening Chorus - "Back again! Back again! Tho' so far they roam..."
• No. 14a - Hornpipe
• No. 15 - Black Cook's Dance
• No. 15a - Reprise of No. 14 for Exit of Chorus - "Back again! Back again! ..."
• No. 16 - Song - Crab - "I'm a villain of the deepest dye..."
• No. 17 - Trio - Sir Mincing, Arabella and Billee - "Most gallant skimmer of the sea, my son in law, that is to be..."
• No. 18 - Song - Phoebe and Charity Girls - "I followed my darling Bill to sea..."
• No. 19 - Duet and Chorus - Billee, Phoebe, and Charity Girls - "In days gone by our sires would try to be to all polite..."
• No. 19a - Reprise for Exit of Girls - "Just like that!..."
• No. 20 - Trio - Capt. Flapper, Phoebe, and Susan - "A trim little craft was Phoebe..."
• No. 21 - Chorus of Volunteers, with Sir Mincing Lane - "With fife and drum we bravely come..."
• No. 21a - Entrance of Barnacle and Sailors
• No. 22 - Concerted Piece - "Don't go for to leave us, Richard Carr, we know what a messmate true you are..."
• No. 22a - Reprise for Exit - "Love! love! love!..."
• No. 23 - Concerted Piece - "See here, my lads, what would you do if you should find your love untrue..."
• No. 23a - Melos
• No. 24 - Concerted Piece and Quarreling Duet - "Stay, stay, for I am no man;   Stay, stay, I am a woman!..."
• No. 25 - Grand Finale - "This is a statement most untoward, can Billee Taylor be a coward?..."

Note: Colin's copy of the score was in poor condition and some editorial reconstruction has been necessary.

MIDI Files

• Vocal Score, courtesy of Ian Bond

• Billee Taylor Illustrated Music Covers.

Page modified 10 February 2019