Kissing Time is a musical comedy with music by Ivan Caryll, book and lyrics by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, and additional lyrics by Clifford Grey. It is based on the 1910 play, Madame et son Filleul ("Madame and her Godson") by Maurice Hennequin, Pierre Véber and Henry de Gorsse. It opened at at the Winter Garden Theatre, London, on 20 May 1919 and ran until 3 July 1920, a total of 430 performances.

The story is set in contemporary France, with a glamorous actress at the centre of a farcical plot of imposture, intrigue and mistaken identity.

Dramatis Personæ

MIDI Files

ACT I   -   Garden of Georgette's Villa, Fontainebleau.

• No. 1 - Opening Chorus of Girls, with Capt. Wentworth - "Here's another godson, girls, we found him in the street; he belongs to us. ... I won't make a fuss..."
• No. 2 - Song - Georgette and Chorus - "Godmothers who are as young and fair as you must be circumspect, for now and then men will try to act like men..."
• No. 3 - Song - Bibi and Chorus - "Ever since I owned a car, with the girls I'm popular;  I have driven miles and miles, basking in their sunny smiles..."
• No. 4 - Trio - Georgette, Max and Bibi - "When far from the din of the battle, our heroes come home for a rest, it's well understood that there's nothing too good..."
• No. 5 - Song - Lucienne and Chorus - "Tho' weary and dreary life seems today, and tho' the man I love is far away, still near me to cheer me he seems to be..."
• No. 6 - Song - Max - "You wouldn't call me fickle, I've too much sense of duty, but corn before the sickle is my attitude to beauty.  I married rather early..."
• No. 7 - Quartette - Georgette, Colonel, Max and Bibi - "So many, who have married unhappily, you meet, that when you see a couple so devoted, it's a treat..."
• No. 8 - Duet - Lucienne and Bibi - "Love I fear is very complex, most find once they begin it.  Men become just mere nervous wrecks - I know..."
• No. 9 - Finale Act I - "I've just come back from Paris to spend a week at home;  I wish I could arrange it never, never more to roam.  We're like two little lovebirds..."

ACT II - Scene 1   -   Garden of Georgette's Villa.

• No. 10 - Opening Chorus - "Wouldn't you like us all to help you? ... What is he reading?  Oh, look here! ... Somebody took my cookery book! ..."
• No. 11 - Trio - Georgette, Colonel and Max - "Oh, how wonderful 'twould be, you must agree, if, when next I pay a visit, I should see half a dozen kiddies playing..."
• No. 12 - Song - Bibi - "Gosh!  women are the hardest propositions!  You plead with them for hours and they don't care;  they listen to the silv'ry voice of reason..."
• No. 13 - Duet - Lucienne and Max - "Joan and Peter met one night and thought they'd take the floor.   Peter thought her sweeter than any girl he'd met before..."
• No. 14 - Finale - Scene 1 - "Some day never forget I may marry you yet,  I've not quite decided to surrender, but I will, provided you are tender..."

ACT II - Scene 2   -   Outside the Café des Alliés.

• No. 15 - Song - Lucienne - "Won't you tell me 'love' in your realm above, why you won't let us pass you by?  We are bound to fall when we hear you call..."

ACT II - Scene 3   -   Interior of Café des Alliés.

• No. 16 - Dance - "The Hudson Belle" No. 17 - Song - Georgette and Chorus - "When I play in Paris the fellows I know, all are crazy, don't know why;  they all seem to haunt me wherever I go..."
• No. 18 - Duet - Lucienne and Max - "Since first, my dear, I met you, the shrine wherein I set you has sacred to me grown, that shrine that's all yor own..."
• No. 19 - Finale Act II - "There's a light in your eyes, on your lips there's a smile, and you seem all the while to be yielding in tender surrender..."

No. 17 was composed by W. Redstone.

MIDI Files

External Links

Kissing Time at Wikipedia

Vocal Score at UR Research

Page modified 2 January 2017