Three Little Maids is a musical comedy by Paul Rubens with additional songs by Percy Greenbank and Howard Talbot. It opened at the Apollo Theatre in London on 10 May 1902 and later transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre, running for a total of 348 performances.
The story concerns three simple curate's daughters who go to London to earn their livings serving tea in a Bond Street tea shop. They become the romantic rivals of three ladies of fashion but succeed because of their freshness. The musical opened at the Apollo Theatre in London on 10 May 1902 and later transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre, running for a total of 348 performances.
Dramatis Personæ
EDNA BRANSCOMBE HILDA BRANSCOMBE ADA BRANSCOMBE |
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(Daughters of the Rev. Theodore Branscombe) | { { { |
Miss Edna May Miss Hilda Moody Miss Madge Crichton |
LADY ST. MALLORY | Miss Lottie Venne |
LADY ROSEMARY BEAULIEU VENETIA GRAFTON LADY MARJORY CRICHTON |
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(Protégées of Lady St. Mallory) | { { { |
Miss Millie Legarde Miss Betty Belknap Miss Ruby Ray |
MISS DEARE (Postmistress at Market Mallory) | Miss Sybil Grey |
MISS CRANE (a Village Girl) | Miss Hilda Jeffreys |
MISS PRICE (Manageress of the Tea Shop) | Miss Jane May |
HON. BOBBIE WINDSOR (an Eton Boy) | Miss Vincent |
MISS EFFIE THAMES | Miss Effie Rivers |
LORD CHEYNE (nicknamed "Daisy") | Mr. G. P. Huntley |
BRIAN MOLYNEUX | Mr. J. L. Mackay |
REV. THEODORE BRANSCOMBE (Vicar of Market Mallory) | Mr. John Beauchamp |
"CUPID" (a Caddy) | Mr. George Carroll |
M. DE L'ORME (of the French Embassy) | Mr. Maurice Farkoa |
ACT I - Golf Links at Market Mallory.
- No. 1 - Opening Chorus - "Since daybreak the sun very brightly has shone..."
- No. 2 - Song - Mrs. Deare & Chorus - "When I first saw Market Mallory, there wasn't much Market then..."
- No. 3 - Trio - Edna, Hilda & Ada - "When the season's over, and you want a holiday 'mong the corn and clover..."
- No. 4 - Sextet - Country Girls & London Girls - "A mouse once lived in the country..."
- No. 5 - Song - Cupid - "I keep my eye on those maidens three, and strictly entre nous..."
- No. 6 - Song - de l'Orme & Chorus - "Of all the games that a man can play, Love is the hardest to beat..."
- No. 7 - Duet - Edna & Brian - "In the future, come what may, I shall not forget today..."
- No. 8 - Song - Ada - "I'm sure you've never seen a gal like my gal Sal..."
- No. 9 - Duet - Cheyne & Ada - "Golf is an excellent game in its way — But ev'rything's all "in the way,"..."
- No. 10 - Finale Act I - "All the luggage has been put upon the cart; they've a drive of half an hour, or more or less..."
ACT II - A Bond Street Tea Shop.
- No. 11 - Opening Chorus - "When Society goes shopping in the regions of the West..."
- No. 12 - Song - Hilda & Chorus - "A miller's daughter liv'd beside a mill..." (five verses)
- No. 13 - Song - de l'Orme - "When you are by my side, the world seems gay..."
- No. 14 - Song - Edna - "When I think of all the tales you've told me..."
- No. 15 - Song - Ada - "You men are a terrible bore, why were you ever invented? ..." (four verses)
- No. 16 - Song - Cupid & Chorus - "Tho' I'm only a boy it is true, women play havoc with me as with you..."
- No. 17 - Song - Cheyne - "You must have met a friend of mine called Algy, that's his name..." (five verses)
- No. 18 - Trio - Edna, Hilda & Ada - "We are little tea girls, as you see; you will never see such girls as we..."
- No. 19 - Sextet - Ada, Edna, Hilda, Cheyne, Brian & de l'Orme - "You pull at a lever or press a knob..."
- No. 20 - Finale Act II
ACT III - Lady St. Mallory's Drawing-room at Market Mallory.
- No. 21 - Opening Chorus - "Lady St. Mallory's friends this ev'ning are highly delighted..."
- No. 22 - Song - Edna - "When a maid loves a man, 'tis a sad to-do..."
- No. 23 - Song - Hilda & Chorus - "When a little lady first comes out, she'll find no end of men about..."
- No. 24 - Song - Ada & Chorus - "I don't believe I'm witty, I cannot think I'm smart..."
- No. 25 - Duet - Hilda & de l'Orme - "Je vous adore, ev'ry day more, oh! how I long for the day when you're mine..."
- No. 26 - Sextet - Edna & Brian, Hilda & de l'Orme, Ada & Cheyne - "Oh, what a splendid thing, to have a wedding ring..."
- No. 27 - Finale Act III (reprise of no. 26) - "Oh, what a splendid thing, to have a wedding ring..."
Addendum.
- No. 28 - Song - Hilda, with Cheyne - "It won't be very long before I get to town, and there I mean to be a lady of renown..."
- External Link
- Vocal Score at UR Research
- Three Little Maids at Wikipedia
Page modified 13 April 2017