Haddon Hall
Derbyshire, England



Gilbert Books

Ought We To Visit Her? by W. S. Gilbert

"Ought We To Visit Her?" is a novel published by Mrs. Annie Edwardes in 1871. It was adapted by Gilbert as a play and opened in London in 1874. The play was printed by Samuel French as a manuscript, presumably for use by Gilbert and the cast during rehearsals. It was never publicly printed.
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An Old Score by W. S. Gilbert

This play opened in London in 1869, before his meeting with Arthur Sullivan. In his brief "Autobiography" of 1883, Gilbert described "An Old Score" as "my first comedy," the play dealing with real issues of the day. His earlier attempts at humor were limited to burlesque, extravaganza and pantomime.
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The Princess by W. S. Gilbert

Gilbert wrote "The Princess" in the latter part of 1869. The play opened in London in January 1870 to indifferent success. It closed its London run in April, went on tour for a short while, and was never again performed in Gilbert’s lifetime. He liked "The Princess" well enough to include it with four other non-Sullivan plays (out of a total of over thirty) in Original Plays of 1876.
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George Grossmith Birthday Book

The George Grossmith Birthday Book was compiled and released in 1904 by Sylvia Grossmith Bevan and Cordelia Grossmith, daughters of George Grossmith. The book contains 366 different quotations from the writings of Gee-gee: his books, plays, skits, speeches, remembrances and songs. There are an additional twelve quotations, to head up each month.
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George Grossmith Songs and Sketches

The George Grossmith Songs and Sketches book contains a selection of complete items from which extensive quotations have been taken for The George Grossmith Birthday Book. Included are nine complete songs and two complete musical sketches, "Castle Bang" and "Carrottina."
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H.M.S. Pinafore by James Fletcher Smith

The author states that he has in mind all people from seven to seventy. To serve this purpose, he endeavors to achieve a style "which for lightness of touch and humor is close to the lyric whimsicality of the original" Gilbert and Sullivan opera. James Fletcher Smith succeeds in telling a story which is both the 'same as' and 'different from' that told by W. S. Gilbert.
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Princess Ida First Editions by W. S. Gilbert

Gilbert wrote Princess Ida in the latter part of 1883. The opera opened in London in January 1884 with some success and ran to October. The dialogue of the opera is closely derived from Gilbert's earlier play of 1870, The Princess. Shown here are the first edition of the published American Libretto and the first edition of the published English Libretto. Also included are further changes which update them to the later and present versions.
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Trying A Dramatist by W. S. Gilbert

TRYING A DRAMATIST was named by W. S. Gilbert as "An Original Sketch in One Act." Gilbert's last dramatic effort, TRYING A DRAMATIST was included in the 1911 first edition Original Plays, Fourth Series. It was withdrawn and then reinserted in the 1920 and following editions. This effort has since been on the list of Gilbert authored plays.
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The Hooligan by W. S. Gilbert

THE HOOLIGAN was named by W. S. Gilbert as "A Sketch in One Act." Gilbert's next to last dramatic effort, THE HOOLIGAN was included in the 1911 first edition Original Plays, Fourth Series. It was withdrawn and then reinserted in the 1920 and following editions. This effort has since been on the list of Gilbert authored plays.
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The Wedding March and Haste To The Wedding by W. S. Gilbert

On November 15, 1873, The Wedding March by W. S. Gilbert debuted at the Court Theatre, written under his pseudonym F. Latour Tomline. It was a free adaptation of Eugene Marin Labiche's Un Chapeau de Paille d'Italie ("The Italian Straw Hat"). The play ran for about 92 performances.
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The Princess by L. May Haughwout

Laura May Haughwout of Baltimore, Maryland dramatized Tennyson's 1847 poem The Princess for amateur performances by college students in 1891.  A shortened version using Tennyson's words. 
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