Paprika
a romantic play in 3 acts by Eric Maschwitz. Music by George Posford and Bernard Grün
Revised as Magyar Melody
Her Majesty's Theatre, London - 15 September, 1938 (11 perfs)
Story
Michael Herriot, a young Englishman of good family fails to propose to the girl his dominating Grandmother, Mrs Herriot, has chosen for him, Instead he goes off on holiday to Hungary where he falls in love with Rozsi, a young gypsy violinst and actress.
She is being courted by Count Ferenc, but he is given short shrift now that an English stranger has appeared. Rozsi moves from her village to Budapest where she makes a successful hit on the stage in “Theresa of Tokay”, and receives the congratulations of the Empress Elisabeth on the terrace of the Royal Palace and praise from Doctor Banyai and the Abbé Franz Liszt.
The Count challenges Michael to a duel, where Michael wins but also manages, with regret, to kill the Count. He takes Roszi back with him to London, but she fails to fit in with the Kensington aristocracy, including the Duke of Firth, Sir George Warburton, Mrs Townsend and her daughter, Susan.
Roszi shames his family when she exuberantly snatches the baton from a bandmaster in Hyde Park and conducts the csarda herself. Being snubbed by Michael’s elderly relatives, she decides to flee back to her own country. At the last minute Michael jumps into the train as it leaves Charing Cross station, and they both return to Hungary and a happy life.
Musical Numbers:
- A Victorian Ball
- Hime is the Harvest of Grape and Grain
- Ballet (How Life Goes On in Our Village)
- Child of Hungary
- Just Like a Gypsy Band
- Magyar Melody
- Mine Alone
- Theresa of Tokay
- Musical Scene from "Theresa of Tokay"
- Grand Palotas
- My Heart Belongs To Budapest
- Duel at Dawn
- A Tandem In the Park
- I Lost My Love
- Paprika