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Our Miss Gibbs

Cover to Original Vocal Score - Our Miss Gibbs

A Musical Play in 2 Acts by "Cryptos". Constructed by James F. Tanner. Lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank. Music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton. Produced by Mr. GEORGE EDWARDES

Presented at the Gaiety Theatre, London 23 January, 1909 (636 perfs)

Presented at the Knickerbocker Theatre, New York 29 August, 1910 (57 perfs)

Synopsis

The heroine is a shop girl, courted by by an earl in disguise, who ought to be paying his attentions to a more suitable lady for his station in life.

Miss Gibbs is a Yorkshire lass who has come to London to work as a shop girl at Garrods where she sells candy. All the local hooray-Henrys are making themselves sick on sweets as they come to ogle and sigh over the no-nonsense Miss Gibbs who disapproves thoroughly of their attempts at 'sophisticated' familiarity.

Miss Gibbs has given her heart to a young bank-clerk who is, in reality, Lord Eynsford. When she discovers his deception she dumps him on the spot!.

Timothy Gibbs, Mary's cousin, has come down from Yorkshire to play second euphonium for the town band in the big contest at the Crystal Palace. Timothy is a real country cousin and his adventures in the big city prove to be really something. He manages to get mixed up in a crime when he mistakenly picks up a bag belonging to the Hon. Hughie Pierrepoint, an enthusiastic amateur criminal. The bag contains the Ascot Gold Cup which Pierrepoint has just managed to steal.

Act 2 takes place at the Franco-British Exhibition at the White City. Timothy is in a sweat over his 'crime' and imagines that the police bloodhounds are after him. He disguises himself as an entrant in the big marathon race and staggers into the stadium mistakenly to be acclaimed the winner.

Finally, the Gold Cup is recovered and restored to its owner who happens to be young Eynsford's father, by now so charmed with Mary Gibbs that he is more than happy that she should become his daughter-in-law.

Dramatis Personae

with original cast members.

GIRLS AT THE STORES :— Mesdames Madge Melbourne, Ida Barnard, Rhona Dalvy, Joe Howard, Gladys Carrington, Pattie Wells, Irene Warren, Shirley Power, Pauline Francis, Nancy Moore, Marjorie Michie Marjorie Napier, Ruby Kenned Ruth Argent, Gertrude Birch, Marie Dean.

DUDES :— Messrs. G. Grundy, E. Camp, A. Fraser, J. Redmond, C. Cameron, S. Lindon.

Scenes and Settings

ACT 1 - Garrod's Stores
ACT 2 - Court of Honour at the Franco-British Exhibition

Musical Numbers:

ACT I.

  1. OPENING CHORUS - (We will be quick and do our shopping)
  2. SONG (Eynsford) - My Yorkshire Lassie - (There's a girl at the stores called Mary)
  3. CHORUS OF BRIDESMAIDS - (We're the dear little ladies, selected)
  4. SONG ( Jeanne) and CHORUS of GIRLS - Hats - (Some people say, success is won)
  5. SONG (Betty) - Romance - (Though I am not so unwilling)
  6. CHORUS OF DUDES - Correct - (A fashionable band of brothers are we)
  7. SONG (Mary) and CHORUS of DUDES - Mary - (I'm a little Yorkshire Lass)
  8. SONG (Hughie) and CHORUS - Hughie - (Though I'm a man of noble birth)
  9. DUET (Mary and Timothy) - Country Cousins - (When the season's on the wane)
  10. DUET (Mary and Hughie) - Not That Sort of Person - (I will confess that as a man you're all)
  11. CONCERTED NUMBER - The White City - (There's a City of palaces white)
  12. FINALE ACT I - (Saturday afternoon, the welcome bell gives warning)

ACT II

  1. OPENING CHORUS & ENTRANCE of IRISH GIRLS - (Palaces Oriental, glistening marble halls)
  2. SONG (Mary) - In Yorkshire - (Oh, London is really a wonderful town)
  3. SEXTET (Hughie, Toplady, Slithers, Amalfy, Eynsford and Timothy) - An English Gentleman - (Though something has upset us)
  4. SONG (Betty) and CHORUS - Arms and the Man - (I am sure your education is not complete at present)
  5. CONCERTED NUMBER - Baby and Nurse - (Push the pram for baby)
  6. DUET (Mary and Timothy) - Our Farm - (I'd like to tell you all about the farm)
  7. CHORUS and SOLO DANCE - Moon-Fairies - (Over the dome and steeple)
  8. SONG (Mary) and CHORUS of GIRLS - Moonstruck - (Moon, moon, mischief-making moon)
  9. DUET (Hughie and Timothy) - You Come and Stay With Me - (1f you'll come down to my place)
  10. FINALE ACT II - (When country cousins come up to Town)

Addenda

SONG (Hughie) and CHORUS - Bertie the Bounder - (Bertie Fitzfootletop, King of Romance)
SONG (Betty) - Slack-wire San - (Slack-wire San from far Japan)