The Belle of Mayfair

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Edna May in the title role
The Belle of Mayfair

Music	Leslie Stuart
Book	Basil Hood Charles Brookfield Cosmo Hamilton
Based upon	Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Productions	1906 West End

May and Soutar in the balcony scene

The Belle of Mayfair is a musical comedy composed by Leslie Stuart with a book by Basil Hood, Charles Brookfield and Cosmo Hamilton. It opened at the Vaudeville Theatre in London on 11 April 1906, produced by Charles Frohman. It ran for 431 performances and starred Edna May, Louie Pounds, Arthur Williams, Camille Clifford and Courtice Pounds. Phyllis Dare later took over the lead role. It also had successful Broadway and Australian runs.

The show is inspired by the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet. Hood withdrew his name from the original production after Frohman started altering the text to suit casting changes that occurred during the run. Some of these changes resulted from disputes between the female leads and the management, one of which resulted in court action. Edna May stormed out of the production, and the role later made Phyllis Dare a star.

1 Roles and original cast list
2 Synopsis
3 Musical numbers
4 External links

[edit] Roles and original cast list

Julia Chaldicott (The Belle of Mayfair) - Edna May
Hon. Raymond Finchley (Julia's lover) - Farren Soutar
Princess Carl of Ehrenbreitstein - Louie Pounds
Sir John Chaldicott (Julia's father) - Arthur Williams
Lady Chaldicott (Julia's mother) - Maud Boyd
Hugh Meredith (a bachelor) - Courtice Pounds
Perrier (Julia's 'official' suitor) - Charles Angelo
Lord Mount Highgate (Raymond's father) - Sam Walsh
Countess of Mount Highgate (Raymond's Mother) - Irene Desmond
Duchess of Dunmow - Camille Clifford
Captain Theobald - Mervyn Dene
Lady Violet - Jane May
Lady Rosaline - Ruby Ray

[edit] Synopsis

A young couple, Julia and Raymond, fall madly in love during a sham auction taking place at a bazaar held in a London private park. This causes alarm to Julia's father who does not like Raymond's family. Raymond's friends advise him not to worry about marriage and to enjoy himself instead, while Julia's high powered friends try to get him sent overseas as a diplomat. Julia's father tries to end the match by announcing that his daughter is going to become engaged to a conductor of a foreign band that is touring in the vicinity, and he is paid to become an admirer of Julia. As a result, Raymond threatens to elope with Julia. Much confusion ensues, with Raymond disguised as the bandleader, and Julia's friends advise her not to elope as the shock to her farther would be too much. As a result, Julia calls off the elopement but pleads with her farther to let her marry Raymond. Finally, the father gives his consent, and every one lives happily ever after.

[edit] Musical numbers

Act I

Bells in the Morning -- The Belle of Mayfair
Eight Little Debutantes Are We -- Debutantes
I'm a Duchess -- Duchess of Dunmow
In Gay Mayfair -- Julia
Welcome to Princess -- Chorus
Said I to Myself -- H.S.H. Princess Carl of Ehbreneitstein
Where You Go Will I Go -- Julia
Come to St. George's -- Julia, H.S.H. Princess Carl, Honorable Raymond Finchley and Hugh Meredith
Finale -- Chorus

Act II

My Lady Fair -- Stall-holder and Chorus
My Little Girl is a Shy Little Girl -- The Belle of Mayfair and Comte de Perrier
Hello, Come Along Girls -- Hugh Meredith, Debutantes and Little Buds
We've Come from Court -- Julia, H.S.H. Princess Carl, Lady Chaldicott, Comte de Perrier, Sir George Cheatham, K.C. and Guests
And the Weeping Willow Wept -- H.S.H. Princess Carl
The Little Girl at the Sweet Shop -- Julia
What Makes the Woman? -- Honorable Raymond Finchley
Why Do They Call Me a Gibson Girl -- Duchess of Dunmow, The Earl of Mount Highgate and Debutantes
I Know a Girl -- Hon. Raymond Finchley, Hugh Meredith, Comte de Perrier, The Earl of Mount Highgate and Sir John Chaldicott, Bart, M.P.
Come to St. George's (Finale) -- Chorus