The Gay Parisienne

This article is about the musical. For the French film that translates as "The Girl from Paris", see Une hirondelle a fait le printemps

The Gay Parisienne [U.S. name:] The Girl from Paris
Original Poster
Music	Ivan Caryll
Lyrics	George Dance
Book	George Dance
Productions	1894 Northampton, England 1896 West End 1896 Broadway

The Gay Parisienne is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts with a libretto by George Dance. It premiered at the Opera House in Northampton, England, in October 1894, with music by Ernest Rousden. It was revived in London (after a tryout in a smaller London theatre in March 1896) on 4 April 1896, with music by Ivan Caryll, where it ran for 369 performances at the Duke of York's Theatre, starring W. H. Denny as Major Fossdyke and Ada Reeve as Julie.

The piece toured internationally, playing in New York as The Girl from Paris, opening on 8 December 1896, at the Herald Square Theatre and running for 266 or 281 performances (sources differ) and then touring. It was later revived at Wallack's Theatre in New York. It played on the European continent and Australia under the name The Gay Parisienne.

Roles

• Ethel, The Major's daughter
• Angela, The Major's daughter
• Violet, The Major's daughter
• Anna, A servant
• Mr. Ebenezer Honeycomb
• Amos Dingle, Honeycomb's friend
• Mrs. Honeycomb
• Tom Everleigh, A barrister
• May, The Major's daughter
• Ruth, Honeycomb's servant
• Edith, The Major's daughter
• Mr. Auguste Pompier, A French spy
• Blatterwater, A gendarme
• Gretchen
• Mlle. Julie Bon Bon, The Gay Perisienne
• Hans, Proprietor of the Spa Hotel, Schoffenburgen
• Mabel, Norah's friend
• Fritz, A servant
• Gladys, The Major's daughter
• Cecil Smyth, Ducle's friend
• Norah Honeycomb
• Major Fossdyke, of the Battersea Butterfly Shooters
• Percy Tooting, Ducle's friend
• Algernon P. Ducle, An American
• Maud, The Major's daughter
• Rose, The Major's daughter

Synopsis

Mr. Honeycomb is restrained and decorous while in England but abroad, he is unfettered, including on a trip to Paris. Mlle. Julie Bon-Bon of Paris sues him for breach of promise. Afraid of his wife’s wrath, Honeycomb flees to Switzerland and is reported drowned. His supposed widow seeks his remains, accompanied by her friend, Major Fossdyke. Meanwhile, Honeycomb sees them together in Switzerland, and pretending righteous anger, he turns the tables.

Musical numbers

Act I

• Hail for the Thames on a Summer's Day -- Chorus
• So Take You a Warning -- Ebenezer Honeycomb and Chorus
• Somebody -- Tom Everleigh and Norah Honeycomb
• The Battersea Butterfly Shooters -- Major Fossdyke and Chorus
• I'm All the Way from Gay Paree -- Mlle. Julie Bon Bon and Auguste Pompier
• Then Off We Go
• Tweedledum and Tweedledee -- Ebenezer and Julie
• Cock-a-doodle -- Julie, Auguste, Mrs. Honeycomb and Ebenezer
• Hail, the Hero of the Day -- Chorus

Act II

• Isn't It Wonderful -- Chorus
• The Festive Continong -- Tom, Percy Tooting, Cecil Smyth and Algernon P. Ducle
• First and Third -- Ebenezer and Julie
• Sister Mary Jane's Top Note -- Ruth and Chorus
• Oh, Tender Remembrance -- Norah Honeycomb and Chorus
• Tootle, Tootle -- Mrs. Honeycomb, Major Fossdyke, Ruth and Auguste
• Ding-Dong
• Upon the Stage Let's Have a Fling -- Ruth and Major Fossdyke
• Carnival -- Chorus
• Just for a Kiss
• The Girl from Paris
• He Took It In a Good-natured Way

References

Brown, Thomas Allston. A History of the New York Stage from the First Performance in 1732 to 1901 (1903) Dodd, Mead and company, New York. p. 388

External links

• Information about the Broadway production