 BOY MEETS BOY
Music and Lyrics by Bill Solly
Book by Bill Solly and Donald Ward
Actor's Playhouse - Off-Broadway 17 September, 1975 (463
perfs)
Synopsis
Throughout 1936. the world's press and newsreels
had been abuzz with stories about the World’s Most Eligible
Bachelor; His Majesty King Edward VIII. By the Grace of God, King,
Defender of the Faith. Emperor of India. Titular Ruler of one quarter
of the world, the King-Emperor was the most eligible man of his day.
Dashingly handsome, he was linked romantically with many; his final
choice precipitated a constitutional crisis. Mrs. Wallis Warfield
Simpson, an American divorcee, had succeeded where all other had
failed. While the United States reeled from the Great Depression,
Continental Europe saw the menace of Hitler and the National Socialist
party. Meanwhile. Great Britain existed in the twilight of empire,
dancing away the last years of pre-war peace. Such is the backdrop
for this most entertaining of musical comedies, one with a simple
but devastatingly witty twist. Treated in a delightfully matter-of-fact
manner, the romantic interest, as the title suggests, is between
boy and boy. Bill Solly (music, lyrics and book) and Donald Ward
(book) have lovingly recreated the era of the black and white movie
musical replete with witty lyrics, memorable melodies and a book
which is a gem of humorous writing.
For this show the traditional overture is replaced by
a musical prologue, signalling the slight but very significant variation
from conventional stories:
Story
It is December 11, 1936; the
place, London; the setting, the elegant Savoy Hotel. Act One
Casey O’Brien,
world-famous reporter is throwing a two-day At-Home Party in Room 203.
The morning after, he awakens to a hangover and bad news; his friend Andrew
arrives to inform him that he has just slept through the story of the
decade - the Abdication of King Edward VIII to marry “the woman I
love”. They disagree with the ex-King’s priorities. Outside
the church, Clarence preens before the waiting reporters and photographers.
Actually. they care more about the other groom, whom none of them has
ever seen.
On learning that Casey - crack reporter that he is -
also is in the dark about the mysterious Guy Rose, the rival reporters
describe him as the (imaginary) epitome of good looks and charm: The
English Rose. The ruse works. Casey is immediately infatuated, and
when the news arrives that Clarence has been jilted at the altar, he
dashes off to seek the missing groom.
Back at the Savoy, Casey makes
plans to discover the whereabouts of the English Rose and tries, without
success, to rid himself of the plain, bespectacled young man who claims
correctly, that he is Guy Rose, but fails to convince Casey. In an
attempt to obtain an invitation to dinner, Guy is forced to pass himself
off as a friend of the “real" Guy Rose who can help Casey in
his search.
They visit several expensive
restaurants where “Guy” might eat; the entertainers everywhere
are singing about a topical and popular subject: Marry an American.
But the English Rose is nowhere to be found. However, after a few
bottles of champagne, Casey and Guy discover a mutual interest and
reminisce about the joys of scouting.
Returning to the hotel, Guy tries to tell
Casey the truth about himself, adding a declaration of love. But
Casey has fallen asleep and does not hear. Next morning. faced with
a gigantic bill, Casey decides to delve deeper into the story of the
English Rose. To prevent this, Guy promises to produce Casey’s dream that night
at the West End's most fashionable night-spot, the Trocadero. Casey
leaves. Helped by desperation. love and the arrival of Casey’s
tuxedo from the cleaners, Guy manages to transform himself into a glamorous
man-about-town. The
"new Guy" is a rousing success. Meeting him as arranged, Casey is immediately
enamoured. But before the happy pair can elope to Paris, Clarence convinces
Guy that he would be the ruination of Casey’s life and career.
Act One ends with Guy renouncing Casey and Clarence triumphant.
Act Two opens in a London Spanish bar with Casey
drowning his sorrows in drink.
Clarence commiserates while hoping to catch
Casey on the rebound. Meanwhile, Guy has fled to Paris, where his aunt,
Josephine La Rose is appearing in "Les Folies de Paris”, the climax
of which is a strip number featuring the boys of the chorus. Clarence
appears backstage and tries to win Guy back by deceiving him about Casey.
Disillusioned and bitter, Guy decides to replace the departing nude in
the Folies show. At the news of Guy’s startling announcement, which
makes the London papers, Andrew goads Casey into going to Paris to obtain
an interview. The resulting encounter between Casey, Guy and Clarence
results in Clarence’s re-assessment of himself. Having resolved to
turn over a new leaf, he confesses his various plots and deceits to Casey;
he adds that the handsome English Rose is also “the mouse with the
glasses”. Dashing back to the theatre, Casey arrives on stage
just in time to prevent Guy from revealing his all.
The two are touchingly reunited. With newspaper headlines
proclaiming two major June weddings - “Duke Marries Mrs. Simpson,
O’Brien marries English Rose" - the cast assembles for a spectacular
white wedding where Casey and Guy appear as figures atop a giant wedding
cake.
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