 DEAR MISS PHOEBE
Book & lyrics by Christopher Hassall
Music by Harry Parr Davies
Based on Sir James Barrie's Quality Street
Phoenix Theatre, London - 13 October, 1950 (283 perfs)
Synopsis
Susan and Phoebe Throssel live in Quality Street, a thoroughfare where
everyone knows everyone else's business. Phoebe is in love with Valentine
Brown, but he enlists for the army and goes off to the Napoleonic war
for ten years. The sisters are too proud to tell him that his investment
advice has lost them all their money, To make ends meet they start a little
school, but by the time Valentine returns from service, Phoebe seems to
have aged considerably. Sometimes, though in secret however, she dresses
brightly, lets down her ringlets and becomes young again. When Valentine
discovers her in this guise he does not immediately recognise her so she
passes herself off as her niece, Miss Livvy.
Valentine is charmed so she flirts outrageously determined to humiliate
him by refusing any proposal that he might make. However, when he declares
Livvy's behaviour has made him realise how much he loves Phoebe, new complications
occur. Miss Livvy must be got rid of - the neighbours are talking!
Valentine, who had very early on learned the truth of Phoebe's deception
plays along and when finally he does propose, Phoebe modestly accepts.
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