 TRELAWNY
Music & lyrics by Julian Slade, Book by Aubrey Woods : adapted
from the play Trelawny of the Wells by Arthur Wing Pinero
Prince of Wales Theatre, London 27 June 1972 (177 perfs)
SYNOPSIS
Rose Trelawny is the star of the Wells theatre but she is shortly
to leave the company and the theatrical life to marry the upper-class
Arthur Gower. Her friends from the Wells throw a surprise party to bid
Rose farewell. Amongst the partygoers there is Tom Wrench who is secretly
in love with Rose, Avonia, star of the Pantomime and her best friend and
the Telfers, actor/managers who run the company.
After leaving the company Rose finds it difficult to settle down to life
in Cavendish Square where Arthur is completely under the control of his
formidable relations and especially, his uncle, Sir William Gower. Arthur
is sent to live elsewhere but does manage a few intimate moments alone
with Rose. However, the household does not take kindly to Rose's actor
friends from the theatre and when they all come to visit one day a row
between them and the Gowers occurs and which results in Rose leaving Cavendish
Square and returning to the theatre.
Life at Cavendish Square has changed Rose, however. No longer can
she play the roles in the arch, stagy way demanded by the Telfers and
the result of this dichotomy is that she is sacked from her role in
the pantomime. With no money and no prospects of theatre work she lives
out her days in a theatrical lodgings. She is visited there by Sir
William. Arthur has disappeared and William asks Rose is she knows
where he might have gone. Rose doesn't know but when Sir William learns
of Rose's financial predicament he agrees to fund a new play written
by Tom Wrench and in which Rose is to be the star.
During the first rehearsals, Sir William is in the darkened theatre watching
as the cast awaits the arrival of the new, young leading man who is to
star opposite Rose. The actor turns out to be none other than Arthur who
is now treading the boards. Sir William and Arthur are reconciled and
Arthur and Rose can look forward to a splendid future together.
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