 Very Good Eddie
A Musical Play in Two Acts, 3 Scenes. Book by Philip Bartholomae
and Guy Bolton. Based on the farce "Over Night" by
Philip Bartholomae. Music by Jerome Kern. Lyrics by Schuyler
Greene, (Herbert Reynolds).
Princess Theatre, New York - 23 December, 1915: transferred
to Casino Theatre, New York - 29 May, 1915; Transferred
to the 39th Street Theatre - 11 September, 1916; transferred
Princess Theatre - October 1916 (Total 341 perfs)
Revival. Booth
Theatre, New York - 21 December, 1975 (307 perfs)
Synopsis
The Hudson River Day Line's Catskill
stops for fifteen minutes at Poughkeepsie. Dick Rivers comes
aboard. He has fallen in love with Elsie Lilly, Madame Matroppo's
pupil. To be alone with Elsie he begs Madame Matroppo
to let him interview the girl for a magazine article. She agrees.
Elsie is not easily wooed. She has known Rivers and suggests
he is always in love with "Some Sort Of Somebody."
Newlyweds
Eddie and Georgina Kettle board
the boat. It is obvious from her incessant barking of commands
that Georgina is determined to wear the trousers in the family — though
little Eddie's trousers are probably several sizes too small for
her. They are followed by two more honeymooners, Percy and Elsie
Darling. The Darlings and the Kettles
meet, and Eddie and Percy turn out to be old schoolmates. All four
rejoice, "Isn't It Great To Be Married?"
Georgina and
Percy leave the boat — the one to send a telegram, the other
to find some missing luggage — and the vessel sails without
them. Eddie and Elsie, alone, discover they haven't even enough
money for one meal. Rivers appears, and Eddie, who knows him, is
forced to pretend Elsie is his bride. Rivers lends Eddie the money
he will need. He also tells Eddie that Eddie's old flame Elsie
Lilly is on the boat. Eddie and his "Mrs." sit down not
just to dinner but to cocktails as well. Rivers returns and introduces
Madame Matroppo to "Mr. and Mrs. Kettle." On top of his
martinis, Eddie orders champagne for everyone. They celebrate with "Wedding
Bells Are Calling Me."
At the Rip Van Winkle Inn, Rivers and Elsie Lilly
dream of the joys "On
The Shore At Le Lei Wi." Eddie and his Elsie, increasingly
nervous at their masquerade, now discover there won't be a return
boat — or
a train — until the next day. There is nothing for them
to do but remain over-night. To the astonishment of the desk
clerk, they request separate rooms. Once they have signed the
register, Eddie carefully spills ink over it to
conceal his presence. Rivers is as puzzled as anybody by Eddie's
behaviour, insisting he'd act differently "If I Find The
Girl."
Madame
Matroppo catches Eddie slinking off to eat dinner alone and orders
him back upstairs to dine with his "wife." Eddie regrets he is so small
he must wear a "Size Thirteen Collar." Georgina and Percy
arrive but, with the register ruined, cannot be sure they have
come to the right hotel. Madame Matroppo, who can never remember
names correctly, assures them the only honeymooners are named "Fish." Since
it is late, they also take two rooms and head for bed.
Georgina,
learning that Darling's wife is named Elsie, goes upstairs with
the uneasy feeling she is the same Elsie that Eddie loved long
ago.
A mouse scares Elsie Darling out of her room,
and when she knocks on Eddie's door he comforts her, advising her
to be as brave as the "Babes
In The Wood." The next morning Percy and Georgina meet Rivers,
who tells them Eddie Kettle and his wife are at the inn. But
it is a changed Eddie who comes downstairs. He has learned how
to handle himself, and when he orders Georgina to sit down, she
does.
On boarding, Georgina noisily issues commands about
baggage and tips. But Georgina's pushiness masks her naïvete. Eddie,
in his newfound strength, orders Georgina to sit down, the delighted
clerk shouts admiringly,
"Very Good, Eddie."
Extracted from American Musical Theatre 3rd Ed ed. Gerald
Boardman |
