THE VICAR OF BRAY

An original English comic opera in 2 acts - Written by Sydney Grundy : Composed by Edward Solomon

Globe Theatre, London - July 22, 1882 (69 perfs)
Savoy Theatre, London - 28 January 1892 (143 perfs)
Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York - 7 October, 1882 (7 perfs)

Synopsis

The Rev. William Barlow is Low Church. He became Low Church in order to marry his rich wife who, now dead, has left him with one daughter, Dorothy. Dorothy is in love with her father's curate, Henry Sandford, a decidedly priggish young man with a habit of speaking in rounded and polysyllabic periods. The Vicar has other designs for his daughter in the form of Sandford's old schoolmate, Tommy Merton, son of the proprietor of the living of Bray. To get Sandford out of the way the Vicar, on the advice of his confidential family solicitor, Mr Bedford Rowe, turns High Church. Aghast, Sandford flees to become a missionary in the Cassowary Isles.

But alas! now that the Vicar and all his students have become 'High' they are doomed to celibacy and the Chorus of Lady Sunday School Teachers is distraught at the loss of their matrimonial prospects. So, too, is Mrs Merton who has had her eye on the Vicar. Tommy Merton is prepared as a husband for Dorothy but suddenly Sandford, whom everyone supposed to have been devoured by cannibals, returns-a decidedly better young man with his rounded periods knocked out of him by the King of the Cassowaries. Dorothy returns to her first love, but her father is adamant. Suddenly the solicitor arrives: the Vicar's High Church propensities have displeased his Bishop who has declared him defrocked, his living to be bestowed on Sandford. There is only one way out. The Vicar becomes 'Low' again. He is now eligible to wed the wealthy Mrs Merton while Henry gets his Dorothy and Tommy goes off with the leading danseuse of the local theatre.

Cast:

Reverend William Barlow, Vicar of Bray
Reverend Henry Sandford, his curate
Thomas Merton, Esq., of Bray Manor
Mr. Bedford Rowe, a Confidential Family Solicitor
Dorothy, the Vicar's Daughter
Mrs. Merton, widow of the late Thomas Merton, of Jamaica
Nelly Bly, of the Theatre Royal, Bray

Students of Divinity, Ladies of the Ballet, Teachers, Huntsmen, Jockeys.

Scenes and settings

Act 1: Low Church. The Village Green.
Act 2: High Church. The Vicarage Grounds.

Musical Numbers:

Act I
Chorus of Children	Hooray, hooray!
Chorus of Lady Teachers	To a slow and stately measure
Song - Winifred	O, Why is my love?
Chorus of Teachers	All the bold
Chorus of Students; and Solo Sandford	On, Students, on!
Song Sandford	As good as he ought to be
Ensemble and Entrance of Vicar	Hail to the Vicar
Song Vicar	The Rev. Mr. Barlow
Chorus	Bow, Students, bow!
Song, Mr. Bedford Rose	I'm as sharp as a ferret
Exit	Good morning, dear Vicar
Entrance of Mrs Merton	Has anyone seen the Pytchley Pack?
Trio, Rowe, Vicar and Mrs Merton	Now if you'll excuse me
Duet, Vicar and Mrs. Merton	The shy widow
Duet, Sandford and Winifred	Tell me true, love
Chorus of Huntsmen; and Solo, Tommy Martin	Jolly, jolly Huntsmen!
Chorus, Corps de Ballet	Please to make way for us
Dance, Nelly Bly
Ensemble	O, shocking sight
Finale	Back, Students, back!
Act II
Chorus of Teachers	Listen to the merry bells
Concerted number: Students, Teachers & Vicar	What is life?
Song and Chorus, Vicar and Students	The Jackson case
Duet, Vicar and Mrs Merton	The Wily Widower
Solo, Mrs Merton	You ask me why
Duet, Winifred and Sandford	Come back to me
Duet, Winifred and Sandford	Propriety, prisms and prunes
Trio, Sandford, Merton & Winifred	Just a word
Entrance, Nellie Bly
Entrance, Corps de Ballet
Dance, Pas de Cinq
Exit of Vicar & Corps de Ballet
Concerted number: Tommy, Merton, Bedford, Rowe and Huntsmen	Confidential family solicitor
Chorus, Corps de Ballet	We no longer gyrate
Concerted piece	Se, see, we saw!
Chorus of Children	Lucky little boys and girls
Wedding chorus	Lady Fair
Finale	O William, seet William