''A Greek Slave'' is a

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

in two acts, first performed on 8 June 1898 at

Daly's Theatre Daly's Theatre was a theatre in the City of Westminster. It was located at 2 Cranbourn Street, just off Leicester Square. It opened on 27 June 1893, and was demolished in 1937. The theatre was built for and named after the American impresa ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, produced by

George Edwardes George Joseph Edwardes (né Edwards; 8 October 1855 – 4 October 1915) was an English theatre manager and producer of Irish ancestry who brought a new era in musical theatre to the British stage and beyond. Edwardes started out in theatre ma ...

and ran for 349 performances. The score was composed by Sidney Jones with additional songs by

Lionel Monckton Lionel John Alexander Monckton (18 December 1861 – 15 February 1924) was an English composer of musical theatre. He became Britain's most popular composer of Edwardian musical comedy in the early years of the 20th century. Life and career E ...

and lyrics by Harry Greenbank and

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific English writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th ...

. The libretto was written by Owen Hall. It starred

Marie Tempest Dame Mary Susan Etherington (15 July 1864 – 15 October 1942), known professionally as Marie Tempest, was an English singer and actress. Tempest became a famous soprano in late Victorian era, Victorian light opera and Edwardian musical comedie ...

Letty Lind Letitia Elizabeth Rudge (21 December 1861 – 27 August 1923), known professionally as Letty Lind, was an English actress, singer, dancer and acrobat, best known for her work in burlesque at the Gaiety Theatre, and in musical theatre at Daly's ...

Hayden Coffin Charles Hayden Coffin (22 April 1862 – 8 December 1935) was an English actor and singer known for his performances in many famous Edwardian musical comedies, particularly those produced by George Edwardes. Hayden achieved fame as Harry Sher ...

, Scott Russell,

Huntley Wright Huntley Wright (7 August 1868 – 10 July 1941) was an English stage and film actor, comedian, dancer and singer, best known for creating roles in many important Edwardian musical comedies. His career spanned more than half a century, beginnin ...

and Rutland Barrington among other popular London stars. The show had a brief Broadway run in 1899. The work's competition in London in 1898 included the long-running musicals '' A Runaway Girl'' and '' The Belle of New York''.

Background

The simple plot of the production was based around the tangled love lives and misunderstandings of a Roman household. The same themes and characterisations would resurface some 70 years later in the Broadway show ''

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (254–184 BC), specif ...

'' by

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

Kurt Gänzl Kurt-Friedrich Gänzl (born 15 February 1946) is a New Zealand writer, historian and former casting director and singer best known for his books about musical theatre. After a decade-long playwriting, acting and singing career, and a second car ...

Review of ''A Greek Slave''
''The British Musical Theatre'', Vol 1., pp. 668 - 672 ''A Greek Slave'' was in the unfortunate position of following ''

The Geisha ''The Geisha, a story of a tea house'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts. The score was composed by Sidney Jones to a libretto by Owen Hall, with lyrics by Harry Greenbank. Additional songs were written by Lionel Monckton and Jame ...

'', also by Sidney Jones. This was the biggest stage hit of its era. Therefore, ''A Greek Slave ''is often remembered as being the show that was not as successful as ''The Geisha,'' rather than being appreciated on its own merits. Critics have stated that this show has Jones's best score, with additional hit songs by Monckton, noting that the tunes are catchy, and while the lyrics are witty they also show an appreciation of the classical mythology of the set time period.''A Greek Slave'': Musical Comedy In 2 Acts With Music By Sidney Jones
Operetta Research Center In 1899 Fred C. Whitney's

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

production with Dorothy Morton as Maia,

Richard Carle Richard Carle (born Charles Nicholas Carleton, July 7, 1871 – June 28, 1941) was an American stage and film actor as well as a playwright and stage director. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1915 and 1941. Carle was born in Some ...

as Heliodorus and

Herbert Sparling Herbert Sparling (1864–1944) was a British comedy and musical theatre actor and director. In 1889 Sparling was sued for breach of contract at Brompton County Court by the "dramatic author" Henry Plunkett Gratton (1808–1889), who alleged ...

as Pomponius ran at the

Herald Square Theatre The Herald Square Theatre was a Broadway theatre in Manhattan, New York City, built in 1883 and closed in 1914. The site is now a highrise designed by H. Craig Severance. History The Park Theatre opened in 1883 (also known as the New Park Th ...

for 29 performances. Bordman, Gerald and Richard Norton
''American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle''
Oxford University Press (2010) Google Books, p. 195 James White, the owner of

in London revived ''A Greek Slave'' in 1926 with a British tour, starring

Jose Collins Charlotte Josephine Collins (23 May 1887 – 6 December 1958) was an English actress and singer known by her stage name, José Collins, who was celebrated for her performances in musical comedies, such as the long-running ''The Maid of the Mo ...

as Maia, with the intention of running the production at Daly's. However, the production was fraught with problems, and the London dates were cancelled.

Roles and original cast

*Maia (Daughter of Heliodorus) –

*Antonia (A relative of Cæsar) – Hilda Moody *Melanopis, Circe, Nepia (Slaves) – Gladys Homfrey, Magie May, Elisabeth Kirby *Lucinia, Flavia, Tullia, Cornelia (Patricians) – Elise Cook,

Olive Morrell Olive Morrell, born Olive Miller (1877–1937), was an English actress, singer and Gaiety Girl best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies. Early life Morrell was born in Highbury in 1877 and grew up in Highgate, near London. A singing ...

, Margaret Ruby, Alice Davis *Nysa – Miss F. Jamieson *Iris (A Greek Slave, Confidential Maid of Antonia) –

*Diomed (A Greek Slave in Heliodorus' household) – C. Hayden Coffin *Heliodorus (A Persian Soothsayer) –

*Archias (A Greek Slave, Sculptor in Heliodorus' household) – Scott Russell *Manlius, Lollius, Curius, Silius (Patricians) – Charles Magrath, Frank Boor, Donald Hall, Akerman May *Marcus Pomponius (Prefect of Rome) – Rutland Barrington

Synopsis

Heliodorus, a Persian soothsayer, looks into the future love lives of his wealthy matrons of Imperial

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. His daughter Maia pretends to have the gifts of an oracle, and utters incomprehensible prophecies at a suitable price. Among their servants is one Archias, a talented sculptor, whose most recent achievement is a statue of

Eros Eros (, ; ) is the Greek god of love and sex. The Romans referred to him as Cupid or Amor. In the earliest account, he is a primordial god, while in later accounts he is the child of Aphrodite. He is usually presented as a handsome young ma ...

, God of Love, for which his fellow slave Diomed has acted as model. Maia has fallen in love with Diomed. The princess Antonia comes to the soothsayer in disguise and Maia, egged on by the Prefect Pomponius, who has been spurned by the princess, plans a humiliating trick. She announces to the princess that the God of Love has fallen in love with her. The statue is brought forth, and Heliodorus prepares to 'bring it to life'. Diomed is substituted and serenades the princess. But Heliodorus is planning a double-cross. He disapproves of his daughter's fancy for a slave, and when the seance is over and Maia has intended that Antonia should walk off with the statue, Heliodorus arranges that the real Diomed falls to the princess. But it does her little good. The slave, in his luxurious new surroundings, pines for Maia, and Antonia's love-making goes for nothing. Pomponius, who was anxious to see his marble lady wasting her affection on a marble statue, is furious at the social slight involved, and Heliodorus finds himself in hot water. Eventually, in the middle of the Roman

Saturnalia Saturnalia is an Roman festivals, ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the List of Roman deities, god Saturn (mythology), Saturn, held on 17 December in the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities until 19 December. By t ...

, all is cleared up, and the correct pairs of lovers are united.

Musical numbers

Act I *No. 1. On the Dial—Chorus of Slaves *No. 2. The Wizard—Heliodorus and Chorus of Slaves *No. 3. By Bacchus! -- Silius, Lollius, Curius, Manlius, Chorus of Slaves *No. 4. Confidential—Iris with Curius, Silius, Lollius, Manlius and Chorus of Slaves *No. 5. Freedom—Diomed (Words by Henry Hamilton) *No. 6. Oracle Scene—Maia, Roman Ladies, Licinia, Flavia, Tullia, Cornellia and Chorus of Slaves *No. 7. The Lost Pleiad—Maia with Heliodorus and Marcus Pomponius *No. 8. All Is Fair—Maia and Diomed *No. 9. I Cannot Love—Antonia *No. 10. I Should Rather Like to Try—Iris (Music by Lionel Monckton) *No. 11. Whirligig—Marcus Pomponius, Iris, Heliodorus *No. 12. Processional March and Chorus of Welcome—Chorus of Slaves *No. 13. Invocation—Maia, Antonia, Diomed, Chorus of Slaves *No. 14. Finale: Bear the God of Love Along—Maia, Heliodorus, Chorus of Slaves Act II *No. 15. Here at Baiae On The Bay—Chorus *No. 16. A Song of Love—Antonia *No. 17. Oh, What Will Be The End Of It?—Iris and Heliodorus (Music by Lionel Monckton) *No. 18. The Golden Isle—Maia *No. 19. Topsy-Turvy—Lucinia, Flavia, Manlius, Archias and Others *No. 20. Chorus of Saturnalia—Chorus of Slaves *No. 21. The Revels—Archias and Chorus of Slaves *No. 22. The Girl of My Heart—Diomed and Chorus *No. 23. I Want to Be Popular—Marcus and Chorus (Music by Lionel Monckton) *No. 24. I'm A Naughty Girl—Iris and Chorus (Music by Lionel Monckton) *No. 25. A Frog He Lived In a Pond—Iris and Chorus *No. 26. Nothing But Nerves—Heliodorus *No. 27. Forgive—Maia, Diomed and Chorus *No. 28. Finale: Hail Antonia, Hail!

References

External links

Vocal score''A Greek Slave'' plot summary and character descriptions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greek Slave, A 1898 musicals West End musicals Musicals by Sidney Jones British musicals Musicals set in ancient Rome