''Derby Day'' is a 1932 three-act

light opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

, with music composed by Alfred Reynolds to a libretto by A. P. Herbert. Herbert wrote his text between March and May 1931, whilst on a trip to Australia, during the first run of his successful '' Tantivy Towers''.Dunhill, Thomas F., "The Music of ''Derby Day''" (1 May 1932). ''The Musical Times'', 73 (1071): pp. 415–416. One contemporary review described the work as "mainly a Cockney opera", and praised the work as "topical in the best sense" and said of the music:

I do not know if Mr. Reynolds is himself a Cockney, but I do know that his Cockney music, particularly in the coster scenes, is the best that has ever been written.

In particular, the song for the tipster, "'Oo wants a winner for the big race tomorrer?", has been singled out for particular praise as a musical expression of the Cockney.

Original production

The first performance took place at the Lyric Theatre,

Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. It ...

on 24 February 1932.Traubner, Richard: ''Operetta: a theatrical history'' Routledge, 2003 (p. 355) The director was Nigel Playfair, and the production was designed by George Sheringham.Gänzl, Kurt: ''British Musical Theatre'', vol. 2 (1915-1984), Oxford: OUP, 1987 (pp. 364-369) Alfred Reynolds was the conductor.''Radio Times Television Supplement'', 2 July 1937. London: BBC Publication

/ref> The original cast list was as follows: * Scott Russell (tenor), Scott Russell as John Bitter (landlord of the Old Black Horse) * Tessa Deane as Rose (a barmaid) * Leslie French as Bert Bones (a tipster) *

Mabel Constanduros Mabel Constanduros (' Tilling; 29 March 1880 – 8 February 1957) was an English actress, screenwriter and BBC Radio personality. She gained public notice playing Mrs.Buggins on the radio programme ''The Buggins Family'', which ran from 1928 to ...

as Mrs Bones (his mother) * Frederic Austin as Sir Horace Waters, J.P. (a race-horse owner) in his last stage appearance * Mabel Sealby as Lady Waters (his wife) * Dewey Gibson as Eddy (their son) * Guelda Waller as a Gypsy Woman * Dewey Gibson as a Bookmaker * John Thompson as a Policeman *

Pamela Stanley Pamela Margaret Stanley (6 September 1909 – 30 June 1991) was a British actress who appeared in a number of stage and film roles in Britain and the United States; the role with which she became most identified with was that of Queen Victoria. ...

in a walk-on role, making her stage début.

Synopsis

The story is set in the present day (the early 1930s), and centres on a day at The Derby, the major horse-racing event of the year. In Act III, Mr Bitter proposes to Mrs Bones.

Broadcasts

The

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

broadcast an abridged radio version of the work in 1932 and 1934."Audax" (pseudonym), "Wireless Notes" (July 1934). ''The Musical Times'', 75 (1097): pp. 613–615. It was also broadcast twice in 1937, on Derby Day itself and two days later on the day the Oaks was run. ''Derby Day'' was shown in a 40-minute broadcast on BBC television in July 1937, with a cast including George Baker as Mr. Bitter and Frederick Ranalow (who had appeared in the Playfair/

Austin Austin refers to: Common meanings * Austin, Texas, United States, a city * Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...

production of

The Beggar's Opera ''The Beggar's Opera'' is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch. It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama and is the only example of the once thriving genre of sati ...

) as Waters. It was broadcast again in June 1938 with

Muriel George Muriel George (29 August 1883 – 22 October 1965)''England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995''. Principal Probate Registry. ''Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration ma ...

and

Esmond Knight Esmond Penington Knight (4 May 1906 – 23 February 1987) was an English actor. He had a successful stage and film career before World War II. For much of his later career Knight was half-blind. He had been badly wounded in 1941 while on active ...

, and Baker and Ranalow swapping roles.

References

External links

Derby Day (1937)
a
IMDb

Derby Day (1938)
a
IMDb
{{DEFAULTSORT:Derby Day (Light Opera) English comic operas Operas 1932 operas English-language operas Operas set in London Operas set in England Epsom Derby