''Florodora'' is an

Edwardian musical comedy Edwardian musical comedy is a genre of British musical theatre that thrived from 1892 into the 1920s, extending beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions. It began to dominate the English musical stage, and even the American musical ...

. After its long run in London, it became one of the first successful

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 ...

musicals of the 20th century. The book was written by Jimmy Davis under the pseudonym Owen Hall, the music was by

Leslie Stuart Leslie Stuart (15 March 1863 – 27 March 1928) born Thomas Augustine Barrett was an English composer of Edwardian musical comedy, best known for the hit show ''Florodora'' (1899) and many popular songs. He began in Manchester as a church orga ...

with additional songs by Paul Rubens, and the lyrics were by Edward Boyd-Jones, George Arthurs and Rubens. The original London production opened in 1899 where it ran for a very successful 455 performances. The New York production, which opened the following year, was even more popular, running for 552 performances. After this, the piece was produced throughout the English-speaking world and beyond. The musical was famous for its double sextet and its chorus line of "Florodora Girls".Miller, Scott
"Curtain Up, Light the Lights: 1874–1900"
New Line Theatre, 2008, accessed 7 July 2024 The piece was popular with amateur theatre groups, particularly in Britain, into the 1950s.

Background

''Florodora'' was the first of a series of successful musicals by Stuart, including ''The Silver Slipper'' (1901), ''

The School Girl ''The School Girl'' is an Edwardian musical comedy, in two acts, composed by Leslie Stuart (with additional songs by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens) with a book by Henry Hamilton (playwright), Henry Hamilton and Paul M. Potter, and lyrics b ...

'' (1903), '' The Belle of Mayfair'' (1906), and ''

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Lyric Theatre, the musical starred Evie Greene, Willie Edouin and Ada Reeve. Its original run of 455 performances was unusually long for the time, and it closed in March 1901. The show would prove a training ground for numerous rising stars of the British theatre. After opening at the Casino Theatre on

on 12 November 1900, it moved to the New York Theatre on 14 October 1901 and finally closed on 25 January 1902, a run of 552 performances – the first instance of a London production achieving such a Broadway run, and the third-longest run on Broadway of any theatre piece up to that time. A good part of the success of the musical was attributed to its chorines, called "the English Girls" in the score, but soon popularly dubbed the "Florodora Girls". They consisted of a "sextette of tall, gorgeous damsels, clad in pink walking costumes, black picture hats and carrying frilly parasols hoswished onto the stage and captivated New York for no other reason than they were utterly stunning."

W. A. Swanberg William Andrew Swanberg (November 23, 1907 in St. Paul, Minnesota – September 17, 1992 in Southbury, Connecticut) was an American biographer. He is known for ''Citizen Hearst'', a biography of William Randolph Hearst, which was recommended by ...

, ''Citizen Hearst: A Biography of William Randolph Hearst'', Scribner (1961), p. 225 More than 70 women, each 5 ft. 4 in. (about 1.63 m) tall and weighing 130 lb (59 kg), played these roles in the first run of the play. These women were also the object of a great deal of popular adoration, and many male admirers persuaded chorines to leave show business and settle down. According to

: "Each member of its original sextette married a millionaire." ''Florodora''s famous double sextet, "Tell me pretty maiden", became the most successful show tune of its time. Other songs ranged from traditional waltzes such as "The Silver Star of Love" and "The Fellow Who Might" to the more quirky rhythmic and long-lined dance numbers for which Stuart was known. An

original cast album A cast recording is a recording of a stage musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the voices of the sho ...

featured all six original sextet members from the New York Cast: Marie Wilson, Agnes Wayburn, Marjorie Relyea, Vaughn Texsmith, Daisy Green and Margaret Walker. Recorded on a series of six 78 RPM gramophone records with a full libretto enclosed, the album was a first for

musical theatre 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, ...

at that time.Kenig, Marc. "Reviving a Legend of Musical Theatre", ''The Patter Post'', Lyric Theatre, San Jose, California, May 2009, pp. 6–10 The Florodora Girls included Edna Goodrich,

Evelyn Nesbit Florence Evelyn Nesbit (December 25, 1884 or 1885 – January 17, 1967) was an American model (person), artists' model, chorus girl, and actress. She is best known for her career in New York City, as well as her husband, railroad scion Har ...

and

Clarita Vidal Clarita Vidal (20 January 1883 – 17 June 1919) was an actress in Edwardian musical comedy, Edwardian musical comedies, later known for her wartime work in Italy as Countess Chiquita Mazzuchi. Early life Vidal's origins were unclear, even to he ...

. The musical was mounted in Australia in 1900 by J. C. Williamson, where it enjoyed another long run. The original production toured for years in the U.S. and was revived on Broadway in 1902, 1905, and 1920. In addition to the numerous local productions mounted throughout the English-speaking world and beyond, including productions translated into more than a dozen languages, the show toured extensively with numerous local touches. London's West End staged two successful revivals in 1915 and 1931, and several Broadway revivals were staged, the first being mounted only a year after the closing of the original production in 1901 followed by another three years later. Among later revivals, a young

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over eight decades, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and ...

played one of the ''Florodora Boys'' in a production mounted for the 1920–21 Broadway season. The musical was revived at the

Finborough Theatre The Finborough Theatre is a fifty-seat theatre in the West Brompton area of London (part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) under artistic director Neil McPherson. The theatre presents new British writing, as well as UK and world p ...

in January 2006 for its first professional London production in many years.

Synopsis

Act I

In Florodora, a small island in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, the popular fragrance "Florodora" is manufactured from the essence of the Florodora flower. The perfume factory, along with the island itself, is owned by Cyrus W. Gilfain, an American who finagled the business away from Dolores's family and is now the island's reigning sovereign and sole employer. Although Dolores is now forced to work for Gilfain, she remains optimistic. Frank Abercoed, who is really Lord Abercoed in disguise, has arrived on the island to act as Gilfain's manager. He is immediately smitten with Dolores, and she with him. Floropgm1900

Aboard a ship docked at the Florodora harbor are Lady Holyrood, titled but penniless, who has come to Florodora at Gilfain's suggestion to find a husband – specifically, Frank. She is accompanied by Gilfain, his daughter Angela, who is betrothed to Captain Arthur Donegal, Lady Holyrood's brother, and several of Angela's friends (the "English Girls"), who intrigue Gilfain's clerks. Also aboard the ship is Anthony Tweedlepunch, a detective who is searching for the girl who rightfully owns the perfume business. He comes to the island disguised as a traveling showman,

phrenologist Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits. It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or ...

, hypnotist, and palmist. Gilfain discovers that Frank and Dolores have fallen in love. In an effort to thwart Dolores' rightful claim to the Florodora fortune, Gilfain plans to marry her himself. He hires Tweedlepunch, who he thinks is an actor, to break up the love affair between Dolores and Frank, thereby making Frank available to marry Angela. By presenting Tweedlepunch as a highly respected phrenologist, Gilfain plots to marry off his clerks to the heads of the Florodora farms (all young island girls), thereby attaining even more control of the island. Tweedlepunch plays along, duly examining everyone's cranial bumps of love to pronounce the proper marriage couples. Frank refuses to marry Angela, and Gilfain discharges him. Gilfain, based on the fraudulent pronouncements of Tweedlepunch, has decreed that the clerks will wed the island girls or be discharged. Everyone is upset. Frank must now return to England, and he tells Dolores he must go but will return for her if she waits patiently. Everyone meets at the dock to see Frank off.

Act II

Six months later, Gilfain has managed to become the owner of Abercoed Castle, Frank's ancestral home in Wales, and everyone has travelled there. Gilfain's clerks, having been discharged rather than marry the island girls, finally meet up with their English girls (Angela's friends). Tweedlepunch has finally realized that Dolores is the rightful heir to the Florodora fortune. He tells her that her father was his only friend, and that he will help her retrieve her family business. They break into the Abercoed castle but are surprised by a chorus of lords and ladies who demand to know who they are. In desperation they try to convince everyone that they are the evening's entertainment. Lady Holyrood, with no prospective husbands in sight, decides that Gilfain will become her next husband. Frank, who has been refused entrance to the castle by Gilfain, defies orders and maneuvers his way inside the courtyard. There he sees Dolores for the first time since he left the island. After some confusion, Frank tells Dolores that he is really Lord Abercoed and was unable to return to her in Florodora because he was trying to keep Gilfain from acquiring his ancestral home. Tweedlepunch finally confronts Gilfain and spins a wild ghost yarn that terrifies Gilfain into admitting that he has stolen the perfume business. Gilfain returns the properties he has taken from Dolores and Frank. Frank marries Dolores; Gilfain marries Lady Holyrood; and Angela marries Captain Donegal.

Roles and original cast

*Cyrus W. Gilfain – Charles E. Stevens (Proprietor of the perfume factory and holder of the island of Florodora) *Frank Abercoed – Melville Stewart (Manager, for Cyrus, of the island of Florodora) *Leandro – Frank Holt (Overseer of Farms) *Capt. Arthur Donegal – Edgar Stevens (4th Royal Life Guards – Lady Holyrood's brother) *Anthony Tweedlepunch – Willie Edouin (Detective disguised as a phrenologist, hypnotist & palmist) *Gilfain's clerks: Tennyson Sims, Ernest Pym, Max Aepfelbaum and Reginald Langdale – Roy Horniman, Ernest Lambart, Alfred Barron and Frank Hascoll *Dolores – Evie Greene (Rightful heir to the island) *Valleda – Nancy Girling (Florodorean maid to Lady Holyrood and head of one of the farms) *Angela Gilfain – Kate Cutler (daughter of Gilfain) *Lady Holyrood – Ada Reeve *Farmers, flower-girls and others

Musical numbers

;Act I *No. 1. Chorus – "Flowers a-blooming so gay" *No. 2. The Clerks' Song – Sims, Pym, Aepfelbaum, Langdale, Crogan and Scott – "The credit's due to me." *No. 3. Dolores – "Bright silver star of love" *No. 4. Dolores and Abercoed – "If you're in love with somebody" *No. 5. Chorus of Welcome – "Hurrah! The master comes!" *No. 6. English Girls and Clerks – "Come, take us round to see the sights" *No. 7. Lady Holyrood – "I'm a lady, don't forget, with a sense of etiquette" *No. 8. Angela and Donegal – "Love in his youth is a fiery steed" *No. 9. Lady Holyrood, Gilfain and Tweedlepunch – "I want to marry a man, I do" *No. 10. Angela and Chorus – "There was a maiden decidedly fair" *No. 11. Gilfain – "There is nothing we disparage" *No. 12. Lady Holyrood, Donegal and Angela – "When an interfering person such as you" *No. 13. Abercoed – "In the shade of the palm" *No. 14. Finale Act I – "Hey! hey! Alack-a-day! Our loving hearts asunder" ;Act II *No. 15. Chorus – "Come, lads and lasses, trip your light and airy" *No. 16. Lady Holyrood – "There are people who have tried to be smart and dignified" *No. 17. Gilfain – "When you're a millionaire" *No. 18. English Girls and Clerks – "Tell me, pretty maiden, are there any more at home like you?" *No. 19. Lady Holyrood – "Now I've met, in my time, some curious men" *No. 20. Finale – "And the nation will declare" ;Supplementary numbers *No. 21. Dolores – "In the Philippines lived a maiden fair" *No. 22. Valleda and Leandro – "A maid's career is skittles and beer" *No. 23. Donegal – "I want to be a military man." *No. 24. Dolores – "A woman's love is but a tender flow'r" *No. 25. Angela – "Willie was a gay boy." *No. 26. Dolores and Tweedlepunch – "We're both on the stage, we two" *No. 27. Dolores – "Far away on the ocean of sunshine and foam"

In popular culture

* "I Was a Florodora Baby" was a 1920 song with music by Harry Carroll and lyrics by

Ballard MacDonald Ballard MacDonald (October 15, 1882 – November 17, 1935) was an American lyricist, who was one of the writers of Tin Pan Alley. Born in Portland, Oregon, he was a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ...

introduced by

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedian, Illustrated Songs, illustrated song model, singer, and actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. Sh ...

in the ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

''. * The musical film ''

The Florodora Girl ''The Florodora Girl'' is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film directed by Harry Beaumont and written by Ralph Spence, Al Boasberg and Robert E. Hopkins. The film stars Marion Davies, Lawrence Gray, Walter Catlett, and Ilka Chase. The film was ...

'' (1930) stars

Marion Davies Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies left the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...

as a chorus girl playing one of the English girls in the original

production of ''Florodora''. * In the 1935 film '' The Girl from 10th Avenue'', a landlady, Mrs. Martin (

Alison Skipworth Alison Skipworth (born Alison Mary Elliott Margaret Groom; 25 July 18635 July 1952) was an English stage and screen actress. Early years Skipworth was born in London. She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Ebenezer Groom and Elizabeth Rodgers, an ...

) recalls her days as a Florodora Girl throughout the movie. * A subplot in the Little Rascals film '' Our Gang Follies of 1936'' revolves around the specialty act "The Flory-Dory Sixtet" , and their failure to appear at the revue that the Little Rascals present. * In the film '' On the Town'', Chip (

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

) is picking sights to see from an out-of-date guidebook and sings, in "Come Up to My Place", that he wants to see a "girly show" called the "Flora Dora Girl". * The Floradora cocktail is named after the musical.Graham, Colleen
"Floradora Cocktail: A Classic Straight From Broadway"
TheSpruceEats.com, accessed October 28, 2019

References

Bibliography

External links

*
Vocal score

''Florodora'': NYPL Musical of the MonthOriginal program for 1900 New York production
* ttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LaZdm_ZwV6A/SmsZMMxJBuI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/MnOStC5naU8/s1600-h/Florodora+days.jpg Florodora used in advertisingbr>Analysis and synopsisSouvenir of the 100th performance in Melbourne of ''Florodora'' 1901 at State Library Victoria
{{Authority control Broadway musicals 1899 musicals Original musicals British musicals Musicals set in the Philippines Musicals set in factories Musicals set in castles Musicals set on ships Musicals set in Wales Compositions by Leslie Stuart