''Monte Cristo Jr.'' was a Victorian burlesque with a libretto written by Richard Henry, a

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

for the writers Richard Butler and

Henry Chance Newton Henry Chance Newton (13 March 1854 – 2 January 1931) was a British author and theatre critic for ''Sunday Referee, The Referee'' magazine. Newton had written about the stage since 1875 when he joined the staff of ''Hood's Comic Annual.'' He wro ...

. The score was composed by

Meyer Lutz Wilhelm Meyer Lutz (19 May 1829 – 31 January 1903) was a German-born British composer and conductor who is best known for light music, musical theatre and burlesques of well-known works. Emigrating to the UK at the age of 19, Lutz started as ...

, Ivan Caryll, Hamilton Clarke,

Tito Mattei Tito Eduardo Achille Mattei (24 May 1839–30 March 1914) was an Italian pianist, composer, and conductor. Born at Campobasso in Italy, he was educated in Naples where he studied with Sigismond Thalberg, Carlo Conti, and Michele Ruta. A music ...

G. W. Hunt George William Hunt (c.1837 – 1 March 1904), known in later life as 'Jingo' Hunt,Peter Gammond, ''The Oxford Companion to Popular Music'', Oxford University Press, 1991, p.279 was an English writer of music hall songs, best known for "MacD ...

and Henry J. Leslie. The ballet and incidental dances were arranged by

John D'Auban Frederick John D'Auban (1842 – 15 April 1922) was an English dancer, choreographer and actor of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Famous during his lifetime as the ballet-master at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, he is best remembered as the c ...

, and the theatre's musical director,

, conducted. The play's doggerel verse was loosely based on ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...

'' by

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...

. Bordman, Gerald and Richard Norton
''American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle''

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...

(4th edition, 2011), p. 110 The piece was first performed under the management of George Edwardes, premiering at the Gaiety Theatre in London on 23 December 1886.

Nellie Farren Ellen "Nellie" Farren (16 April 1848 – 29 April 1904) was an English actress and singer best known for her roles as the "principal boy" in musical burlesques at the Gaiety Theatre. Born into a theatrical family, Farren began acting as a ch ...

E. J. Lonnen Edwin Jesse Lonnen (1860 – 31 October 1901), credited as "E. J." or "Teddy", was an English actor, comedian and singer known for his performances in Victorian burlesque, musical burlesques, operettas and Edwardian musical comedy, musical com ...

, Fred Leslie,

Marion Hood Marion Hood (1 April 1854 – 14 August 1912) was an English soprano who performed in opera and musical theatre in the last decades of the 19th century. She is perhaps best remembered for creating the role of Mabel in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Th ...

and

Jenny Lind Johanna Maria "Jenny" Lind (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and a ...

appeared in the cast during the run, which ended in early October 1887. It was then toured in Britain, and the following year it was mounted in New York and toured in Australia. A separate musical of the same name played on Broadway in 1919 with songs by Sigmund Romberg.

Background

Burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

of opera or classical works was popular in Britain from the 1860s to the 1880s. Other examples at the Gaiety include ''

The Bohemian G-yurl and the Unapproachable Pole ''The Bohemian G-yurl and the Unapproachable Pole'' is a musical burlesque in two acts, with a score by Meyer Lutz to a libretto by Henry James Byron, which played under the management of John Hollingshead at the Gaiety Theatre in London in 1877 ...

'' (1877), ''Blue Beard'' (1882), ''Ariel'' (1883, by

F. C. Burnand Sir Francis Cowley Burnand (29 November 1836 – 21 April 1917), usually known as F. C. Burnand, was an English comic writer and prolific playwright, best known today as the librettist of Arthur Sullivan's opera ''Cox and Box''. The son of ...

), '' Galatea, or Pygmalion Reversed'' (1883), ''

Little Jack Sheppard ''Little Jack Sheppard'' is a Victorian burlesque, burlesque melodrama written by Henry Pottinger Stephens and William Yardley (cricketer), William Yardley, with music by Meyer Lutz, with songs contributed by Florian Pascal,Florian Pascal was a ps ...

'' (1885), ''

Miss Esmeralda ''Miss Esmeralda'' is a Victorian burlesque, in two acts, with music by Meyer Lutz and Robert Martin and a libretto by Fred Leslie, under his pseudonym "A. C. Torr", and Horace Mills. It is based on Victor Hugo's ''Notre Dame de Paris''. The piec ...

'' (1887), ''

Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim ''Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim'' (sometimes called ''Frankenstein, or The Model Man'') is a musical burlesque written by Richard Henry (a pseudonym of Richard Butler and Henry Chance Newton). The music was composed by Meyer Lutz. The ...

'' (1887), ''Mazeppa'', ''

Faust up to Date ''Faust up to Date'' is a musical burlesque with a score written by Meyer Lutz (a few songs by others were interpolated into the show). The libretto was written by G. R. Sims and Henry Pettitt. It is a spoof of Gounod's opera, ''Faust'', which ...

'' (1888), '' Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué'' (1888), '' Carmen up to Data'' (1890), '' Cinder Ellen up too Late'' (1891), and ''Don Juan'' (1892, with lyrics by Adrian Ross).Programme for ''Carmen up to Data''
John Hollingshead managed the Gaiety Theatre from 1868 to 1886 as a venue for variety, continental

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

, light comedy, and numerous musical burlesques composed or arranged by the theatre's music director, Wilhelm Meyer Lutz. Hollingshead called himself a "licensed dealer in legs, short skirts, French adaptations,

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, taste and musical glasses."Arthur Lloyd Music Hall site (on Gaiety) ''Cuttings''
accessed 01 Mar 2007 In 1886, Hollingshead ceded the management of the theatre to George Edwardes, whom he had hired in 1885. Edwardes expanded the burlesque format from one act to full-length pieces with original music by Lutz, instead of scores compiled from popular tunes, and choreography by the theatre's dance-master,

, as the theatre's "principal boy", and Fred Leslie starred at the Gaiety for over 20 years. Leslie wrote many of its pieces under his pseudonym, "A. C. Torr". In the early 1890s, as Burlesque went out of fashion, Edwardes changed the focus of the theatre from musical burlesque to the new genre of

Edwardian musical comedy Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the A ...

.Ganzl, Kurt. "Musicals", London: Carlton (1995), p. 56 ; Hyman, Alan. "The Gaiety Years", London: Cassell (1975), p. 64

Musical numbers

Act I

*1 Chorus - On the Shores of the Mediterranean *2 Mércedes - Cupid Caught Me (Vocal Waltz) *3 Sailors Chorus *4 Dance A La Hornpipe *5 Graceful Dance (Miss Sylvia Grey) *6 Wedding Chorus - Tempo Di Polka *7 Noirtier - Recitation and Song - Je Suis Un Grand Detective *8 Melus - Recognition *9 Duet (De Villefort and Noirtier) - The Respectable Son and His Awful Dad *10 Finale - Act I

Act II

*11 Entr'act *12 Patrol Chorus *13 Melus A La Trovatore *14 Duet - Dantes and Noirtier - 77 & 93 *15 Melus - The Leap *16 The Sack Scene *17 Storm *18 The Guides' Quartett *19 Chorus of Explorers *20 Song - Ballyhooly (De Villefort) *21 Soli & Chorus - On A Picnic If You're Going *22 Finale - Act II - From This Hour

Act III

*23 Chorus & March - The Patrol *24 Song (Dantes) - A Jolly Little Chap All Round *25 Imitation Song (Noirtier) *26 Sestett & Galop *27 Chorus By Fernand - We're Invited *28 Mashers' Chorus *29 March *30 Mazurka & Finale

1886 Gaiety Theatre Cast

*Edmond Dantes, a young sailor –

*Fernand, a Catalan fisherman –

Jennie McNulty Jennie McNulty or Jenny McNulty (1866 – 1927) was an American-born British actress. Beginning her career as a Gaiety Girl, she went on to act in featured roles on the London stage in musical theatre around the close of the 19th century, i ...

*Mércedes, betrothed to Dantes –

/ Agnes Delaporte *Mariette, a lively young person – Lottie Collins /

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 ...

(from 1887) *Albert, a fast youth – Lizzie Wilson *Valentine, Morel's daughter –

Sylvia Grey Sylvia Grey (1866–1958) was an English actress and dancer best remembered for her roles in Victorian burlesque, burlesque productions in London during the Victorian era. Life and career Grey was born in London, England, partly of Swiss ancestr ...

*Carconte, a charming hag – Linda Verner *Noirtier, Conspirator – Fred Leslie *De Villefort, his son –

*Danglars, a supercilious super cargo – E. Haslam *Caderousse, tailor and toper – George Stone *Morel, a shipowner –

Charles Danby Charles Clemson Percy Danby (1858 – 7 September 1906) was a British actor, singer and comedian of the late Victorian era who regularly appeared at the Gaiety Theatre in London. During his career he made 37 tours of the United States and th ...

*Boy at the Wheel – Charlie Ross

Later productions

''Monte Cristo Jr.'' later toured the United Kingdom with much of the London cast before a production by the London Gaiety Burlesque Company Tour opened at Dockstader's Theatre in New York on 2 April 1888 It then toured Australia in mid-1888 with

Alfred Cellier Alfred Cellier (1 December 184428 December 1891) was an English composer, orchestrator and conductor. In addition to conducting and music directing the original productions of several of the most famous Gilbert and Sullivan works and writing th ...

as the conductor and a cast including Danby, Farren, Grey, Hood, Leslie and Lind. The Gaiety cast including Farren but augmented by a pretty female American chorus opened on 15 November 1888 in a reworked production at the

Standard Theatre Standard Theatre or Standard Theater may refer to: ;in Australia *Royal Standard Theatre, in Sydney, known as "Standard Theatre", since demolished ;in Canada; * Standard Theatre (Toronto, Ontario) ;in the United States *Standard Theatre, early n ...

on Broadway. While the American audience was largely unappreciative of the play in general and its doggerel verse in particular, it did start a new craze for dancing in long and "swishy" skirts as displayed by the female chorus.Franceschina, John
''Incidental and Dance Music in the American Theatre from 1786 to 1923
Volume 3'', BearManr Media (2018), p. 636

1919 Broadway musical

A musical with the same name played in New York at the

Winter Garden Theatre The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It opened in 1911 under designs by architect William Albert Swasey. The Winter Garden's current design dates to 1922, when ...

running for 254 performances from February to October 1919 and was suspended for a month during the Actor's Equity strike. This show had songs with music by Sigmund Romberg and Jean Schwartz, and a book and lyrics by

Harold R. Atteridge Harold Richard Atteridge (July 9, 1886 – January 15, 1938) was an American composer, librettist and lyricist primarily for musicals and revues. He wrote the book and lyrics for over 20 musicals and revues for the Shubert family, including sev ...

. Additional music was by

Maurice Abrahams Maurice Abrahams (March 18, 1883 – April 13, 1931) was an American songwriter and music publisher, who was successful in the early years of the 20th century. Biography Abrahams was born in Odessa, Russia, and emigrated to the US as a child in ...

, Fred E. Alhert and Earl Carroll, with lyrics by Earl Carroll,

Sam M. Lewis Sam M. Lewis (October 25, 1885 – November 22, 1959) was an American singer and lyricist. Career Lewis was born Samuel M. Levine in New York City, United States. He began his music career by singing in cafés throughout New York City, and be ...

and Joe Young. The cast for this version included

Sam Ash Sam Ash (born Samuel Ashkynase) was a violinist, teacher, and entrepreneur, best known as the founder of the Sam Ash Music Store. Life and career Early life Ashkynase was born to Moishe and Mottle Ashkynase in a small town in Austria-Hungary ...

Gordon Dooley Gordon Dooley (13 August 1898 - 23 January 1930) was an American vaudeville comedian and eccentric dancer. He was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Robert Roger Dooley (originally Dool), a circus performer, and his wife, Mary, both emigrants f ...

Flore Revalles Flore (or Flora) Revalles (January 25, 1889 – August 29, 1966) was a Swiss entertainer active over the early decades of the twentieth century. Revalles began as a singer in Switzerland, danced with the Ballets Russes in Europe and America and a ...

, Charles "Chic" Sale and

Esther Walker Esther Walker (''nee'' Thomas October 18, 1894 – July 26, 1943) was an American musical comedy performer. Esther Walker was born Esther Thomas in Pewee Valley, Kentucky."Noted Actress Has Lead Role in 'Biography.'" ''The Dallas Morning News ...

.''Monte Cristo Jr.''
(1919),

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade assoc ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monte Cristo Jr. Musicals by Meyer Lutz 1886 musicals 1919 musicals British musicals