Yeoman of the Guard

Synopsis of the plot

 "The Yeomen of the Guard" is the love story of Colonel Fairfax and Elsie Maynard, a strolling player. Colonel Fairfax, having been charged with sorcery, is imprisoned in the Tower under sentence of death. The charge has been preferred against him by a kinsman who will inherit the Fairfax estates if the Colonel dies unmarried. In order to thwart the scurvy trick of his kinsman, Fairfax begs his old friend, the Lieutenant of the Tower, to find him a bride, "no matter who, for coming death hath made of him a true and chivalrous knight, who holds all women in such esteem that the oldest, meanest and worst-favoured of them is good enough for him who hath but an hour to live, and her dower shall be a hundred crowns, no such poor dower for an hour of matrimony."

Two strolling players, Jack Point and Elsie Maynard, arrive on the scene, and the Lieutenant persuades Elsie to consent to a blindfold marriage with the condemned man. Jack Point, although in love with Elsie, who is by no means old, mean or ill-favoured, gives his consent only when assured that within the hour the unknown bridegroom will be beheaded and Elsie free to marry again.

But there is a plot afoot to secure the release of the Colonel. Sergeant Meryll, whose life the Colonel has twice saved, and his daughter, Phoebe, cunningly contrive to secure the keys of the cell from Shadbolt, Phoebe's sour-faced lover.

Now Meryll's son, Leonard, who was to have joined the Yeomen of the Guard that day and who is quite unknown to all but Meryll and Phoebe, consents to the provision of Yeoman's uniform for Fairfax, and in this disguise the Colonel, now happily released, masquerades among his comrades as Leonard Meryll and is even one of the party detailed to bring the prisoner to execution.

Consternation prevails when it is found that the prisoner's cell is empty, but Fairfax enjoys his freedom undiscovered and unsuspected, and indeed, meeting his unknown bride of an hour before; falls in love with her and she with him.

A fitting sequel occurs in the arrival of a reprieve, so Fairfax is now free to disclose his identity and claim his bride. And thus matters end happily for everyone except Jack Point who, broken-hearted at losing his sweetheart, falls insensible at her feet as the curtain descends.

Musical Numbers

ACT I
OVERTURE

INTRODUCTION and SONG

(Phoebe)          . .         .  When maiden love- she sits and sighs

DOUBLE CHORUS

(People and Yeomen)   ..          ..    Tower warders under orders

SOLO (2nd Yeoman) . .           . .       This the autumn

SONG WITH CHORUS

(Dame Carruthers and Yeomen) ..    When our gallant Norman foes

TRIO (Phoebe, Leonard and Meryll)    Alas! I waver to and fro

BALLAD (Fairfax)       Is life a boon?

CHORUS (Entrance of Crowd, Elsi eand Point)

        ..          ..          ..       Here's a man of jollity

DUET (Elsie and Point)            ..     I have a song to sing, 0

TRIO (Elsie, Point and Lieutenant)..      How say you, maiden, will you wed?

RECIT. and SONG (Point) ..   ..    I've jibe and joke and quip and crank

RECIT. and SONG (Elsie) ..    ..    'Tis done! I am a bride

SONG (Phoebe)          . .         . . Were l thy bride

FINALE . .      . .         . .         . Oh, Sergeant Meryll, is it true?

ACT II

CHORUS       ..          ..          ..  Night has spread her pall once more

SOLE (Dame Carruthers)         ..     Warders are ye?

SONG (Point) ..           .    Oh! a private buffoon is a lighthearted loon

DUET (Point and Wilfred) ..     ..  Hereupon we're both agreed

BALLAD (Fairfax)                Free from his fetters grim

QUARTET (Kate, Dame Carruthers,

Fairfax and Sergeant Meryll)     ..          Strange adventure

SCENE (Elsie, Phoebe, Dame Carruthers, Fairfax, Wilfred, Point, Lieutenant, Sergeant Meryll and Chorus) ..  ..          ..          ..                                               Hark! What was that, sir?

TRIO (Elsie, Phoebe and Fairfax) ..      A man who would woo a fair maid

QUARTET (Elsie, Phoebe, Fairfax and

Point) . .           . .         . .         When a wooer goes a-wooing

FINALE . .      . .         . .  .         Comes the pretty young bride

TRINITY GRAMMAR SCHOOL
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SOCIETY

presents

The Yeomen of the Guard

by W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan Dramatis Personae

ELSIE MAYNARD (a strolling singer) .. .. JACQUELINE BROWN PHOEBE MERYLL (Sergeant Meryll's daughter) .. .. PAMELA DUNKLEY DAME CARRUTHERS (Housekeeper to the Tower) .. GILLIAN H. PALMER KATE (her niece) . .           ..          .           PATRICIA HEYWORTH

CHORUS OF YEOMEN OF THE GUARD

Stephen Adams Stephen Brown Martin Burgess	Clive Holden Dermot Keithly Timothy Reynolds John Sale	Philip Walding Graham Ward John Wellsted
CHORUS OF CITIZENS, GENTLEMEN, ETC..
Anne Beer	Jacqueline Gammage	Victoria Sly
Odette Boreham	Jane Griffiths	Patricia Spearing
Denise Botterill	Beverley Heyworth	Caroline Wallis
Melodi Carter	Anne Holden	Lesley White
Margaret Cornforth	Susan Lane	Gwyneth Williams
Anita Evans	Louise Newitt
David Bellham	Kevin Coles	Graham Harrison
Graham Bignell	Keith Eaton	Philip Manning
David Bullock	Timothy Graystone	Stephen Riley
Martin Bullock	Robert Harris	Edward Ukleja

Scene: Tower Green Period: 16th Century

PRODUCER: LEONARD W. TIMMS MUSICAL DIRECTOR: DAVID BAKER

There will be an interval of 20 minutes between the Acts during which coffee will be available in the Refectory and chocolates in the Entrance Hall.

Members of the audience are asked not to smoke in the Main Hall.

1st Violins

2nd Violins Violas Violoncellos Double Bass Flutes Oboe

Clarinet Bassoon Trumpets Horns Trombones Bass Trombone Percussion

ORCHESTRA

Ron Gibson, Nora Jones, Helene Redfern Marian Meakins, Tony Minards, Bill Crossey May Suttie, Monica Coles Paul Gardner, John Suttie/Ruth Pentlow Neville Lucas/John Suttie David Garland, David Scott Leslie Cross

Peter Davis John Yates

Harry York/Nigel Crane, Stuart Crane Dick Coles/David Civil/John Wright Ron Marshall, Alan Jennings Gordon Dalziel

Dick Andrews

The Society wishes to thank the above members of the orchestra who have so willingly given their services.

Stage Manager:     Mr. E. Winkworth

Scenery Construction: Mr. K. K. Price, Julian Giltrow-Tyler, Malcolm Reeve, Edward Ukleja, Poland Law, Geoffrey Turner, Kevin Coles, David Fiske, Philip Dawkins

Scenery designed by: Art Department

Painted by:           David Frost, Peter Collyer, Peter Snelson, Andrew York, John Chisholm

Wardrobe Mistress:  Mrs. B. E. Watson

Props:                  David Pamely

Prompter:             Miss J. Davies

Lighting:               Mr. D. J. J. Rooke,      Derek Kirby,   Christopher Lee, Paul Mallard, Malcolm Reeve, James Rhodes.

Make-up: Mr. H. T. Hartwell, Mrs. H. T. Hartwell, Miss J. Davies, Miss M. Wilkinson, Miss P. Williams, Mrs. D. E. Spence, Mrs. K. M. Kirby, Miss J. Cuppello, Miss R. M. Hunter, Miss K. Broadhurst.

Catering : Mrs. D. V. Smith, Mrs. M. A. Crook, and Miss C. A. Lazenby, assisted by other ladies of the Staff, parents of members of the cast and girls of the School.

Box Office:            Mr. H. T. Hartwell, Mr. M. P. Joy, Mr. I. de C. Greaves, Mr. E. Sealey, Miss J. Cuppello.

Programme design prepared by David Frost and Andrew York

Business Managers: Mr. E. G. Bennett and Mr. A. G. Frost

The Society wishes to thank Messrs. Taylor and K. W. Coaches Limited who kindly provided the coaches which made it possible for many elderly people of the town to enjoy a pre-production performance.

Past Productions