Uncle Samuel
Encyclopedia
Uncle Samuel is a one-act comic opera
with a libretto by Arthur Law
and music by George Grossmith
. It was first produced at the Opera Comique
on 3 May 1881 to 8 October 1881, as companion piece to Patience
. The piece also toured from December 1887 to June 1888 as a companion piece to H.M.S. Pinafore
.
A vocal score was published by Chappells in 1881 containing full libretto, dialogue and music, and a copy is in the British Library.
The fashion in the late Victorian era
was to present long evenings in the theatre, and so producer Richard D'Oyly Carte
preceded his Savoy opera
s with curtain raisers
such as Uncle Samuel. W. J. MacQueen-Pope
commented, concerning such curtain raisers:
Comic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
with a libretto by Arthur Law
Arthur Law
William Arthur Law , better known as Arthur Law, was an English playwright, actor and scenic designer.-Life and career:...
and music by George Grossmith
George Grossmith
George Grossmith was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades...
. It was first produced at the Opera Comique
Opera Comique
The Opera Comique was a 19th-century theatre constructed in Westminster, London, between Wych Street and Holywell Street with entrances on the East Strand. It opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, to make way for the construction of the Aldwych and Kingsway...
on 3 May 1881 to 8 October 1881, as companion piece to Patience
Patience (opera)
Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride, is a comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. First performed at the Opera Comique, London, on 23 April 1881, it moved to the 1,292-seat Savoy Theatre on 10 October 1881, where it was the first theatrical production in the...
. The piece also toured from December 1887 to June 1888 as a companion piece to H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, England, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical...
.
A vocal score was published by Chappells in 1881 containing full libretto, dialogue and music, and a copy is in the British Library.
The fashion in the late Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
was to present long evenings in the theatre, and so producer Richard D'Oyly Carte
Richard D'Oyly Carte
Richard D'Oyly Carte was an English talent agent, theatrical impresario, composer and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian era...
preceded his Savoy opera
Savoy opera
The Savoy Operas denote a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte built to house...
s with curtain raisers
Curtain raiser (drama)
A curtain raiser is a performance, stage act, show, actor or performer that opens a show for the main attraction. The term is derived from the act of raising the stage curtain...
such as Uncle Samuel. W. J. MacQueen-Pope
W. J. MacQueen-Pope
Walter James MacQueen-Pope was an English theatre historian and publicist. From a theatrical family which could be traced back to contemporaries of Shakespeare, he was in management for the first part of his career, but switched to publicity, in which field he became well-known...
commented, concerning such curtain raisers:
- This was a one-act play, seen only by the early comers. It would play to empty boxes, half-empty upper circle, to a gradually filling stalls and dress circle, but to an attentive, grateful and appreciative pit and gallery. Often these plays were little gems. They deserved much better treatment than they got, but those who saw them delighted in them. ... [They] served to give young actors and actresses a chance to win their spurs ... the stalls and the boxes lost much by missing the curtain-raiser, but to them dinner was more important.
Synopsis
Jack is Samuel Crow's nephew, whom he threw out of his house many years ago, and who (unbeknown to his uncle) has been brought up by the latter's friend Mr. Daw. Daw has just died, and has asked Crow to look after his frumpish daughter Marjorie. Crow lives with his niece Jenny, Jack's cousin with whom he is in love, but from whom he has concealed his true identity. Jack turns up incognito at his uncle's house on the Thames to hatch a plot to gain Crow's consent to the marriage. When Marjorie arrives, Jenny mistakes her for a flame of Jack's. Eventually Crow in a rage at Jenny's determination to marry this unknown man, decides to leave all his money, not to her but to his nephew Jack whom he thinks he has not seen for many years. He is mortified on learning who this young man really is.Musical numbers
- No. 1 - Song - Crow -- "What is the good of a name."
- No. 2 - Duet - Jack and Crow -- "Is she dark or fair?"
- No. 3 - Duet - Jenny and Margery -- "Come, come, compose yourself I pray..."
- No. 4 - Trio - Jenny, Margery, and Jack -- "I'm caught, I'm caught, what an awkward situation..."
- No. 5 - Finale - "At last we've arrived at a happy conclusion..."
Cast information
The original cast was:- Mr. Samuel Crow, an old bachelor. Frank ThorntonFrank Thornton (Savoyard)Frank Thornton was an English actor, singer, comedian and producer. Despite a successful stage career in comedies in London, on tour and abroad, Thornton is probably best remembered as the understudy to George Grossmith in a series of Gilbert and Sullivan operas from 1877 to 1884.Thornton began...
- John Bird (alias Jack Sparrow). Arthur LawArthur LawWilliam Arthur Law , better known as Arthur Law, was an English playwright, actor and scenic designer.-Life and career:...
- Jenny Wren. Minna Louis
- Margery Daw. Rosina BrandramRosina BrandramRosina Brandram was an English opera singer and actress primarily known for creating many of the contralto roles in the Savoy operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company....