8/7/2019 The Gueisha program

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CAST

O Mimosa San, Chief geisha (soprano)

Lady Constance Wynne, An English visitor (contralto)

Molly Seamore, A guest of Lady Constance (mezzo-soprano)

Katana, Captain of the guard (tenor)

Reginald Fairfax, Of the Royal Navy (baritone)

Captain Wun-Hi, A Chinaman, proprietor of the Tea House (baritone)Marquis Imari Chief of Police and Governor of the Province (baritone)

Juliette Diamant, A French girl, interpreter at the Tea House (soprano)

ACT I

Stationed in Japan, far from his financee Molly, Lt. Reggie Fairfax of the Royal Navy is lonely.

He begins to spend much of his free time at the Tea House of Ten Thousand Joys which is run

by chinaman Wun-Hi. There he meets the lovely geisha O Mimosa San, with whom he builds a

friendship, but she is in love with Katana, a soldier, so she discourages him with her tale of 

'The Amorous Goldfish'. However, Reggie gives Mimosa a lesson in kissing.

The relationship does not go unnoticed by Lady Constance Wynne, a touring English aristocrat,

who catches Reggie engaged in his tête-a-tête with Mimosa and reminds him that he isengaged to Molly. Lady Constance contacts Molly, telling her she had better come to the

Orient as quickly as possible. The local overlord Marquis Imari, who also fancies Mimosa, is

annoyed that his intended bride is consorting with the newly arrived British sailors, and he

orders that the teahouse be closed and the girls be sold off. The Marquis himself is pursued by

the French interpreter Juliette.

Molly arrives unexpectedly. Left alone, Molly is joined by Mimosa and Lady Constance who tell

her how fond Reggie has become of one geisha in particular. Mimosa then suggests that Molly

should dress up as a geisha herself to try and win him back. It is now time for the sale of the

geishas' indentures. The Marquis tries to buy Mimosa for himself, but Lady Constance

manages to outbid him to keep her out of his clutches. Unfortunately, she can't stop him from

purchasing lot number 2, a new geisha called Roli Poli whom nobody has seen before. Only

after the Marquis has made his purchase is it revealed that this geisha is actually Molly in

disguise.

ACT II

In the chrysanthemum gardens of the Imari palace, Molly, still disguised as Roli Poli, awaits her

impending marriage to the Marquis, who has become much attracted to her. Mimosa

proposes a plan to save Molly from her fate: Mimosa will sneak into the bridal suite and

exchange the veiled Molly for another veiled bride - Juliette, the French interpreter.

The wedding ceremony starts, and the plan is put into effect: Juliette is exchanged with Molly,

and the Marquis unwittingly marries the wrong bride. On discovering the ruse, he accepts his

fate philosophically, concluding that "every man is disappointed in his wife at some time or

other". Mimosa is now free to marry her lover Katana, and Molly is re-united with Reggie,

declaring that she would never marry a foreign nobleman when she could have a British sailor.

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

Chorus - Happy Japan - "Dawns the day in Eastern sky"

Entrance of Officers - Here They Come

Song (Cunningham) - The Dear Little Jappy-Jap-Jappy - "There came to the land of Japan"

Song (Mimosa) The Amorous Goldfish - "A goldfish swam in a big glass bowl"

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Duet (Mimosa & Fairfax) The Kissing Duet - "You're a charming little geisha"

Ensemble (Geishas & Officers) - If You Will Come to Tea - "If you will come to tea"

Chorus of Lamentation - "Oh, will they sell our master up"

Ensemble (Fairfax & Officers) - We're Going to Call on the Marquis - "This infamous lord shall

have his reward"

Toy Duet (Molly & Fairfax) - "When I was but a tiny tot"

Song (Mimosa) A Geisha's Life - "A geisha's life imagination tints"Song (Fairfax & Officers) - (Composed by Lionel Monckton) - Jack's the Boy - "Of all the lads

that be"

Recitative (Takamini, Imari & Chorus) - Attention, pray - "Attention, pray! and silence if you

please"

Song (Molly & Chorus) Chon Kina - "I'm the smartest little geisha in Japan"

Finale: Though of Staying Too Long - "Though of staying too long you're accusing us "

ACT II

Entr'Acte

Chorus- Day Born of Love - "Day born of love, of gladness and delight"

Song (Molly) The Toy Monkey (Composed by Lionel Monckton) - "Poor little maiden who loves

a bit of fun"Duet (Juliette & Wun-Hi) Ching-a-Ring-a-Ree! - "When I want anything done"

Trio ( Fairfax, Cunningham, Cuddy) Jolly Young Jacks Are We - "Half round the world we've

been my boys"

Song (Mimosa)(Written by Harry Greenbank; composed by James Philp) The Jewel of Asia - "A

small Japanese once sat at her ease"

Song (Fairfax) Star of my Soul - "How can I wait when she I worship only"

Quartette (Mimosa, Fairfax, Cunningham & Wun Hi) What Will the Marquis do? - "When he

finds that his dear little lovebird's gone"

Entrance of Chorus - Japanese March

Entrance of Geisha - With Splendour Auspicious

Song (Wun Hi) - Chin Chin Chinaman - "Chinaman money makes"

Song (Molly & Chorus) The Interfering Parrot - "A parrot once resided in a pretty gilded cage"

Finale - Before Our Eyes - "Before our eyes the prospect lies"