Programme 1978 – And So To Bed

THE HASTINGS OPERATIC SOCIETY INC.

PRESENTS

AND SO TO BED

Hastings Municipal Theatre
Wednesday November 15th – Saturday November 18th
1978

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY

Patron   Cedric Wright
President   Pearce Williams
Vice President   Len Willcox
Secretary Treasurer   Eric Reay
Committee   Jean Campbell, Oliver Christoffersen, Lindsay Craig, Bernard Riley, Pat Webb, Sybil Reay.

ORCHESTRA

Piano   Linda Drain
Cello   Kate Contos
Oboe   Brenda Overend
1st Violin   Cedric Thomsen, Enid Dunn
2nd Violin   George Sye
Flute   Mary Hodgetts
Double Bass   Dave Kitt

SOCIETY INFORMATION

An Operatic Society is a truly community group catering for a wide cross section of the public.
There is something for you to give and gain from the Society.
Why don’t you become a member? This only costs $5.00 per year.

ON STAGE OR OFF THERE IS A JOB FOR YOU

Please post your cheque to the:
Secretary,
P.O. Box 70,
HASTINGS.
Secretary – Phone 86-764

PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS

1977   Amahl And The Night Visitors and a Christmas Musical
1978   Extravaganza 1900’s
1978   The Gondoliers

NEXT PRODUCTION:
1979   The “Sound of Music” in June

AND SO TO BED

SYNOPSIS

ACT I
Samuel Pepys rescues Mistress Knight, a singer and Mistress to King Charles II, from a street thief and on discovering that he writes songs she makes a rendezvous with him for that night at her lodgings. Pepys fills in the afternoon flirting with his serving girls and making merry music with his friends, when Mistress Pepys arrives home and is annoyed with the revelry. After their guests leave, they quarrel and Pepys departs for his appointment leaving a very suspicious wife behind him.

ACT II
His tete-a-tete with Mistress Knight ends in confusion when the King arrives and the luckless Pepys just manages to hide before Charles enters. He in his turn barely has time to greet Mistress Knight before he too is forced to hide from the jealous Mistress Pepys who has followed her husband. Discovering the King, instead of Samuel, disconcerts Mistress Pepys, but Charles, having by this time established that Pepys is indeed secreted in the apartments, flirts outrageously with her, enumerating her charms to the furious Mistress Knight. After Mistress Pepys departs, her erring spouse is ordered to appear and takes the opportunity of telling Charles about the poor conditions in the Navy. Coldly, Charles orders him to leave and then calls for the Royal Coach. Mistress Knight bids Charles a cold goodnight and dares to leave the Royal presence. Peremptorily dismissing his coach, Charles strides after Mistress Knight.

ACT III
Pepys then goes home, very belatedly, to his wife and the guests he had invited for supper and after their departure, husband and wife are retiring to bed, Samuel having convinced Elizabeth that he did indeed spend all the evening at the Navy Office and she having apologised for mistrusting him, when Prodgers arrives with Samuel’s flageolet, which was inadvertently left at Mistress Knight’s lodgings. The truth comes out! Both must swear oaths that their lives from now on are to be above reproach. The two are reconciled – AND SO TO BED.

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

The action of the play takes place on a June evening in London during the year 1669 – soon after the last entry in SAMUEL PEPYS’ Diary.

ACT I   A room in Pepys’ House
ACT II   Mistress Knight’s lodging in Gray’s Inn Fields
ACT III   A room in Pepys’ House

AND SO TO BED

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE PLAY BUREAU N.Z. LIMITED

BY:   J. B. FAGAN

MUSIC & LYRICS BY:   VIVIAN ELLIS

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I
No.
OVERTURE
1   OPENING (Sue, Doll and Boy) “Ayre and Fa-La”
2   SONG (Mr Pepys, Doll and Servants) “A Chine of Beef”
3   MISTRESS KNIGHT’S ENTRANCE AND FIGHT MUSIC
4   SONG (Mistress Knight and Chorus) “Beauty Retire”
5   SONG (Humphrey) “Rigaudon”
6   MADRIGAL (Chorus of Servants and Guests) “Gaze not on Swans”
7   SONG (Mistress Pepys, Humphrey and Chorus) “Love Me Little, Love Me Long”
8   REPRISE (Mistress Pepys) “Love Me Little, Love Me Long”
9   DUET (Mr Pepys and Lettice) “Amo, Amas”
10   FINALE ACT I – REPRISE “Amo, Amas”
ENTR’ACTE

INTERVAL

11   SONG (Mistress Knight and Maids) “Sarabande”
12   SONG (Mistress Knight) “Beauty Retire”
13   DUET (Mistress Knight and Charles) “And so to Bed”
14 CONCERTED NUMBER (Mistress Knight, Mistress Pepys, Charles, Prodgers and Chorus “Moppety Mo”
15   TRIO (Mistress Knight, Mistress Pepys and Charles) “Catch”
16   FINALE – ACT II
ENTR’ACTE

SHORT INTERVAL

ACT III
17   CURTAIN MUSIC OPENING ACT III
18   REPRISE (Mistresses Pepys, Knepp and Pierce, Humphrey, Guests and Servants) “And so to Bed” and “Amo Amas”
19   CONCERTED NUMBER (Mr Pepys, Humphrey, Pelling, Mistresses Knepp and Pierce, Guests and Servants) “Bartholomew Fair”
19a   ENCORE “Bartholomew Fair”
20   EXIT MUSIC (Guests and Servants) REPRISE “Bartholomew Fair”
21   THE OATHS I – (Mr Pepys and Mistress Pepys)
22   THE OATHS II AND FINALE (Mr Pepys, Mistress Pepys, Watchman and Chorus)
CURTAIN FALLS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

In Order of Appearance

Sue   Alison Closs
Doll    Jean Campbell Servants to Pepys
Tom   Janice Arthur Servant to Pelling
Jake   Pat Webb Servant to Pepys
Watchman   Henk Van Hooijdonk
Samuel Pepys  John Doig
Thief   Tim Perry
Julia   Marcia Clark Servant to Mistress Knight
Mistress Knight   Elizabeth Palmer
Pelling   Bernard Riley
Humphrey    Jim Sweatman
Ceasar   Laurie O’ Donoghue
Mistress Knepp   Celeste Stainiforth
Mistress Pierce   Audrey London
Mistress Pepys   Carolyn Leese
Lettice   Penny Fleming
Anna   Tricia Nicholson Servant to Mistress Knight
King Charles II   Alex Burns
Prodgers   Tim Perry Groom of the Bedchamber

MEMBERS OF THE CHORUS

Janice Arthur
Diana Brooker
Jean Campbell
Marcia Clark
Alison Closs
Helen Date
Penny Fleming
Hank Van Hooijdonk
Genieve Ingram
Maisie Kyle
Trish Loader
Audrey London
Tricia Nicholson
Tim Perry
Christine Shirras
Olwyn Walker
Pat Webb
Jenny Leu Williams

PRODUCTION PERSONNEL

Producer   Elizabeth Palmer
Musical Director   Bob Gowing
Choreographer   Elizabeth Palmer
Pianist   Linda Drain
Stage Manager   Lindsay Craig
Assistant Stage Manager   Oliver Christoffersen.
Stage Crew   Stuart Doig, Ross Pullen, Murray Bridges, David Fleming, Gordon Williams, Pearce Williams, Dean Roberts, Graham Coumbe, Vin Duggan.
Wardrobe Mistress   Sybil Reay
Assisted by   Jean Campbell, Barbara Dean, Agnes Van Hooijdonk, Margaret Falconer, and members of the Company.
Make up   Minnie Wright, Teresa Wright, Julie Williams, Julie Loader, Brian Overend, Karen Wright.
Set Designed & Painted by   Elizabeth Palmer
Set Construction   Lindsay Craig, Ross Pullen, Stuart Doig, Mike Palmer
Lighting Supervisor   Cedric Wright
Wigs   Elizabeth Palmer
Props   Beverley Nisbet, Jeanne Hall
House Manager   Eric Reay
Front of House   Aub Merrall, Len Willcox, Gill Greig, Maureen Brady, Carol Smith, Peggy McCarthy, Ken Shirras, Barbara Morris, Rose Warren
Prompt   Allison Shirras
Suppers   Beth Degerholm
Call Steward   Mark Ormerod

RUSH – OFFSET PRINTERS