''Go-Bang'' is an English

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

with words by

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

and music by

F. Osmond Carr Frank Osmond Carr (23 April 1858 – 29 August 1916), known as F. Osmond Carr, was an English composer who wrote the music for several Victorian burlesques before turning to the new genre of Edwardian musical comedy, and also composing some com ...

. The piece was produced by Fred Harris and opened at the Trafalgar Square Theatre on 10 March 1894. It ran for 159 performances. The show starred

Harry Grattan Harry Grattan (c. 1867 – 25 September 1951) was a British stage actor, singer, dancer and writer best known for his performances in musical comedies in the decades around 1900. Life and career Gratton started early as a child actor (along wi ...

, George Grossmith, Jr., Arthur Playfair,

Jessie Bond Jessie Charlotte Bond (10 January 1853 – 17 June 1942) was an English singer and actress best known for creating the mezzo-soprano soubrette roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. She spent twenty years on the stage, the bulk of th ...

, and dancer

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 Victorian burlesque, burlesque at the Gaiety Theatre, London, Gaie ...

. The American child prodigy " Baby Costello" danced in the interval between acts. Whereas Ross generally acted as lyricist only, in this case he created the book as well as the lyrics.

Synopsis

Dam Row, the Boojam-elect of the Asian country of Go-Bang, visits England to learn Western manners, escorted by Sir Reddan Tapeleigh. There, he finds that he is not Boojam after all. He falls in love with a dancer after seeing her performance, although he generally finds it difficult to grasp Western ways. He returns to Go-Bang as prime minister to the new chief, a humble greengrocer (previously Sir Reddan's footman), who is to be formally installed as Boojam at the palace in Go Bang. The parents of various girls scheme to marry their daughters to the Boojam. He must stand under the Golden Umbrella, where all decrees are announced, but finds himself married by mistake to three girls in as many minutes. Fortunately, the marriage decree is revoked. Sir Reddan's secretary loves Helen, Sir Reddan's daughter, and she helps him to find documents to prove that he is the rightful Boojam.

Roles and original cast

*Jenkins (A greengrocer) –

*Sir Reddan Tapeleigh, K.C.S.I. – Arthur Playfair *Lieut. The Hon. Augustus Fitzpoop – George Grossmith, Jr. *Wang (Guardian of the Golden Canopy) – Fred Storey *Narain (Secretary to the Boojam – Edgar Stevens *Dam Row (Boojam elect of Go-Bang) – John L. Shine *Helen Tapeleigh (Daughter of Sir Reddan) –

*Lady Fritterleigh (Widow of an Indian official) – Agnes Hewitt *Sarah Anne (Housemaid to Sir Reddan) – Adelaide Astor *Flo, Belle and Daisy Wedderburn (Sisters of Lady Fritterleigh) – Lydia Flopp, Maggie Roberts and Maud Lockett *Di Dalrymple (Premiere danseuse of the Vanity Theatre) –

*Candidates, waiters, nobles and people of Go-Bang, soldiers, etc.

Reception

A review of the piece spoofed the loose plot (though praising it) in the following verse: :There is certainly not very much of a plot :In the musical farce of Go-Bang, :But, as someone remarks in the course of the larks, :Here the plot "doesn't matter a hang!" :For the music is light, and the dresses are bright, :And the ladies are shapely and tall; :There is dancing and song, and the skirts aren't too long, :And there's frequently no skirt at all. ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'' found the plot laboured and the satire heavy-handed, but praised the songs, Letty Lind's dancing, Grattan's and Grossmith's portrayals and Bond's singing. The most popular song was Lind's song "Di, Di, Di", and Lind earned the highest praise from ''The Observer''."'Go-Bang' at the Trafalgar", ''The Observer'' 11 March 1894, p. 5

Notes

{{reflist

External links

Information about ''Morocco Bound'' and ''Go Bang''
at the c20th.com website

at the footlightnotes website
BroadwayWorld production page for ''Go-Bang''
*Archer, William
"Go-Bang–Chapter XII"
''The Theatrical "World"'', London: Walter Scott, Limited (1894-1898), pp. 80–85

at the NODA website Go Bang West End musicals Original musicals British musicals