Libretto by W.S. Gilbert
Music by Arthur Sullivan

Edited and adapted by Fraser Charlton

When I first read Jane Stedman’s seminal ‘Gilbert before Sullivan’ sometime in the late 1980s, the show that I most liked was ‘Happy Arcadia’ – it seemed to me the most ‘G&S-like’, and had a zany, surreal quality to the humour that I really enjoyed. It seemed a shame that the music had been lost, as I felt (and still feel) that ‘Ages Ago’ was the only show to still be intact, as it is a little long-winded, and I find the melodies to be rather unmemorable. Fast forward several decades, and Gosforth Musical Society were starting to put on G&S-based shows, and were considering producing ‘Ages Ago’ or ‘A Sensation Novel’. Looking back through Stedman’s book, I remembered how much I liked ‘Happy Arcadia’, and proposed a version using Sullivan’s music, which they were interested in. After a few weeks of going through the lyrics and thinking of songs that had a similar mood for the appropriate voices, I set to work, and finished most of it (together with a judicious ‘trim’ of the dialogue) while on retreat at the monastery at Mirfield. It didn’t prove to be as difficult as I feared, as the rhymes were already there, even if the metre was wrong! I also restored a ‘lost song’ for Daphne, although that didn’t make it into the version that was performed.

This is a one act show for 6 principals, and makes an ideal companion piece to 'The Zoo' or 'Trial by Jury'. I have made available two versions – one with the full dialogue of Gilbert, and one where it is cut down to make it more performable (Performing Edition). It's a delightful show, and deserves to be better known; I hope that my version will lead to more performances.

Download the full script of 'Happy Arcadia' (PDF format).
Download the Performing Edition of 'Happy Arcadia' (PDF format).
Download the piano-vocal score of 'Happy Arcadia' in PDF format

SYNOPSIS

Dramatis Personae

  • Chloe (A happy Arcadian, betrothed to Strephon) - SOPRANO
  • Strephon (A happy Arcadian, betrothed to Chloe) - TENOR
  • Daphne (An elderly Arcadian, Chloe’s mama) - CONTRALTO
  • Colin (A virtuous old peasant, father of Chloe) - BASS
  • Astrologos (A blighted Bogey) - BARITONE or CONTRALTO
  • Lycidas (The handsomest man in all the world) - BARITONE

The setting is the seemingly-idyllic Arcadia. Chloe and Strephon are miserable and bored, and agree to break off their engagement. Chloe's parents (Daphne and Colin) are also unhappy. Her father was a criminal who evaded punishment by fleeing to Arcadia; he is tired of living a life of innocence and wishes to return to a life of crime, if it didn't mean being sentenced to penal servitude. Meanwhile, Strephon's lodger, Astrologos, owes him three months' rent, but as an Arcadian, Strephon can't ask him to pay it, since Arcadians don't care about money. Astrologos reveals that he has four magic items, a stick, a ring, a cloak and a cap, each of which grants one wish, but that he has used up the wishes.

Daphne has news: The handsome, wealthy, gifted Lycidas appears, saying he will live in Arcadia, and he asks to be left alone with Chloe. Strephon reluctantly withdraws, and Lycidas proposes Chloe to "be mine". Strephon returns with a stick, and Lycidas withdraws, agreeing to return in half an hour. Strephon says that he is no longer an Arcadian and will smash Lycidas if he presumes to address Chloe again.

Astrologos departs, leaving a package for Strephon containing the four magic items. Strephon decides to auction off three of the items to the others. Daphne, left alone, inadvertently wishes that she were in Strephon's shoes, and she immediately changes into Strephon. Meanwhile, Colin has turned into Daphne – as a woman, he would be able to get away with crimes. Chloe has changed into Colin to escape the attentions of her two suitors. Strephon has turned into Chloe, because everyone loves her. Distressed by their transformations, the idea occurs to them that if they exchange magic items, they will each get another wish. They do so and wish to return to their original forms. Lycidas returns, declaring that Arcadia is no place for him, and he is leaving. They auction all the items to Lycidas, and all ends happily.

2 Acts. Duration: 50 mins

ORDER OF MUSIC


1. - OPENING DUET - “Tripping hither” (Iolanthe) CHLOE & STREPHON
2. - SOLO - “From the first it was the same” (Pirates) COLIN
3. - SONG - “Oh, why am I moody and sad?” (Ruddigore) ASTROLOGUS & ARCADIANS
4. - SOLO - “Fair love, assuage the wearing woe” (Sorcerer) STREPHON
5. - SOLO - “There’s naught but care, and toil, and strife” (Yeomen) STREPHON
6. - SONG - “Welcome gentry” (Ruddigore) LYCIDAS, CHLOE & ARCADIANS
7. - QUARTET - “Welcome to our humble village” (Pirates) - COLIN, DAPHNE, STREPHON & CHLOE
8. - DUET - “If we’re weak enough to tarry” (Iolanthe) LYCIDAS & CHLOE
9. - SOLO - “Oh, happy young heart!” (Sorcerer) CHLOE
10. - QUARTET - “Good people all, attend and see” (Grand Duke)
- STREPHON, CHLOE, DAPHNE & COLIN
11. - SOLO - “When I was but seventeen” (Patience) DAPHNE
12. - IDENTITY QUARTET - “This identity confusion” (The Sorcerer)
- STREPHON, CHLOE, COLIN & DAPHNE
13a. - FINALE - “Our worldly friend departs today” (Grand Duke) STREPHON & ARCADIANS
13b. - SOLO and QUARTET - “Fare thee well, attractive stranger” (Iolanthe) - DAPHNE & ARCADIANS

PRODUCTIONS

  • 25th & 26th November 2016 (2 performances), Gosforth Trinity Musical Society, Newcastle upon Tyne.

POSTERS AND PROGRAMMES

Information about producing 'Happy Arcadia'

If you are interested in producing this show, please contact fraser.charlton@ncl.ac.uk: I have piano-vocal scores and production videos available for all of my shows. I don't charge any royalties for performances - simply a copy of all promotional material, a video/DVD of your production and any reviews you get! Also, I would apprecite if if you would contact me if you want to make any changes - I'm very happy to advise.