A Brand New and Original Feminist Operetta by Fraser Charlton

Songs based on those by Gilbert & Sullivan

Jenny (upper class) and Lucy (working class) return from University filled with ideas of Feminism and Equality. They are followed by their 'opposite class' boyfriends: Albert (working class) and Nigel (upper class). The question then arises: are the girls as modern as they seem?

A one act curtain-raiser with only one set and no chorus, this is a tale of 'Bright Young Things' that doesn't end in the way you'd expect!

Download the full script of Modern Girls (MS Word format).

SYNOPSIS

Dramatis Personae

  • Lord George Manors - BASS
  • Lady Phoebe Manors - SOPRANO
  • Jennifer Manors - SOPRANO
  • Mrs. Doings - CONTRALTO
  • Lucy Doings - MEZZO-SOPRANO
  • Nigel Smythe-Smythe - TENOR
  • Albert Grimshaw - BARITONE
SCENE - A Drawing room, A Country House in Rural England
TIME - Between the wars

Lord and Lady Manors, recently returned from India, await the arrival of their daughter Jenny from Cambridge University, where she has just graduated in Law. She arrives with Lucy, the daughter of their servant Mrs. Doings, her best friend and another Law graduate. The girls have both become passionate converts to the ideals of feminism and social equality, much to the consternation of their parents. To prove their point they have boyfriends of a different class: Jenny is seeing Albert Grimshaw, a working-class Yorkshireman, while Lucy dates Nigel Smythe-Smythe, an upper class wastrel. Before long, these two young men also appear and the question arises: are the girls quite as modern as they appear?

1 Act. Duration 45 mins.
Principals: 7 - 2 Sopranos, 1 Mezzo, 1 Contralto, 1 Tenor, 1 Baritone, 1 Bass. No Chorus.

ORDER OF MUSIC

1. OPENING QUARTET - "From ivory towers" (The Gondoliers) - GEORGE, PHOEBE & MRS. DOINGS
2. DUET - "Away from home and family" (Utopia Ltd.) - JENNY & LUCY
3. TRIO - "We're sorry if your temper flames " (The Mikado) - JENNY, LUCY & GEORGE
4. SONG - "I first met your father at twenty" (The Grand Duke) - PHOEBE with JENNY & LUCY
5. DUET - "We're young men in our prime" (Patience) - NIGEL & ALBERT
6. DUET - "Your reason rejects all the prizes" (The Grand Duke) - NIGEL & JENNY
7. BALLAD - "Gone the days I used to treasure" (The Pirates of Penzance) - GEORGE
8. DUET - "You must never be ashamed you're working class" (The Mikado) - ALBERT & LUCY
9. QUARTET - "In a contemplative fashion" (The Gondoliers) - LUCY, JENNY, NIGEL & ALBERT
10. FINALE - "It's time for women to advance" (Princess Ida)

POSTERS AND PROGRAMMES

Information about producing 'Modern Girls'

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!