A Chinese Honeymoon

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2nd Anniversary Souvenir Program
A Chinese Honeymoon

Music	Howard Talbot Ivan Caryll Others
Lyrics	Harry Greenbank Others
Book	George Dance
Productions	1899 West End 1902 Broadway

The Bridesmaids' duty is to blow shrill whistles whenever the groom is seen flirting.

Williams as Mr. Pineapple

Elsie joined the cast in 1903

A Chinese Honeymoon is a musical comedy in two acts by George Dance, with music by Howard Talbot and additional music by Ivan Caryll and others, and additional lyrics by Harry Greenbank and others.

The piece opened at the Theatre Royal in Hanley, England on 16 October 1899 and toured. After that, it played at the Royal Strand Theatre in London, managed by Frank Curzon, opening on 5 October 1901 for a run of 1,075 performances. It also played at the Casino Theatre, in New York, opening on June 2, 1902 for a run of 376 performances. In London, Lily Elsie took over the role of Princess Soo-Soo from Beatrice Edwards in early 1903 and was in turn succeeded by Kate Cutler. It also starred Louie Freear, and Arthur Williams took over the role of Mr. Pineapple.

A Chinese Honeymoon was the first musical to run for 1,000 performances. The story concerns couples who honeymoon in China and inadvertently break the kissing laws (reminiscent of The Mikado).[1]

1 Roles and original cast
2 Synopsis
3 Musical numbers
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Roles and original cast

Hang Chow (Emperor of Ylang Ylang) – Picton Roxborough
Chippee Chop (Lord Chancellor) – E. Boyd-Jones
Hi Lung (Lord High Admiral) – Percy Clifton
Tom Hatherton – Leslie Stiles
Mr Pineapple – Lionel Rignold
Florrie, Violet, Millie and Gertie (bridesmaids to Mrs P) – Fay Wentworth, Blanche Thorpe, Rosie Edwardes and Florence Burdett
Mrs Brown (official mother-in-law) – M. A. Victor
Yen Yen and Sing Sing (maids of honour to Soo Soo) – Jessica Lait and Fanny Wright
Mi Mi (a waitress) – Madge Temple
Soo Soo (the Emperor's niece) – Beatrice Edwards
Mrs Pineapple – Marie Dainton
Fi Fi (waitress at the hotel)– Louie Freear

[edit] Synopsis

The Emperor seeks a bride who will marry him "for himself alone," so he despatches an English skipper, who has been promoted to the post of Lord High Admiral of the Chinese fleet, in search of such a woman. But the conditions are rather hard, for the high position of the Emperor is withheld, and the unlucky admiral has to pretend that he represents a billposter. The admiral returns from his quest without success. As a lingering death is the penalty of his failure it need hardly be said that he resorts to all sorts of expedients in order to avert the punishment. Some comical effects are obtained by making the abnormally tall Emperor think that he is betrothed to a diminutive "slavey" [a maid-of-all-work]. To these ingredients add a cockney tradesman married to a jealous wife who insists upon her four bridesmaids travelling with her for detective and protective purposes, a pair of young lovers, and quaint (even if imaginary) Chinese customs.