| The Vagabond King | |
|---|---|
| Music | Rudolf Friml |
| Lyrics | Brian Hooker William H. Post |
| Book | Brian Hooker William H. Post |
| Basis | If I Were King by Justin Huntly McCarthy |
| Productions | 1925 Broadway 1927 West End 1943 Broadway revival |
The Vagabond King is a 1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml in four acts, with a book and lyrics by Brian Hooker and William H. Post, based upon Justin Huntly McCarthy's 1901 romantic play If I Were King. The story is a fictionalized tale concerning the 15th century poet and thief François Villon, his wooing of Katherine De Vaucelles (the cousin of King Louis XI), how he becomes “king for a day”, and defends France against the invading forces of the Duke of Burgundy.
The original production opened at the Casino Theatre on September 21, 1925. It starred Dennis King as Villon and Carolyn Thomson as Katherine and ran for a successful 511 performances. The operetta then had a successful run in London in 1927 at the Winter Garden Theatre, running for 480 performances, and toured extensively. Its revivals include a 1943 Broadway revival.[1] It was also performed regularly in the 1970s and 1980s in New York by the Light Opera of Manhattan.
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At the end of the 19th century, novelist R. H. Russell sentimentalized Villon's career in a plot that borrowed the king-for-a-day theme, allowing Villon to defeat France's enemies and win the hand of an aristocratic lady, all in under 24 hours. It was adapted as a Broadway play, If I Were King, in 1901 by writer Justin Huntly McCarthy and was revived seveal times. In 1923, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart were at the beginning of their careers. They created a musical version of the McCarthy play for a Manhattan girl's school and then looked for a more prestigious venue for their collaboration. Broadway backers turned down the young team, but producer Russell Janney "borrowed" their idea and commissioned the more established Rudolf Friml to compose, and Brian Hooker to adapt the piece into a musical, increasing the comedy roles.[1] The production was lavish and used an unusually large pit orchestra.[2] It received unanimously enthusiastic reviews.[1]
A 1930 musical film with the same title was filmed in two-color Technicolor, with Dennis King reprising his stage role. Jeanette MacDonald and Lillian Roth co-starred. It was long thought lost, but was recovered and restored in 1998. Several non-Friml songs were added in this version. The film was remade in 1956 in regular Technicolor and VistaVision. It starred Kathryn Grayson, Oreste Kirkop, Rita Moreno, Walter Hampden and Cedric Hardwicke. Only a few songs were from the original, but new Friml numbers were added. Leslie Nielsen and Jack Lord were featured in villainous roles. This remake was not a success.[1]
A 1938 nonmusical film of If I Were King was made. It starred Ronald Colman as Villon and was a great success.
Paris is under siege by the forces of the Duke of Burgundy; popular support for King Louis XI is at a low point. Villon – poet, braggart, thief and darling of the Paris rabble – has sent anonymous love poems to the beautiful Katherine de Vaucelles. These have caused her to reject proposals from King Louis. She goes to seek the mysterious poet at an inn, but King Louis shadows her in disguise. Louis is incensed to hear Villon mocking the failures of his reign and saying what he would do instead "if I were king." The infuriated monarch reveals himself. The king gives Villon a hard choice: as punishment for speaking treasonously, he must either stop courting Katherine or accept the position of Grand Marshal, with all the powers of King, for 24 hours, during which time he must make good on his boasts and free Paris. At the end of the 24 hours, Villon will hang. Villon's dilemma is that he has promised himself to Huguette, his mistress, but now is deeply in love with Katherine.
Villon and Katherine declare their love for each other ("Only a Rose"). Hugette describes her means of livelihood ("Love for Sale"). Villon accepts Louis' challenge and rouses the rabble of Paris to defend the city against Burgundy. Huguette discovers that Thibault, one of Louis' advisors, is a traitor. When Thibault ambushes Villon and tries to stab him to death, Huguette steps in front of the blade and takes the blow, thus sacrificing her life, and freeing Villon to be with Katherine. He kills Thibault in retaliation and goes off with the Paris rabble to fight the Burgundians. The Parisians emerge victorious. After the battle is over, Katharine offers to sacrifice herself to the hangman in order to save Villon. Louis, realizing he cannot shed noble blood without a just cause, rewards Villon with exile instead of death, and the two lovers leave together.
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