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Mrs. Millicent
Meebles, a remarried widow, habitually understates the age of her son, Hughie Cavanaugh, to make herself appear several years younger. Consequently, the 19-year-old lad is taken for a 14-year-old boy and appears to be precocious. Hughie, that "Sporty Boy", flirts with astonishing skill
251:
Hughie also precociously introduces his step-father, Mr. Meebles, a magistrate, to the nightclub in the Cosmos Hotel. They are followed by
Millicent, who wishes to warn a friend not to divulge the boy's true age. When the nightclub is raided by the police, Mr. Meebles escapes without capture, having
255:
Mr. Meebles arrives at court just in time to hear the case that results from the raid and must, as magistrate, sentence his wife and sister-in-law, Diana
Fairlie (whose lover is Albany Pope), to incarceration. Fortunately, a fellow magistrate, Mr. Burridge comes to the ladies' rescue by over-ruling
162:, audiences, including servicemen on leave, wanted light and uplifting entertainment, and they flocked to theatres to see lighthearted musical comedies, a number of which broke box-office records. These included
150:
in London in 1917 and ran for 801 performances – one of the longest runs of any musical theatre piece up to that time. It had successful foreign productions and tours.
309:
were added to the score, including "I am so Young", published as "I was so Young (You were so Young)." It starred George
Hassell as Mr. Meebles,
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820:
858:
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Cuthbert Sutton, Lyall Hewson-Galway, and an
Elderly Lady (Guests at the Meebles') – R. G. Sydney, H. B. Lane and Marie Clavering
385:
Inspector Eason, Sergeant Dix, and
Constable Styles (of the Metropolitan Police) – F. Russell, W. Matthews and George Wilson
217:
feature, B.W. Findon's review of the musical praised the singing of Nellie Taylor and Peter
Gawthhorne, and the comedy of
804:
888:
320:
Although the piece was revived several times by amateur
British groups in the 1930s, it has not been seen since then.
773:
256:
the sentence on a technicality. At home, Millicent confesses that she has exaggerated Hughie's age. All is forgiven.
883:
291:
200:, and Talbot and Thompson were also frequent collaborators of theirs in the first two decades of the 20th century.
279:. The production ran for 801 performances – one of the longest runs of any musical theatre piece up to that time.
903:
492:
No. 18 – Diana & Pope – "I fear I've been a bit of a fool, though as a rule I'm pretty cool" ("Have a Heart")
548:
No. 27 – Meebles – "The years roll back; once more I seem to be a rosy-cheek'd and pudding-faced young urchin"
486:
No. 16 – Diana & Chorus – "There lived a little maid, and oh, her heart was light" ("Little Miss Melody")
728:
508:
No. 21 – Meebles – "Ah, can it be? A few short hours ago my heart was light" ("When the Heart Is Young")
441:
No. 6 – Millicent & Chorus – "When I used to go to school some time ago, no one thought I was a fool"
432:
No. 3 – Katie, Joy & Hughie – "When you see a lady talking to a friend, why d'you want to interfere?"
310:
878:
302:
495:
No. 19 – Joy, Hughie & Meebles, with Chorus – "The girls all listen and their bright eyes glisten"
429:
No. 2 – Joy & Chorus – "There are lots of games with childish names, and I know ev'ry one of them"
196:(1917). Greenbank had worked on a dozen shows with each of Monckton and Ross from 1900 to the time of
893:
709:
176:
213:, although character names have been changed, and some of the original dialogue is retained. In the
483:
No. 15 – Meebles & Hughie, with Chorus – "When two young fellows like us go out upon the spree"
283:
554:
No. 29 – Millicent & Meebles – "Horatio, do you remember? ... My dearest, how could I forget?"
529:
No. 23 – Meebles & Chorus – "I've not had so much as a wink all the night – it's distressing!"
498:
No. 20 – Finale – Scene 1 – "We're stiff and stolid, large and solid representatives of the law"
290:, where it ran until 22 January 1921. The production later toured to Sydney, where it opened at
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No. 24 – Millicent & Diana – "I am feeling quite a wreck ... Well, you are a trifle torn!"
654:
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No. 5 – Millicent, Diana, Hughie, Burridge & Meebles – "This is the day of young folks"
8:
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No. 30 – Joy & Hughie, with Chorus – "Little Dicky was a wonder at any sort of dance"
364:
272:
125:
85:
686:. Vol. XX, no. 508. New South Wales, Australia. 21 December 1921. p. 15
551:
No. 28 – Diana – "When a girl comes out and goes about to lots of dinners, and dances"
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545:
No. 26 – Diana & Pope – "Why do you seem cold, uncaring, oh! you beautiful maid?"
314:
287:
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No. 7 – Millicent & Meebles – "All my life through I have yearn'd for
Romance"
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No. 1 – Introduction & Chorus – "We will finish the rub and we've only to pay"
808:
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No. 25 – Finale Act II – "They'll be sporty boys! Rollicking rorty-torty boys!"
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No. 9 – Meebles – "When first I practised at the Bar, and earned my reputation"
799:
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No. 13 – Joy & Chorus – "It's hard to make my mind up when I am at a ball"
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No. 8 – Diana & Chorus – "I've some news to tell – you will never guess!"
400:
Doris
Cuddley and Winnie Sweet (Friends of Joy) – Gwen Hughes and Dora Fraser
186:
170:
139:
49:
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No. 10 – Chorus – "Oh, we now must say goodbye, for we really must be going"
305:, running for 140 performances and then touring successfully. Two songs by
286:
in Melbourne on 23 October 1920, starring Arthur Stigant, Lance Lister and
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No. 22 – Chorus – "Pansy Day! Pansy Day! Here are some flow'rs for you"
330:
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Mr. Burridge (Magistrate of Bromley Street Police Court) – W. H. Rawlins
811:, Rarely Performed Shows, St. David's Players, accessed 22 October 2011
474:
No. 12 – Introduction and Dance – "Cheer O! Keep your toes a-wagging"
336:
658:. Vol. XXXI, no. 1195. Adelaide. 19 January 1921. p. 20
732:. Vol. XIII, no. 3936. Adelaide. 30 October 1922. p. 3
460:
435:
No. 4 – Diana & Pope – "I'm kept busy all day in a general way"
630:. No. 20, 460. Victoria, Australia. 25 October 1920. p. 8
512:
34:
827:, National Portrait Gallery, 2 July 1918, accessed 22 October 2010
626:
585:
at the British Musical Theatre website, accessed 31 December 2009
469:
ACT II – Scene 1 – The Cosmos Hotel, Verrey Street, London W.C.
480:
No. 14 – Pope – "I'm absolutely fed up with all the female sex!"
329:
Horatio Meebles (Magistrate of Bromley Street Police Court) –
843:, fourteenth edition, 1967, Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, London
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Meebles, Hughie and Burridge, watched by Millicent and Diana
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Mr. Honeyball (Chief Clerk at Bromley Street) – George Elton
412:
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Katie Muirhead (Hughie's Music Mistress) – Heather Thatcher
229:
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ACT II – Scene 2 – The Magistrate's Room, Bromley Street
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Juniori Fratti (Proprietor of the Cosmos) – André Randall
294:
on 17 December 1921, and then Adelaide in November 1922.
854:
Song list and links to Midi files, lyrics and cast list
859:
List of longest running plays in London and New York
350:Colonel Bagot (From Bengal, Retired) – C. M. Lowne
768:, (2006) University of California Press, p. 230
403:Principal dancers – Betty Blake and Jean Castaner
865:
521:ACT II – Scene 3 – The Garden of Meebles' House
391:Turner (Maid at the Meebles') – Dorothy Munroe
233:Australian sheet music to "Little Miss Melody"
464:Millicent Meebles and her sister under arrest
313:as Hughie, Mollie King as Joy Chatterton and
421:ACT I – Mr. Meebles' House at West Hampstead
271:in London on 14 September 1917, directed by
388:Cash (Servant at the Meebles') – Eddie Garr
301:in 1919, by the same creative team, at the
740:– via National Library of Australia.
694:– via National Library of Australia.
666:– via National Library of Australia.
638:– via National Library of Australia.
347:Diana Fairlie (Her Sister) – Nellie Taylor
323:
33:
755:, IBDb database, accessed 23 October 2011
516:Meebles bursts into the magistrates' room
511:
459:
411:
397:Tich Ridley (a Young Man) – P. Madgewick
228:
221:, as well as the production in general.
146:. The original production opened at the
282:An Australian production opened at the
866:
602:, No. 186, Vol. XXXI, 1917, pp. 33–35
335:Millicent Meebles (Late Cavanagh) –
13:
899:Musicals by Fred Thompson (writer)
766:George Gershwin: His Life and Work
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379:Napoleon (a Waiter) – T. Del Lungo
243:with his beautiful music teacher.
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180:(1917). Almost as popular were
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359:Joy Chatterton (a Flapper) –
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341:Hughie Cavanagh (Her Son) –
252:a comically difficult time.
142:and lyrics by Greenbank and
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353:Albany Pope (of Lloyd's) –
224:
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705:"Her Majesty's: 'The Boy'"
275:, under the management of
158:During the gloomy days of
889:Musicals by Howard Talbot
713:, 11 February 1922, p. 16
710:The Sydney Morning Herald
622:"Theatre Royal – the Boy"
177:The Maid of the Mountains
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841:Who's Who in the Theatre
650:"At the Sign of Four O'"
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207:closely follows that of
884:Musicals based on plays
324:Roles and original cast
904:Musicals set in hotels
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465:
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165:The Bing Boys Are Here
807:31 March 2012 at the
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456:No. 11 – End of Act I
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363:(replaced in 1918 by
292:Her Majesty's Theatre
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594:Findon, B.W. (ed.) "
540:Supplementary items:
787:Good Morning, Judge
752:Good Morning, Judge
573:Gaye, pp. 1528–1530
299:Good Morning, Judge
600:The Play Pictorial
518:
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365:Nellie Briercliffe
273:Robert Courtneidge
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126:Arthur Wing Pinero
879:West End musicals
764:Pollack, Howard.
583:"Percy Greenbank"
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317:as Col. Bagot.
307:George Gershwin
303:Shubert Theatre
269:Adelphi Theatre
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136:Lionel Monckton
122:Percy Greenbank
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174:(1916), and
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24:
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798:Bond, Ian.
736:27 February
690:27 February
662:27 February
634:27 February
331:W. H. Berry
277:Alfred Butt
260:Productions
219:W. H. Berry
193:Yes, Uncle!
190:(1916) and
160:World War I
144:Adrian Ross
98:Productions
60:Adrian Ross
868:Categories
834:References
655:The Critic
337:Maisie Gay
154:Background
124:(based on
724:"The Boy"
678:"The Boy"
88:'s play,
805:Archived
225:Synopsis
168:(1916),
823:The Boy
801:The Boy
627:The Age
596:The Boy
265:The Boy
205:The Boy
198:The Boy
182:The Boy
109:The Boy
26:The Boy
18:Musical
772:
247:Act II
86:Pinero
56:Lyrics
562:Notes
238:Act I
112:is a
82:Basis
42:Music
770:ISBN
738:2017
692:2017
664:2017
636:2017
138:and
120:and
71:Book
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