The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Concept
Welcome to the Music
Hall Royale in London’s not-so-picturesque East End. The
year is 1892. The “Royale” is little more than a saloon
that annexed an abandoned building next door, knocked down the
wall that separated the two structures, built a platform stage
at the end of the room and, over the years, transformed that platform
stage into something somewhat reminiscent of its more upscale
relatives in the West End. But now those large, well-to-do Music
Halls in the West End are gobbling up middle class audiences—even
(gasp!) women and children—and offering tamed and subdued
“variety” entertainment. A vulgar shadow of the vital,
if somewhat profane, material that graced the stages of the music
hall at its zenith. But the Music Hall Royale, under the enthusiastic
(if perhaps somewhat misguided) management of Mr. William Cartwright,
has determined it will cling to its more rowdy, bawdy, irreverent
roots. Huzzah! However, this valiant choice is costing them revenue.
In an effort to gain notoriety (and hopefully an audience) this
hard strapped, but plucky company, is about to attempt to cash
in on Charles Dickens’s popularity and do something never
done before—granted, out of complete desperation—they
are going act out a dramatic adaptation of Charles Dickens’s
unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
In a blatant attempt
to side-step the Theatre Act of 1843 (which made the performing
of dramas by the liquor-serving musical halls illegal--and punishable
by severe fines) they are attempting to avoid the authorities
by referring to the piece as “a musicale with dramatic interludes.”
They have commissioned a few new songs (music and lyrics by the
Music Hall Royale’s resident conductor Mr. Thomas Purcell,
Esq.) and will then fill out the evening by interpolating songs
from their regular bill of music hall “standards;”
the songs their regular clientele come to hear them perform each
week. But what is truly unique about this brave little company’s
effort is that they are going to allow you, the audience, to vote
on how to end the show! But to say any more might very well spoil
the mystery…
So, join us for what
is sure to be an irreverent, bawdy, and surely, to one degree
or another, improvised evening of song, dance, and histrionics.
Feel free to “boo” and “hiss” the villain
(whoever he or she might be) and “hoot” and “cheer”
the hero (whoever he or she might be) but above all…keep
your eyes open for clues along the way as you vote to solve the
Mystery of Edwin Drooooooooooood-uh!
Dr. Michael Kirkland
Director
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