The Desert Song - 1958
by permission of Samuel French Ltd.
Music by Sigmund Romberg
Book and Lyrics by Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II and Frank Mandel
Production Team
Producer - Ian Webster
Musical Director - James McRae, L.T.C.L.
Dancing Mistress - Gillean Dickson
Characters
Sid el Kar - Henry McCombe
Mindar - Thomas Pegg
Hassi - Jim Harvey
Hadji - Bob Munro
Neri - Dianne Pegg
Pierre Birabeau - William McRuvie
Benjamin Kidd - Kenneth Harvey
Azuri - Margaret Wyper
Capt. Paul Fontaine - Jim Caullay
La Vergne - Alistair Currie
Susan - Cathie Wilson
Edith - Myra Cook
Margot Bonvalet - Nan Tait
General Birabeau - Robert Munro
Clementina - Eileen Richards
Ali Ben Ali - Phil Hartley
Ladies of the Chorus
J. Adam, L. Anderson, M. Cook, F. Doyle, M. Gray, M. Griffiths, I. Hartley, M. McCallum, M. McCombe, J. McLeod, D. Pegg, M. Scott, M. Smith, C. Stirling, J. Tollins
Gentlemen of the Chorus
I. Craik, J. Craig, A. Currie, J. Devlin, H. Gray, P. Hartley, J. Harvey, J. Kane, P. Lowe, T. Pegg, J. Tait, D. Waters, J. Wyper
Dancers
C. Barrett, H. Dunne, A. Hutchinson, M. McKay, M. McRuvie, C. Murphy, K. Pegg, J. Reid
Stage Manager - Ken Denton
Hon. Accompanist - Fiona Stewart
Lighting - David Roberts
Property Mistress - Helen Lindsay
Wardrobe Mistresses - Mary Griffiths
Leader of the Orchestra - Jack Nugent
Prompts - Ann Shearer, Christine Thompson
Make-up - Sheila Munro
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Synopsis of Music and Scenes
Act I
Scene 1 - Mountain Hideout of The Red Shadow - Evening
Opening Chorus and "Drinking Song" - Sid el Kar and Chorus
"Riff Song" - Red Shadow and Chorus
"Drinking Song" - Sid el Kar and Chorus
"Margot" - Paul and Chorus of Soldiers
Scene 2 - Outside General Birabeau's House - Same Evening
"I'll be a Buoyant Girl" - Susan
Scene 3 - Room in the General's House - A little later
"French Marching Song" - Margot, General and Chorus
"Romance" - Margot, General and Chorus
Trio
"It" - Benny and Susan
"The Desert Song" - Red Shadow and Margot
Finale Act I - The Company
Act II
Scene 1 - The Harem of Ali Ben Ali
Opening Chorus
The Song of the Brass Key - Clementina
Eastern and Western Love
Let Love Come - Ali Ben Ali
One Flower - Sid el Kar
One Alone - Red Shadow and Margot
Scene 2 - A Corridor in the Harem
Scene 3 - The room of the Silken Couch
"Sabre Song" - Margot
Reprise of "The Desert Song" - Red Shadow and Margot
Scene 4 - The Edge of the Desert
Reprise of "One Alone" - Red Shadow, Sid, Hassi and men
Scene 5 - Courtyard of the General's House
Opening Chorus "All Hail" - Girls
I Want a Kiss - Paul
Reprise of "The Desert Song" - Margot, General and Chorus
"It" - Benny, Susan and Chorus
Finale - The Company
East Kilbride Light Opera Club Committee
Hon. President - Sir Patrick Dollan, D.L, LL.B, J.P.
Hon. Vice-President - Alex McWilliam
President - Jack Tait
Vice-President - James McCourt
Secretary - Hugh Gray
Treasurer - John Britt
Committee
Margaret McCallum, Margaret McCombe, Margaret Wyper, Phil Hartley, Robert Munro, Thomas Pegg, John Pirie.
Performance Details
3rd March - 8th March 1958
Duncanrig Secondary School,
East Kilbride
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The Desert Song tells the romantic story of a brave Foreign Legion Officer who secretly helps the cause of the Riff people in North Africa against the injustices of some of his own French officers. In doing so he becomes a legend to the Riffs and a glamorous hero of the French ladies at the post.
The play opens in the Red Shadow's hideout in the hills, with his Riff band enjoying a relaxation with drink and song. Suddenly the sentry cries out in the warning that the French are approaching. Red Shadow and his men withdraw, knowing that Captain Paul Fontaine will not allow them to return. He wants to capture the Red Shadow so that not only will he earn merit in the Legion but he will appear more brave and romantic in the eyes of the lovely Margot of France. However, each time he endeavours to show off his charms, Red Shadow manages to upset the lovemaking by appearing as Pierre the faint-hearted son of the commander of the post. Unfortunately, Azuri, a native girl in ove with Captain Paul discovers the secret of Red Shadow and Pierre and manages to get General Birabeau and the Legion to the harem of Ali Ben Ali, a most powerful sheik, where the Red Shadow and the Riffs are sheltering. Light relief is given by an amusing newspaperman, Bennie, the romantic ideal of General Birabeau's ward Susan, especially when he gets involved with Clementia the leader of a troupe of Spanish dancers at the harem.
When the General meets Red Shadow he challenges him to fight, but as Red Shadow he challenges him to a fight, but as Red Shadow cannot the Riffs demand he give up the leadershi of the band. This he does in a sad farewell scene at the edge of the desert. Mad with jealousy of Margot, Azuri becomes intoxicated and when collecting her reward from the General, tells him Red Shadow and Pierre are one. A happy ending follows with father and son re-united and Margot and Pierre singing the lilting song "All alone"