The Vagabond King - 1979
by arrangement with Samuel French Ltd.
Music by Rudolf Friml
Book and Lyrics by W.H. Post and Brian Hooker
A musical play founded upon Justin Huntly McCarthy's Romance, "If I were King"
Production Team
Producer - Jack Tait
Musical Director - S. Gordon Lang
Choreographer - Douglas Gray
Characters in order of appearance
Rene de Montigny - Bill Walker
Margot (Taverness) - Mary Smith
Hugnette de Ilamel - Elizabeth Rennie
Guy Tabarie - Denis Hannigan
Tristan L'Hermite - Edward Peirce
Louis XI - David Hughes
Francois Villon - Leonard Johnson
Katherine de Vaucelles - Nan Tait
Captain of the Scotch Archers - Colin Thomas
Thibaut D'Aussigny - Bill Struthers
An Astrologer - Andrew Tayloi
Noel le Jolys - Allan Smith
Lady Mary - Elaine Anderson
Oliver Le Dain - Martin Shelley
Toison D'Or, Burgundian Herald - Robert McDermott
The Queen - Frances Baird
Ladies of the Chorus
Sheena Brough, Isabel Davidson, Frances Doyle, Aileen Finlay, Anne Harris, Maureen Hughes, Betty McAulay, Barbara McElroy, Rona MacGregor, Heather Miller, Eileen Montgomery, Pauline Moscardini, Mary Perrie, Betty Roberts, Anne Robertson, Carol Smith, Gillian Smith, Morag Wilson.
Gentlemen of the Chorus
Jack Allan, Bruce Arthur, Tom Borland, Robbie Crawford, Gordon Hughes, David Johnson, Peter King, Jim Maxwell, Robert McDermott, Harry McLarnon, Bill Roberts, Harry Sheridan, David Smith, Andrew Taylor, Philip Trainor, Gilbert Wedgewood.
Dancers
Morag Arthur, Lesley Baird, Sandra Goodfellow, Carol Hannigan, Margaret Hay, Joan Shelley, Ann Sinclair, Mairi Sleele, Bruce Arthur. Gordon Hughes, Jim Maxwell, Philip Trainor.
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Synopsis of Acts
The entire action takes place in Old Paris at the time of King Louis XI.
Act I - The Fir Cone Tavern
Act II - The Gardens at the Court of King Louis XI.
Scene I The Balcony, that night.
Scene 2 The Gardens, next morning.
Scene 3 The Masque in the Gardens, that evening.
Act III - The Place de Greve
Musical Synopsis
Act I
"Life is Like a Bubble in our Glasses" - Rene and Chorus
"Love for Sale" - Hugnette, Chorus and Dancers
"Drinking Song" - Tabarie and Male Chorus
"Song of the Vagabonds" - Villon and Chorus
"Some Day" - Katherine
"Only a Rose" - Katherine and Villon
Fight Music and Finale, Act I - Entire Company
Act II
"Hunting" - Noel, Chorus and Dancers
Scotch Archer's Song - Captain and Archers
"Tomorrow" - Villon, Katherine and Chorus
Finale, Act II Scene 2 - Entire Company
"Nocturne" - Ensemble
"Tarantella" - Dancers
"Serenade" - Tabarie, Oliver and Lady Mary
Hugnette Walt/ - llugnette, Noel and Dancers
"Love me Tonight" - Katherine and Villon
Finale Act II - Entire Company
Act III
"Te Deum Laudamus" - Ensemble
Victory March - Entire Company
Finale Act III - Entire Company
Stage Manager - David Waters
Club Accompanist - Nan McKechnie
Lighting - Carrick McGhie
Property Master - Jack McElroy
Wardrobe Mistress - Edna Porter
Leader of Orchestra - Andrew Wilson
Prompter - Isa Hornal
East Kilbride Light Opera Club Committee
Hon President - Hugh C. Gray
Hon. Vice-President - W. Gordon McNay, OBE
President - William Struthers
Vice-President - Tom Borland
Secretary - Elaine Anderson
Treasurer - Nancy Hughes
Committee - Jack Tait, Elizabeth Struthers, Bill Walker, Martin Shelley, Morag Arthur, Gordon Hughes
Performance Details
2nd, 3rd, 5th - 10th March
The Village Theatre,
East Kilbride
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"The Vagabond King", which is founded upon Justin Huntly McCarthy's
stirring romance "If I Were King", takes us back to the fifteenth century. At the
time of the action of the play, Paris is under siege by the Burgundian Army and
King Louis XI is at a loss to know how to defeat the Duke of Burgundy and his
all-conquering army.
To try to ascertain how loyal the people of Paris are to the throne, Louis has
taken to frequenting the lower haunts of Paris, where he can pick up gossip about
himself and his court.
One night he finds himself at the Fir Cone Tavern, a haunt of the underworld
of Old Paris. The presiding genius of the tavern is the vagabond poet, Francois
Villon, and as Louis sits listening to the conversation he becomes intrigued by
Villon and his fiery description of what he would do if he were King.
The story goes on to tell how Louis bargains with the bragging poet and
offers to make him King for a day, during which time Villon must win the love of
the Lady Katherine de Vaucelles, whom he adores, or die on the gallows. Villon
accepts the King's terms. Louis appoints him his new Grand Marshall, and as Count
Montcorbier he is not recognised as the vagabond leader by his old associates - or
Katherine.
Burgundy is defeated, but Villon high-mindedly stipulates that he shall win
the lady, not in the role of Grand Marshall, but as he really is. He reveals his
identity to Katherine, who scornfully rejects him, and the King demands that
Villon's life is thereby forfeit, and the scaffold is prepared ........
