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The chorus is easily augmented by involving more kitchenmaids, suffragettes, bathers, etc. This gives the show a useful versatility, in that, for example, it is easily adapted for schools.
Musically, there is a good mixture of styles and tempi. The two romantic ballads are a Tom/Lucy duet My girl and Tom’s solo When I’m alone at night. There are eight chorus numbers – Below stairs, Votes for women, I am a very fine cook, High days and holidays, Ridiculogical, The stage is no place for a decent girl, One brief moment and the rousing march When our boys come marching home. Mr Town, the butler, has Order in our lives and social climber Edward the charming Would you like to take a little walk with me.
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Synopsis
This is a believable show about life below stairs in a large London home in 1914. The story revolves around the life of Lucy Ambleside, a ladies maid. She is a bright, intelligent young woman with a will to succeed and a gift for mimicry. Lucy has ideas above her station and uses her talents to appear at a society ball dressed as an American heiress where she meets the Hon Edward Waterflower, an apparent gentleman but not all he seems.
Having always wanted to appear on the Music Hall, she auditions on her day off and gets an occasional spot with a local impresario. Here, thanks to her personality and mimicry skills, Lucy becomes Arlette, the lady from Paris. However, she is caught by butler Mr Town creeping in late from the theatre and dismissed without references.With nowhere to go, she returns to the theatre and becomes a full-time performer.
Local bobby PC Tom Snodgrasse, who is in love with Lucy, tries to find her after she is sacked but fails and enlists in the army. On his last night, he goes to the Music Hall and recognises her on stage as Arlette. They spend his last night together before he goes off to war, where he is posted missing in action.
Next, Lucy finds herself pregnant. For the dénouement, why not send for the script ....
Below Stairs requires a minimum cast of 12. Excluding minor roles, there are named parts for six females (one early teens) and eight males (one also early teens). The premiere had a cast of two dozen, a comfortable number, and subsequent productions about the same.
The most demanding role is that of ladies maid Lucy. Apart from excellent acting and singing ability, she must be capable of speaking with convincing ‘London’, American, posh and French accents. And in her alter ego as the French entertainer Arlette, she is also required to sing with a French accent.
In the first production, the chorus had 12 ladies, three of whom also had named cameo parts. There were six men, all playing small roles as well.
The chorus is easily augmented by involving more kitchenmaids, suffragettes, bathers, etc. This gives the show a useful versatility, in that, for example, it is easily adapted for schools.
Musically, there is a good mixture of styles and tempi. The two romantic ballads are a Tom/Lucy duet My girl and Tom’s solo When I’m alone at night. There are eight chorus numbers – Below stairs, Votes for women, I am a very fine cook, High days and holidays, Ridiculogical, The stage is no place for a decent girl, One brief moment and the rousing march When our boys come marching home. Mr Town, the butler, has Order in our lives and social climber Edward the charming Would you like to take a little walk with me.