The original West End production opened at the London Pavilion on 17 September 1919 and ran for 300 performances. It featured Marie Burke, Alice Delysia, Strafford Moss, John Humphries, Lupino Lane, Harry Welchman and Leon Morton, and its cast recording was the first original cast recording of a musical at the Pavilion.[1] The Broadway production, directed by Frank Collins, opened on 8 November 1920 at the Central Theatre and ran for 168 performances. It starred Irving Beebee as Don Juan, Jr. and Delysia as Zaydee.
Synopsis
Scene from London production, 1919
Setting: Courtyard of the Palace of the Moor, Afgar; The Harem of the Palace; unknown country in an unknown time long ago, most likely in the Maghreb (Northern Africa) or the Iberian Peninsula (Spain or Portugal)
Don Juan, Jr. has been imprisoned within sight of a Moorish harem to punish him for being too flirtatious. The favorite harem girl, Zaydee, who likes the Don, organizes a strike of the harem girls, demanding his release and one husband for each girl. The strike succeeds, and all ends happily.
Song list
Act I
Give the Devil His Due - Don Juan, Jr.
Rose of Seville - Isilda
Live for Love - Zaydee
Man from Mexico - Coucourli
Caresses - Zaydee
Why Don't You? (Lyrics By Joseph McCarthy, music By Harry Tierney) - Zaydee
Act II
United We Stand - Coucourli, Houssain and Chorus
We're the Gentlemen of the Harem - Coucourli, Lord Afgar, Don Juan, Jr. and Chorus
Sunshine Valley - Isilda
Where Art Thou, Romeo? (Lyrics By Joseph McCarthy; music By Harry Tierney) - Zaydee
Garden of Make Believe - Zaydee
I Hate the Lovely Women (Lyrics By Joseph McCarthy; music By Harry Tierney) - Coucourli
Ceremony of Veils - Zaydee, Isilda, Houssain and Chorus
