Our Miss Gibbs

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 18, 15 November 1929, Page 7

Our Miss Gibbs

Excerpts to be Broadcast

A VERY enjoyable evening’s entertainment is in store for 2YA listeners on November 23 in the form of a broadcast of the complete incidental music of "Our Miss Gibbs." This musical comedy, which was recently produced in Wellington by the Amuateur Theatrical Society, proved one of the most successful ever presented by that society. The musical selections are to be presented by the company which originally ‘produced the play, and as its members possess much talent, both vocal and dramatic, listeners will be ensured of a first-class programme. Notable- among the personnel of this company is Miss Joyce Woodward, 2 talented young. soprano whose interpretation of the part of "Our Miss Gibbs" in the recent production of this play evoked much favourable comment among local critics. MARY GIBBS (Our Miss Gibbs), a rather pretty lass from Yorkshire, goes to London and obtains a position in Garrod’s Stores. Her winsome ways and charms attract the attention of everyone, and she becomes a great favourite. Lord Eynsford, under the guise of :a bank clerk by the name of Harry Lancaster, falls in love with Mary. who reciprocates his attentions. Pynsford is engaged to Lady Elizabeth (Betty) Thanet, but he writes to his father, the Earl of St. Ives, a selfmade man, announcing that he intends breaking the engagement. Betty, brimming over for a chance of romance, is really in love with the Hon. Hughie Pierpont, an amateur crook. He manages to rob the Barl of St. Ives of the Ascot Gold Cup, and brings the booty to London and comes to Garrod’s Stores to deposit it in the Safe Deposit. While in the Stores, Slithers, a professional crook, shows Hughie a few easy ways of picking pockets. Timothy Gibbs, cousin of Mary, then arrives, looking for Mary, and Hughie endeavours to pick Tim’s pocket. Hughie hurries from the department, taking Tim’s bag in mistake for his own. . ADAME JEANNE, a modiste of Garrod’s, comes to the department, and Tim endeavours to win Jennne’s affections by .giving her presents from Yorkshire from his bag, but on opening his bag. brings forth burglar’s tools and the gold cup, whereupon Jeanne indignantly refuses to have anything to do with him. Slithers comes upon the scene and persuades Tim to put the cup in the Safe Deposit. This is done, and Slithers takes the key and Tim has the number, which is 50408. Slithers persuades Tim that one cannot get the cup without the other. Mr. Toplady, the manager of Garrod’s, who has a certain amount of uffection for Jeanne, naturally resents Tim, but when he realises that he is Mary’s cousin endeavours to make himself ingratiating. . Mary and Tim meet, and Mary tells of her love for the bank clerk, Tim gives his approval.

[THE Duchess of Minster, the mother ' of Betty, hears of the attentions being paid by Bynsford (the bank clerk); to Mary and endeavours to buy off Mary’s. affections. Mary, not realising that Bynsford ‘is Harry, tells the Duchess that she means to marry a bank clerk and ro other. Bynsford hearing of this is overjoyed, but when Mary finds that he is really a Lord, and not a bank clerk, she throws him over. Mrs. Farquhar, an impecunious woman of fashion, and a friend of Mary’s, is determined to bring the two together. The first act concludes with an impassioned appeal from JHynsford to Mary to forgive the deception, but Mary is adamant, and refuses to forgive. The scene of the first act takes place in "Garrad’s Stores," London, and introduces many novelties and dances, mmongst the outstanding being the "Hats" song by Jeanne and ballet; a sextet by the six ‘tdudes," friends of Eynsford, another sextet by the six friends of Lady Betty ; and numbers by Hughie, Timothy, Mary and _ Betty, and concludes with a finale by the whole company. : THE second act takes place in the Court of Honour in the White City Exhibition, London, and opens with fine chorus work by the whole company, and introduces three = Irish Colleens, with song and dance by the ballet. The Warl of St. Ives is giving a fete in honour of his son’s engagement, but finds that Eynsford will not yield: The Earl is introduced to Mary by Mrs. Farquhar; not knowing that Mary is the girl with whom Eynsford is in loye, the Karl is won by her charm. Tim is also introduced to the Karl, who tells Tim of his loss of the Gold Cup wd also of what consequences would be inflicted on the thief. Tim is terrorstricken, and tries to find Shithers. In the meantime Hughie comes across Slithers, who tells him that he cun procure ‘the cup for a small sum of £500. Hughie hands over the amount with the promise of the cup to be delivered

shortly, Tim is told by Slithers, that the bloodhounds are on the scent; and is persuaded to change into a disguise, which in one case is a bathing costume, and, the crowd seeing. him running, mistake him for Dorando, a runner in the marathon, and ‘chair him as the winner. On finding out the mistake they throw him into the lake. After emerging from his ducking, he disguises himself as a bath-chair attendant, and has an escapade with the Duchess and Toplady and Jeanne. Slithers meets Tim again, and tells him of his good fortune with the cup, and gives him half of the amount that Hughie had handed over. Tim thereupon gives the cup to the Harl, Mary .is persuaded to forgive Hynsford, and the play ends happily. Mary has Bynsford and Lady Betty has Hughie, much to the chagrin of the Duchess, but to the joy of everyone else concerned.