The Sunshine Girl

Recently Updated

The Sunshine Girl: A West End Edwardian Romance

"The Sunshine Girl" premiered at London’s Gaiety Theatre in the West End on February 24, 1912, a quintessential Edwardian musical comedy that ran for 336 performances until January 11, 1913. With a book by Paul A. Rubens and Cecil Raleigh, music by Rubens, and additional lyrics by Arthur Wimperis, this George Edwardes production starred Phyllis Dare, George Grossmith Jr., and Edmund Payne. Set in the fictional Port Sunshine, it introduced the tango to British audiences and later danced its way to Broadway in 1913. A tale of love, disguise, and soap factory shenanigans, it captures the era’s lighthearted theatrical charm.

A Tale of Disguise and Devotion

The story revolves around Delia Dale, a worker at the Sunshine Soap Factory, who loves Vernon Blundell, a humble employee secretly heir to the business. Bound by an inheritance clause forbidding engagement for five years, Vernon persuades his friend, Lord Bicester nicknamed “Bingo” to pose as the factory head while he remains incognito. Complications arise when Bingo’s fiancée, Lady Rosabelle, and ex-cabman Floot recognize him, threatening exposure. Floot, on a walking wager from Land’s End to John o’ Groats, blackmails Bingo into making him manager. Amid tangled lies and a climactic ball, Vernon and Delia’s love prevails, proving no rule can thwart true affection.

Music That Brightened the Stage

Paul Rubens’ score, enriched by Wimperis’ lyrics, sparkles with numbers like “Little Girl, Mind How You Go,” “The Argentine,” and “I’ve Been to the Durbar,” reflecting Edwardian whimsy and the tango’s exotic allure. Conducted by Augustus Barratt, the music blended romantic duets such as Delia and Bingo’s “Wouldn’t It Be Jolly?” with comedic gems like Floot’s “The Art of Being Lazy.” While not enduring hits, the songs fueled the show’s gaiety, complemented by the Gaiety Girls’ radiant chorus. The score’s charm lay in its simplicity, perfectly suiting the era’s taste for breezy entertainment.

A Cast of Gaiety Luminaries

Phyllis Dare led as Delia Dale, her youthful grace enchanting audiences, while George Grossmith Jr. brought dapper mischief to Lord Bicester. Edmund Payne’s Floot added slapstick hilarity, paired with Connie Ediss as his wife, Brenda Blacker. Olive May shone as Lady Rosabelle, and Mabel Sealby played Marie Silvaine with poise. Directed by J.A.E. Malone, the cast embodied Edwardes’ flair for star power and spectacle, their chemistry driving the show’s 336-performance run. Their talents bridged the script’s froth with genuine warmth, a hallmark of Gaiety Theatre’s golden age.

A Sunshine Legacy

After its West End triumph, "The Sunshine Girl" opened at New York’s Knickerbocker Theatre on February 3, 1913, for 181 performances, starring Vernon Castle. Its Port Sunshine setting modeled on the real-life Port Sunlight nodded to industrial optimism, while its tango introduction marked a cultural milestone. Though it faded from repertoires post-Broadway, its 1912 run outshone many peers, reflecting Edwardes’ knack for polished escapism. A product of its time, it remains a delightful echo of the West End’s Edwardian heyday, where love and laughter bloomed under theatrical sunshine.