Three Little Maids
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Three Little Maids: A West End Edwardian Delight
"Three Little Maids" premiered in London’s West End at the Apollo Theatre on May 10, 1902, a quintessential Edwardian musical comedy that ran for 348 performances, later transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre until July 25, 1903. Written and composed by Paul Rubens, with additional songs by Percy Greenbank and Howard Talbot, it was produced by George Edwardes and directed by J.A.E. Malone, with choreography by Willie Warde. Starring Edna May as Edna Branscombe, alongside Delia Mason and later Lily Elsie on tour, the show charmed audiences with its tale of rural innocence meeting urban sophistication. Its success led to a Broadway run in 1903 and international tours, marking it as a lighthearted triumph of its time.
A Journey from Village to Bond Street
The plot follows three curate’s daughters Edna, Hilda, and Ada Branscombe who leave their quiet Market Mallory village for London to work in a Bond Street tea shop. Seeking independence, they encounter three society men Lord Cheyne, Brian Molyneux, and M. de l’Orme who fall for their unspoiled charm. The trio’s freshness outshines their fashionable rivals, including Lady St. Mallory and Mrs. Cheyne-Forbes, in a contest of romance and rivalry. Misadventures ensue, from tea shop flirtations to a grand drawing-room showdown, ending with the girls winning their suitors’ hearts at a ball. This breezy narrative of love and social contrast delighted Edwardian theatregoers with its gentle humor and optimism.
Music That Brewed Edwardian Charm
Paul Rubens’ score, enriched by Greenbank and Talbot’s contributions, bubbles with Edwardian whimsy in songs like “Three Little Maids,” “The Town and Country Mouse,” and “Love, You’re a Wonderful Game.” Conducted by an uncredited maestro, the music blends playful ensemble numbers with romantic duets, such as Edna’s “Do You Think That You Have Known Me Long Enough?” with Brian. Additional tunes like Walter Rubens’ “I’m Only the Caddie” and Talbot’s “When Society Goes Shopping” add variety, though none became lasting standards. The score’s light, melodic charm, paired with Warde’s choreography, fueled the show’s 348-performance run, a testament to its era’s taste for tuneful simplicity.
A Cast of Edwardian Luminaries
Edna May led as Edna Branscombe, her star power radiant after “The Belle of New York,” alongside Delia Mason as Hilda and Ruby Vivienne as Ada replaced later by Ada Reeve in London and Lily Elsie on tour. G.P. Huntley played Lord Cheyne with debonair flair, J. Edward Fraser brought suave appeal as M. de l’Orme, and Fred Wright Jr. charmed as Brian Molyneux. Marie West’s Mrs. Cheyne-Forbes and Frank Lawton’s Rev. Theodore Branscombe added depth. The cast, under Malone’s direction and adorned in C. Wilhelm’s costumes, embodied the Gaiety Theatre’s polished exuberance, their chemistry lifting a tale of tea girls into a West End success.
A Sweet Edwardian Legacy
After its 348-performance West End run, "Three Little Maids" opened at New York’s Garden Theatre on September 1, 1903, for 127 performances, followed by a Daly’s Theatre revival from December 28, 1903, to January 16, 1904, totaling 149 Broadway shows. Tours spanned the UK and beyond, with Elsie’s star rising as a standout. Though it didn’t match the longevity of “Florodora,” its debut outshone peers in 1902, praised by The New York Times as a “rave” hit. Fading from repertoires by the 1920s, it remains a delightful relic of Edwardian musical comedy, its tea shop romance a fragrant sip of West End history.