Learned Judge.
Plaintiff.
Defendant.
Counsel for the Plaintiff.
Usher.
Foreman of the Jury.
Associate.
First Bridesmaid.
[Barristers, attorneys, journeymen, and bridesmaids.]
The scene is laid in a London Court of Justice; time, the nineteenth
century.
The little operetta, "Trial by Jury," was the first result of the
successful collaboration of Gilbert and Sullivan, though it gave little
hint of the extraordinary excellence as well as popularity of the long
list which followed it. "The words and music were written and all the
rehearsals completed within three weeks, and all London went to see it,"
says Sullivan's biographer. It was produced March 25, 1875, and had quite
a run, Frederick Sullivan, Sir Arthur's brother, appearing in the rôle of
the judge and contributing much to its success.
The story is a satire upon the English courts, the incident being a
breach of promise case. Edwin is sued by Angelina. The usher impresses
upon the jury its duty to divest itself of prejudice in one breath, and
in the next seeks to prejudice it against the defendant by most violent
denunciations of him. When Edwin enters he is at once requested by the
jury to "dread our damages." He tells them how he became "the lovesick
boy" first of one and then of another. The jurymen in chorus, while
admitting that they were fickle when young, declare that they are now
respectable and have no sympathy with him. The judge enters, and after
informing the audience how he came to the bench, announces he is ready to
try the breach of promise case. The jury is sworn. Angelina enters,
accompanied by her bridesmaids. The judge takes a great fancy to the
first bridesmaid, and sends her a note, which she kisses rapturously and
places in her bosom. Immediately thereafter the judge transfers his
admiration to the plaintiff, and directs the usher to take the note from
the bridesmaid and give it to Angelina, which he does, while the jurymen
taunt the judge with being a sly dog, and then express their love for her
also. The plaintiff's counsel makes the opening speech, and Angelina
takes the witness-stand, but, feeling faint, falls sobbing on the
foreman's breast, who kisses her as a father. She revives, and then falls
sobbing upon the judge's breast, while the jurymen shake their fists at
the defendant, who comes forward and offers to marry Angelina "to-day and
marry the other to-morrow." The judge thinks it a reasonable proposition,
but the plaintiff's counsel submits that "to marry two at once is
Burglaree." In this dilemma Angelina embraces Edwin rapturously, but he
repels her furiously and throws her into the arms of her counsel. The
jury thereupon becomes distracted, and asks for guidance, whereupon the
judge decides he will marry Angelina himself, to which she gives
enthusiastic consent.
The best numbers in the operetta are the defendant's song, "When first my
Old, Old Love I knew"; the juryman's song, "Oh! I was like that when I
was a Lad"; the judge's song, "When I, Good Friends, was called to the
Bar"; the pretty chorus of the bridesmaids, "Cover the Broken Flower";
the plaintiff's song, "O'er the Season Vernal"; and the defendant's song,
"Oh! Gentlemen, listen, I pray." The London "Times," after the first
performance, said: "There is a genuine humor in the music, as for
instance in the unison chorus of the jurymen, and the clever parody on
one of the most renowned finales of modern Italian opera; and there is
also melody, both catching and fluent, here and there, moreover, set off
by little touches in the orchestral accompaniments which reveal the
experienced hand."
The Sorcerer.
[Comic opera, in two acts; text by Gilbert. First produced at the Opéra
Comique, London, November 18, 1877.]