TIME PERIOD: 1895 PLACE: London, England
PROLOGUE: London/The Music Hall Royale/1895
The Chairman and the Company begin chatting with the crowd, welcoming and introducing the audience to the show and explaining how they will be voting to determine the outcome of the performance: The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
This story was originally a novel written by the author Charles Dickens. However, Dickens passed away before finishing the ending.
Song: “There You Are”
Watch For: Company members in the audience, live music, shouting, gavel tapping
SCENE 1: John Jasper’s Home/Minor Canon Corner/Cloisterham/1870
This story begins with John Jasper, being played by Clive Paget. Jasper, the choirmaster of Cloisterham Cathedral, explains how he could go quite mad, when left to his own thoughts. We are then introduced to Jasper’s nephew, Edwin Drood being played by Miss Alice Nutting. Edwin is engaged to Rosa and they have been promised to each other by their deceased fathers. Jasper staggers back and collapses onto furniture. Jasper confides in Edwin that he has been taking medicine for pain.
Jasper and Edwin reflect on how close and bonded they are and that they only have each other. We also learn that Rosa, like Edwin, is an orphan.
Song: “A Man Could Go Quite Mad” & “Two Kinsmen”
Watch For: Elaboration of negative thoughts
SCENE 2: Conservatory/The Nun’s House
Rosa is played by Miss Deirdre Peregrine. Today is Rosa’s birthday and once she is married to Edwin, they will depart for Egypt. As Rosa’s tutor, Jasper has composed a song for her to sing. However,
Rosa does not believe that would be proper.
At the insistence of Jasper, Rosa sings a romantically suggestive song. When she starts to sing it again, she is so frightened that she collapses. Helena, played by Miss Janet Conover, rushes to her aid with her twin brother Neville, played by Mr. Victor Grinstead.
Reverend Crisparkle, played by Mr. Cedric Moncrieffe, explains that Neville Landless has joined Crisparkle in Cloisterham to calm his hot-tempered nature after losing their mother and step-father recently. Neville does not need to be consoled and says that if his abusive step-father hadn’t died when he did, he might have killed him himself.
Neville would like to meet Edwin and see who is worthy of Rosa’s affection.
Helena and Rosa become fast friends. Helena suggests that Jasper is in love with Rosa and that terrifies her.
Song: “Moonfall” & “Quartet Reprise: Moonfall”
Watch For: Shouting, crying
SCENE 3: Opium Den/East End of London/Dawn
The opium den, a place full of prostitution, burglary, violence, and murder is run by Princess Puffer, played by Miss Angela Prysock. She paints the picture of the darker side of London.
Jasper is revealed to be a patron here in Bed Eleven. He is requesting wine and opium. Jasper begins hallucinating and Edwin appears. Jasper strangles Edwin’s apparition while Jasper is being seduced by succubae. Rosa appears in Jasper’s fantasy and Jasper calls out Rosa Bud’s name, which is noticed by Puffer.
Song: “The Wages of Sin” & “Smoke Ballet”
Watch For: Company member in audience, audience participation, yelling, simulation of drug and alcohol use, choking, adult interactions
SCENE 4: Cloisterham High Street
Crisparkle greets Mayor Thomas Sapsea. But, he does not appear. In his place is the stage manager, Throttle. The actor who is supposed to play Sapsea, James Hitchens, is indisposed from his time at the local bar. The Chairman, Mr. William Cartwright, will be playing the mayor.
Neville inquires about Edwin and Rosa’s plans for Egypt. When Edwin insists on using the Egyptian pyramids as material for paving stones, Neville and Helena voice their concerns about British colonization. The others voice their concerns about Neville and Helena emigrating to England.
Jasper and the Chairman/Sapsea are confused. About playing two roles and the “two-sided Neville Landless.”
We follow Durdles, played by Nick Cricker, and his assistant, Deputy, played by Nick’s son to the graveyard.
Song: “Ceylon/A British Subject” & “Both Sides of the Coin”
Watch For: Rhythmic clapping
SCENE 5: Cloisterham Cathedral Cemetery/ Christmas Eve
Jasper, Durdles, and Deputy are in the cemetery. Jasper has Durdles’ keyring. However, Mayor Sapsea’s wife’s tomb key is missing. Jasper runs off to prepare Christmas dinner.
Edwin and Rosa are discussing how they both know they don’t want to be married to each other and call off their wedding. They feel too much like brother and sister to get married. Rosa gives Drood her mother’s clasp and she does not want Jasper to know the wedding is off, yet.
Song: “Perfect Strangers”
Watch For: Sound effects: creaking door and footsteps, simulated choking, shouting “Murder!”
SCENE 6: Jasper’s Home/Christmas Eve
We learn that Crisparkle was once engaged to Rosa’s mother. However, he was too “angular” for her. Shortly after Rosa was born her mother slipped off a cliff into the waves.
Neville is overly helpful to Rosa and Edwin does not like that.
The party ends and everyone goes their separate ways
before the storm gets too bad.
Song: “No Good Can Come From Bad”
Watch For: Thunder, lightning
SCENE 7: Minor Canon Corner/Christmas Day
Rosa is convinced that something terrible has happened to Edwin. Crisparkle insists on not worrying until his assistant Bazzard gives them a report. “No news.”
Jasper says that Neville was last seen fleeing the district, making him suspect number one. The coat that Edwin was wearing has been found in tatters and covered in blood by the river. Bazzard laments on how he never gets a large part.
Neville is brought forward and accused of the murder of Edwin. However, Helena points out that without a body to prove Edwin is dead, her brother cannot be convicted of murder. The Chairman advises not to jump to conclusions.
Song: “Never the Luck” & “Off to the Races”
Watch For: Dogs barking, shouting, restrained actor, cymbal crashes
ENTR’ACTE: Music Hall Royale
The troupe stresses the importance and entertainment of the English Music Hall. The audience’s vote will be counted to solve “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”
Song: “An English Music Hall”
Watch For: Company members in the audience, gavel tapping
SCENE 1: Cloisterham Station/Night/Six Months Later
Six months later Edwin is still missing and Puffer is investigating. She is following Datchery, an investigator played by the same actor that played Edwin.
Song: “Settling Up the Score”
Watch For: Train sound effects, eerie music
Datchery speaks to the people of the town and learns that Jasper is violent. Puffer is looking for Jasper.
Jasper attempts to continue music lessons with Rosa. But, she does not want to have anything to do with Jasper. He is forceful and threatening once again. Puffer has been listening to their conversation and now has a piece to this puzzle. But, here is where Charles Dickens has laid down his pen and not finished his story.
Song: “The Name of Love & Moonfall Reprise” & “Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead”
Watch For: Restrained actor, cymbal crashes, gavel tapping
The mystery of Edwin’s death is to be solved with the help of the audience!
There are three separate voting events in Act II of DROOD: the election of the evening’s Datchery, the determination of the Murderer, and the selection of the Lovers.
Watch For: Company members in the audience, audience participation, shouting, adult language, gong, tapping gavel, murder reenactment, “boos” and “hisses”