1970 the desert song

Gaiety Theatre Dublin D ire c to rs .

E a m o n n A n d r e w * , L o r c a n B o u r k e F r e d O 'D o n o w a n , D e r / n o d C a f f * r k y

THE RATHMINES AND RATHGAR MUSICAL SOCIETY presents

THE DESERT SONG OPENING 10th MARCH, 1970

w A GAIETY E V E m FIRST ACT Meet in the Gaiety. Have a drink in com fort before the show.

Bars open 7.30 p.m. Order and pay fo r drinks fo r the interval.

INTERVAL Y our drinks are ready and waiting for you at your table.

Y ou’ re saved time and trouble.

ENCORE Relax after the show.

Have a drink. The bars are always open for half an hour after curtain fall.

PTMAT F

W e trust you enjoyed your Gaiety evening come again! o

Licenced Bars on all Floors.

GAIETY SOUTH

THEATRE

KING STREET, DUBLIN

Telegrams “GAIETY DUBLIN”

t

Telephone 771717

Resident Manager : JOE KEARNS NIGHTLY 8 p.m.

MATINEES 3 p.m.

OPENING TUESDAY, 10th MARCH, 1970

THE RATHMINES AND RATHGAR MUSICAL SOCIETY presents

THE DESERT SONG Book and Lyrics by OTTO HARBACH, OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN & FRANK MANDEL Music by SIGMUND ROMBERG by arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH LTD. Musical Director TERRY O’CONNOR, L.R.A.M. Choreographer ALICE DALGARNO Settings designed & executed by ROBERT HEADE Ladies’ and Riffs’ Costumes by BABS DE MONTE of STUDIO ROYALE M ilitary Costumes by GINGS. Production by

JAMES BELCHAMBER

Cork gin fits in Call for a Cork D ry G in and enjoy th e unique and pleasurable taste of one of the finest gins in the w o rld . . w hichever way you ask for i t . . w hatever th e occasion . . Cork G in fits in.

THE DESERT SONG The Desert Song, with its haunting music by Sigmund Romberg, tells the stormy story of lovely wayward Margot Bonvalet who, although engaged to marry Captain Paul Fontaine of the Foreign Legion, dreams of a more romantic lover, express­ ing her thoughts in the first set in the beautiful ‘Romance’ number.

Pierre Birabeau, son of the Governor of the Province, is also in love with Margot but she, not knowing of his exciting double life, despises what she calls his faintheartedness and is fascinated by the daredevilry of the Red Shadow, who is adored by his men, only one of whom, Hassi, is aware of his real identity.

General Birabeau is determined to wipe out the Red Shadow and his band and Pierre, after eight years of outlawry, is in a tight corner.

There suddenly arrives in the Riff’s camp a news­ paper correspondent Benjamin Kidd, friend of Pierre, whose secretary is Susan, ward of the Governor. Bennie, frightened of the Riffs, tells them Pierre’s real name. Azuri, a native dancing girl, in love with Captain Fontaine swears revenge on Margot and the play builds up to an exciting climax.

The Desert Song’s first production was in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on April 7th, 1927 when Edith Day played Margot and Harry Welchman, Pierre. The show ran for 452 performances there and in the years between has been produced continuously, being voted one of the best-loved musicals of all time.

James Belchamber, feeling however, that this musical has now become a period piece, has directed it within the framework of a Prologue and an Epilogue. He has decided to date the play in the mid nineteen thirties

THE DESERT SONG CAST Sid El Kar

ARTHUR VENABLES

Mindar

JOHN CONROY

Hassi

TONY SWEENY

Benjamin Kidd

PAT CAMPBELL

Captain Paul Fontaine

FRED GRAHAM

Azuri

DOLORES DELAHUNTY

Lieutenant La Vergne

NIALL ANDREWS

Sergeant Du Boussac

PAT O’DONOVAN

Margot Bonvaiet

LOUISE STUDLEY

General Birabeau

FINTAN CORISH

RIFFS, FREN CH SOLDIERS, SPANISH DANCERS, A ZURI DANCER S E T C .: Audrey Behan, Fidelma Byrne, Aline Carville, Phil Clune, M aura Cox, Bronach Crawford, M argaret C reed, Ann Crossan, Barbara Donnelly, Rita Finan, M aeve Flood, Collette Furlong, Barbara Graham, Ena Harrold, Nuala Kealy, Noelle Kennedy, Sheila M olloy, Brenda Murphy, Angela MoBrien, M ary McCann, M ary M cCoubrey, Mary Neville, Dorothy O ’Gorman, Maura O ’Doherty, Mary Roche, Carm el Shaw, Doreen Sheridan, Eva Staveley, Shirley Sweeney, Florence Staunton, Ann W alsh, Joan W alsh, Sally Young.

Joe Bevan, Peter Callan, Niall Dungan, Jim Fleming, Brendan Freir, M ichael Gallagher, Patrick G ibbs, James Kelly, John Maguire, Brendan Muldowney, Fergal Murphy, Tommy O ’Dwyer, Bill Twamley, Paschal W alsh, Pat Lawlor, Noel Byrne, Clem Ryan.

CR EDITS

Pierre Birabeau

BRENDAN McSHANE

Susan

HEATHER HEWSON

Edith

URSULA GORMLEY

Ali Ben Ali

BASIL HOLLAND

Miss Hewson's hair by THUILLERS, Dawson Street.

Miss Studley’s hair by THE V E N IC E ROOM, South County Hotel.

Jodphurs by W ILLIA M HAW KINS, Cavendish Row. Cigars & Cigarettes by PL A Y E R /W ILL S LTD.

For Gaiety Theatre

Stage Manager Asst. Stage Manager Chief Electrician

: :

P. JONES GEORGE McFALL S. BURKE

FOR R A THM IN ES AND RATHGAR M U SIC A L SO CIETY

Stage Director .......................... ....................... SEAMUS O’NEILL Assistant Stage Directors

Clementina

MARY BRENNAN

DAPHNE MILLAR, SIOBHAN HILL, NORA O’ROURKE Chorus Master .......................... ............................ ROBERT DALY

Neri

CAROL HEDIGAN

Hadji

FRED TAYLOR

Abdul

RON EVANS

Nogi

FERGUS O’NEILL

Honorary Secretary ................. ............................ CLEM P. RYAN Honorary T re a s u re r ................. ................... THOMAS MURTAGH Director of P u b lic ity ................ .................... GLADYS MacNEVIN Wardrobe M a s te r ...................... ................................ PAT LAWLOR Wardrobe Mistress ................... ............................ MARY McCANN

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES PROLOGUE

A film studio in Hollywood, 1934.

THE FILM

PART ONE The retreat of the Red Shadow in the Riff mountains of Morocco.

PART TWO A fort of the French Foreign Legion, Kenitra, Morocco— outside the married quarters.

PART THREE The fort. A patio, outside General Birabeau’s house.

INTERLUDE, to re-load the magazine.

PART FOUR An encampment by the pass of Mahomet in the Riff mountains (between French Morocco and Spanish M orocco).

PART FIVE Outside the Caid’s harem.

PART SIX The room of the silken couch in the harem.

PART SEVEN. At Ouazazatte— the last oasis.

PART EIGHT The fort. Overlooking the harbour at Kenitra.

EPILO G U E

The film studio.

RAY MacANALLY

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- GODFREY

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^ Opening Tuesday, > 21st April, 1970 § m N V A m n S A1I1M - 1V O I z

^ ^kivacfo (P . Gibbons, President)

NIGHT CLUB AND

DISCOTHEQUE

15 Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2 Phones 67654, 63841, 63641

Seeyou downstairs a t Jonathan’s o f c o u rs e !

In D ublin the place to go is Jonathan's.

The menu is fu ll o f unique dishes.

No wonder it 's where you find Dublin people enjoying life by day. . . and n ig h t-tim e too: pre o r a fte r Theatre, dinner in the excitin g and unusual atmosphere o f Downstairs Jonathans is something to remember.

N ig h t-tim e Downstairs savour the superior cuisine, wine and dance to the early hours in the Discotheque.

OF GRAFTON STREET “ A N E W EXPERIENCE IN EATIN G OUT” PHONE 777170 or 772548 FOR RESERVATIONS.

JONATHANS

If yo u h a ve n't d in e d to n ig h t in th e D olp hin Inn b e fo re th e show, n ip a ro u n d for a th e a tre s u pp er a fte r I t

T h e night Is still young (an d w e â&#x20AC;&#x2122;re fully licen sed until 12 p.m .)

X

BOLSmiKK Street, Dublin 2.

Ring 778283 at the Interval for a table.

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Are you about to be a bride, ora parent ofa bride, or a friend of a bride, orafriendof aparentof a bride, or both?

If you are, here's some Information you'll find very useful. The Country Club Hotel, Portmarnock, la a wonderful place for a wedding breakfast.

Phone or w rite for d eta ils: Banqueting Manager,

Cowjtry Club cRotel Pormarnook, Co. Dublin. Tel. 350611.

Palm Grove Delicious Ice Cream Now on Sale in this Theatre

Perri Crisps The Fastest Selling Crisps in the Country P rin te d by E lo P ress L td.. D ublin 8.