The Vicar of Bray (opera)

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The Vicar of Bray is a comic opera by Sydney Grundy and Edward Solomon, which opened at the Globe Theatre, in London, on July 22, 1882, for a run of only 69 performances. The public was not amused at a clergyman's being made the subject of ridicule and was regarded by some as scandalous.

The opera is based on the character described in a satirical 18th century English folk song "The Vicar of Bray", as well as on The History of Sandford and Merton, a series of 18th century moral tales. In the parlour song, the eponymous vicar was the clergyman of the parish of Bray-on-Thames, Berkshire. The most familiar version of the lyrics recount his adaptability (some would say amorality) over half a century, from the reigns of Charles II to George I. Over this period he embraced whichever form of liturgy, Protestant or Catholic, was favoured by the monarch of the day in order to retain his position as vicar of Bray. See the annotated lyrics to "The Vicar of Bray".

The earliest version of the song's lyrics may have been written by "an officer in Colonel Fuller's regiment," according to one source. They exist in various forms. However, the story of the vicar's cheerful reversals of principle remains the same in all circumstances.

1 1892 Savoy Theatre revival
2 Synopsis
3 Roles
4 Musical Numbers
5 1937 film
6 Historical basis of the character
7 External links

[edit] 1892 Savoy Theatre revival

When the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership disbanded after the production of The Gondoliers in 1889, impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte was forced to find new works to present at the Savoy Theatre. Solomon's The Nautch Girl was the first non-Gilbert and Sullivan "Savoy Opera" in 1891. Sullivan was writing a new opera for the Savoy that would become Haddon Hall, but this was delayed because of Sullivan's ill health. In the meantime, when The Nautch Girl closed after a modestly successful run, Carte revived Solomon's The Vicar of Bray at the Savoy in 1892.

During the decade since the piece had been first presented, the public had come to accept clergymen as comic characters. As the London Times wrote on January 29, 1892, "The run of [Grundy's] The Private Secretary changed the views even of the most serious playgoers, and it may be remarked in passing that the clerical functions of the Rev. Robert Spalding were judiciously kept altogether out of sight, as indeed they were in the case of [Dr. Daly in] The Sorcerer.... [The piece] was warmly received." The revival ran for a respectable 143 performances, with a cast that included Rutland Barrington, Courtice Pounds, W. H. Denny, and Rosina Brandram.

[edit] Synopsis

Act 1: Low Church. The Village Green.

The Rev. William Barlow, the Vicar of Bray, became Low Church in order to marry his rich wife who, now dead, has left him with a daughter, Dorothy. Dorothy is in love with her father's curate, Henry Sandford, a priggish, pompous and loquatious young man. The Vicar prefers for his daughter to marry Sandford's old schoolmate, Tommy Merton, son of a wealthy local landowner. To get Sandford out of the way, the Vicar, on the advice of his family solicitor, Mr. Bedford Rowe, turns High Church. Aghast, Sandford flees to become a missionary in the Cassowary Isles.

Act 2: High Church. The Vicarage Grounds.

Now that the Vicar and all his students have become 'High' they are doomed to celibacy, and the chorus of lady Sunday School teachers is distraught at the loss of their matrimonial prospects. So, too, is Mrs. Merton who has had her eye on the Vicar. Tommy Merton is prepared to marry Dorothy, but suddenly Sandford, whom everyone supposed to have been devoured by cannibals, returns as an improved man--no longer pompous. Dorothy returns to her first love, but her father is adamant. The solicitor announces that the Vicar's High Church propensities have displeased his Bishop who has declared him defrocked, his living to be bestowed on Sandford. There is only one way out. The Vicar becomes 'Low' again. He is now eligible to wed the wealthy Mrs, Merton, Sandford gets Dorothy, and Tommy goes off with the leading danseuse of the local theatre.

[edit] Roles

Reverend William Barlow, Vicar of Bray
Reverend Henry Sandford, his curate
Thomas Merton, Esq., of Bray Manor
Mr. Bedford Rowe, a Confidential Family Solicitor
Dorothy, the Vicar's Daughter [called Winifred in the 1892 version]
Mrs. Merton, widow of the late Thomas Merton, of Jamaica
Nelly Bly, of the Theatre Royal, Bray
Students of Divinity, Ladies of the Ballet, Teachers, Huntsmen, Jockeys.

[edit] Musical Numbers

Act I

Chorus of Children -- Hooray, hooray!
Chorus of Lady Teachers -- To a slow and stately measure
Song, Winifred -- O, Why is my love?
Chorus of Teachers -- All the bold
Chorus of Students; and Solo Sandford -- On, Students, on!
Song, Sandford -- As good as he ought to be
Ensemble and Entrance of Vicar -- Hail to the Vicar
Song, Vicar -- The Rev. Mr. Barlow
Chorus -- Bow, Students, bow!
Song, Mr. Bedford Rose -- I'm as sharp as a ferret
Exit -- Good morning, dear Vicar
Entrance of Mrs Merton -- Has anyone seen the Pytchley Pack?
Trio, Rowe, Vicar and Mrs Merton -- Now if you'll excuse me
Duet, Vicar and Mrs. Merton -- The shy widow
Duet, Sandford and Winifred -- Tell me true, love
Chorus of Huntsmen; and Solo, Tommy Martin -- Jolly, jolly Huntsmen!
Chorus, Corps de Ballet -- Please to make way for us
Dance, Nelly Bly
Ensemble -- O, shocking sight
Finale -- Back, Students, back!

Act II

Chorus of Teachers -- Listen to the merry bells
Concerted number: Students, Teachers & Vicar -- What is life?
Song and Chorus, Vicar and Students -- The Jackson case
Duet, Vicar and Mrs Merton -- The Wily Widower
Solo, Mrs Merton -- You ask me why
Duet, Winifred and Sandford -- Come back to me
Duet, Winifred and Sandford -- Propriety, prisms and prunes
Trio, Sandford, Merton & Winifred -- Just a word
Entrance, Nellie Bly
Entrance, Corps de Ballet
Dance, Pas de Cinq
Exit of Vicar & Corps de Ballet
Concerted number: Tommy, Merton, Bedford, Rowe and Huntsmen -- Confidential family solicitor
Chorus, Corps de Ballet -- We no longer gyrate
Concerted piece -- Se, see, we saw!
Chorus of Children -- Lucky little boys and girls
Wedding chorus -- Lady Fair
Finale -- O William, seet William

[edit] 1937 film

A film version of the tale was released in 1937 starring Stanley Holloway as the vicar. SeeThe Vicar of Bray at the Internet Movie Database In the film, the vicar (of Bray, County Wicklow in Ireland) is given a more positive character, and events are placed at a slightly earlier period, during the English Civil War. He successfully protects his parishioners by adopting a diplomatic approach during the turbulent events and secures forgiveness for moderate rebels from the restored Charles II.

[edit] Historical basis of the character

Several individuals have been proposed as the model for the Vicar of Bray.

Thomas Fuller and the English dramatist Richard Brome argue that the model for the song was the 16th century cleric and vicar of Bray, Berkshire, Simon Aleyn (1540–1588), who lived in the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth.

The most frequently sung words refer to 17th century monarchs. Therefore, a later proposed model is Simon Simonds, who was an Independent in the Protectorate, a Church of England cleric under Charles II, a Roman Catholic under James II, and a moderate Anglican under William and Mary.