1926
Merrie England
Sir Walter Raleigh loves Bessie Throckmorton, Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting. He sends her a love letter, but Bessie loses it. The lost letter is found by Jill-all-alone, a forest dweller, whose constant companion is a black cat. Living in the forest with a black cat necessarily points to Jill as a witch. She ventures to the castle to restore the letter to its owner, but runs afoul of the worthy citizens of Windsor intent on their May Day revels. What could be better than a witch hunt? When she is being hunted and harried, the Royal Forester, Long Tom, comes to her aid and is supported by the Earl of Essex, to whom Jill hands Bessie's letter. Essex, thinking that Raleigh is his rival for royal favour, accepts the letter as his opportunity to arouse Eliizabeth's jealousy and he hands the letter to the Queen. Elizabeth mistakens the letter as an avowal of Ralph's love for her but Raleigh is not the man to allow the Queen to be under a misapprehension and explains that the letter belongs to Bessie Throckmorton. The Queen is furious and orders Raleigh to be banished, Bessie imprisoned, and Jill, who mocked the Queen's distress, to be burnt as a witch.
In the opening of the second act, Jill is seen to escape and to rescue Bessie from the Castle by a secret passage; they hide in Herne the Hunter's oak in the forest. Essex now determines to make amends for the harm he has done Raleigh and is assisted in his plans by Walter Wilkins. Essex plans to work on the Queen's superstitious fears and to stage an appearance of Herne the Hunter during a masque presented by Walter Wilkins. According to tradition, the ghostly huntsman only appears in the forest when the monarch contemplates a crime. The Queen is terrified at the apparition and pardons the lovers and Jill-all-alone. The populace are delighted and the joyful strains of Robin Hood's Wedding brings the story to a "happy ever after" conclusion.
Producer (Director): Fred L.C. Pereira
Musical Director: James A. Smith
Dance Arranger: Frank H. Sinclair, Prof.
Cast
A. McGregor, Mr.
A Baker
Alice Hebert
Marjory
Alice Hebert
Dancing Girl
B.H. Whillans, Miss
Lady-in Waiting
C.R. Medland, Mr.
A Lord
D. Roy Kennedy
Silas Simkins
D. Roy Kennedy, Mrs.
Dancing Girl
D.M. Raymond
Jill-all-Alone Understudy
D.R. Pallett
Soldier
Earl Pennock
Herald
Fred C.L. Pereira
Walter Wilkins
G. Conley, Mr.
Lord
Gladys Pooler
Dancing Girl
Gladys Walsh
Miss Bessie Throckmorton
Graham A. Brown
The Earl of Essex
Grant Dexter, Mrs.
The May Queen
H.A. Underwood, Mrs.
Jill-all-Alone
Harry Hill
Lord
Harry Underwood
Sir Walter Raleigh
Horace M. Butler
Big Ben, Royal Forester
J. O.Brien
Soldier
J.A. Albert
Bargeman
J.G. Scott, Mr.
A Tinker
J.H. Summers, Mrs.
Lady
Kenneth Fraser, Master
Second Royal Page
Leslie R. McKenna
Long Tom, Royal Forester
M. Gallaher, Miss
Lady
M.W. MacPhail
A Soldier
Margaret Allan
Dancing Girl
Marion Hannum
Dancing Girl
Norman C.Foster
The Queen's Fool
R. Pearson, Mrs.
Kate
R.M. Donaldson
Soldier
Taylor Arkley
Lord
Verna Little
Queen Elizabeth
Vernon Birdwhistle, Master
First Royal Page
W. Scharp
A Butcher
W.A. Tucker, Mr.
A Wine Vendor
W.J. Tuttle
Herald
W.R. Burrill
A Tailor
Weston Allan, Mrs.
Lady
B.A. Jackson, Miss
Soprano
B.J. Scott, Miss
Soprano
C. Teskey, Miss
Soprano
C.P. Holloway, Mrs.
Soprano
C.R. Medland, Mrs.
Soprano
D.M. Raymond
Soprano
F.H. Byshe, Mrs.
Soprano
G. Richardson, Mrs.
Soprano
G.Hurlbert, Miss
Soprano
J. Lush, Mrs.
Soprano
J.D. Betts, Miss
Soprano
K. Thorp, Miss
Soprano
K.I. Fraser, Miss
Soprano
K.Symes, Miss
Soprano
L. Campbell, Mrs.
Soprano
M.I. Davidson, Miss
Soprano
N. MacKenzie, Miss
Soprano
R. Morgan, Mrs.
Soprano
R.G. Davies, Mrs.
Soprano
R.R. Williams, Mrs.
Soprano
Weston Allan, Mrs.
Soprano
C. Harrison, Miss
Contralto
D. Tippins, Miss
Contralto
F.A. Venn, Mrs.
Contralto
G. Low, Miss
Contralto
G.M. Helman, Miss
Contralto
M. Boyd, Miss
Contralto
M.M. Wright, Miss
Contralto
T. Egan, Miss
Contralto
W.A. Tucker, Mrs.
Contralto
W.R. Cunnigham, Mrs.
Contralto
Adam McGregor
Tenor
C.G. Cameron
Tenor
C.J. O'Reilly, Mr.
Tenor
C.R. Medland, Mr.
Tenor
G.J. McJanet, Mr.
Tenor
J.C. Ogilvie, Mr.
Tenor
W.R. Burrill
Tenor
W.S. Flora, Dr.
Tenor
D. Coleman, Mr.
Bass
Fred H. Byshe
Bass
G.E. Buttery
Bass
H. Merrill, Mr.
Bass
H.F. Wiliams, Mr.
Bass
J.G. Scott, Mr.
Bass
P.C. Cooper, Mr.
Bass
R.L. Duclos, Mr.
Bass
W. Scharp
Bass
W.A. Tucker, Mr.
Bass
W.J Turnbull, Mr.
Bass
Production
Adam McGregor
Advertising Manager
H.J. Hazelgrove, Mr.
Property Master
H.J. Hazelgrove, Mr.
Scene Designer
Milton St. Germain
Business Manager
R.W. Dawson, Mr.
Stage Manager
Vera Moreland
Accompanist
W.R. Cunningham, Mrs.
Ladies' Costumes