The Boyfriend

by Sandy Wilson

The Boyfriend is a nostalgic and amusing musical comedy written by Sandy Wilson. It is carnival time in the year 1926 and the charming young pupils of Mme Dubonnet's finishing school have only one thought in their minds; to have a 'boy friend' and then a husband - all except Polly Browne. She has no boyfriend and her father discourages any suitors for fear they are after her money. She meets Tony, a messenger boy, and they fall in love, but Polly tells him she is poor, and is in fact Madame Dubonnet's secreatary. Polly's father, Percival Browne, comes to visit his daughter, and discovers to his dismay that Madame Dubonet is the girl he had an affair with on Armistice Night in 1918. Madame Dubonnet is as amorous as ever but Percival is not so keen.

Karen Dolan, Gill Jeffery, Glynis Norris and Jane Mackinnon as the girls.

Glenda Thomas as Mme Dubonnet and Lena Morgan as Polly

Polly and Tony arrange to meet that afternoon on the Plage. By chance, Lord and Lady Brockhurst - who fancies himself as a ladies's man - much prefers Nice where the girls show more leg. They recognise Tony as their runaway son and ask a gendarme to catch him. Tony flees, hotly pursued by a gendarme, and Polly assumes he is a criminal. She is heartbroken. All is revealed at the Carnival Ball at the Cafe Pataplon. Tony is the honourable Tony Brockhurst, and Polly confesses that she is the daughter of a millionaire. The rest of the girls all get their man, and Madame Dubonnet's persistance pays off - she gets Percival Browne. The whole story is set against the background of the froth and fun of the Flapper period - full of foot tapping tunes and light hearted dialogue.

Glynis Norris, Lee Farrow, Jane Courtenay (as Hortense - the French Maid), Chris Magdziarz, Karen Dolan, Bryan Newman and Gill Jeffery

Our production of this delightful musical was directed by Angela Arney, our choreographer was Julia Watts and our show was staged at the Plaza Theatre in Romsey from Tuesday 4th to Saturday 8th April 1995.

.

.