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Rushden Operatic Society


RUSHEN OPERATIC SOCIETY
present

KISMET

A Musical Arabian Night

Book by
Charles Lederer and Luther Davis
(Founded on "Kismet" by Edward Knoblock)

Music and Lyrics by
Robert Wright and George Forrest
(Based on themes of Alexander Borodin)


Miss Mavis Ward
whom we are delighted to welcome once more as our Producer following her outstanding success with
"The King and I".
Entire Production
under the Direction of

Mavis Ward

By arrangement with
Samuel French Ltd.




Choreography by

Mavis Ward

An Amateur Production

THE STORY OF KISMET

Daybreak is heralded by the call of muezzins in ancient Baghdad. A sharp-witted public poet claims relationship with Hajj entitling him to the vacant begging post and actually assumes the name “Hajj”. By doing so, he is kidnapped by brigands to be summarily dealt with by their chief Jawan, whose son had been stolen in consequence of a curse put upon him many years before by the real Hajj. However the versatile sham Hajj, hoodwinks Jawan into giving him a bag of gold. Hajj gives this gold to his beautiful daughter Marsinah, telling her she can bedeck herself in silks and trinkets.

Meanwhile in the Bazaar, Marsinah is observed by the Caliph, who is moving incognito with Omar among his subjects and the Caliph immediately falls in love with her.

When Hajj is brought before the Wazir, he is sentenced to the thief’s usual punishment – his right hand must be cut off. Luckily the amorous Lalume takes a fancy to him and secures a delay of execution, during which Jawan is brought in by the Police. His presence proves the innocence of Hajj, whom he denounces as a fraud for failing to restore his son. No Sooner has he done so, than he recognises that the Wazir is in fact his missing son. It does not suit the ambitious young man to acknowledge so disreputable a parent so he callously send Jawan to his death.

Aided and abetted by Lalume, Hajj manages to escape. He finds Marsinah in her garden waiting for her mysterious lover. Fearing for her safety he forces her into hiding, just before the Caliph comes with great pomp to claim her as his bride.

Highly pleased with the turn of events and attributing them to Hajj, the Wazir makes him an Emir. This gives Hajj the opportunity to flirt with Lalume and to put Marsinah in her charge. The Caliph instructs the Wazir to trace his lost love, but is persuaded to peep, unobserved, into the women’s quarters, where to his amazement he sees Marsinah. His joy is quickly turned to grief when the Wazir lies to him that she is one of his own wives. As a result the Caliph capitulates and promises to choose a wife from the candidates for his hand, at a Diwan that very night.

In the course of the Diwan, the Wazir compliments Hajj on his feat of magic in putting the Caliph’s beloved in his own Harem. He tells him of the marriage he forced upon her and casually mentions her name is Marsinah and that she has vowed to kill herself.

Hajj then tells the Caliph that he will throw a magic plaque into the pool and when retrieved by the Wazir, it will bear the name of his bride-to-be. Though reluctant at first, the Wazir is cajoled into diving for the plaque and producing a different one which Hajj has given him, with the name of an Asian Princess scribbled on it. Jocularly Hajj gets the Wazir to raise his foot, which he seizes and unperturbed by the death struggles of his victim, he holds him immersed until he drowns.

Hajj then puts the Diwan in darkness and escapes to prevent Marsinah taking the poison the Wazir had given to her. When he returns with her, the lovers recognise each other in disbelief and delight. The Caliph takes Marsinah for his only wife and Hajj takes Lalume to a far away oasis, there to toil constantly to remove all grief from her heart.


Oswald Lawrence - Kismet 1962
Oswald L. Lawrence,
the Music Director of the Society who has held this office with distinction since the first production in 1947.

The Orchestra
(under the direction of Oswald L. Lawrence)
Violins
Tina Faulkner (leader)
Yvonne Bowness, Edith Bridges
Viola S. Seamarks
Cello C. Cooke
Bass E. Allen
Flute R. Pettit
Oboe C. Smith
Clarionet G. Hornsey
Trumpets E. Denton, A. Smith
Trombones R. Benning, E. Webster
Percussion J. Miles
Harp Kara Hall
Piano Joan Hart

Miss Jose Marsh
who has continued her success as Ballet Mistress for "The King and I"
and "Bitter Sweet" by assisting in this production.

Geoffrey Sanders

Pauline Hicks

Colin Clarke

Cicely Langley

Bill Clarke

Cast
Imam of the Mosque
Muezzins

First Beggar
Second Beggar
Third Beggar
Omar
A Public Poet, later called Hajj
Marsinah, his Daughter
Lalume
The Caliph
The Wazir of Police
Merchants


Hassan-Ben
Jawan
Akbar
Assiz
The Bangle Man
Prosecutor
Chief Policeman
Policemen
The Princess of Ababu

Slave Girls


Princess Zubbediya of Damascus
Princess Samaris of Bangalore
Ayahs
The Widow Yussef

Ron Coles
Ron Coles, Syd Smith,
Geoffrey Sanders
John Pack
Malcolm Stringer
Michael Tye
Bert Catlin
Colin Clarke

Pauline Huckle
Cicely Langley
Geoffrey Sanders
Bill Clarke
Syd Smith, Bob Savage,
Nigel White, Bob Minney,
Geoffrey Wiggins
Roger Norman
Ian McLaughlan
Malcolm Stringer
David Dickens
Ron Coles
Roland Evans
Ben Catlin
Peter Garley, Edgar Stock
Rosamund Corbett,
Judith Mould, Pat Smith
Irene Turner (solo), Margaret Cave, Pauline
Bailey, Christine Burgess
Janet Cutmore

Barbara Neville

Rose Drage, Christine Carter
Phyllis Clarke


Chorus Ladies
The Misses: J.Bradley, C.Cox, S.Clark, J.Dean, R.Drage, A.Hobson, M.Jackson, J.King, M.Knight, P.Norman, G.Pashler, M.Pettit, M.Parker, L.Robinson, J.Stenson and J.Surridge.

Chorus Gentlemen
Messrs: K.Green, R.Hale, J.Layrum, P.Maund and G.Mitchell.

Dancers
The Misses: M.Buckby, J.Cutmore, A.Laughton, B.Neville, J.Smeathers and P.Warren.
Messrs: D.Dickens, K.Green, R.Hale, P.Maund, R.Savage and M.Stringer.


Costumes by Charles H. Fox Limited

Scenery by Stage Scenery Limited

Synopsis of Musical Numbers
ACT I
Scene 1


Scene 2
Scene 3





Scene 5
Scene 6


Scene 7
Sands of Time
Rhymes Have I
Fate
Reprise: Fate
Bazaar of the Caravans

Not Since Nineveh


Baubles, Bangles and Beads
Stranger in Paradise
He's in Love


Gesticulate
Fate
Imam of the Mosque
Hajj and Marsinah
Hajj
Hajj
Street Dancer, Akbar, Assiz,
Merchants and Shoppers
Lalume, Wazir, Three Princesses of Ababu, Akbar, Assiz, Merchants and Shoppers
Marsinah
Caliph and Marsinah
Policemen, Three Princesses of Ababu, Akbar, Assiz, Caliph and Omar
Hajj and Wazir's Council
Hajj and Ladies of the Wazir's Harem
ACT II
Scene 1
Scene 2


Scene 3
Scene 4




Scene 5
Scene 6

Scene 7
Night of My Nights
Reprise: Stranger in Paradise
Baubles, Bangles and Beads
He's in Love
Was I Wazir?
Rahadlakum



And This is my Beloved
The Olive Tree
Ceremonial of the Caliph's Diwan
Presentation of Princesses:-
(a) Damascus
(b) Bangalore
(c) Ababu
FINALE
Caliph and Entourage
Marsinah
Caliph
Entourage
Wazir, Policemen and Guards
Hajj, Lalume, Princess Zubbediya, Princess Samaris, Three Princess of Ababu and Ladies of the Wazir's Harem
Marsinah, Caliph, Hajj and Wazir
Hajj
Diwan Dancers


Princess Zubbediya & Ayah
Princess Samaris
Princess of Ababu
Ensemble and Hajj

Synopsis of Scenes
One Day in Bagdad
ACT I
(From Dawn to Dusk)
Scene 1
Scene 2
Scene 3
Scene 4
Scene 5
Scene 6
Scene 7
On the Steps of the Mosque
A Tent Just Outside the City
The Bazaar of the Caravans
A Side Street
A Garden
A Street Near the Bazaar
The Throne Room of the Wazir of Police
ACT II
(From Dusk to Dawn)
Scene 1
Scene 2
Scene 3
Scene 4
Scene 5
Scene 6
Scene 7
Along the Route of the Caliph's Procession
The Garden
Ante-Room to the Wazir's Harem
A Roof-Top in the Wazir's Palace
A Corridor in the Wazir's Palace
Ante-Room to the Wazir's Harem
The Ceremonial Hall of the Caliph's Palace

Back (l-r): Roland Evans, Ron Coles, Bert Catlin, Ben Catlin,
Ian McLaughlan, Edgar Stock.
Middle: Janet Cutmore, Irene Turner, Margaret Cave, Phyllis
Clarke, Pauline Bailey, Christine Burgess, Barbara Neville.
Front: Pat Smith, Rosamund Corbett, Judith Mould.

The Chorus

Chairman's Message

It is with pleasure that we present to you our Annual Spring Show “Kismet” and welcome back Miss Mavis Ward who has been in sole charge of the production of this show.

Our Patrons will remember Miss Ward for her excellent production of our 1960 show “The King and I”, and our Company have once again enjoyed working under her direction.

During the financial year we have, with your help, and our endeavours been able to donate to Local Charities £100, and hope we shall be able to do so for many years to come.

The Company have suffered a sad loss since our last production with the sudden death of two of our Life Members, Mr. John Cooke and Mr. Don Bugby, both of these gentlemen were founder members of this Society and had a very keen interest in our activities.

In response to many requests we have booked for our 1963 Show “Desert Song”. This show has not been performed locally for about 10 years and we feel sure you will remember and welcome again the lilting music of this delightful show.

Hoping you enjoy this production, and looking forward to seeing you next year.

W. A. Clarke, Chairman


Programme Sellers
Arrangements by Lily E. Cook
Audrey Annies, Nancy Bailey, Janet Baron, Peggy Cherry, Marie Coleman, Vivian Dean, Elizabeth Elliott, Gwen Hardwick, Hilda Hardwick, Hilda House, Ivy Ingram, Gwen Southam, Andrea Swart, Irene Warr, Janet Wood, Lilian Wright.

Acknowledgements
The Committee and members of the Society wish to offer their very sincere thanks to all of the following whose assistance and co-operation have made this production possible.
The Northamptonshire Education Committee (Mr. G. E. Churchill, M.A., Chief Education Officer) and Mr. N. Lamford, Head of the Rushden Evening Institute, who has given every help in the arrangement of rehearsals.
Mr. W. A. E. Sherwood who has again undertaken the arduous task of arranging the booking and all his assistants.
Mr. H. W. Catlin, Headmaster of Rushden Secondary Modern School for Boys, and the Caretakers for their help.
The local traders who have taken advertising space in this programme.
The Stewards and Programme Sellers.
The Nursing Sisters and St. John Ambulance for attendance at the Theatre.
Mr. E. Hewitt, his co-directors, Mr. Knighton the Manager and all the Staff of the Ritz, Rushden, for their continued interest and assistance.
The Stage Staff and all others who have worked beind the Scenes, each one of whom has contributed so much to the success of this Production.
Everyone who has assisted the Society in presenting "Kismet", whether or not mentioned in these pages.

Stewards
(Under the direction of Edward Wadsworth)
J.Barker, A.Binder, E.Clark, H.Cox, L.Darnell, A.Frost, P.House, H.V.Ingram, G.Johnson, C.E.Knight, M.Knight, S.Knight, I.Lawrence, A.Mason, H.McLean, P.Mould, D.Reeves, C.E.Underwood, I.Wilburn, D.Webb.


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