Home Theatre About this page

Blandings - the logo of www.blandings.org.uk, the Companion to the works of P G Wodehouse

Leave it to Jane

A musical

Book:Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse
Lyrics:P. G. Wodehouse
Music:Jerome Kern
Origin:The College Widow by George Ade

First produced at the Longacre Theatre on 28 August 1917, New York (167 performances).
There was a 1959 revival off Broadway.

Horizontal blue bar

Synopsis

Set in Atwater College, this is a story of football rivalry with Bingham (college). Atwater have little chance until Stub Talmadge introduces 'Silent' Murphy to the team. Hiram Bolton, connected to Bingham, visits his friend Peter Witherspoon, the Atwater President. Stub bets Bolton that Atwater will win their forthcoming game. Stub's girl, Bessie, tells him the all-American player Billy Bolton (Hiram's son) is there on his way to join Bingham. Bessie gets Peter's daughter Jane to delay Billy so he cannot play. Jane tricks Billy to going to the campus dance where he is persuaded to stay on and change his name to fool his father. Meanwhile Senator Hicks arrives with his son Bub, who is soon attracted to local girl Flora.

When Hiram Bolton arrives at the game he discovers his son playing for Bingham. Jane tells Stub and others to get him away until the game is over. Atwater win. But Hiram tells Billy how he was tricked and Billy decides to quit the college. Stub asks Bolton for his winnings and is offered a job for his cheek. As Billy is leaving Jane begs his forgiveness and says she loves him. He asks her to wait for him.

Horizontal blue bar

Dramatis personae

'Stub' Talmadgean undergraduate
'Silent' Murphya footballer
Billy Boltona footballer
Hiram Boltonhis father
Peter Witherspoonpresident of Atwater College
Jane Witherspoonhis daughter
Elam Hicksa senator
'Bub' Hickshis son, a freshman
Flora Wigginsa waitress
Bessie TannerBub's girl
Ollie Mitchell
Sally Cameron
Jimsey Hopper
Dick McAllister		students
Matty McGowana trainer
Howard Talbota tutor

Recordings

Leave it to Jane / Oh, Kay! - on a STET double CD, catalogue number 15017 recorded by the off Broadway revival cast of 1959. This compilation produced in 1988 (DRG records).

Leave it to Jane - AEI 10038. From a 1997 off-Broadway revival.

Horizontal blue bar

Unfortunately, the STET recording is showing its age, in style but not necessarily quality. The lack of printed lyrics is disappointing but the words can be made out.

I have not heard the AEI version, except excerpts on Amazon.com - it sounded ok.

The 1959 revival ran for more than 5 times the number of performances of the original 1917 production. I guess some things just get better with age.

The words of one song Sir Galahad are used, with some minor changes, in PG's short story The Knightly Quest of Mervyn.