Katja, the Dancer

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King Kodak is a burlesque by Arthur Branscombe with music by John Crook, Walter Slaughter, Edward Solomon, Alfred Plumpton, Milton Wellings, Herman von der Fink and Lionel Monckton. It opened at Terry's Theatre on 30 April 1894 where it achieved 63 performances.

The slight plot concerned an English explorer who finds gold in Africa and has built up a buffer state round his mines over which he rules, and which has grown large enough to be of interest to the world's powers.

Dramatis Personæ

JAMES SOUTH (the Kodak, a Ruby King)	Mr. Edward Terry
DICK DASHAWAY (his Medical Adviser)	Mr. Charles Danby
ADMIRAL SIR WILLIAM BROADSIDES, R.N.	Mr. George Giddens
MR. M. T. HEAD (the Kodak's Chaplain)	Mr. Compton Coutts
HUGH E. FOOTE (the Kodak's Attorney)	Mr. Huntley Wright
LORD DEADBROKE (the Kodak's Private Secretary)	Mr. E. H. Kelly
LIEUTENANT JACK BROADSIDES, R.N.	Mr. Geo. De Pledge
CHARLIE BROADSIDE (a Middy)	Miss Ada Barry
HARRY VERNON (a Trader)	Mr. J. Thompson
SERJEANT O'FLYNN (Officer of Marines)	Mr. F. W. Trott
BOLEGNULA (a Native King)	Mr. W. Edwards
HILDA SOUTH (the Kodak's Daughter)	Miss Violet Robinson
LETITIA GUSHINGTON (Sir William's Sister-in-Law)	Miss Margaret Ayrtoun

VIOLET
LILLIE

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(her Nieces)

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Miss Mabel Love
Miss Eva Levens

DORA NIGHTINGALE (a Nurse)	Miss Lizzie Ruggles
FRANKIE DASHAWAY (Dick's Sister)	Miss Amy Saunders

MILLIE TARRY
JENNIE ROSSITY
EVA NESCANT
ELLA GANT

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(Ladies of Fashion)

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Miss Blanche Barnett
Miss Marie Lascelles
Miss Violet Friend
Miss Irene Du Foye

KITTY SEABROOK (Hilda's Companion)

Miss Kate Vaughan

MIDI Files

ACT I - Admiralty House, Tautmouth.

No. 1 - Opening Chorus - "Hail to the Kodak in triumph advancing, latest of lions by royal decree..."
No. 2 - Song - Sir William & Chorus - "If you want to be successful in these days of swift progression..."
No. 3 - Duet - Violet & Lillie - "We're a pair of simple maidens, two such simple little maidens..."
No. 4 - Ballad - Hilda - "They may teach thee to forget me, thy love may last a-while..."
No. 5 - Song - Dick - "A medical student am I, and very delighted to see ye..."
No. 6 - Reception Chorus, and Song - Kodak - "Hurrah! Hurrah!" & "I'm the head of a corps diplomatic..."
No. 7 - Spanish Dance
No. 8 - Solo and Chorus - Kitty - "A maiden lived demurely, in village home securely..."
No. 9 - Topical Song - (soloist unspecified) - "I've been living in the tropics and have long'd to know the topics..."
No. 10 - Duet & Pas de Deux - Dora & Dick - "We often hear the world's a stage, and yet 'tis no romance..."
No. 11 - Trio - Dick, Kodak, & Dora, with Chorus - "Of course you did the usual rounds when you were up in London..."
No. 12 - Song - Jack & Chorus - "There are people who complain that old England's on the wane..."
No. 13 - Finale Act I - "The Anchor's weighed - our captain's gig awaits you..."

ACT II - "Kodakoria."

No. 14 - Opening Chorus - "A-yah! Ayah! tow homai! tow homai! ... Hail to his nibs whose domain's territorial..."
No. 15 - Song - Love is King - (soloist unspecified) - "Oh come, my love, to me, I wait and sigh..."
No. 16 - Reception Chorus - "Welcome the tropical, topical chief, whose lofty importance surpasses belief..."
No. 17 - Song - Kodak & Chorus - "I'm the Kodakorian ruler, and the great Imperial schooler..."
No. 18 - Song - Dick Dashaway - "If you feel a little chippy, low and strange..."
No. 19 - Trio - Head, Foote, Dick Dashaway & Chorus - "I am his Nib's confidential adviser..."
No. 20 - Song - Ah! Men - (soloist unspecified) - "Little girls, they tell me, never ought to think about a man..."
No. 21 - Song, Chorus & Dance - (soloist unspecified) - "I am a merry mannikin who goes about a lot..."
No. 22 - Irish Song - Kodak - "Mick Brannigan gave a big party, just to cilebrate Murphy's rilease..."
No. 23 - Ballad - Frankie & Chorus - "Where the tide is flowing, flowing to the land..."
No. 24 - Song - Italiano Rusticano - (soloist unspecified) - "When I firs-a came-a to this-a countree..."
No. 25 - Tarantella (with piccolo)
No. 26 - Song & Chorus - The Hot Cross Bun Brigade - (soloist unspecified) - "We are the Kodak's trusted nurses..."
No. 27 - Trio & Dance - (soloists unspecified) - "We come from the land of the Ostrich plumes..."
No. 28 - Finale Act II - "I'm a democratic king, yes! And my subjects love to sing, yes!..."

Nos. 1, 5, 15 & 16 are by Alfred Plumpton, No. 8 is attributed jointly to L. Gangloff & Alfred Plumpton,
No. 21 is attributed jointly to E. Ouvrard & Alfred Plumpton, Nos. 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19, 24 & 25 are by John Crook, Nos. 4 & 23 are by Walter Slaughter, Nos. 9, 12, 17, 18, 22, 27 & 28 are by Lionel Monckton,
No. 8a is by H. Van Der Finck, No. 3 is by Milton Wellings, No. 20 is by Edward Solomon,
and No. 26 is by Paul Fauchey.

If you wish to follow the lyrics as you listen, you can download a ZIP file containing the vocal items in
Midi Karaoke format. You will need to install the vanBasco's Karaoke Player which you may obtain
free of charge from their website.

MIDI Files

Edward Terry in KIng Kodak

British Musical Theatre | Musicals

Page modified 1 January 2017