The Little Michus (Les p'tites Michu) is an original musical play in three acts. (Original French opéra-comique libretto by Albert Vanloo and Georges Duval.) The English version is by Henry Hamilton with lyrics by Percy Greenbank. The music is by André Messager. It opened at Daly's Theatre, London on 29 April 1905 where it ran for 401 performances.

Dramatis Personæ

Musical Numbers

• Overture

ACT I   -   The Playground of Mlle. Herpin's School in Paris   -   circa 1810.

• No. 1 - Opening Chorus - "We are little schoolgirls, and of course we have to do ev'ry single thing that our headmistress..."
• No. 2 - Duet - Marie-Blanche & Blanche-Marie - "Two little maids so very devoted you seldom are likely to see..."
• No. 3 - Song - Irma - "Father had three horses of his very, very own, a black one and a white one and a grey..."
• No. 4 - Song - Gaston - "If I were King and you were Queen, and this our first and formal meeting..."
• No. 5 - Trio - Marie-Blanche, Blanche-Marie & Gaston - "Michu!  Michu!  Michu!  It's the family surname..."
• No. 5a - Entrance of Soldiers
• No. 6 - Song - Gaston & Chorus - "Oh! many a gallant corps today is fighting for our glorious France..."
• No. 7 - Song - Marie-Blanche - "When I meet a man like that, with a fascinating way..."
• No. 8 - Trio - Michu, Mme. Michu & Aristide - "So elegantly dress'd in all our Sunday best..."
• No. 9 - Concerted Number - Blanche-Marie, Marie-Blanche, Mme. & M. Michu, & Pupils - "Our fairy god-mamma is here..."
• No. 10 - Song - Aristide - "Oh, Marie-Blanche is so petite, she's just the very girl for me..."
• No. 11 - Song - Bagnolet - "Now, little girls, attention please, we will at once begin..."
• No. 12 - Finale Act I - "Your mistress we would like, my dears, to see;  we've news that will surprise her, I'm afraid..."

ACT II   -   Salon at General Des Ifs.

• No. 13 - Opening Chorus & Song - Mme. du Tertre - "We have come from far and near..." & "Once there was a tiny baby..."
• No. 14 - Song - Gaston - "How very like children we all of us are, whom no one seems able to teach..."
• No. 15 - Quintet - Blanche-Marie, Marie-Blanche, Michu, Mme. Michu, & Bagnolet - "Hop o' my Thumb."
• No. 16 - Duet - Marie-Blanche & Blanche-Marie - "Oh dear, oh dear! Oh dear, oh dear! We have made a mistake somehow..."
• No. 17 - Prayer - Marie-Blanche & Blanche-Marie - "Saint Valentine, we know you are clever..."
• Nos. 18 & 18a - Trio and Prayer - Marie-Blanche, Blanche-Marie & Gaston - "So you'll wed the General's daughter! ..."
• No. 19 - Finale Act II - "Captain, come here!  and I now will present you, so look after your P's and Q's! ..."

ACT III   -   Michu's Shop, Les Halles.

• No. 20 - Opening Chorus - "Customers we, who want to buy!  If you can sell us what we need..."
• No. 21 - Song - Aristide - "Strange how the unexpected should always come to pass..."
• No. 22 - Song - Bagnolet - "A woman and a soldier are the same, if you take the trouble to compare..."
• No. 23 - Song - Blanche-Marie - "Little Sister, I am getting discontented, yes, it's true..."
• No. 24 - Chorus and Song - Mme. Michu - "Good luck to both the little brides; health, wealth and happiness besides..."
• No. 25 - Duet - Blanche-Marie & Gaston - "Monsieur Gaston, believe me pray, I'm full of joyful expectation..."
• No. 26 - Sextet - Marie-Blanche, Blanche-Marie, Mme. Michu, Gaston, Aristide & Michu - "Now please sit down! ..."
• No. 27 - Finale Act III - "Two little maids will soon be united to husbands they love and adore..."

MIDI Files

Pictures of the production from The Sketch

External Links

Les P'tites Michu at Wikipedia

The Little Michus at The Guide to Musical Theatre

The Little Michus at Stage Beauty

Rotary photograph of Mabel Green as Marie-Blanche; Adrienne Augarde as Blanche-Marie in 'The Little Michus' at National Portrait Gallery

Vocal Score at UR Research

Page modified 23 January 2017