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The Album
DS: Of course, Michael and I weren't the only writers by any means for those early revues - Joyce Grenville was a regular contributor, and of course, Charlotte, you wrote material, too, didn't you?
CG: Yes, I wrote for lots of those revues, I wrote material for myself, I wrote of Pat and Julian, and I wrote sketches, do you remember, Michael, one called 'the Family Play' with Elisabeth Welsh?
MF: Elisabeth Welsh, indeed yes. Of course in those days revues were made up of sketches, like those of Charlotte's, and point numbers, like that rather old-fashioned musical monologue I've just done, and 'charm' numbers, usually done by the junior members of the cast, and here's a typical example of a charm number called 'The Album'. Actually, this is one of the rare occasions when I also wrote the music - it's far to sentimental to be Donald's. It's sung by three young suitors, played, in heavy character makeup by the two of us and Julian Orchard, and in her original role as the girl with the Victorian autograph album, Pat Lancaster.
PL: Oh, look at my album, the little girl said,
The beautiful one I have bought,
Come write in my album, Tom, Harry and Ned,
Some fine and original thought,
Tom picked up a pencil and wrote,
The following words and I quote:
MF: Too wise you are,
too wise you be,
I see you are
Too wise for me,
Too wise you are,
too wise you be,
You are too wise for me.
PL: How clever you are!
Did you write it yourself?
Tom modestly made no reply,
The little girl turned to the other and said,
'Now Harry, come give it a try'.
Now Harry gave Tom a quick look,
And wrote in the back of the book:
JO: By hook,
Or by crook,
I'll be last
In this book.
By hook,
Or by crook,
I'll be last
In this book.
PL: 'Oh Harry, oh Harry,
How funny you are',
Delighted, the little girl said,
'Now it is your turn',
She opened the page,
And handed the album to Ned,
He carefully took up his pen,
And wrote on the page there and then:
DS: Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Honey is sweet,
And so are you,
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Honey is sweet like you.
PL: 'Oh, Ned, you are naughty',
The little girl cried,
As she took back her album with care,
Whenever I look at these words in the book,
I'll think of the three of you there,
(The three men sing their verses together)
MF: Donald has quite a reputation for not getting the point of some of the things we use until years later. In fact, he didn't realise how they used to write 'too wise you are, too wise you be' in those old albums until we were getting the material ready for this show over the last two weeks.
Originally from the album 'And The We Wrote...'.
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