The Arcadians (musical)

The Arcadians is an Edwardian musical comedy styled a "Fantastic Musical Play" in three acts by Mark Ambient and Alexander M. Thompson, with lyrics by Arthur Wimperis and music by Lionel Monckton and Howard Talbot. The story concerns some idyllic Arcadians who wish to transform wicked London to a land of truth and simplicity.

The musical was produced by Robert Courtneidge, opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, on April 29, 1909, and ran for 809 performances, the third longest run for any musical theatre piece up to that time. The show starred Phyllis Dare as Eileen, Dan Rolyat as Smith and Florence Smithson as Sombra. Cicely Courtneidge, the producer's daughter, later took over the role of Eileen. Costume designs were by the imaginative designer C. Wilhelm."Mr. Pitcher's Art" - Obituary The Times 3 March 1925

A Broadway production opened at the Liberty Theater in 1910, for over 200 performances, starring Frank Moulan and Julia Sanderson. A silent film version was made in 1927,

Background

Arcadia was a legendary land of rural perfection peopled by beautiful virtuous innocents, first described by the Ancient Greeks, that was a popular...
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