Broken Hearts is a blank verse play by W. S. Gilbert in three acts styled "An entirely original fairy play". It opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London on December 9, 1875. It was revived at the Savoy Theatre in 1882, in 1883 and again in 1888, with Julia Neilson, and also at Crystal Palace that year.^[1] Blank verse is a type of poetry, distinguished by having a regular meter, but no rhyme. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sir William Schwenck Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (November 18, 1836 – May 29, 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist and illustrator best known for the fourteen comic operas produced in collaboration with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan. ... The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, in the Chelsea area of London noted for its contributions to modern theatre. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Savoy Theatre London, December 2003 The Savoy Theatre, which opened on 10 October 1881, was built by Richard DOyly Carte (1844 - 1901) on the site of the old Savoy Palace in London as a showcase for the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, which became known as the Savoy Operas... Julia Neilson (June 12, 1868 - May 27, 1957) was an English actress best remembered for her numerous performances as Lady Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel, as well as for her roles in many tragedies and historical romances, as well Rosalind in a long-running production of As You Like It. ... The Great Exhibition in Hyde Park 1851. ...

Broken Hearts was the last of several blank verse "fairy comedies" created by Gilbert in the early 1870s starring William Hunter Kendal and his wife Madge Robertson. These plays, influenced by the fairy work of James Planché, are founded upon the idea of self-revelation by characters under the influence of some magic or some supernatural interference.^[2] The first was The Palace of Truth in 1870, a fantasy adapted from a story by Madame de Genlis. Pygmalion and Galatea, a satire of sentimental, romantic attitudes toward myth, was produced in 1871. Together, these plays, and successors such as The Wicked World (1873), Sweethearts (1874) and Broken Hearts, did for Gilbert on the dramatic stage what the German Reed Entertainments had done for him on the musical stage. They established that his capabilities extended far beyond burlesque and won him artistic credentials as a writer of wide range, who was as comfortable with human drama as with farcical humor. Dame Madge Kendal DBE (15 March 1848–14 September 1935), born Margaret Shafto Robertson, was an English actress. ... Madame de Genlis, full name Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de St-Aubin, comtesse de Genlis (January 25, 1746 - December 31, 1830) was a French writer and educator. ... Pygmalion and Galatea, an Original Mythological Comedy is a blank verse play by W. S. Gilbert in three acts based on the Pygmalion story. ... German Reed Entertainment: The dramatic and musical entertainment which for many years was known in London by the title German Reed was a form of theatrical enterprise deserving acknowledgement. ...

Broken Hearts is one of several Gilbert plays, including The Wicked World, Princess Ida, Fallen Fairies, and Iolanthe, where the introduction of males into a tranquil world of women brings "mortal love" that wreaks havoc with the status quo. The play examines both human frailties: vanity, misplaced trust, judging by appearance, and human virtues: pity, love, and sacrifice. Some of the play's themes and plot devices resurface in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Yeomen of the Guard and Princess Ida.^[3] Here, as in so many of Gilbert's plays, we feel Gilbert's distrust of "heroes". We are made to see Florian's casual arrogance and cruelty as well as his real chivalry.^[4] Wikisource has original text related to this article: Princess Ida Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Princess (Tennyson) Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant, is the eighth operetta written by Gilbert and Sullivan. ... Fallen Fairies; or, The Wicked World, is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Edward German. ... Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri, is a comic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in two acts. ... W. S. Gilbert Sir Arthur Sullivan Librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) collaborated on a series of fourteen comic operas in Victorian England between 1871 and 1896. ... The Yeomen of the Guard, or The Merryman and his Maid, is the eleventh of Gilbert and Sullivans operettas. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Princess Ida Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Princess (Tennyson) Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant, is the eighth operetta written by Gilbert and Sullivan. ...

Gilbert had written Broken Hearts for his friend, John Hare, of the Court Theatre. The play was a comparative failure, but it remained one of Gilbert's two most favourite plays among all the plays he had written (the other was Gretchen, an adaptation of the Faust legend). Later, Gilbert had a line from the play engraved on the sun-dial at his home, Grim's Dyke: "even Time is hastening to its end."^[5]

Synopsis

On a tropical island in the fourteenth century, a group of noblewomen have fled the world, their hearts having been broken through the loss of their lovers. They vow to love no living thing, but they have transferred their loves to inanimate objects: Lady Vavir loves a sundial (a symbol of mortality), and her sister, Lady Hilda, loves a fountain (a symbol of vitality). The only male allowed on the island is their servant, "a deformed ill-favoured dwarf, hump-backed and one-eyed" and therefore no threat to their maidenhood. Prince Florian arrives on the island, and through his thoughtlessness and selfish behaviour, he brings unhappiness to the community and hastens the death of Lady Vavir.

Roles

• Prince Florian
• Mousta (A Deformed Dwarf)
• The Lady Hilda
• The Lady Vavir (Her Sister)
• The Lady Melusine
• The Lady Amanthis

Critical reception

Before the opening night, Gilbert sent a copy of the play to Clement Scott, the drama critic and editor of The Theatre who was, initially, impressed by the play. The play was generally well reviewed, and Scott admired the play. Later, however, Scott quoted F. C. Burnand's joke about going to see "Broken Parts".-1... From The History of Punch Sir Francis Cowley Burnand (November 29, 1836 – April 21, 1917), often credited as F. C. Burnand, was an editor of Punch, taking over from Tom Taylor in 1880, until 1906, when he was succeeded by Sir Owen Seaman. ...

Notes

1. ^ The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians Volume 7; pg. 261 (Macmillan, London: 1980)
2. ^ The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21). Volume XIII. "The Victorian Age", Part One. VIII. Nineteenth-Century Drama, § 15. W. S. Gilbert.
3. ^ Analysis and synopsis
4. ^ Analysis of Broken Hearts
5. ^ Introduction to Broken hearts

References

• Crowther, Andrew (2000). Contradiction Contradicted – The Plays of W. S. Gilbert. Associated University Presses. ISBN 0-8386-3839-2.
• Stedman, Jane W. (1996). W. S. Gilbert, A Classic Victorian & His Theatre. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-816174-3.

External links

• Introduction to Broken Hearts and link to the Script
• Synopsis
• Analysis of Broken Hearts
• Lady Hilda's song, with music by Edward German