The Tailor of Gloucester Scene Notes

Scene 1: Opening Scene  Gloucester Wassail

Towns people are crossing the stage from left and right greeting each other, dancing, admiring each other’s coats & finery.  A lady crosses and the gentlemen tip hats & bow.  An important gentleman (The Mayor) holds attention of the townspeople as they greet and admire him.

The tailor rushes into the tailor shop, using key to open door, etc, The Mayor sees the Tailor and warmly greets him.  He orders a coat to be made for his wedding as the Tailor shows various fabric choices and takes careful measurements.  When the Mayor leaves to dance with the towns people, the Tailor uses his shears to cut the cloth.  He sits cross legged on the table.  After a time the Tailor closes up shop and goes back to his small home. 

Scene 2:  Simpkin and his tea cups

Simpkin appears from behind the table very mysterious, peeking under cups and in tea pots, looking very mischievous.  The Taylor gives Simpkin a pitcher (pipkin) and 4 coins to buy bread, milk, sausage, and twist.  Simpkin puts on his muffler and, shivering from the wind, leaves.

 Scene 3:  Playful Pizzicato: Mice are freed

The  tailor wants to sit on a small stool by the fire to warm himself.  He hears tapping.  He lifts a cup and looks shocked as he sees a lady mouse.   A gentleman mouse also appears.  The mice dance for joy, and listening in on the tailor, they make plans before scurrying away.

 Scene 4:  Simpkin in the Snow

Simpkin is not happy in the snow.  Snow swirls and leaps about him from all four corners.   

     Wolcum Yole! (Anonymous 14^th century)

 Scene 5: The Tailor is Ill as Simpkin watches over

 In the Bleak Mid-winter (Christina Rossetti 1830- 1894)

Simpkin goes back to the tailor’s house.  He sees his teacups overturned and is angry.  He gives the tailor the milk, the sausage and the bread, but hides the twist in the teapot.  The tailor, disappointed and tired, goes to bed.  Simpkin draws the curtains and begins to pace as the Tailor becomes quite ill…

On the midwinter carol: one of the snowflakes returns for a solo.  Simpkin continues to pace…

Scene 6: Simpkin goes out Christmas Eve

As the Churchbells chime midnight, Simpkin recalls all the old fables describing the magic that occurs after midnight between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning:  all the animals can speak!  As Simpkin goes out and walks around he sees different animals singing about Christmas: 

1. Once in Royal David’s city A brief solo for a very elegant rooster!
2. Sussex Carol Rooster is joined by a Redbird
3. The Holly and the Ivy (English traditional carol) a lovely waltz for a blue jay, a fox, a cat and a frog
4. Instrumental Ding Dong Merrily on High 2 small brown bats, a squirrel, and a duck dance a lively jig
5. Joys Seven (… joy of 4) a fox is joined by a duck, a frog, and a blue jay
6. Three Ships: a lively hornpipe danced by a frog
7. As the bells toll once more, (Simpkin receives a surprise from an elegant white lady cat)

 Scene 7: Mice are Sewing Flowers and run out of twist!

We now see the mice dancing and pantomiming in large pieces of red, green, yellow and cream material.  Simple effects like a giant spool of thread and giant needles and scissors make the scene complete.  Baby mice play at swords with needles and try to jump rope in the thread.  A larger gray mouse scolds them and all get back to sewing.  As they sew flowers appear and dance as the embroidered flowers on the coat and waistcoat.  The mice continue sewing using the thread as props for dancing intricate figures like a maypole and dancing with a partner as a minuet connected by a thread.  Afterwards one mouse is scurrying frantically amongst the mice with her cherry twist saying “no more twist.”       

 SPRING CAROL 

THERE IS NO ROSE (Anonymous 14th century)

Scene 8: Mice Renaissance

The mice have their own celebrations as they finish sewing the mayor’s coat.  Simpkin pass by the Tailor’s shop and looks in.

The Country Lass The gray mouse tells her story. 

Greensleeves The Mice begin a stately, courtly dance. 

and Pudding Lively jig and reels and other square dance figures…

Tyger Tyger! Here the mice see Simpkin and dance taunting him as Simpkin angrily tries to get in the locked tailor shop.

Scene 9: Simpkin Reforms

Simpkin is angry at first, but thinks about the kindness the mice have done the tailor.  After the vocal adagio, Simpkin goes back to the tailor’s house.  He takes the twist out of the teapot and places it on the tailor’s bedside.  Simpkin then curls up as if sleeping next to the Tailor’s bed, completely repentant.

 Scene 10: Christmas Morning Finale and Bows

Up Good Christian Folk and Listen The Townspeople are again greeting each other and passing by the tailor’s window.          

Britton Frolicsome Finale

The Tailor wakes and realizes it is Christmas Day.  He sees the twist Simpkin is giving him and is overjoyed.  He rushes to pull on pants like a fireman, takes his coat and muffler, and gets his key. All is rushed back and forth forgetting trousers, etc.  As he gets to the shop the “mayor” greets him.  The tailor is paniced but Simpkin opens the door and pulls them all in.  The Tailor has his back to the coat and is cringing in fear, but the mayor hold his arms out in praise and amazement as he walks by the tailor to try the coat.  After spinning around and cleaning his spectacles in wonder, the tailor helps the mayor on with his coat and waistcoat.  He takes the twist and momentarily finishes the last button hole.  As he does so he drops a small piece of paper to the floor.  Now the Mayor is thrilled and pays the tailor many gold coins.  The Tailor and Simpkin Dance together. 

Ding Dong Merrily on High  The other towns people are now dancing a polka, ending the scene on a joyous note .

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