Havana is an Edwardian musical comedy in three acts, with a book by George Grossmith, Jr. and Graham Hill, music by Leslie Stuart, lyrics by Adrian Ross and additional lyrics by George Arthurs. It premiered on 25 April 1908 at the Gaiety Theatre, London, starring Evie Greene as Consuelo, W. H. Berry as Reginald Brown, Lawrence Grossmith as Don Adolfo and Mabel Russell as Pepita. A young Gladys Cooper was in the chorus.
The production ran for 221 performances before touring the provinces. It also soon played in Berlin, Germany. An American production played at the Casino Theatre in New York after a Philadelphia tryout, with revisions by its star, James T. Powers. This production was staged by Ned Wayburn and ran from 11 February 1909 to 25 September 1909 for a total of 236 performances.
Among the show's musical numbers are the songs Little Miquette, Cupid's Telephone, How Did the Bird Know That? and Pensacola. Musical selections from the show were recorded by the Victor Light Opera Company in 1909.
Roles and original cast
Jackson Villiers (of the Steam Yacht Jaunty June) – Leonard MackayThe Hon. Frank Charteris – Robert HaleBombito del Campo (Mayor of Havana) – Arthur HathertonDon Adolfo (his son) – Lawrence GrossmithAntonio (Adolfo's valet) – Barry LupinoDiego de la Concha – Edward O'NeillNix (bo'sun of the Jaunty June) – Alfred LesterReginald Brown (the yacht's boy) – W. H. BerryAnita (a cigar seller) – Jean AylwinIsabelita (Bombito's sister) – Gladys HomfreyeTita (chief of the cigar store) – Olive MayPepita – Mabel RussellLolita – Adelina BalfeZara – Jessie BroughtonNewspaper reporter – Gladys CooperConsuelo (Bombito's niece) – Evie GreeneAccording to The Manchester Guardian: "The plot is slight, and is concerned with Consuelo, the niece of the proprietor of a cigar factory and Mayor of Havana. She is betrothed to her cousin Adolfo, but loves an English yachtsman, Jackson Villiers. He is suspected of participation in the plots of the Red Liberados, so she publicly insults him; but he does not seem to mind much, and all ends well."
Act I – Cigar Store of Bombito and Co.No. 1 – Chorus – 'Tis noon, the noon of tropic dayNo. 2 – Bombito and chorus of girls – If I was a ruler despotical, presumably properly paidNo. 3 – Anita – Once a sailor man I married, seven years ago todayNo. 4 – Tita, Lolita, Pepita, Bombito, Hilario and Alejandro – There's a yacht in the harbour todayNo. 5 – Consuelo and chorus – I'm a Cuban girl from the island pearlNo. 6 – Adolfo and girls – Six little girls went on a tour run by a daily printNo. 7 – Jackson and girls – As I sit on my hammock, smoking and smokingNo. 8 – Reginald and Nix – When I play the buccaneer I'm a flier, never fearNo. 9 – Finale Act I – The girl with the yellow rosesAct II – Patio of the Torre del Campo.Nos. 10 and 11 – Chorus and Zara – The sun is down and over the town, far above is the star that we loveNo. 12 – Consuelo and girls – Little Miquette, you mustn't forgetNo. 13 – Reginald and chorus – When I was born, my birthmark was a pirate flag of blackNo. 14 – Anita and Reginald – If you go where duty calls, from a station at St. Paul'sNo. 15 – Anita, Pepita, Frank and Reginald – If you see a little bag lying down upon a flagNo. 16 – Adolfo and chorus of girls – If you desire to see your little girlieNo. 17 – Frank – When a fellow loves a girl in London TownNo. 18 – Finale Act II – Welcome to the lovely brideAct III – The Harbour, Havana.No. 19 – Chorus – The morning breaks upon the shoreNo. 20 – Anita and Nix – If you're the dear departedNo. 21 – Reginald – When I was once a naughty little nipperNo. 22 – Pepita and chorus – I know there's a little girl that you knowNo. 23 – Consuelo – I know a man who's waiting for me down there by the seaNo. 24 – Ensemble – girls, will you take a walk for a while?No. 25 – Finale Act III – I'm a Cuban girl from the island of pearl
