The Geisha

The 1896 

Book by Owen Hall

Lyrics by Harry Greenbank.

The Geisha quickly became one of the most celebrated examples of Edwardian musical theater. Set to music by Sidney Jones, this piece captivated audiences with its exoticized portrayal of Japanese culture, a popular theme at the time due to the Western fascination with the East.

The Geisha tells the story of Molly Seamore, an English girl who works as a tea-house hostess in Japan, and the romantic entanglements that ensue when a British naval officer falls for her. The narrative includes elements of mistaken identities, misunderstandings, and humorous cultural interactions, hallmarks of late 19th-century musical comedy.

The musical exemplifies how Edwardian musical comedy borrowed from and reshaped cultural representations for the stage. Japanese culture in The Geisha is filtered through a lens that catered to Western tastes, creating a romanticized and often inauthentic portrayal. Nevertheless, audiences embraced this vision, and the show ran for an impressive 760 performances in London before touring internationally. This success attests to the period’s appetite for theatrical escapism and cross-cultural fascination.

ISBN 

$12.95

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