La Vie Parisienne
Music by Jacques Offenbach
Original book and lyrics by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
Show Dates
Tuesday 10 May to Saturday 14 May 2005
Theatre Royal, Winchester
Cast List
Gabrielle Lorraine Morgan
Baroness Gondremarck Liz Mason
Metella Amanda Stebbing
Pauline Penny Bullough
Julie Jacqui Beckingham
Louise Helen O'Sullivan
Raoul de Gardefeu Chris Milne
Bobinet Dan Hickson
Brazil Max Bullough
Baron Gondremarck Clive Hilton
Marcel Graham Light
Pierre Andrew Hartley
Jacques Adrian Hickford
Station Master Stephen Godfrey
Alphonse Matthew Laxton
Joseph Colin Paice
Synopsis
Two young Parisians, Raoul and Bobinet, are in love with the beautiful Metella, but she rejects them both in favour of a richer and older man and so they decide to immerse themselves in the social high life of bohemian Paris.
Rich tourists Baron and Baroness of Gondremarck arrive, along with a millionaire Brazilian; the latter is hell-bent on spending his money as fast as possible.
Raoul invites the Baron and Baroness to stay; Metella is furious, as she feels usurped, but in the meantime the Baron has fallen madly in love with her...
As a distraction, Bobinet decides to throw a huge party at his aunt's house. In the time-honoured tradition of masquerade, Bobinet's housekeeper Pauline pretends to Bobinet's wife, and others are not all that they seem. As the party becomes more and more wild, the Baron becomes more and more intoxicated before totally collapsing.
Naturally the operetta ends with the masquerades being revealed and forgiveness all round as the final chorus sings of all things Parisienne.