King Dodo.
[A musical comedy, in three acts; text by Pixley. First produced at the Studebaker Theatre, Chicago, May 27, 1901.]
PERSONAGES.
King Dodo I. Pedro, Court chamberlain. Dr. Fizz, Court physician. Mudge, Court historian. Sancho, an innkeeper. Bonilla, prime minister to Queen Lili. Lo Baswood. Lopez. Diego. José. Unio. Queen Lili. Angela, the King’s ward. Piola, a soldier of fortune. Annette.
[Courtiers, knights, ladies, etc.]
The scene is laid in Dodoland and the South Sea islands; time, the present.
“King Dodo,” though usually set down on the programmes as a comic opera, strictly speaking, is a musical comedy, or comedy opera. Its plot turns upon the efforts of King Dodo to find the elixir of youth. His adventures carry him from his own kingdom in the land of nowhere in particular to the South Sea islands and back, a few absurd love episodes adding to the humor of the situations in which he finds himself. The old King is enamoured of the Princess Angela, and to secure her he determines to find the fountain which will renew his youth. His Court physician has failed in the attempt; but Piola, “a soldier of fortune,” claims to know where the fountain is, but demands that when he finds it he shall have the hand of Angela as his reward. The King reluctantly consents, and starts with his whole establishment to find it. The wonderful spring is discovered in the land of the Spoopjus, and there King Dodo also finds Queen Lili, who promptly falls in love with him, because her ideal for a husband is a man full of years and experience. The King, however, accidentally drinks from the fountain, and is transformed into a child, whereupon the Queen rejects him. As the waters fortunately work both ways, when Dodo is thrown into them by conspirators, he becomes himself again, and the Queen devotes herself to him anew with such assiduity that they are united. Pedro and Annette and Piola and Angela also improve the occasion to get married, and all return in great glee to Dodoland.
The musical numbers in “King Dodo,” are all of a light, catchy kind, their success depending much upon the sprightliness of the performers. The most popular are the “Cats’ Quartette”; “The Tale of the Bumble-bee”; Piola’s song, “I’ll do or die,” which is accompanied by a stirring chorus; the melodious “Zamoña,” sung by Angela and chorus; a drinking-song of a spirited sort by Annette and chorus; “The Eminent Dr. Fizz,” sung by the doctor himself; and “The Jolly old Potentate” and the topical song, “They gave me a Medal for that,” sung by King Dodo.