By Jeeves: The Songs
By Jeeves: The Songs and Jeeves: The Songs looks at how the musicals developed and changed through their songs. For the development of Jeeves, click here.While the history of By Jeeves is less convoluted than the original Jeeves and was a far smoother and successful journey to the stage, the script did evolve from concept to workshop to performance. Even after its world premiere, there were alterations to the songs leading up to its American premiere. This page offers a guide to the songs of By Jeeves through the various manuscripts and productions.
Original Proposed Score (21 July 1994)
When Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd-Webber became serious about revising Jeeves to By Jeeves, Alan went through the original script to decide which songs could be kept and what new songs would be needed for the pared down plot and style of the revised musical. The first correspondence to offer a definitive early idea of what was needed and what would stand is marked 21 July 1984.Existing Songs [1]
○ Code Of The Woosters
○ Female Of The Species
○ Jeeves Is Past His Peak
○ When Love Arrives
○ Half A Moment
○ Banjo Boy
○ Code Of The Woosters
○ Female Of The Species
○ Jeeves Is Past His Peak
○ When Love Arrives
○ Half A Moment
○ Banjo Boy
Notes
[1] These are songs that appeared in the original version of Jeeves and would be largely retained with minimal alterations.
[2] This is not the Motoring Song that appeared in early drafts of Jeeves. This is a suggestion for a new song to replace Travelling Hopefully from the original Jeeves.
[1] These are songs that appeared in the original version of Jeeves and would be largely retained with minimal alterations.
[2] This is not the Motoring Song that appeared in early drafts of Jeeves. This is a suggestion for a new song to replace Travelling Hopefully from the original Jeeves.
New Songs
○ Motoring Song [2]
○ That Could Have Been Us
○ The Hallo Song
○ Scyllla And Charybdis And The Deep Blue Sea
○ It's A Pig!
○ Motoring Song [2]
○ That Could Have Been Us
○ The Hallo Song
○ Scyllla And Charybdis And The Deep Blue Sea
○ It's A Pig!
Workshop Performance (16 September 1995)
The first public performance of By Jeeves took place on 16 September 1995 and was a workshop performance of the play featuring many of the actors who would appear in the world premiere (one notable exception was Janie Dee was part of the workshop cast, but commitments kept her from appearing in the final show).Act 1
1) Banjo Boy
2) Code Of The Woosters
3) Travel Hopefully [3]
4) That Could Have Been Us
5) Female Of The Species
6) The Hallo Song
1) Banjo Boy
2) Code Of The Woosters
3) Travel Hopefully [3]
4) That Could Have Been Us
5) Female Of The Species
6) The Hallo Song
Notes
[3] This is the title for the Motoring Song mentioned in the proposed score. Despite the similarity of the title, it is a different song to Travelling Hopefully from the original Jeeves.
[4] This is the only time this song has been performed for public performance.
[3] This is the title for the Motoring Song mentioned in the proposed score. Despite the similarity of the title, it is a different song to Travelling Hopefully from the original Jeeves.
[4] This is the only time this song has been performed for public performance.
Act 2
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) Scylla And Charybdis And The Deep Blue Sea [4]
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) Scylla And Charybdis And The Deep Blue Sea [4]
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
World Premiere Production: Stephen Joseph Theatre (1 May 1996)
By Jeeves was the first production at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough. There were minimal changes to the script and score between the workshop in 1995 and it opening at the SJT.Act 1
1) Banjo Boy
2) The Code Of The Woosters
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us [5]
5) Deadlier Than The Male [6]
6) The Hallo Song
1) Banjo Boy
2) The Code Of The Woosters
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us [5]
5) Deadlier Than The Male [6]
6) The Hallo Song
Notes
[5] This was an altered title for That Could Have Been Us; there is no alteration to the actual song.
[6] Female Of The Species retitled
[7] What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves? replaced Scylla And Charybdis And The Deep Blue Sea.
[5] This was an altered title for That Could Have Been Us; there is no alteration to the actual song.
[6] Female Of The Species retitled
[7] What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves? replaced Scylla And Charybdis And The Deep Blue Sea.
Act 2
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves? [7]
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves? [7]
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
Revised Scarborough and London production (1996)
During the world premiere run of By Jeeves at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Alan decided to replace an entire song. Deadlier Than The Male which had survived from the original Jeeves (then called Female Of The Species), was replaced by a shorter and lighter piece which Alan felt better moved the plot along but also added more fun to the scene. The show transferred to London with no further alterations.Act 1
1) Banjo Boy
2) The Code Of The Woosters
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us
5) Love's Maze [8]
6) The Hallo Song
1) Banjo Boy
2) The Code Of The Woosters
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us
5) Love's Maze [8]
6) The Hallo Song
Notes
[8] Love's Maze is a new song replacing Deadlier Than The Male.
[8] Love's Maze is a new song replacing Deadlier Than The Male.
Act 2
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves?
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves?
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
American Premiere and BBC Radio Adaptation (1996)
The American premiere of By Jeeves took place in September 1996 with several refinements based on the experience of the show in the West End. Shortly afterwards, By Jeeves was also broadcast by BBC Radio with the original cast. Although the book was slightly altered to accommodate the radio format, the songs were the same as the revised American premiere version.Act 1
1) A False Start [9]
2) Wooster Will Entertain You [10]
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us
5) Love's Maze
6) The Hallo Song
1) A False Start [9]
2) Wooster Will Entertain You [10]
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us
5) Love's Maze
6) The Hallo Song
Notes
[9] This is a revised title for the aborted Banjo Boy of previous productions.
[10] Wooster Will Entertain You replaced The Code Of The Woosters and was intended to move the play into main plot more quickly.
[9] This is a revised title for the aborted Banjo Boy of previous productions.
[10] Wooster Will Entertain You replaced The Code Of The Woosters and was intended to move the play into main plot more quickly.
Act 2
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves?
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves?
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
Broadway Premiere (2001)
When By Jeeves finally opened on Broadway in 2001, it was practically identical to the version that had opened in America in 1996. The only difference was a change of title for one of the songs.Act 1
1) A False Start
2) Never Fear [11]
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us
5) Love's Maze
6) The Hallo Song
1) A False Start
2) Never Fear [11]
3) Travel Hopefully
4) That Was Nearly Us
5) Love's Maze
6) The Hallo Song
Notes
[11] Never Fear was a revised title for Wooster Will Entertain You.
[11] Never Fear was a revised title for Wooster Will Entertain You.
Act 2
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves?
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
1) By Jeeves
2) When Love Arrives
3) What Have You Got To Say, Jeeves?
4) Half A Moment
5) It's A Pig!
6) Banjo Boy
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.