Yeomen: Plot Summary
Act I
Phoebe Meryll sits alone on Tower Green tormented by the impending
execution of the handsome Colonel Fairfax who has been accused of
dealings with the devil. Sergeant Meryll, Phoebe's father, informs his
daughter that her brother Leonard, having distinguished himself in
battle, is now to become a warder at the Tower. Both father and
daughter hope that when he arrives he will carry a reprieve for
Fairfax. But Leonard brings no such reprieve and so Sergeant Meryll
contrives a plan whereby Fairfax is to be freed and will take the place
of Leonard whom no one has yet seen. In the meantime, Fairfax has been
moved to the death cell. He has been falsely accused of sorcery by a
relative who plans to inherit his estates after his demise. The
condemned man asks the Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir Richard
Cholmondeley, to find him a wife for the remaining hour he has to live,
and thus thwart his relative's evil ploy. Two travelling entertainers--
Jack Point, a jester, and his partner Elsie Maynard-- visit the Tower to
perform, but the crowd proves boisterous and only the timely
intervention of the lieutenant saves the entertainers from harm. The
lieutenant sees Elsie as a suitable wife for Fairfax and broaches the
subject to the two players. Elsie consents and is led away blindfolded
to Fairfax's cell and returns shortly as a married woman. The Merylls
now carry out their plan to free Fairfax. To obtain the key from the
head jailor, Wilfred Shadbolt, without his knowledge, Phoebe plays on
his love for her and then manages to distract the jailor's attention
long enough to free Fairfax and return the key. Fairfax, now shaven and
wearing a warder's uniform, is produced as Sergeant Meryll's son. Plans
for the execution begin and three warders including the disguised
Fairfax are sent to escort the prisoner, only to find that his cell is
bare. Shadbolt is immediately arrested whilst Jack Point and Elsie are
horrified at the situation that has resulted-- realizing that Elsie's
husband is still alive and now free.
Act II
Two days have passed and there is no trace of the escaped prisoner.
Both Shadbolt and Point are desperate and so they decide to lie by
claiming to have shot the prisoner as he attempted to escape and then
say that they watched him sink in the moat. Fairfax is concerned since
he has no idea of the identity of his wife but to his pleasure he learns
that it is Elsie whom he married. She feels affection for him but
refuses to respond to his advances because she is already married to an
unknown husband. Point attempts to woo Elsie, only to have his effort
ridiculed by Fairfax who shows him how it should be done and, in the
demonstration, proceeds to win Elsie for himself. Both Point and Phoebe
are heartbroken at this development. Shadbolt is perplexed at Phoebe's
jealousy of Elsie and realizes the true identity of the man masquerading
as Leonard. Phoebe, distraught lest the secret gets out, agrees to
become engaged to the jailor. The real Leonard arrives bearing a
reprieve for Fairfax but the conversation between Meryll and his son is
overheard by Dame Carruthers, the Tower housekeeper, who thereby
discovers the plot, and Sergeant Meryll is forced to propose to her in
order to ensure her silence. As news of Fairfax's survival and reprieve
is announced, Elsie is resigned to accepting her unknown husband but is
overjoyed on discovering that her husband is Fairfax, the man with whom
she fell in love. Only Jack Point remains alone and falls senseless
with grief at Elsie's feet.
Synopsis by Andrew Codd. In Alan James (1989), Gilbert & Sullivan.
London: Omnibus Press.
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