Yeomen: Plot Summary

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.