Ruddigore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ruddigore
Henry Lyton as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd
Written by	W. S. Gilbert (words) Arthur Sullivan (music)
Characters	Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd Richard Dauntless Sir Despard Murgatroyd Rose Maybud Mad Margaret Dame Hannah
Date of premiere	22 January 1887
Place of premiere	Savoy Theatre London, England
Original language	English
Genre	Operetta
Setting	Fishing village in Cornwall, England

Ruddigore; or, The Witch's Curse is a fun, musical play called an operetta. It has two parts, or "acts." Famous writers W. S. Gilbert wrote the words and Arthur Sullivan wrote the music. This show first opened on January 22, 1887, at the Savoy Theatre in London, England. It was performed 288 times over about eight months. Ruddigore is the tenth of fourteen operettas created by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Main Characters in Ruddigore

• Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd (comic baritone): He pretends to be a young farmer named Robin Oakapple.
• Richard Dauntless (tenor): He is Robin's foster-brother and a sailor.
• Sir Despard Murgatroyd (bass-baritone or baritone): He is a bad baronet.
• Old Adam Goodheart (bass): He is Robin's loyal servant.
• Rose Maybud (soprano): She is a sweet village girl.
• Mad Margaret (mezzo-soprano): She is a bit wild.
• Dame Hannah (contralto): She is Rose's aunt.
• Zorah (soprano): She is a professional bridesmaid.
• Ruth (speaking/chorus): Another professional bridesmaid.
• Sir Roderic Murgatroyd (bass-baritone): He is a ghost!

The Story of Ruddigore

A Family Curse

The story is about the Murgatroyd family, who are baronets of Ruddigore. A long time ago, a witch put a curse on their family. This curse makes every baronet of Ruddigore commit a crime every single day. It's a tough curse to live with!

Robin's Secret Life

Robin Oakapple is actually Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, but he has run away from the curse. He lives as a simple farmer to avoid becoming evil. Robin is in love with Rose Maybud, a sweet village maiden. They are about to get married, hoping for a happy life together.

The Curse Revealed

But then, Robin's true identity is found out. He can no longer hide from the family curse. He has to become the new Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd and face the terrible fate of committing a crime daily.

Facing the Ancestors

Robin moves into Ruddigore Castle. He tries to be bad, but he just can't bring himself to commit crimes. This makes his ancestors very angry! The old paintings of his family members in the castle actually come to life. They appear to punish him for not following the curse.

Breaking the Curse

Robin is very clever. He finds a way to outsmart his ghostly ancestors. He figures out a trick to break the curse forever! This frees him and all future Murgatroyds from the witch's spell. In the end, Robin is reunited with Rose, and they can finally be happy together.

Music in Ruddigore

Ruddigore is an operetta, which means it tells its story mostly through singing. The show is full of lively songs, beautiful melodies, and funny musical numbers that help move the story along.

Images for kids

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  The Savoy Theatre in 1881, where Ruddigore first opened.

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  The ghost scene, drawn by H. M. Brock for a 1921 show.

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  Amédée Forestier's drawing of scenes from the show.

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  Richard, Rose, and Robin on an old poster.

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  A picture of Robin and Rose.

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  Durward Lely playing the character Dauntless.

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  Henry Lytton as Sir Ruthven with his ancestors.

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  Courtice Pounds as Richard in the first New York show (1887).

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  William Bridges-Adams' design for the second act's stage in 1921.

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  A poster from 1887, showing Rose and Robin.

See also

In Spanish: Ruddigore para niños