The Yeomen of the Guard Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids The Yeoman of the Guard
Poster, 1897 revival
Written by	W. S. Gilbert (lyrics and book) Arthur Sullivan (music)
Characters	Jack Point Elsie Maynard Colonel Fairfax
Date of premiere	3 October 1888
Place of premiere	Savoy Theatre London, England
Original language	English
Genre	Operetta
Setting	Tower of London in the 16th century

The Yeomen of the Guard, or The Merryman and his Maid is a famous operetta created by Gilbert and Sullivan. It was first shown to the public on October 3, 1888. This show was very popular and ran for 423 performances! It is the eleventh of fourteen operettas that Gilbert and Sullivan wrote together. Unlike their other shows, The Yeomen of the Guard has a more serious and sometimes sad feeling.

What is an Operetta?
Who Were Gilbert and Sullivan?
The Story of The Yeomen of the Guard
Why This Operetta is Special
Images for kids
See also

What is an Operetta?

An operetta is like a lighter, shorter version of an opera. It usually has:

Singing
Spoken conversations
Dancing
Often a funny or romantic story

Operettas are usually less serious than operas. They often have happy endings. However, The Yeomen of the Guard is a bit different because it has some sad parts too.

Who Were Gilbert and Sullivan?

W. S. Gilbert wrote the words (the story and songs), and Arthur Sullivan wrote the music. They were a very famous team in England during the Victorian era. They created many popular operettas together, which are still performed today. Their shows are known for their clever words, beautiful music, and often funny stories that sometimes made fun of society.

The Story of The Yeomen of the Guard

Setting the Scene

The story takes place in the Tower of London during the 16th century. The Tower of London was a famous prison and royal palace. The "Yeomen of the Guard" are special guards who protect the Tower and the royal family. They are also known as Beefeaters.

Main Characters

The main characters in the story include:

Colonel Fairfax: A brave soldier who is wrongly accused of treason and sentenced to die.
Elsie Maynard: A traveling singer who gets caught up in a plan to save Fairfax.
Jack Point: A jester, or funny entertainer, who is in love with Elsie.
Sergeant Meryll: A kind Yeoman who tries to help Fairfax.

The Plot Unfolds

Colonel Fairfax is about to be executed. To make sure his family's money doesn't go to a bad relative, he plans to marry someone secretly before he dies. Elsie Maynard agrees to marry him, even though she thinks he will die right after. She is blindfolded during the ceremony, so she doesn't know who she is marrying.

But Fairfax doesn't die! He escapes with the help of Sergeant Meryll. Now, Elsie is married to a man she doesn't know, and Jack Point, who loves Elsie, is very sad. The story follows their adventures and misunderstandings as they try to sort out who is married to whom and find happiness.

Why This Operetta is Special

Most Gilbert and Sullivan operettas are very light-hearted and funny. The Yeomen of the Guard is different because it has a more serious tone. While it still has funny moments and clever songs, it also explores themes of:

Love and loss
Sacrifice
Sadness

It's one of their few shows where the ending isn't completely happy for everyone. This makes it a unique and powerful part of their collection.

Images for kids

Scene from The Yeomen of the Guard D'Oyly Carte Opera Company 1906 Revival
1883 poster similar to the one Gilbert said gave him the inspiration for the opera
Denny (Wilfred) and Bond (Phœbe), 1888
Gilbert's illustration of "I have a song to sing, O!"
Geraldine Ulmar as Elsie
"Strange Adventure, Maiden Wedded"
"Consider each person's auricular"
"When a Wooer Goes A-Wooing"
"Jealous Torments", written for Barrington, was not ultimately performed by his replacement, newcomer Denny
Charles H. Workman as Jack Point
Cover of tin box, with scene from Yeomen
Illustration of the 15th century Tower of London