Scenes from the famous comic opera written by A. P. Herbert , with music by Alfred Reynolds
' You want a moral ?-Well then is the Pub
The root of evil — or the Jockey
Club ? '
Characters in order of speaking
Costers, racegoers, society ladies, jockeys, licensing justices, etc.
The BBC Theatre Chorus (trained by Charles Groves ), the BBC Theatre Orchestra (leader, Tate Gilder ), conductor, Stanford Robinson
Act 1, The day before
Scene: The garden of the ' Old Black Horse'
Act 2, the day
Scene 1: The road to Epsom
Scene 2: The paddock at Epsom Scene 3: On the rails
Act 3, The day after
Scene: The garden of the ' Old Black Horse '
Adaptation and production by Gordon McConnel
This radio revival is notable for the fact that Tessa Deane is to broadcast once again as Rose the barmaid, the part she created in the original stage production of the most brilliant of A. P. Herbert 's comic operas at the Lyric, Hammersmith, in 1932. Apart from televising in the part, she played it on the air in Gordon McConnel 's radio adaptation, first broadcast on Derby Day, 1933. At the final rehearsal, before the race was run, the cast tipped the winner freely in the studio, and shouted the horse's name in the big race scene. Perhaps they were influenced by its being Hyperion, owned by Lord Derby. Lord Derby-Derby Day. Anyhow, Hyperion won.