Table of Contents

Dramatis Personae

• The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, KCB – First Lord of the Admiralty
• Captain Corcoran – Commanding HMS Pinafore
• Tom Tucker – Midshipmite
• Ralph Rackstraw – Able Seaman
• Dick Deadeye – Able Seaman
• Bill Bobstay – Boatswain's Mate
• Bob Becket – Carpenter's Mate
• Josephine – the Captain's Daughter
• Hebe – Sir Joseph Porter's First Cousin
• Little Buttercup – A Portsmouth Bumboat Woman
• Chorus of the First Lord's Sisters, his Cousins, his Aunts, Sailors, Marines, etc.

Musical numbers

in Act I

1. "We sail the ocean blue" (Sailors)
2. "I'm called Little Buttercup" (Buttercup)
3. "But tell me who's the youth" (Buttercup and Boatswain)
4. "The nightingale" (Ralph and Chorus of Sailors)
5. "A maiden fair to see" (Ralph and Chorus of Sailors)
6. "My gallant crew, good morning" (Captain Corcoran and Chorus of Sailors)
7. "Sir, you are sad" (Buttercup and Captain Corcoran)
8. "Sorry her lot who loves too well" (Josephine)
9. "Over the bright blue sea" (Chorus of Female Relatives)
10. "Sir Joseph's barge is seen" (Chorus of Sailors and Female Relatives)
11. "Now give three cheers" (Captain Corcoran, Sir Joseph, Cousin Hebe, and Chorus)
12. "When I was a lad" (Sir Joseph and Chorus)
13. "For I hold that on the sea" (Sir Joseph, Cousin Hebe, and Chorus)
14. "A British tar" (Ralph, Boatswain, Carpenter's Mate, and Chorus of Sailors)
15. "Refrain, audacious tar" (Josephine and Ralph)
16. Finale, Act I: "Can I survive this overbearing?"

in Act II

1. "Fair moon, to thee I sing" (Captain Corcoran)
2. "Things are seldom what they seem" (Buttercup and Captain Corcoran)
3. "The hours creep on apace" (Josephine)
4. "Never mind the why and wherefore" (Josephine, Captain, and Sir Joseph)
5. "Kind Captain, I've important information" (Captain and Dick Deadeye)
6. "Carefully on tiptoe stealing" (Soli and Chorus)
7. "Farewell, my own" (Octet and Chorus)
8. "A many years ago" (Buttercup and Chorus)
9. Finale: "Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen!"

Act I

Scene: Quarter-deck of H.M.S. Pinafore. Sailors, led by Boatswain, discovered cleaning brasswork, splicing rope, etc.

CHORUS – MEN

We sail the ocean blue,
And our saucy ship's a beauty;
We're sober men and true,
And attentive to our duty.
When the balls whistle free
O'er the bright blue sea,
 We stand to our guns all day;
When at anchor we ride
On the Portsmouth tide,
 We have plenty of time to play.

Enter Little Buttercup, with large basket on her arm.

RECITATIVE – BUTTERCUP

Hail, men-o'-war's men – safeguards of your nation!
Here is an end, at last, of all privation;
You've got your pay – spare all you can afford
To welcome Little Buttercup on board.

ARIA

For I'm called Little Buttercup – dear Little Buttercup,
 Though I could never tell why,
But still I'm called Buttercup – poor little Buttercup,
 Sweet little Buttercup I!

I've snuff and tobaccy, and excellent jacky,
 I've scissors, and watches, and knives;
I've ribbons and laces to set off the faces
 Of pretty young sweethearts and wives.

I've treacle and toffee, I've tea and I've coffee,
 Soft tommy and succulent chops;
I've chickens and conies, and pretty polonies,
 And excellent peppermint drops.

Then buy of your Buttercup – dear Little Buttercup;
 Sailors should never be shy;
So, buy of your Buttercup – poor Little Buttercup;
 Come, of your Buttercup buy!

BOAT. Aye, Little Buttercup – and well called – for you're the rosiest, the roundest, and the reddest beauty in all Spithead.

BUT. Red, am I? and round – and rosy! Maybe, for I have dissembled well! But hark ye, my merry friend – hast ever thought that beneath a gay and frivolous exterior there may lurk a canker-worm which is slowly but surely eating its way into one's very heart?

BOAT. No, my lass, I can't say I've ever thought that.

Enter Dick Deadeye. He pushes through sailors, and comes down.

DICK. I have thought it often. (All recoil from him.)

BUT. Yes, you look like it! What's the matter with the man? Isn't he well?

BOAT. Don't take no heed of him; that's only poor Dick Deadeye.

DICK. I say – it's a beast of a name, ain't it – Dick Deadeye?

BUT. It's not a nice name.

DICK. I'm ugly too, ain't I?

BUT. You are certainly plain.

DICK. And I'm three-cornered too, ain't I?

BUT. You are rather triangular.

DICK. Ha! ha! That's it. I'm ugly, and they hate me for it; for you all hate me, don't you?

ALL. We do!

DICK. There!

BOAT. Well, Dick, we wouldn't go for to hurt any fellow-creature's feelings, but you can't expect a chap with such a name as Dick Deadeye to be a popular character – now can you?

DICK. No.

BOAT. It's asking too much, ain't it?

DICK. It is. From such a face and form as mine the noblest sentiments sound like the black utterances of a depraved imagination. It is human nature – I am resigned.

RECITATIVE

BUT. (looking down hatchway)
         But, tell me -- who's the youth whose faltering feet
         With difficulty bear him on his course?
BOAT.    That is the smartest lad in all the fleet –
         Ralph Rackstraw!
BUT.     Ha! That name! Remorse! remorse!

Enter Ralph from hatchway.

MADRIGAL – RALPH

          The nightingale
           Sighed for the moon's bright ray,
          And told his tale
           In his own melodious way!
          He sang "Ah, well-a-day!"
ALL.      He sang "Ah, well-a-day!"