The Two Bouquets

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The Two Bouquets, by Eleanor Farjeon

This is a sweet little novelette based on an operetta (!) by Eleanor and her brother, Herbert.  The musical ran in London for 9 months in 1936, and for six weeks on Broadway.  It was revived in 1952 and has probably never been seen since, but it is a fun, fluffy little story and I'd love to see it performed; I bet it's very enjoyable.  The music is all Victorian songs, because the story is set in 1876.

Kate and Laura are cousins, and each is in love with a young man.  Both fellows are coming to the ball that Kate's mother is hosting tonight, but they're a bit worried about how their suits will be received, and so they each buy a bouquet that will do the talking for them.  But Kate's brother has been up to a few shenanigans of his own, and he mixes up the bouquets, with interesting results.  Everyone is at cross purposes, which get crosser and crosser until Regatta Day is rained out.

A Bollywood director could profitably steal this plot and tweak it to suit.  It would make a great Bollywood movie!  Deepika Padukone as Laura, Shahid Kapoor could be Julian...yeah.

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