Head waiters of White Horse Inn have found that to fall in love with the attractive young widow who owns the establishment is a swift and certain route to dismissal. Yet none have been able to resist Josepha; least of all Leopold, the present incumbent. She, however, pines for Valentine Sutton, a regular visitor from England, and is resolutely blind to all the evidence that his thoughts for her are no more than warm friendship. Valentine's annual visit is at hand, and by the same steamer arrive Ebenezer Grinkle, a self-made lad from Lancashire with plenty of brass, his sweet young daughter Ottoline, an impoverished Professor Hinzel and his gawky, lisping, but appealing daughter Gretel, and a dapper young man, Sigismund Smith (of Hammersmith). Sub-plots abound as Smith and Grinkle discover they are hated business rivals. Sutton (who is Smith's solicitor) falls in love with Ottoline, and Smith with Gretel, while Leopold repeatedly threatens to resign and wish them all a last "Good-bye!" The subsequent arrival of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor serves at first only to add to the acrimonious chaos, but finally his kindly understanding and wisdom do much to bring about the statutory happy ending. Cast List: Josepha (Proprietor of The White Horse Inn) - Jayne Butler Ottoline (Grinkle's daughter) - Sue Rawlings Greta (Hinzel's daughter) - Lydia Goodall Kathi (A yodelling postwoman) Jane Souter Karla (Housekeeper of The White Horse Inn) - Anne Woolley Zenzi (A Goatherd and Dairy Maid) - Janette Clough Dairymaids (Tenders of their happy cows) - Kim Currie, Vi Hurdley and Anne Woolley Mayoress (Civic dignitary of the neighbourhood) - Vi Hurdley Bride (A tourist visiting The White Horse Inn) - Lydia Goodall
Leopold (Head waiter at The White Horse Inn) - Geoff Silk Sutton (A solicitor and favourite of Josepha) - Mike Rawlings Grinkle (An underwear manufacturer from Oldham) - Julian Souter Sigismund (Son of Grinkle's hated business rival) - Adrian Peakman Emperor (A kindly widower) - Steve Hickman Professor Hinzel (A kindly old man on holiday) - Martin Cartwright) Captain (Obsessed with tickets) -Steve Hickman Courier/Johann (Played by a man of many parts) - Martin Cartwright Landlord/Ketterl/Bridegroom (Played by a man of even more parts) - Alan Berks Forester (A bearded wonder) - Rob Lees
Chorus: Sopranos: Janette Clough, Lydia Goodall, Marilyn Goodwin, Sue Rawlings Contraltos: Kim Currie, Vi Hurdley, Liz Goodall, Julia Southall, Anne Woolley Tenors: Alan Berks, Mike Rawlings, Julian Souter Basses: Rob Lees, Nick Poole, Ken Wootton