George Edwardes (1852-1915) was a British showman who developed a style of theatre known as ‘musical comedy’. This was essentially light hearted escapist entertainment, which made no serious demands on the audience. The stories, which tended to be sentimental and predictable, were less important that the show stopping ‘numbers’ – catchy songs delivered by popular performers – which generally interrupted the action rather than carried the play forward.

A Runaway Girl was a typical Edwardes production, the slight story in two acts hinged on an Englishwoman who joins a group of musicians in Italy who turn out to be Bandits. Other Edwardes’ productions included The French Maid. The Shop Girl and Morocco Bound.