An undeniable success in England despite its lack of love interest and all-male cast, it seemed an odd choice for us to take to Paris for a few days the following spring. Ben used to duck nervously during the ensemble where the officers sing: "Don't like the French, don't like their hoppity-skippety ways - those damned Mounseers" and we noticed that by the last act the audience had thinned noticeably.