Introduction

"Two Women Of Tahiti" - a musical in two acts, libretto, words and music by Derek Laing.
Based on the novel "South Sea Fortune" by Sydney Walter Powell. Orchestration: Bob Garrity.

Synopsis

Arriving on Tahiti by chance, shipwrecked sailor, nineteen year old Will Abbey, meets and falls in love with Hatatai, a seventeen year old native girl. He abandons plans to return to England in favour of staying with her on the island, but soon encounters financial problems when he is unable to repay the money loaned to him by his father to enable him to go to sea. This puts a strain on his relationship with Hatatai who runs away.

Will finds work away from her parents' plantations and unknowingly becomes implicated in gunrunning and a plot to overthrow the French authorities. Once he learns the truth, Will tries to help Edward Considine and his daughter, Anita, who are also potential victims of the plot. The perpetrators' plans are thwarted. Will falls in love with Anita and they plan to marry. However, Hatatai reappears unexpectedly, throwing Will's emotions into turmoil. Will he marry Anita or forsake her for Hatatai with whom he is still in love?