Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 4 January 2003

A random selection of cuttings
from newspapers and magazines

* * * * * * * * The Sisters Graham, 1887/88

The Sisters Graham

(photo: The London Stereoscopic Co Ltd, London, circa 1887)

Advertisement for the Sisters Graham

(The Entr'acte, London, Saturday, 29 January 1887, p.16b)

'The Sisters Graham beg to notify that they have purchased the exclusive rights of the following songs, which have been specially written for them by G. Sinclair:- "The Soldiers and the Girls," "Sue don't know what it is!" "That's how to manage a man." The above songs are legally protected. Our sole Agents are G. Sinclair and Co.' (The Entr'acte, London, Saturday, 17 November 1888, p.13b) Bedford music hall, London 'The Sisters Graham are great favourites at the Bedford, where their hearty and enjoyable doings yield great pleasure.' (The Entr'acte, London, Saturday, 24 November 1888, p.6b) The Hungerford music hall, London 'The Sisters Graham are always very determined in their work, and do not permit the grass to grow under their feet. Their martial duet is delivered with an earnestness which appeals to everybody, and succeeds in gaining for the singers an enthusiastic recall.' (The Entr'acte, London, Saturday, 1 December 1888, p.6b) * * * * * * * * Charles Chaplin at the Sebright music hall, London, 1894 The Sebright music hall, London '� Mr Charles Chaplin is eminently patriotic, and in the stirring ballad "The land that gave us birth" a tribute is paid to Old England, while in another ditty is described the conduct under trying circumstances of an Englishman, a Frenchman, and a German. Of course it is the Englishman who takes off his coat and is anxious to fight an obtrusive stranger, the representatives of the other nationalities contenting themselves with words only.' (The Era, London, Saturday, 7 July 1894, p.14b) * * * * * * * * Fanny Wentworth at the Palace Theatre of Varieties, London, 1894

Fanny Wentworth (1860-1934)
English actress and entertainer

(photo: unknown, probably London, circa 1897)

'Miss Fanny Wentworth has firmly established herself in favour at the splendid house in Shaftsbury-avenue; and no wonder, for her entertainment is extremely clever, and has an element of refinement which modern music hall audiences are quite capable of appreciating. Seated, in exquisite evening dress, at a grand piano, she shows her talents as a linguist, a pianist, and a vocalist in a manner that ensures her popularity and evokes cordial and encouraging applause. Her imitations of French and German singers, and her "double-voiced" reproduction of a duet between a curate and a young lady are particularly good; and her "Little Tin Soldier" song winds up her turn very successfully. She has to respond to a recall every evening.' (The Era, London, Saturday, 21 July 1894, p.14a) * * * * * * * * Gus Elen at the Empire music hall, Nottingham, 1899 The Empire music hall, Nottingham 'Success has ever brought with it a crowd of imitators. Many a musician has given his confr�res the keynote upon which to work, and when the talented creator of modern detective tales first burst upon the reading public and began to weave his matchless tales of duplicity and crime, he gave the cue to hundreds of meagre imitators, furnishing them with patterns for numberless similar romances. It is exactly the same in the actor's and music-hall singer's sphere; every successful artist must be prepared for colleagues who will copy his methods and try to outdo him in his own particular line. When Albert Chevalier set London agog and Gus Elen arose in the music hall firmament they introduced into variety entertainments what was practically an innovation. Hitherto the joys and sorrows of "'Arry and 'Arriet" had rested unknown and unthought of except to a limited few; now they flashed on the amusement-loving public with a suddenness that was startling. Folk first of all laughed, then were dubious as to the continued popularity of coster lays. But they had to give in. The airs were tuneful, struck the popular fancy, and "caught on," so much, indeed, that at one time East-end ditties threatened to swamp the halls. Amid all the crew of copyists who have from time to time imitated them, however, Chevalier and Elen have remained supreme. Unlike his famous contemporary, Gus Elen devotes himself to the realistic side of the coster's life; he leaves the ideal severely alone and presents a plain, ungarnished portrayal of the coster as he really is, as he would be found at his work or in his home. With style crisp and intelligible, delivery perfect, enunciation clear as a bell, and, above all, an air of naturalness that is unforced, he remains unique and unapproached. Scores have imitated him; none have excelled or even equalled him. When at the Empire last night [Monday, 11 September 1899] he sang "'E 'as the as-er-dacity to grumble," he gave one the impression that he had just dropped in from Whitechapel to bewail in song the obstinacy of his young hopeful in failing to duly appreciate the efforts which his Dad had been at the trouble to in order to raise him above the ordinary level. In "The Coster's Mansion," he explained with refreshing innocence how he could delude himself into the belief that his one room lodging was a lavishly decoration mansion. The song, however, in which he appeared to best please the audience was the one entitled "The Golden Dustman." This has been one of his greatest successes, and has always been popular in Nottingham. Mr Elen, of course, got a great reception, and there is no doubt that he will fill the house during the whole of the week.' (Nottingham Daily Express, Tuesday, Nottingham, 12 September 1899) * * * * * * * * Edna Maude at the London Coliseum, January 1922

Edna Maude (fl.1910-1920s)

(photo: unknown, probably London, circa 1921)

'Edna Maude, who is to appear at the London Coliseum on the 23rd of the present month, is one of the most promising of our young English dancers. This will be her fifth visit to that house in three months. Her "Chickette" dance is exceedingly popular whenever she does it in the Provinces, where at all the towns on the Moss-Stoll tours she is a great favourite. It was Sir William Treloar who christened her "Little Quicksilver" about the time when, as quite a tiny girl, she danced at Windsor before Prince John, who was so pleased with the budding ballerina that he sent her a large box of chocolates.' (The Dancing Times, London, January 1922, pp.332 and 334) * * * * * * * *

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� John Culme, 2003