Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 26 April 2003

A random selection of cuttings
from newspapers and magazines

Spanish dancers at Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 1851 'The Spanish Dancers. – A corps of some thirty made their first appearance at Her Majesty's Theatre on Monday [7 July 1851], after having delighted the Parisians at the Gymnase for some time past. They represent, in ballet style, various scenes of their national dancing entertainments, without, however, any attempt at story or sentiment, and dance away with the most determined vigour, to pretty dansante music, accompanied also with a full band of castanets and tambourines, which are played together with surprising exactness to the time of the dance. Certainly such proud, disdainful, coquettish attitudes, such bright-coloured, flashing petticoats, and, as somebody said, such "twinkling feet," we have never seen, even in the days of Durvenay and Ellsler.' (The Literary Gazette, and Journal of the Belles Lettres, London, Saturday, 12 July 1851, p.485c) * * * * * * * * Grandmother Grizzle, Haymarket Theatre, London, 10 September 1851

Mrs Edward Fitzwilliam (1802?-1854), English actress
as Anne Page in the Haymarket Theatre, London, revival of
The Merry Wives of Windsor, 24 June 1851

(engraving by T. Sherratt for John Tallis & Co, London,
after a Daguerreotype by John Edwin Mayall, London, probably 1851)

'Haymarket Theatre. – A very excellent one-act drama was produced at this house on Wednesday, capitally mounted and capitally acted, but deficient in judgment. It is entitled Grandmother Grizzle, and serves to introduce Mrs. Fitzwilliam in the two parts of a peevish snappish old lady and a lively frolicsome youth. It is taken from a French vaudeville, entitled La Douairièle de Brienne, written by MM. Bayard and Dumanoir, to suit the versatile [Virginie] Déjazet, in which an old lady who is concocting a marriage between two who are not lovers, who resolves on separating two who are lovers, and who stints and scolds everyone about her, is suddenly charmed into a state of amiability by indulging somewhat copiously in a very old bottle of choice wine. To complete the dénouement, the grandson comes home from school and sets all to rights. The two portraits are admirably drawn by Mrs. Fitzwilliam, but were too spun out, so much so, that nothing by Mr. [J.B.] Buckstone's very droll and highly-finished impersonation of a drunken butler, saved the piece. With curtailment in the part of the heroine, who occupies the stage too long by herself, the merits of the piece, which are great, will be appreciated.' (The Literary Gazette, and Journal of the Belles Lettres, London, Saturday, 13 September 1851, p.631b/c) * * * * * * * * Observations at the first night of a revival of J. Sheridan Knowles's tragedy, Virginius, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 25 April 1881; including mention of George Augustus Sala and Oscar Wilde in the audience 'I looked in at Drury Lane on Monday. There were the critics chatting to those ladies they don't care their wives to know; and there were the wives wondering to what extent their husbands' flirtations were carried when the corrective eye of the spouse was not making observations to be recorded at the happy fireside. 'There was Mr. George Augustus Sala, with his fiery eye in a fine frenzy rolling, and keeping his ever-green Mrs. Keeley in continual laughter; while, if I mistake not, in close contiguity was Mrs. Harris, taking proud glances at her son Augustus, who looked so fascinating as to justify the infatuation of Virginia. 'There was also a strong American contingent, apparently headed by the genial Mr. W.J. Florence, who gave every kind of encouragement to Mr. [John] McCulloch as he passed victoriously though an ordeal which, no doubt, had been anxiously anticipated by him. In the box occupied by Mr. Florence also appeared the Duke of Beaufort, and several other members of the aristocracy, including Mr. Howard Paul. 'Mr. Augustus Harris made a better Icilius than I ever anticipated. He made up, though, in my opinion, rather effeminately, and looked altogether too pretty to gain the favour of old warriors like Virginius and Dentatus. And why those high-heeled boots? Have we been all wrong hitherto? I can't help fancying that this is putting a boot on the wrong leg. 'Those supers, too, who are to be seen lounging about Russell-street [adjacent to Drury Lane Theatre stage door] smoking pipes during the day; what daring demons they looked! Like other Jingoes they can show a wondrous amount of enthusiasm at a very cheap rate, and can shout for two opposite parties without doing their conscience any great violence. 'Mr. John Ryder's Dentatus was an admirable performance; but then his dummy corpse was revealed, and you thought that just about the moment the worthy veteran was most likely engaged in polishing off his toddy at the Albion, the illusion suffered. 'Mr. Oscar Wylde posed in the front row of the stalls. He wore a coat that was fearfully and wonderfully made, and whose collar and cuffs were manufactured from the skins of nameless beasts of the field. True to his traditions, he permitted a flower of the lily species to adorn his button-hole, and his various attitudes betokened that poetic languor which seems to play so important a part among æsthetes and men of sentiment. 'It is quite possible that Mr. Oscar Wylde possesses all those yearnings after the beautiful in nature which people deem to be necessary after they find they cannot make themselves useful in a practical arena; but when I see these persons who affect to be utter strangers to the vulgar and commonplace, take great pains to curry favour with opinions which they pretend to disdain, I think very little of their genuineness. The man who can get his soul's nourishment from gazing at a lily of the field, and who garbs himself as would a third-rate comic singer, is as much a contradiction as is the person who, though not being able to read English, makes a point of being seen turning over the leaves of Horace. 'Sentiment should not be permitted to feed on itself; it brings about an unhealthy condition which is only to be remedied by a dash or two of the practical.' (The Entr'acte, London, Saturday, 30 April 1881, p.4a/b) * * * * * * * * Nobody's Fault, a play by Arthur Law, with music by Hamilton Clarke, St. George's Hall, London, Monday, 5 June 1882; and Corney Grain in Small and Early

Fanny Holland (Mrs Arthur Law, 1848-1931), English soprano and actress

(photo: Window & Grove, London, 1877)

'Mr. Arthur Law has been again at work for the St. George's Hall Company, and in Nobody's Fault has supplied a charming little play admirably suited to the respective talents of the artists, and having every prospect of a successful run. The music is by Mr. Hamilton Clarke. The plot is simple, but gives opportunity for some capital character acting. Mr. Alfred Reed is seen as [Admiral Bowring,] an old "salt," retired from the Navy, and taken up with the engrossing pursuit of potato-growing. Mr. Corney Grain, wonderfully "made up" as Joe Dumbledon, his servant, an old soldier who has left the field for the garden, and given up the bayonet for the spade, gives one of the most clever illustrations he has yet done. Neither of these worthy veterans is possessed of a temper which can be designated "sweet," and hence the atmosphere of Rosedale Cottage is frequently troubled with storms. The only subject of agreement between them is the degeneracy of the Army and Navy of the present day, and to this effect they join in song, and make one of the best "hits" in the entertainment. Miss Fanny Holland is very clever and amusing as Miss Tozer, a benevolent spinster, on charitable deeds intent, who fleeces her fiends to support her various and admirable (?) institutions. One pet project of Miss Tozer's – the utility of which must not be lightly spoken of – is the introduction of old china and Japanese screens to the cellars and attics of Whitechapel and St. Giles [poor, working-class districts of London]. Miss Edith Brandon [as Mary Eden] and Mr. North Home [as Louis Bowring], as a young engaged couple, play and sing with success. Miss Brandon, in the song "Love's in a minor key," appears to special advantage. "When the sun's away," undoubtedly the best song in the piece, is well sung by Mr. Home. The words and music of this song are both admirably written. 'The programme concludes with a new musical sketch by Mr. Corney Grain, entitled Small and Early, introducing a most amusing song, written and composed by Mr. Arthur Cecil especially for Mr. Grain. This sketch might almost be called "a satire on modern society." Match-making mothers, chattering spinsters, scandal-loving matrons, modern swells, five-o'clock-tea men, and a multitude of others, all fall under the lash of his sarcasm; yet so amusingly does he treat all his subjects, with his rapid changes of voice, expression, and sudden flights to the piano, that there is not one serious face in the audience while Mr. Corney Grain occupies the stage.' (The Theatre, London, Saturday, 1 July 1882, pp.47 and 48) FANNY HOLLAND Fanny Holland was for many years a member of Mr and Mrs German Reed’s select company of players at St George’s Hall, Langham Place, London. Entertainments and musical plays were produced there of a refined nature which were calculated to appeal to a class of mid-nineteenth century audience which would not normally have visited a theatre proper - the general atmosphere of theatres then being unsuitable for those of genteel sensibilities. Miss Holland began her career with the German Reeds in 1869. During the year in which the above photograph was taken - 1877 - she appeared in a number of pieces under them at St George’s Hall, including: A Night Surprise by ‘West Cromer’ (Fanny Holland’s husband, Arthur Law); Number 204 by F.C. Burnand, with music by T. German Reed; A Happy Bungalow, by Arthur Law, with music by King Hall; Once in a Century by Gilbert a’Beckett, with music by Vivian Bligh; and Our New Doll’s House by W. Wye, with music by Cotsford Dick. Her fellow players included Mrs German Reed, Alfred Reed, Arthur Law, R. Corney Grain, Leonora Braham and Carlotta Carrington. The entertainments at St George’s Hall continued until the early 1890s, Fanny Holland being one of the last surviving members of the company. In 1898 she appeared as Mrs Bostock in Henry Arthur Jones’s comedy The Manoeuvres of Jane at the Haymarket Theatre, London. For further information, see Kurt Gänzl, The British Musical Theatre, Macmillan, vol.I, London, 1986. * * * * * * * * Mdlle. Marville, the graceful hippomobilist of the Moulin Rouge, Paris, 1903

Mdlle. Marville

(photo: unknown, Paris, 1903)

'This winter, the Moulin Rouge, which has risen Phœnix-like from the debris of the home of the cancan and ranks as the Empire-cum-Palace [in London (i.e. a variety theatre)] of Paris, has introduced a novelty. The stage represents a circus-ring in old Versailles. The horse is practically dead, we are informed, and but one specimen remains. The automobile has killed hippomobilism, and, dressed in white satin, Mdlle. Marville, on a milk-while, gilt-hoofed steed, comes forth and shows that the last hippomobilist is graceful as well as unique. This is but one of the many pretty things in this particular revue, in which the management have also realised the "Entente Cordiale".' (The Sketch, London, Wednesday, 2 December 1903, p.227a) * * * * * * * *

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© John Culme, 2003