Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 3 May 2003
A random selection of cuttings
from newspapers and magazines
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At Wilton's music hall, London, 1865
'There is never a lack of novelty at this establishment, and at holiday time the entertainments are especially attractive. Among the latest engagements made by Mr. Wilton are Messrs. [F.] Duriah and Davis, a couple of "Niggers," with a style so original that they are bound to become favourites in the Metropolis. Mr. Davis is really a very droll fellow, and the extraordinary use he makes of his nether extremities is not the least startling feature of his performances. His partner is a capital step dancer, and some solos he played on a tiny banjo gave great satisfaction on the evening of our visit. They have both been engaged for the Oxford and Canterbury, at which establishments they will shortly appear, and Mr. Wilton is entitled to some credit for the judgment he has displayed in bringing them out – a judgment that has not been at fault with regard to many of the leading Music Hall professionals. Another "Nigger" performer retained by him is Mr. Wieland, an old favourite, who gives a more refined style of entertainment that the majority of his class. There is a double company of comic duettists, Mr. Lloyd and Miss Nelson, and Mr. and Mrs. Mark Johnson, and the latter pair have recently appeared with much success in a new sketch, which may be termed The Old Curiosity Shop. Some amusing assumptions of character are presented by the lady, who is a fair vocalist and actress. Mr. Lloyd and Miss Nelson, too, are clever in their way, and the serio-comic songs of Miss Kate Goodchild, Miss Nelly wood, and Mdlle. Cora Woski are worthy of mention. The first-named of these sings some Irish ballads very takingly, and in time she will become an acquisition to the Metropolitan Music Halls. Messrs. Dorguin and Voltyne, as French Clowns, go through some clever antics with violins, after the style of the Brothers Daniels, and the gymnastic feats of the Brothers Fritz are of the usual sensation nature. Among others, the popular tenor, Mr. Reuben Hyams, is still retained, and his fine voice has lost none of its old sweetness of expression. We may mention here that his fourth annual benefit takes place on Wednesday fortnight, and as he has a host of friends about the locality, it is sure to be a bumper. Mr. S. Tute continues the leader of a most excellent band, which contributes in no small degree to the amusements presented, and much of the order that nightly prevails is due to the urbanity and courtesy of Mr. Jewell.' * * * * * * * *
Professor Anderson, 'The Wizard of the North,' and Family |
Lizzie Anderson
(photo: M. Guttenberg, Bristol, circa 1870)
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'Public curiosity seems in no way abated regarding the doings of the veteran Wizard and his clever family. The note of warning has been given, and we presume Professor [John Henry] Anderson [1814-1874] will, before very long, gather his "olive branches" about him, and, turning his back upon the old country, look forward to the peaceful retirement of private life in the colony he has chosen for his home. If those who work hard, and endure the checks and crosses of public life in every part of the world, deserve, at last, to be rocked to sleep in a golden cradle, Professor Anderson has fairly earned his reward, and he may rest assured, when our coast line fades away and mingles with the sky, that he leaves many well-wishers in England who will be only too happy to hear of his living many years in the enjoyment of repose secured by a long career of incessant activity. Professor Anderson continues to cajole watches from boxes securely locked, and to bewilder the admiring public in the most inexplicable manner. No difficulty whatever is found in inducing strong-minded gentlemen to step up and join the charming little family part on the stage. As for the young gentleman who accepts office and, after sitting upon a box in the middle of the Hall, has to carry it along the platform, he seems to absolutely enjoy the notoriety. Miss Anderson's share in the performances is rather an important one, and excites as much astonishment as when she first appeared. "Parallelogram," and such like words, might occasion some disquiet to a nervous individual going through a Civil Service examination, if required only to spell it only in the usual way, but to give every letter quickly, clearly, and in proper order backwards is a much more formidable undertaking. The Indian Basket Trick is an item in the programme which finds especial favour with the general public. It is quickly and very dexterously managed by Miss Lizzie Anderson, who has acquired a wonderful coolness at her "dreadful trade" of murdering relations. The trick is admirably performed by both young ladies, or as many junior Andersons as may be concerned in it, for the mystery of conjuring prevents our speaking with certainly. Miss Lizzie Anderson also mesmerises a very young sister, and the sleep of this child "on a couch of air" is not the least noticeable feature of the entertainment. Venturesome persons have also an opportunity of testing the power of animal magnetism, a power by no means to be despised from the exclamations of pain, and something very like terror, from the experimentalists who grasp the iron bar. Professor Anderson's pleasant evenings conclude with Mr. Frederic Maccabe's series of characteristic personations entitled Begone Dull Care. Mr. Maccabe's fresh, original, and rare talent as a mimic has been already admitted in this Journal. We again take the opportunity of testifying his excellence in the art of imitating the eccentricities of humanity, male and female. Mr. Maccabe in no instance descends to extravagance, but all his illustrations are in the best taste, and undisfigured by the slightest approach to buffoonery. Notwithstanding the hot evenings the Hall is fully occupied, and the performances received with every demonstration of approval.' * * * * * * * * The death of J.L. Toole's only son, London, December 1879 |
John L. Toole (1830-1906), English actor, manager and dramatist
(photo: Charles Clarkington, London, circa 1860)
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'Actors and laymen, theatre-goers and those that look upon theatre as a short cut to destruction, must alike sympathise with John Lawrence Toole in this the hour of his grief. His only son lies dead in the actor's pleasant house in Bayswater. Frank Toole, a young lad reading for the Bar, of whose genial qualities, bright mind, and endearing disposition everyone who knew him spoke much of, was hurt as a boy while playing football at school. It was thought that he had recovered from his boyish injury, and for a time it seemed so, but he never really got over it. Aneurism was so bad that for weeks his leg had to be held in one position. As a last remedy amputation was effected, but the lad, weak from pain and illness, succumbed to the operation, and expired on Sunday [7 December 1879]. His father, who had never disappointed an audience until he became his own manager, was lying ill in bed at the time with gout in both feet, and had to be carried down to his son's chamber to bid him his last good-bye. The hackneyed stories of clowns hiding aching hearts beneath their motley have never received so striking an illustration of their truth.' * * * * * * * *
J.H. Haverly's Negro Minstrels,
'The band of sable entertainers, now disporting at Her Majesty's Theatre, under the auspices of that comprehensive caterer, Mr. Haverly, must not be confounded with the troupe which first made a sensation here something like twelve-months ago under the same management; the first batch got their black faces by artificial means, whereas, Nature has effected the darkening operation for the performers who are just now demonstrating at this theatre. The entertainment which these coloured folks give is varied in character, though, we humbly opine, not sufficiently differing from that given by artificial blacks to endow it with an absolutely special mark. There is no feature in the performance which we witnessed and listened to last Saturday [30 July 1881] that is more suggestive of negro life than was to be found in the entertainment tendered by Mr. Haverly's former troupe, which was made up entirely of white men; and, in our opinion, this is the weakness of the enterprise. England has done much for the black people, and ever since Mrs. Beacher-Stowe's story of Uncle Tom's Cabin created such a furore as has never been made by the publication of any book since, English people have felt a strong interest in the man of colour, and in the accounts of his daily life. Now, if Mr. Haverly's, "Genuine Black Minstrels," had attempted to give us a somewhat sentimental view of negro life, decorating it with a few pronounced extravagances, we venture to assert that such a programme would have been more after the Britisher's heart than is that which is now tendered. For instance, why not have given us their morning hymn, their evensong, and some of the plantation ditties that we have heard so much about? These could have been relieved by comic phases, and would have attracted that goody-goody section of Londoners who will turn up their noses at an orchestral performance of a good overture or symphony, and are ready to shed tears as they listen to a harmonium droning out the Old Hundredth. The only legitimate negro feature of the performance was that which ushered in the entertainment on Saturday, and which commenced prior to the uplifting of the curtain. The effect, too, was increased when a view of the performers was to be had, for then an amount of visible picturesqueness was added to the "concord of sweet sounds." And here let us say that there are excellent voices among these choristers, more especially in the basso department. There are some twenty female choristers, and it seems to us that hardly enough is made of this factor. In the comedy department we make bold to say that the negro can hardly be ranked as a man and a brother with the professional white "corner" man; the former knows how to make the most of a wide mouth and a wealth of tongue; but such play ceases to be humorous, unless supported by something more substantial. The chief "corner" man – Mr. [T.] McIntosh, we think, is his name – is possessed of some humour which he demonstrates in other ways besides grimacing. Another weakness of the entertainment is the comparative poorness of the orchestral accompaniments. The feature which prospered well on Saturday, and which was genuinely comic, was that introduced by a member of the troupe who was made up as a chanticleer, and who imitated that bird with such fidelity that a little real bantam-cock attacked him with much ardour, afterwards indicating his victory by crowing with all its little might. To see this little bird chasing a man-size counterfeit was sufficiently ludicrous to send the audience into fits of laughter. This item made a splendid success, as it deserved to do, fir it is one of the funniest exhibition that has ever been seen on the stage. HAVERLY'S COLOURED MINSTRELS
'Encouraged by the success of his 1880 season in London, Haverly brought over another troupe which opened in July, 1881, again at Her Majesty's Theatre, London. This time it was a troupe of all-coloured people and when the curtain went up on the opening night it disclosed on the stage about sixty-five real negroes, both male and female, ranging in shades of complexion from the coal black negro to the light brown Mulatto or Octoroon. They were of all ages, from the ancient Uncle Toms and Aunt Chloes, smart young coons and wenches, down to the little Picanniny a few months old nestling in its mother's lap. Their costumes were of the plantation, in a picturesque plantation setting, somewhat reminiscent of the Jubilee Festival scene from Uncle Tom's Cabin. There were sixteen corner men in all, eight bones and eight tambourines, arranged in two rows on the stage. A particular feature of their business was the smart manner that they worked together, making a most picturesque display in unison with their bones and tambourines. The programme was a mixture of plantation solos, concerted numbers, Jubilee quartettes, and spirituals, interspersed with comic nigger ditties and witticisms by the comedians. The best of the vocalists were Richard Little, a deep bass singer, and Wallace King, a gentleman with a very dark complexion and a long black beard to match, who in addition to his song in the first part, introduced in the second part that old favourite ballad, "My Sweetheart when a Boy." He possessed a powerful tenor voice of excellent quality in the upper register, but rather guttural in the bottom notes, a characteristic of many coloured vocalists. He was quite an effective singer. Billy Kersands was the principal comedian, a big man, with a big mouth and a voice to match, who got a lot of capital out of that amusing ditty "Mary's gone wid a Coon." Kersands was quite a good comedian. James Bland introduced to this country that once very popular ditty "O'dem Golden Slippers. The music was not an outstanding feature of the show. Some clever specialities were introduced by a troupe of twenty dancers and a banjo orchestra. Bob Mack introduced a novel act. Dressed as a big rooster he had a combat with a genuine little bantam with most amusing effect. There was a burlesque on the Jubilee singers and during a selection by the brass band some smart eccentric business was introduced by T. McIntosh and J. Grace. T. McIntosh made some excellent comedy with a big drum with which he got terribly entangled. First he dived right over it, then underneath it. He was all over it, everywhere in fact but inside it; but he always came up just in time for his beat. W.H. Allen gave an excellent display of high pedestal clog dancing and the Bohee Brothers (James and George) made their first appearance in this country with this troupe. Their entertainment consisted of ballads, banjo solos and duets, and their famous double banjo song and dance in the orthodox costume of velvet coats, knee breeches and jockey caps – a very smartly worked number this. The Haverly Coloured Minstrels did not meet with the same amount of success as the Haverly Mastodon Minstrels in 1880. After a season of two or three months at Her Majesty's Theatre they toured the principal cities before returning to America in the late spring of 1882.' * * * * * * * *
Gabrielle Ray joins the cast of The Lady Dandies, |
Gabrielle Ray on the cover of The Tatler, London, 15 May 1907
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, 1907)
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The Merveilleuses, a comic opera with book by Basil Hood adapted from Victorien Sardou, music by Hugo Felix and lyrics by Adrian Ross, was produced at Daly's Theatre, London, on 27 October 1906. The chief parts were played by Robert Evett, W.H. Berry, Willie Warde, Gordon Cleather, Louis Bradfield, Fred Kaye, Fred Emney, Mariette Sully, Elizabeth Firth and Evie Greene. The part of Eglé, originally played by Maude Percival, was given to Gabrielle Ray when the piece was revised and renamed The Lady Dandies at the end of January 1907; at that time Miss Percival was given the new part of St. Cyr. After a total run of 197 performances, The Merveilleuses / The Lady Dandies closed on 18 May 1907 prior to the production of the first English version of The Merry Widow, which opened at Daly's on 8 June.
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© John Culme, 2003