Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 26 July 2003

A random selection of cuttings
from newspapers and magazines

Entertainment at Highbury Barn, near London, September 1864 'The effective scene from Der Freischutz, which has had a run of some 160 nights at this establishment, has been withdrawn, and on Monday evening [12 September 1864] an adaptation of The Corsican Brothers will be produced. It is stated that the scenic and mechanical arrangements will be in advance of those which have made the Der Freischutz scene so popular. Mr. E[dward] Giovanelli, the Proprietor, will take the chief part. The complimentary benefit of Mr. D.G. Taylor, the Acting-Manager, is fixed for Monday [19 September 1864], when, in addition to the present company, Mr. West, the original "any-other-man" stump orator, Miss Ellen Hale, Mr. Arthur Young, and Mr. W.R. Randall, will appear. There will be a display of the beautiful "Fairy Fountain," additional illuminations will be provided, and dancing al fresco to Mr. Marriott's band will form, as usual, an acceptable feature of the evening's entertainment. The result ought to be a bumper to the beneficiaire.' (The Era, London, Sunday, 18 September 1864, p.6d) * * * * * * * * Katti, The Family Help, a comedy by Charles S. Fawcett, Strand Theatre, London, 25 February 1888

Susie Vaughan (1853-1950), English actress

(photo: The London Stereoscopic Co., London, circa 1890)

'Katti is, in parts, amusing; but it is so manifestly unsubstantial and long-drawn-out, that one gets weary of three acts of trifling, without anything in the shape of a situation. The Anglo-German funniments of Miss Alice Atherton [Mrs Willie Edouin] are no doubt about the best of their kind; but she has given them to us before, both at theatre and music-hall. Mr. [Willie] Edouin is a very excellent all-round comedian, and he is to be seen to advantage in this piece, as also is Mr. [Albert] Chevalier, who is fearfully and wonderfully made up. Miss Susie Vaughan is not entrusted with a part which is calculated to call forth her best powers; the amiable-looking Miss Grace Huntley does her unsensational task pleasantly enough; and Miss Laura Sedgwick, as Mrs. Richard Fluffy, is admirable. 'Before seeing this piece, I had read in several papers that there was a very clever character sketch supplied in it by Mr. Morell. Well, after witnessing this gentleman's performance, I can honestly say that I see nothing extraordinary in it. 'The Edouins are very clever people, and the head of the firm is not only amusing as an eccentric comedian, but he is thoroughly competent and practical as a stage-manager. As I think I have said before, he is like Mr. George Conquest in this respect. The whole business of the stage is at his fingers' ends. If a special kind of property is wanted, Mr. Edouin, I dare say, can make it, and I have no doubt will manufacture it rather than pay what he things is a "fancy" price to some other person for making it. 'But sometimes a ship may be spoilt by the withholding of the proverbial ha'porth [i.e. halfpenny worth] of tar; and this mistaken economy is very often manifested in Mr. Edouin's stage mountings, which seem to be governed by parsimony: cheapness appears to be their first law. Well, I suppose Mr. Edouin is justified in working on safe lines. Certain is it that if he does not make much money, he does not waste much in costly fit-ups. Look at the two interiors presented in Katti, and then imagine how they would be shown at the Haymarket Theatre or at German Reed's. And while you are making your examination, dear reader, don't forget to notice those distant Margate breakers seen through the open door. Did Mr. Edouin paint this charming bit of seascape? Most likely, I should think. Well, I am not the man to reproach him; for I am ready to admit that this "bit of nature" tickled me as much, or more, than anything in this piece.' (The Entr'acte, London, Saturday, 7 April 1888, p.4a/b) * * * * * * * * Pauline Chase in The Girl From Up There, Duke of York's Theatre, 1901; her first London appearance

Pauline Chase (1885-1962), American actress and dancer

(photo: unknown, probably New York, circa 1900,
from Up To Date, London, Saturday, 1 June 1901, p.24)

'PAULINE CHASE – of Edna May's Company. 'Pauline did not attract very much attention from the great American public until she became a member of the chorus in A Cadet Girl [sic] (Herald Square Theatre, New York, 25 July 1900), and then her blonde hair and rather pretty face, combined with a ceaseless ubiquity at and around the two largest Tenderloin restaurants, drew upon her not only the notice of the [stage door] "Johnnies," but the New York newspapers. She has posed as a fashion model for one of the latter a great number of times and is very popular in its studios for that purpose. Pauline was the heroine of a sappy little story a few weeks ago, the gist of which was that a Harvard student put on false whiskers in order to gain admittance to the theatre where she was "acting." The Harvard student has not been spanked yet, so far as we know, by his parents for guardian. Miss Chase is not so very much prettier than many of her associates, but she is so essentially blonde in every possible way that she claims attention. Besides, everybody says she is such a good girl, and isn't that delightful?' (Up To Date, London, Saturday, 1 June 1901, p.24) * * * * * * * *

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© John Culme, 2003