Celebrity for the week ending
Saturday, 5 January 2002
The Vokes Family of English actors and dancers
Fred (1846-1888), Jessie (1851-1884)
Victoria (1853-1894), Rosina (1854-1894)
Fawdon (Herbert Fawdon, d.1904)
standing, left to right: Fred and Fawdon
seated, left to right: Victoria, Rosina and Jessie
(photo: Gurney & Son, New York, circa 1873)
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The popular Victorian entertainers known collectively as The Vokes Family were Fred (1846-1888), Jessie (1851-1884), Victoria (1853-1894), and Rosina (1854-1894), the son and daughters of Frederick Vokes (1816-1890), a theatrical costumier; and Herbert Fawdon (d.1904), the son of Walter Fawdon, who became known as Fawdon Vokes upon joining the Vokes Family troupe. Fred married the actress Bella Moore, whose father, George Washington ‘Pony’ Moore (1820-1909), was a founder of the celebrated Moore and Burgess Minstrels. One of Fred’s sisters-in-law, Annie, was married to the American-born Eugene Stratton (1861-1918), originally a member of the Moore and Burgess combination, who later became a much loved music hall comedian, a black face singer of such popular ditties as ‘The Lily of Laguna’ and ‘Little Dolly Daydream.’ Rosina married the playwright Cecil Clay (1847-1920). The latter’s brother, Frederick (1839-1889) was a composer for the musical theatre and of various ballads including ‘I’ll Sing These Songs of Araby.’ * * * * * * * *
‘Under [F.B.] Chatterton’s astute and upright guidance, the [Theatre Royal,] Drury Lane we know to-day began to take shape. He made a very great feature of the annual pantomime, and from 1866, when he took over, the Drury Lane panto become one of the premier annual events of London… In 1869, Chatterton engaged the famous Vokes family, who monopolised the pantomimes for years to come. They were an extraordinary combination. Old Vokes had been a theatrical costumier, and as soon as his children could walk, he put them on the stage. They played in Shakespeare and anything in which children were required. The eldest son, Fred Vokes, had been call boy to [the actor Samuel] Phelps, and assistant to Professor Anderson, the Wizard of the North. He developed an amazing strain of acrobatic dancing, and was known as "The Man with the Elastic Legs." Jessie Vokes, on the stage at the age of four, taught dancing as well at the Surrey Theatre, one of her pupils being [Richard] Flexmore [d.1860] the famous clown. She looked after business affairs for the whole family. Victoria Vokes made her stage début at the age of two, but Rosina Vokes beat them all for she was carried on the stage as a baby in long clothes…’ * * * * * * * *
‘The opening night at the Union-square Theatre [New York] on Monday [11 August 1873] was a marvellous success. The house was literally packed from pit to dome with a good class of our citizens, who stayed to the last, the heat to the contrary notwithstanding. It was not a house filled for the occasion, either (albeit there were a few Bohemians there), but the tickets were purchased in good faith. This is an important fact, because it proves the power of the attraction which could draw such an audience on a warm midsummer’s night. Now what was the attraction? We do not think it was one but many attractions. In the first place, this Theatre has been gradually growing in public favour. It is centrally located, adorned with great taste, comfortably seating some fifteen hundred persons, and managed with skill and enterprise. The stock company is excellent, and during the approaching season will represent some of the best plays. But undoubtedly the Vokes are trump cards in the hands of [the manager] Mr Sheridan Shook, and he plays them with his usual power. We cannot define the subtle force which they wield to convulse an audience with laughter. There is no apparent effort to make fun. It is natural, spontaneous, side splitting fun, protruding from eyes, mouth, hands and feet - a perfect plethora of comicality. When the piece is ended, you feel a little angry because you laughed so heartily at what now seems such simple stuff; but then you will laugh just as heartily again if you should revisit the Union-square. This is art - high art - art which hides art and so counterfeits nature as to make the artificial seem the more natural. Take Fred Vokes, for instance. He is a galvanic battery of fun. When he is once fairy charged, he electrifies not the individuals in the audience, but the audience en masse. It wriggles, it spurts, it giggles, it laughs, it shouts, it rolls, it is in the convulsions of hysteria. The wonder is at the effect produced rather than at the cause, which is the dancing, leaping, wriggling, laughing, nondescript yelcpt Fred Vokes. We can compare his wonderful influence over an audience only to that which a great orator wields over his auditors or a great advocate over a jury. It differs only in kind - not in degree. We noticed quite a number of our distinguished legal gentlemen present, and they seemed to enjoy the fun as much as any body. Lawyers as a class are great patrons of the drama, and hence we will pay some attention to this department of art.’ |
Victoria, Rosina and Jessie Vokes
(photo: Mora, New York, circa 1873)
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‘The Misses Vokes. - We hear a great deal about the decline of the legitimate drama, and of the depreciation of the public taste in art. We beg to demur to these several pleas. The legitimate drama proper is that which represents, in mimic form, the real life of a people. What may be considered legitimate by one class of the community, or by one nation or country, may be declared illegitimate by another. The term, therefore, is not an absolute but a comparative one, and its interpretation is subject to the rules which obtain in a locality or at some particular time. It is wrong, therefore, to aver that because the taste of the present, or the taste of American audiences, differs in many essential particulars from that of the past, or of trans-oceanic audiences, it is bad or illegitimate. With us the object of theatrical entertainments is to amuse rather than to instruct. We are a busy people. Our nerves are daily subjected to the repeated shocks of barter and trade, of profit and loss. We want the rest which comes in the form of laughter and complete relief from thought. The majestic strut of a king, or the ponderous arguments of a philosopher, or the voluble utterances of a love-sick queen in the tragic play may even yet please an English audience, and tickle the vanity of the British aristocracy, but the older play-writers have been superseded in the dominion of dramatic art in our country by the writers of what are termed "society plays," and by the actors who represent our daily life and thought. Upon this theory alone, we think, can the wonderful success of "the Vokes" be accounted for. They please, they are chaste, and yet they are exceedingly comical. They are accomplished in the art of music, and at the same time worshippers at the shrines of Thespis and Terpsichore. Song and dance lend their charms to heighten the effect of their pantomime and comic dialogues. Now you are delighted with a choice solo by Miss Victoria, or a duet by the two sisters, Misses Victoria and Rosina, or even a trio or quartette by the three sisters and Brother Fred. In the meanwhile Miss Rosina convulses you with her inimitably by-plays, and the "little un" (twin brother to "Jack-i’-the-box") amuses you with his facial contortions and his electrical skips and jumps. In fine, these people are doing our citizens great good by reconciling them to their necessities of staying at home during the heated term.’ |
Fred Vokes
(photo: The London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co, London, circa 1872)
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‘Union-square Theatre [New York]. - The substitution of the laughable play The Belles of the Kitchen, in lieu of the funny sketch called Fun in a Fog, is the latest change in the programme of this elegant and fashionable house. The famous Vokes family of course maintain the reputation previously acquired by them, and the favour with which Bells of the Kitchen is received sufficiently demonstrates the truth of this assertion that the Vokeses are incomparably superior to any other artists who have ever visited these [American] shores. The play is admirably adapted to bring out to fullest advantage the extraordinary abilities of this accomplished family. The engagement of the Vokeses is rapidly approaching a termination, and we once more advise our readers to heed this fact, and not repine when too late.’ |
Fawdon Vokes (née Herbert Fawdon)
(photo: Fradelle & Marshall, London, circa 1875)
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‘The Vokes Family’s last week in America. Few artists have crossed the water to win gold and reputation in America and have succeeded so well as the clever quintette who are now taking a long farewell of the United States at the [Boston] Howard Athenaeum. They have gone across the continent, earning good wishes from all and not a little of the best currency on which the sun has ever shone, and certainly there is no one here who will not rejoice at their good fortune. We are their debtors for some of the heartiest laughter and the purest and most innocent amusement ever known in the walls of a Theatre. They leave a place which will not be filled until they return. Let us hope it will not be long vacant. No heartier welcome could have been wished than greeted them as the curtain rose last evening before a densely crowded audience, made up of the best of our theatre-goers. The little comedy with which the performance began, though well played, seemed tedious, and the tag was heard with pleasure. The first appearance of the stars of the evening was the signal for such a clapping of hands as is seldom heard except on an opera night, when to burst one’s kids [ie. kid gloves] is the only proper thing. A glance showed that Fred’s legs were as limber and Fawdon’s as nimble as ever, while the ladies looked not a day older than when they left us for the Pacific coast. The little burlesque, The Belles of the Kitchen, went off with all the snap and vivacity which has always characterised its performance, while those most familiar with it could but notice that new business and new witticisms had been introduced, so that improvements were seen where everything seemed perfect before. The audience was quick to appreciate, and seemed constantly in some stage of laughter, varying from the quick, short chuckle to the loud and hearty guffaw. Miss Victoria received a handsome bouquet, and all the family were recalled after the fall of the curtain.’ * * * * * * * *
‘The death of Fred Vokes surprised none of his friends who had seen him and known his life for the last three or four years. When the late F.B. Chatterton ran pantomime at Drury Lane, Vokes was a sheet-anchor, for he and his sisters had a big following. Fred, whatever may have been his faults, was a splendid pantomimist, and looking around I see nobody who can exactly fill his place. But when a man begins to live carelessly, he as surely becomes more or less demoralised; and there can be no doubt that Fred Vokes would have been alive and enjoying great prosperity now if he had exercised that useful though not sensational gift - prudence. The poor fellow’s death will save that investigation of his domestic affairs with which he was threatened.’ * * * * * * * *
‘The Vokes were a wonderful family. They lived opposite the Drury Lane stage door, and were regular attendants at St. Paul’s Church, in Covent Garden. People used to go to church on Sundays specially to stare at Jessie and Victoria in the Vokes’ pew.’ * * * * * * * *
See also Nigel Ellacott and Peter Robbins’s It’s Behind You Web site. |
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© John Culme, 2002