The Casino Girl – Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser – Saturday 4th April 1903
PLEASURE GARDENS THEATRE.
“THE CASINO GIRL.”
This bright musical comedy made its re-appearance at the Theatre on Monday evening, and was enthusiastically received. It seemed almost like “the season” to see a well-filled house and such an excellent company in one of the great musical successes. Mr. Norman Page, formerly the “polite lunatic” of “The Belle of New York” plays the similar part of the “Pasha.” Mr. Stanley White brings out all the humours of “Signor Hasbeern,” and Mr. Frank Saker and Mr. Walter Freear cause much amusement as the two robbers. Of the ladies, Miss Daisy Semon as “Laura Lee” and Miss Gabrielle Ray as “Dolly Twinkle,” are full of vivacity, and are well supported by the lengthy cast. The chorus works well, and the whole production goes with a “bang.” The last performances are on Wednesday at 2.30 and 8.
Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser – Saturday 4th April 1903
Gabrielle Ray – Poinsetta – Middlesex County Times – Saturday 16th December 1911
NOTES FOR CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS
The Christmas shopper of either sex will find many suggestions for presents in the window, of 12 The Mall, Ealing, the premises of Mr. Ernest Drayton, chemist. Perfumery is the moat prominent feature of a very pleasing window-display, and this includes a wonderful new scent, Poinsetta, which, it will interest the ladies especially to know, has been selected, approved, and used by Miss Phyllis Dare Miss Olive May, Miss Gabrielle Ray, and Miss Connie Ediss. The makers, Messrs. Atkinson, of 24, Old Bond-street, London, consider it the masterpiece of their many beautiful perfumes, of which Mr. Drayton has a large stock.
Middlesex County Times – Saturday 16th December 1911
Gabrielle Ray – The Stage – Thursday 29th April 1920
MANCHESTER.
Palace (M.D., Alan Young; S. and A.M., Jesse Hewitt; A. A.M., W. Maclaren). The winning charm and dainty artistry of Gabrielle Ray are pleasingly featured here. She has a clever partner in Leslie Barker. Billy Merson requires no comment; he is just himself, and patrons enjoy the fun thoroughly. Vasco, the mad musician is popular, and St. Juste and Higgins provide harmony and humour. Among others are the Three Daring Reos and Graham and Cullen
The Stage – Thursday 29th April 1920
The Casino Girl – Huddersfield Daily Examiner – Tuesday 21st October 1902
“THE CASINO GIRL”
AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.
Under the direction of Mr. J. Bannister Howard, Mr. Ben Greet’s company on tour performing “The Casino Girl” commenced a week’s engagement at the Theatre Royal last night. The piece is described as a musical farce in two acts, written by Harry B. Smith, music by Ludwig Englander. As a fact the piece is nearly as much a pantomime as a farce, it is built up on the flimsiest pretence of a story, and the music, though bright, tuneful, and spirited, and containing two or three expressive songs, and one or two choruses of some distinctive character, is mainly of the music hall song and dance tape, leaving no impression on the memory.
The piece contains plenty of opportunity for making fan, mostly of the frivolous order, and the company take the utmost advantage of this, as that, with songs, choruses, and dances, and plenty of “go,” attention is secured, the ear tickled, and the risible faculty kept on the alert from beginning to end of the performance. But beyond this there is mach to gratify the sight. With the scenes of the two acts representing respectively “A Street in Cairo” and “The Pasha’s Palace,” splendidly painted and set, with a very large company of ladies personating American tourists, members of a stranded English opera company, wives of the pash, dancing girls, odalisques, slaves etc in charming costumes of many types and a variety of colours more brilliant and beautiful than we have men in Huddersfield for a very long time, and with men in the uniform of Turkish soldiers, spectacle follows spectacle with almost dazzling effect in their kaleidoscopic picturesqueness. Thus an entertainment is provided which, although light and frivolous, is very mirthful, bright, and satisfying while it lasts. Laura Lee, formerly of the New York Casino Company, known as Mille. Estelle, a French milliner, whom we suppose is the Casino Girl, has a delightful exponent in Miss Maud Darling, who has a soprano voice of beautiful quality, sings artistically, dances with sprightliness, and plays her part with remarkable piquancy and finish. Pilsener Pasha, who obtained his title by introducing beer into Egypt, has in Mr, J. E. Sullivan an extremely comical representative, who excites frequent peals of laughter by the volubility of his broken German-English and carious modes of expression, and by his very funny acting, singing, and dancing. Mr. Eardley Turner shows himself to he a clever actor as J. Offenbach Gaggs known as Signor Hasbeeni, an operatic tenor, whose company has got into financial difficulties in Cairo. His burlesque is exceedingly good, not being too extravagant, and having the merits of truth and finish about it, especially in his clever caricature of Sousa conducting his hand, in which he poses with one leg bent and plays tricky variations with the baton very true to the style of the celebrated conductor. Mr. Turner was good in the delivery of his lines, and his recital rather than singing of the doleful song, “Nothing New,” to band accompaniment, was most amusing. Percy Harold Ethelbert Van Stuyvesant, a New York doctor in love with the Casino Girl, who gets arrested in mistake for Ben Muley, chief of a gang of thieves, but is ultimately released by the help of the Casino Girl, to whom he becomes united, is remounted admirably by Mr. Laurence Wensley, who plays his part with naturalness and finish, dances gracefully, and sings with excellent voice and taste, especially the song, “”I love my love in the springtime.” Miss Connie Leon is very smart as Miss Roxana Rocks, an heiress from Chicago, and she sings with good voice and artistic method. Miss Gabrielle Ray is a charming figure as Dolly Twinkle, leading dancer of the opera company, and she is sufficiently pert, dances admirably, and sings nicely considering the smallness of her voice. Miss Madge Cleaver makes the best of her part of Mrs. H. Malaprop Rocks, the better half of a Chicago pork packer, though many of the wrong words put into the mouth of this Yankee version of our own Mrs. Malaprop are by no means mistakes which an uneducated woman would naturally fall into. Ben Maley, the real chief of the gang of thieves, and Postage, his lieutenant, are most cleverly represented by Mr. Stanley White and Mr. Walter Freear, two panto mimic knockabouts of the very best “long and short of it” type, whose antics, especially those of Mr. Freear, the cheeky little bandit, are extremely comical and provocative of laughter. Misses Annie Johnson, Bessie Middleton, and Rosie Clare are exceedingly sprightly, elastic, and graceful principal dancers. The chorus singing is remarkable for the fullness and freshness of the voices and for unity, tunefulness, and taste; and the band parts, which have no particularly distinguishing features, are well played. The nearest approach to mode of operatic character is reached in the Egyptian choruses, in which there is some local colour, and in the finale to the first act, a very well-written number, which was worked up effectively, alike from musical, dramatic, and spectacular points of view.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner – Tuesday 21st October 1902
About
One of my main interests is a love of old pictures and postcards that give us a brief glimpse into a past and often forgotten age.
Collecting old postcard and pictures enables the viewer to glimpse a brief moment from that individual’s life; often far removed from their own either by the passage of time or social class. Social History, often described as “history from below” shows everyday people, their social structure and the interaction of different groups; like the wealthy and politicians these people helped shape and maintain society and so shape history.
Examining the images one can’t help but wonder how the individuals lived, were their lives hard compared with today and were they happy. Often the images come with little or no information that can answer these questions, one can only imagine.
With each image saved and seen by others, so that moment, that person is kept alive, our understanding is increased and so our lives are enriched.
A picture is often more descriptive than words can ever be, but how true is this, if a picture enables us to gain entry to another time, another world, will, like the view from a different window, even in the same house provide a different image?
These images allow a glimpse into another time, another era; but what preceded or followed this image? As the individuals were positioned and posed like an artist’s model is what we see truly reflective or like the slightly softened image of an aging beauty a less that truthful representation?
I am reminded of a documentary I watched several years ago regarding the returning troops from the front during the First World War. The camera images show a broken, demoralised sea of humanity, young men who having seen images that most of us hope never to witness had lost that sparkle; that zest which only youth has. But bring on the news camera and that battered returning group came to life, the smiles returned and even though muddied and bloodied their heads and bodies became erect, their arms swung in time and they demonstrated a swagger that spoke of courage, defiance and determination; an image that gave hope to the viewer.
It seems to me that even in the early days of photography all was not what it appeared and now in the advancing digital age a picture may paint a thousand words but will it be factual or fiction?
My interests And collections vary from Maids, Nuns, religious dress and the more risqué images of the French Maid. Often when searching for a particular subject the boundaries cross and as well as true Maids we find Edwardian actresses dressed as Nuns or Maids. During one of my searches I came across Gabrielle Ray dressed as a Maid, “Susan” in Lady Madcap and was instantly captivated by her.
Collecting the individual cards isn’t enough; I like to know more about the individual, which is easier when that person is an actress, although often the information is scarce
Searching for information about Miss Ray I discovered that she was one of the most photographed women of the Edwardian era and described in “Temps” as the most beautiful woman in the United Kingdom; but sadly her success, if measured by being visibly working or in the public eye was short-lived. She struggled with depression and alcohol abuse, and her health declined. In 1936, she suffered a complete mental breakdown and was institutionalized for nearly forty years; dying in 1973 at Holloway Sanatorium at the age of 90.
There are several other sites and blogs dedicated to the memory of Miss Ray and my intention is to share my small but growing collection of pictures and postcards with anyone who shares my interest. Reading about Miss Ray I was saddened that this lady, like many others before and since, after a brief moment in the sun they are soon forgotten. Hopefully as people view and enjoy this blog her memory will remain alive for a little longer.
I have started to write a short Biography about Miss Ray which I will try to update as frequently as possible. The Index page will show any updates under the Biography catagory.
I have also tried to link the various postcards and pictures to the plays in which Miss Ray appeared, however I realise, after several errors that this isn’t an easy task as many are decorative studio poses rather than production images. The individual Rotary, Philco and other publishers numbers are included with any description which should make searching for a particular card or ones from the same set easier. If I have made any glaring errors please feel free to let me know.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy my collection as much as I do.
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