Bessie Ray – Jack and the Beanstalk – The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News – 30th December 1893

Lady Madcap – 1904 – 1905

“Lady Madcap” ran from 17^th December 1904 for 354 performances at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London until 25^th November 1905. During the run Miss Ray played the part of “Susan,” Lady’s Maid to “Lady Betty Clarridge.” The Bystander, 22^nd  November 1905 shows that she also took the title role of “Lady Betty Clarridge.”

New Musical Play Succeeds

London, Dec. 17 – “Lady Madcap,” a new musical play by Nownham Davis and Paul Rubens, with which George Edwardes opened his season at the Prince of Wales theatre tonight, scored a notable success. Maurice Farkoa, G. P. Huntley and Aubrey Fitzgerald, on their first appearance since their return from the United States, were received with enthusiasm.

The Salt Lake Tribune, 18^th December 1904.

Lady Madcap finished its career at the Prince of Wales’s on Saturday (25^th November 1915) after 354 performances.

The Stage, 30^th November 1905

 

Betty – Prince’s Theatre, Manchester – 1914

Betty a musical play in three acts by Fredrick Lonsdale and Gladys Unger. Lyrics by Adrian Ross and Paul Rubens. Music by Paul Rubens. Additional numbers by Ernest Steffan, Merlin Morgan (and Haydn Wood). Produced at the Prince’s Theatre, Manchester, under the management of George Edwardes 24th December, 1914 and played there until 30th January, 1915 then toured through Edinburgh x 2, Glasgow x 2, Newcastle, Birmingham x 2,Liverpool, Leeds, Blackpool and Sheffield (to 17th April). Opened at Daly’s Theatre 24th April, 1915 for a run of 391 performances closing 8th April, 1916.

Reference;

•   Ganzl, K. (1988) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 2, 1915 – 1984, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p14)

The Girl from Kay’s

^[1]

“The Girl from Kay’s” is an English musical comedy with music by Ivan  Caryll, Paul Rubens, Wilhelm Meyer Lutz and Edward Jones; lyrics by Adrian Ross, Claude Aveling ^[2] and Owen Hall. Cecil Cook’s book was said to be based on Leon Gandillot’s “La Mariee Recalcitrante” Ganzl, wrote that the libretto of “The Girl from Kay’s” was professedly based on a French farcical original but that original was never credited.^[3] Gandillot subsequently sued for unauthorised adaptation but lost.^[4]

^[5]

The play opened at the Apollo Theatre under the management of George Edwards on 15^th November 1902 closing on 23^rd January 1904 after a run of 432 performances.^[6] Despite keeping London entertained for over a year the expenses for the production resulted in a loss of £20,000 at the end of its run. A comparable run with such a loss was unheard of. A series of successful tours helped to restore the balance and the show was sent soaring into profit by the amazing reception of its American production. ^[7] The American production ran for 223 performances beginning 2^nd November 1903 at the Herald Square Theatre, New York and a short run of 18 performances at the same theatre finally closing 3^rd September 1904. ^{[8] [9]}

^[10]

Gabrielle Ray took over from Letty Lind in the role of “Ellen” near the end of the original run. ^[11]

^[12]

The original title was to have been “The Girl from Jay’s” however once Hall had announced the title he was immediately summoned by Jay’s Ltd; the Bond Street millinery firm. Far from being pleased at the publicity, they feared their exclusive image might be smirched by a possible association with the events in Hall’s play. Hall altered his shops’ name to “Kay’s” but nobody was fooled, and the touchy proprietors must have felt regret when the show became an enormous hit both sides of the Atlantic. ^[13]

The attitude of Jay’s wasn’t unusual, some designers were concerned that their society clients might be unwilling to patronise a couture house connected with actresses. A number of well-known London dressmakers gave up their stage work after they received the “Drawing Room Commissions that enabled them to call themselves “Court Dressmakers”. ^[14]

Hall also received a complaint from the church after Nora and Harry’s bridesmaids were christened with the name of an Anglican bishopric – Miss Ebor, Miss Ely, Miss Cantuar and Miss Sarum. The archbishop, having apparently no more wish for publicity that Jays Ltd. Had made a polite complaint and the bridesmaids became prosaically, Misses Racine, Hildesley, Mayen and Leslie. ^[15]

^[16]

References;     

^[1]   Colin Johnson’s Victorian and Edwardian Musical Shows http://www.halhkmusic.com/castlists/girlfromkays.html (accessed 15th June 2012)

^[2]  Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_From_Kays (accessed 15th June 2012)

^[3]   Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 818)

^[4]   Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 802)

^[5]   The Times – 17th November 1902

^[6]   Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 818)

^[7]   Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 804)

^[8]   Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_From_Kays (accessed 15th June 2012)

 ^[9]   Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 819)

^[10] The Times – 10th September 1903

^[11]  Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_From_Kays (accessed 15th June 2012)

^[12]   The Times – 29th September 1903

^[13]  Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 802)

^[14]   Berlanstein, L; Schweitzer, M; Stowell, S; (2012) “Staging Fashion 1880 – 1920, Jane Harding, Lily Elsie, Billy Burke” Yale University Press, New Haven / London (p 30)

^[15]   Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 803)

^[16]   Ganzl, K. (1987) “The British Musical Theatre” Volume 1, 1865 – 1914, The Macmillan Press Ltd; Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. (p 818 – 819)

The Merry Widow – First Anniversary Souvenir – 1908

 

A few weeks ago I purchased a copy of The Merry Widow – Second Anniversary Souvenir and a copy of the First Anniversary Souvenir, I just purchased another copy of the First Anniversary Souvenir which has the addition of the cast with the list of illustrations.

The Merry Widow – First Anniversary Programme – 1908

The Merry Widow – Programme – 1907

Bessie Ray – Miami – Pall Mall Gazette – 1893

Miami

Flying Colours – Programme – October 1916

Flying Colours – Programme – September 1916

“Flying Colours” opened at the Hippodrome, London on 16th September 1916.