Empsie Bowman (Rotary 1775 C)

Empsie Bowman (7th June 1881 – 31st October 1964)

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Bessie Ray – The Belle of New York – The Era – Saturday 12th January 1901

AMUSEMENTS IN ABERDEEN

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT)

 Her Majesty’s Theatre. – Managing-Director, Mr Robert Arthur; Acting -Manager, Mr John Cavanah. – The Belle of New York, which is presented this week, is received with enthusiasm. Mr Arthur Ricketts’s impersonation of Iohabod Bronson stands out prominently, and shows himself a vocalist as well as comedian of the first order. Mr Charles Gervase is highly successful as Barry Bronson, and Mr. P. H. Gardner’s “polite lunatic” is most amusing. Miss Daisy Semon makes charming Violet Gray; Miss Nellie Bowman sings and acts admirably as Fifi Fricot; and Miss Ellaline Gryce has a most suitable part in the handsome Cora Angelique. Miss Bessie Ray (Mamie Claney) is an expert and graceful danseuse, and she and her partner, Mr William Pringle (Blinky Bill), are heartily applauded. Mr Tom Carling is an ideal Doc Snifkins, Mr James R. La Fane acts amusingly as Kenneth Mugg, and Messrs Clayton and Gifford create much hilarity by their portraiture of the peculiar Portuguese.

 

The Era Saturday – 12^th January 1901

Empsie Bowman – The Belle of New York – The Tatler – Wednesday 21st August 1901

 

FROM “THE TEMPEST” TO “THE BELLE OF NEW YORK.”

The Variety of Miss Empsie Bowman.

How many of those who saw Miss Empsie Bowman playing the part of Ariel in “The Tempest” on the green sward of Regent’s Park with so much grace and such a sensitive appreciation of the value of Elizabethan English can imagine her in such a go-as-you-please olla podrida as “The Belle of New York”?  And yet Miss Bowman, acting in both cases under Mr. Ben Greet’s management, is equally at home as Ariel or as Violet Gray, the Salvationist lass, who captivated us all a year or two ago. Mr. Greet has no fewer than ten companies “on the road,” including four with “The Belle of New York.” Of course Miss Bowman is doing no more than the actors in our old stock companies used to do and what actors all over Germany do to this day but in England we have specialised acting to such an extent that people in musical comedy rarely appear in anything else. Miss Bowman, as noted in these pages of July 31, is one of four very clever sisters – Isa, Nellie, Maggie, and Empsie. One of the sisters was a great favourite of Lewis Carroll. The pictures of Miss Bowman as Ariel were taken for this journal by Mr. Alfred Ellis

 

MISS EMPSIE BOWMAN As “The Belle of New York”

Now is it not as well

To be a trifle swell,

Or is it necessary when you’re moral to be gawky?

And must a girl employ

The modes that come from Troy

Or is she not entitled to be stunningly New Yorkey?

Oh, mayn’t a girl be good and free from guile

And yet be quite a corker in her style?

A LYRIC BY HUGH MORTON, 1899

 

MISS EMPSIE BOWMAN As “Ariel”

Come unto these yellow sands,

And then take hands:

Courtsied when you have and kissed

The wild waves whist,

Foot it featly, here and there;

And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear

Bur. Hark, hark!

Bow-wow.

The watch-dogs bark,

Bow-wow.

Ari. Hark, hark! I hear

The strain of strutting chanticleer

Cry, Cock-a-diddle-dow.

A LYRIC BY WILLIAM SHAKSPERE, 1611

 

MISS EMPSIE BOWMAN AS “ARIEL” IN SHAKSPERE’S COMEDY, “THE TEMPEST”

 

 Full fathom five thy father lies;

 Of his bones are coral made;

Those are pearls that were his eyes;

Nothing of him that doth fade,

But doth suffer a sea-change

Into something rich and strange.

Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell

Where the bee sucks, there suck I:

In a cowslip’s bell I lie,

There I couch when owls do cry

On the bat’s back I do fly

After summer merrily.

Merrily, merrily shall I live now

Under the blossom that hangs on the bough

 

 

The Tatler – Wednesday 21^st August 1901

 

Bessie Ray – The Belle of New York – Richmond Herald – Saturday 4th May 1901

The return visit of “The Belle of New York” will doubtless be welcomed by Richmond playgoers, and especially so when they know that it has been arranged that two old favourites are to appear in it. Miss Empsie Bowman as the Belle, and Miss Bessie Ray as a Bowery Girl. The Company is Mr. Ben Greet’s, and nothing more need be said to satisfy the public that the quality of the artistes and the mounting of the play will be all that it should be.

 

The Richmond Herald – Saturday 4^th May 1901

Edna May – The Belle of New York – The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News – Saturday 28th May 1898

Edna May – The Belle Of New York

Edna May – The Belle Of New York by Sir John Lavery – 1907

Bessie Ray – The Belle of New York – Halifax Evening Courier – Tuesday 20th March 1900

HALIFAX THEATRES

 “THE BELLE OF NEW YORK.”

 

A Crowded at the Grand last night to welcome a return visit of the musical comedy, “The Belle of New York.” The company (Mr. Ben Greet’s) is different in cast from the artistes who were last here, but on the whole the present one is somewhat superior, and from the frequent applauses the audience was perfectly satisfied with the efforts of each individual member. Principals and chorus all worked hard, and with deserved success. As Ichabod Bronson, Mr. Harry Gribben proved an undoubtedly versatile comedian, and acted with great gusto throughout, although suffering from a severe cold. Mr. D. O’Regan came well to the front as “Doc Skifkins,” and Mr. Peter H. Gardner put in some ludicrously droll eccentric work as Karl, the polite lunatic, while Mr. Mack Olive gave a smart rendering of the nondescript “Blinky Bill,” his whistling solo, its expressive pantomime action, being remarkable clever. Mr. Riley is also an admirable acrobatic dancer. Mr. James R. La Fane was quietly humorous the operatic low comedian Mugg and the fanny antics of the Bros Helm the twin Portuguese Counts pleased the house immensely. Mr. Charles Gervase made an acceptable Harry Bronson; he sung nicely, and his acting in the love scenes with Fifi were particularly good. Miss Daisy Baldry, who has a fine presence, made a brilliant appearance  as the prima donna Cora Angelique, and Miss B. Esse was a fresh and fascinating Kissie Fitzgarter. Miss Lucie Fitzroy acted with conspicuous ability as Violet Grey, the Salvation lassie, and presented a dexterous study in demure simplicity and engaging archness that was altogether delightful. She also slang with taste and refinement. Miss May Hellett played the lovesick Fifi Fricot with a dainty prettiness and teaching tenderness unusual in pieces of this character, and Miss Bessie Ray, a smart little comedian, worked hard and successful as Mamie Clancy, a Pell-street girl, her dancing being notably clever. The picturesquely attired chorus sang splendidly, and the staging is adequate in every degree.

 

Halifax Evening Courier – Tuesday 20^th March1900

 

Bessie Ray – The Belle of New York – The Era – 1900

 

The Tatler – Wednesday 11th November 1903

 

Dramatic and Musical Gossip of the Week.

A Charming Dancer. –  Miss Gabrielle Ray as Thisbe at the new Gaiety gives promise of qualifying to win a place in the long roll of famous dancers. She has been five years in musical comedy, having made a beginning as Mamie Clancy in The Belle of New York with a company toured by Mr. Ben Greet. Then followed two years in his Casino Girl company as Dolly Twinkle, the part originated it the Shaftesbury by Miss Marie George. Four years previous to her engagement by Mr. Ben Greet Miss Ray had appeared as a child actress in a drama called Proof at the Elephant and Castle, and several pantomime parts in the provinces followed. A year ago she went to the Gaiety to under study Miss Gertie Millar in The Toreador, and from there went to the Apollo, where she has played Miss Letty Lind’s and Miss Ella Snyder’s parts without suffering by comparison. Miss Ray is neither French nor American as is surmised but comes from Lancashire.

The Tatler – Wednesday 11^th November 1903

Marion Davies – The Belle of New York – 1919