Gabrielle Ray – The Casino Girl – The Brockley News, New Cross and Hatcham Review – Friday 7th February 1902
GRAND THEATRE, WOOLWICH.
Mr. Ben Greet’s company affords a special treat this week in the two-act musical farce, “The Casino Girl,” the house being crowded with an enthusiastic audience. The play is exceedingly well staged, and the choruses are admirably rendered, the piece going at a great pace from start to finish. Several of the performers have appeared at the Grand on many previous occasions, and on each visit seem to receive a heartier welcome. The part of Laura Lee, the Casino Girl, is daintily and winsomely taken be Miss Isa Bowman, and her song, “Ma Blushing Rosie,” elicits repeated encores. Miss Gabrielle Ray proves a vivacious Dolly Twinkle, and able assistance is rendered by Miss Maggie Bowman as Miss Rocks, Miss Louie Danby (Lotta Rocks), Miss Alice Gordon (Mrs. Rooks), and Miss Edith St. Clare. Mr. Max Copland makes an excellent Pilsener Pasha, and causes considerable merriment. Mr. Eardley Turner gives a humorous representation of Offenbach Gear, and is repeatedly recalled for his song, “Nothing New.” Mr. Cecil Curtiss as Van Stuyvesant won great admiration with his easy acting and good voice. Mr. Stanley White as Ben Muley, and Mr. Walter Freear as Potage, afforded considerable amusement.
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next “The Casino Girl” will be played, and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday “The Shop Girl.”
The Brockley News, New Cross and Hatcham Review – Friday 7th February 1902
Gabrielle Ray – The Merry Widow – Daily Record Monday 7th December 1908
The Merry Widow’s Popularity.
At Daly’s Theatre last night three members at the original company—Messrs. J. Coyne, W. H Berry and F. Kay – rejoined the cast of “The Merry Widow,” which seems to increase in popularity daily. Mr. Berry takes part in on Apache dance with Miss Gabrielle Ray (that threatens to become as popular as the famous so waltz so gracefully and seductively danced by Miss Lily Elsie as the Widow) and Mr. Coyne. A further attraction will he added to the piece early in January by M. Georgie Mahrer a wonderful waltz dancer, whose performances have become the talk of Paris. He will be given a free rein is the scene at Maxim’s in the third act.
Daily Record – Monday 7th December 1908
Lily Elsie – The Dollar Princess – The Aberdeen Press and Journal, Aberdeen – Monday 22nd November 1909
The Dollar Princess
Lily Elsie appeared in “The Dollar Princess,” produced by George Edwardes at Daly’s Theatre, London on 25th September 1909.
Flyer, designed by R. Trent, announcing the souvenir included in The Sketch, London, Wednesday, 10th November 1909.
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, 1909)
‘It is seldom that the story of a musical play makes a good groundwork for a novel, but ”The Dollar Princess” really does. Messrs Mills and Boon, London, have published in a shilling volume a novel of this play, at present being produced at Daly’s Theatre, written by Harold Simpson, and a most entertaining bit of reading it makes. The brother of the Dollar Princess is a multi-millionaire, and fills his New York mansion with servants drawn from the English aristocracy. The Earl of Quorn is head groom, Sir James M’Gregor is footman, the Duke of Stonehenge is butler, Vicomte de Bresac is chef; and several titled ladies are thrown in to make up a highly amusing combination. It is a good entertainment in itself to read the novel of the play, and it does not lack in sound moral either.’
The Aberdeen Press and Journal, Aberdeen – Monday 22nd November 1909,
The Girl from Kay’s – The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News – Saturday 22nd November 1902
APOLLO THEATRE.
“THE GIRL FROM KAY’S”
THE long talked-of three-act musical play, The Girl from Kay’s, was produced at the Apollo Theatre on Saturday last under the direction of Mr. George Edwardes and in the presence of a crowded audience. Before getting into the theatre it found its way into the Law Courts, its original title having been the cause of offence to an eminent firm not altogether unknown in the world of fashion. It has exercised more wits than any other piece of its class, for, although it is announced as by Owen Hall, it is stated also that Messrs. Adrian Ross, Claude Aveling, Charles Taylor, and Bernard Rolt, with Miss Kitty Ashmead, are responsible for the lyrics, and no fewer than nine composers have had something to do with the music, the list including Messrs. Ivan Caryll, Lionel Monckton, Howard Talbot, Edward Jones, Bernard Rolt, Cecil Cook, Meyer Lutz, and A. D. Cammeyer, with Miss Ashmead again to complete the roll. The reader may be disposed to quote the ancient adage which hath it that “too many cooks spoil the broth,” and possibly the irrepressible joker will reply that there is only one Cook in the company referred to. Still it has to be said that the spoiling, in the opinion of many, had been done, and that considerable revision and cutting and “pulling together” will have to be effected if the piece is to he made thoroughly acceptable. Mr. Owen Hall has, as usual, exhibited a good dual of wit and caustic humour; there is ail abundance of tuneful and catchy music; the scenic artist and the costumier have worked wonders, and the company is composed of clever people, whose popularity has been well won and well deserved; but on the first night of representation the audience seemed to realise the fact that in certain scenes there was a lack of freshness, and that, particularly in the introduction of the Salvation Army business, there had been an attempt to extract good material from a mine that had been worked to the point of exhaustion. And thus it happened at the end that with the cheers of those who were satisfied, or pretended to be, there were mingled sounds that made discord for those behind the curtain.
The girl of the title is Winnie Harborough. She is a saucy little milliner, who arrives on the scene with the new hat for which Norah Chalmers is waiting in order that she may start on her honeymoon trip with young Harry Gordon, who has just made her his wife. It is seen at once that Harry and “the girl from Kay’s” are on a familiar footing, and it is evident, too, that Winnie has attracted the admiring attention of Max Hoggenheimer, the vulgar millionaire, who presently carries her on his motor-car to Flacton on-Sea, where the honeymoon is to be spent, and where are assembled not only Norah’s bridesmaids but some half-dozen of the prettiest of the assistants from the famous millinery establishment that furnished the bride’s going away hat. Trouble arises when Harry Gordon is by his new wife found kissing his old sweetheart, with whom he bolts back to London for a little dinner at the Savoy, where the other characters, including the millionaire and the milliner, of course, put in an appearance to make things as lively as possible. The bridegroom’s action, however, is only the outcome of his anger under reproach, and he quickly comes to the conclusion that, while Winnie is all very well for a flirtation, there is nobody like Norah for a wife. Reconciliation follows easily, and nobody who makes her acquaintance will be surprised to find that the dashing Winnie makes a dash for the man with the millions and carries him away captive.
This millionaire was represented by Mr. Willie Edouin, who may be trusted to work up the part, and to make much of it. The bride and bridegroom were well portrayed by, respectively, Miss Kate Cutler and Mr. Louis Bradfield, and Mr. Aubrey Fitzgerald made much of the role of the noodle secretary, the Hon. Percy Fitzthistle. Mr. E W. Garden, Mr. Fred Emney, and Mr. W. Cheesman also gave useful and diverting support. The audience gave a very hearty welcome to Miss Letty Lind on her reappearance, and all were delighted with her singing and dainty dancing in the character of Ellen, the lady’s-maid. The title part was filled with much animation and ability by Miss Ethel Irving. Those who see The Girl from Kay’s will probably come away from the theatre talking with admiration of “Mrs. Hoggenheimer of Park Lane” – the song so spiritedly sung by Miss Irving in the closing act.
The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News – Saturday 22nd November 1902
The Girl from Kay’s
The score cover for The Girl from Kay’s, based on artwork for a poster by the English artist, Dudley Hardy (15 January 1867 – 11 August 1922),
published by Chappell & Co. Ltd., 50 New Bond Street, London, W., printed by Weiners Ltd., poster printers, Wybert Street, Munster Square, London, N.W., 1902.
Gabrielle Ray – The Little Cherub – The Weekly Journal (Hartlepool) – Friday 30th March 1906
The management of the Prince of Wales’s Theatre, London, writes that during the run of “The Little Cherub” at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre, which is now approaching it’s 100th performance, Miss Gabrielle Ray has so often kicked the improvised football in the hotel scene into the “prompt” box – which has been christened by patrons of the theatre “the football box” – that she has accepted a joking challenge, and is prepared to back herself to the extent of a £5 note to land the ball into that box on any occasion.
The Weekly Journal (Hartlepool) – Friday 30th March 1906
Gabrielle Ray – The Dollar Princess – Daily Record – Monday 3rd January 1910
A COINCIDENCE.
A strange coincidence in connection with the visit of the successful musical play, “The Dollar Princess,” now running at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow, is that on Saturday last, January 1, it was the birthday of Mabel Russell and Miss Gabrielle Ray, who are both playing the part of Daisy in Glasgow and London respectively; also it was the birthday of Miss Clara Evelyn, who is playing the title role in Glasgow.
(The information published by the Daily Record was incorrect, Mabel Russell was born on 1st January 1887 and Clara Evelyn was born on 1st January 1881, however Miss Ray was born on 28th April 1883 and not 1st January as published)
Daily Record – Monday 3rd January 1910
Gabrielle Ray – The Lady Dandies – The Weekly Journal (Hartlepool) – Friday 19th April 1907
Stage & the Drama
It is interesting to learn that Mr George Graves, who has returned from America, is to find a in the cast of “The Gay Widow” when that piece succeeds “The Lady Dandies” at Daly’s Theatre. Mr Graves, who had his first chance in London in “The School Girl” four or five years ago, has since won for himself a considerable popularity, first by his humorous reading of the part of Coquenard in “Veronique,” and later as a most diverting General Des Ifs in “The Little Michus.” Plans are being made for sending “The Lady Dandies” on tour, with many of the original company, including Miss Evie Greene, Miss Demise Orme, and Miss Gabrielle Ray. The piece, however, is still proving attractive at Daly’s Theatre.
The Weekly Journal (Hartlepool) – Friday 19th April 1907
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.
Recent Comments
Top Posts & Pages
-
summertime75