Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 31 October 2009

A random selection of clippings
from newspapers and magazines

A frightened cow at the
Court Theatre, Warrington, Cheshire,
March 1897

'The other afternoon an amusing scene took place in the Court Theatre, Warrington. While One of the Bravest was being rehearsed, a cow, which was being driven to the saleyard close by, became frightened and dashed through the door of the theatre into the pit. The orchestra beat a hasty retreat under the stage, and the actors also made a precipitate flight. The pit was in darkness, the gas not having been lighted, and it was only by the noise of the struggles of the cow that its whereabouts were discovered. A butcher, aided by several of the theatre officials, attempted to drive the beast out of the building, but their efforts met with little success until the gas was lighted, when the animal was quietly put out, but not before some damage had been done to the seats.'
(The Bristol Times and Mirror, Bristol, Tuesday, 9 March 1897, p.3f)

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500th performance of The Geisha,
Daly's Theatre, London, September 1897

Marie Tempest

Marie Tempest (1864-1942), English actress and vocalist, as O Mimosa San
in The Geisha: A Story of a Teahouse, Daly's, London, 25 April 1896.

(photo: Alfred Ellis, London, 1896)

'By the way, the 500th performance of The Geisha, at Daly's Theatre, last week - albeit there was no distribution of souvenirs, and Mr. George Edwardes refrained from making one of his characteristic speeches - was memorable if only by reason of the stirring ovation accorded by the overflowing audience to each of the prominent members of the cast now happily returned from well-deserved holidays. Miss Tempest, who resumed her part after a short visit to Aix-les-Bains, received a welcome on her home-coming which visibly affected her. Later on in the play, when Miss Letty Lind tripped across the bridge with her 'riskha, there was another burst of applause, which prevented her from beginning her dialogue for some moments. For the rest the popular enthusiasm was pretty evenly distributed among Mr. Hayden Coffin, Mr. Huntley Wright, and Mr. Rutland Barrington. At the close a galleryite summed up the situation in a terse sentence which nobody seemed inclined to dispute, "Good old George [Edwardes] always gives us good value!" Amongst the artists who are still filling their original parts in The Geisha at Daly's is Miss Mary Collette, the original O Kamurasaki San.'
(The Bristol Times and Mirror, Bristol, Tuesday, 14 September 1897, p.3g)

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Gladys Ivery heads the cast in
The Purple Emperor,
King's Theatre, Hammersmith, 6 December 1909

Gladys Ivery

Gladys Ivery (fl. early 20th Century), English actress and singer

(photo: J. Garratt, Leeds, circa 1907)

'Musical Comedy at Hammersmith.
'Mr. Tristam Crutchley has taken for the theme of his new musical comedy the meteoric career of the Emperor of the Sahara, and under the title of The Purple Emperor, it was produced at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith, last week. The story told is amusing enough, and the music to which it is wedded shows that the composer, Mr. Harold Austin, has a decided gift of melody and an ingenious talent for dainty and agreeable orchestration. Some of the lyrics are delightfully original and unhackneyed. Decidedly Mr. Austin will again be heard of in the musical world. The company engaged in the service of The Purple Emperor wad distinctly clever. Miss Gladys Ivery, a pretty girl with a soprano voice that, though a little metallic in quality, is genuinely brilliant and effective, playing Christine Carlingford, remarkably well. Miss Winnie Browne was also attractive as "a lady journalist," and Miss Maie Sydney made a pretty little midshipmite. Mr. Roland Bottomley was the lover-hero of the production, and as Lieutenant Robert Kestrain, R.N., sang admirably and acted with spirit. Constantine Jakes, the "Purple Emperor," was amusingly played by Mr. Charles McNaughton, and the other members of a large company were all excellent in their various characters.
(A.M.I., The Lady, London, Thursday, 16 December 1909, p.1154b)

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Victoria Monks in Court,
London, February 1915

Victoria Monks

Victoria Monks (1885/90-1927), English music hall comedienne

(photo: unknown, circa 1911)

ACTION AGAINST WELL-KNOWN MUSIC HALL ARTIST.
Judge's Comment on the Case.

'The hearing of the action brought against Miss Victoria Monks, music-hall artist, by Mr. Edgar Maxwell and his wife, Mrs. Caroline Maxwell, who are also music-hall artists, was concluded in the King's Bench Division to-day. Plaintiffs claimed damages for wrongful dismissal from the defendant's employment and wages due, and, in the case of Mr. Maxwell, damaged for assault and false imprisonment. The action arouse out of a fracas at Miss Monks' house in Tulse Hill [south London] early one morning in September, 1913. She had returned home from performing at the Holborn Empire. Miss Monks denied any liability whatever.
'The evidence being concluded, Mr. Justice Bailhache summed up. He said the only difficulty in the case was to decide which side was speaking the truth in a case where probably neither side was telling the truth. It was for the plaintiffs to satisfy the jury as to the truth of their story. Dealing briefly with the narration of which his Lordship called "a rather discreditable row," he said the party evidently arrived at Tulse Hill in a condition of friendliness which later developed into a quarrel.
'After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs for £35, and judgment was accordingly entered with costs, except on the issue of false imprisonment. As to the claims for assault and false imprisonment, his Lordship understood they were not to be pressed, so that the jury would not have to consider anything in connection with these claims.'
(The Staffordshire Sentinel, Stoke-on-Trent, Monday, 15 February 1915, p.3e)

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Kitty Gordon in The Divine Sacrifice, 1918

Kitty Gordon

Kitty Gordon (1878–1974), English actress and singer,

(photo: unknown, probably USA, circa 1916)

'The women of this city will all want to see the many new gowns which Kitty Gordon, the international famous beauty, wears in The Divine Sacrifice, her new World-Picture Brady-Made in which she will be seen tonight at the Show Shop theatre.
'Miss Gordon wears a number of the newest and smartest frocks in this production and it is interesting to know that a number of New York modists make a point of copying the designs which are originated by Miss Gordon. In other words, this famous actress sets the styles for a great many people as they were duplicates of the gowns which she first wears in World-Picutres.
'All the women of this city will also be vitally interested in The Divine Sacrifice, as it is a story of mother love. Miss Gordon is seen in the role of Madeline Spencer, a particularly forceful role. Her own daughter, Vera Beresford - Kitty Gordon's real name is the Honorable Lady Beresford - appears in the role of June, Madeline Spencer's daughter. Added interest is given to the picture by this appearance of mother and daughter in the role of mother and daughter on the screen.
'The Divine Sacrifice is a particularly fast-moving production. The action is swift and interesting from the first unusual scene with which the picture [begins] to the very conclusion.'
(Middletown Daily Times-Press, Middletown, USA, Thursday, 4 April 1918, p.9e)

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© John Culme, 2009