The Story Of The Savoy Opera In Gilbert And Sullivan Days

F5S

Keep Your Card in This Pocket

Books will be issued only on presentation of proper
library cords.

Unless labeled otherwise, books may be retained
for two weeks. Borrowers finding books marked/ de-
faced or mutilated are expected to report same at
library desk; otherwise the last borrower will be held
responsible for all imperfections discovered.

The card holder is responsible for all books drawn
on this card,

. Penalty for over-due books Jfe a day plus cost of
notices. £ 4

Lost cards and change of residence must be re-
poried promptly .

Public Library

Kansas City, Mo.
Keep Yonr Card inThis Pocket

D DDD1

DATE DUE

JUL 1 8

1991

D»mux \nc 38 *

Justin Adair),
The story of the Savoy
opera in Gilbert and
1925.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

THE STORY OF THE
SAVOY OPERA

Phateby&cS-faui '.'••' ' ..'. -.•''. ..I"-.".'."' &:ato by EUMt M.l Ffy

77it',vi*'/ȴ:;'('t' /t^^t^a by
Alirtdlilti*

THE STORY OF THE
SAVOY OPERA

IN

Gilbert and Sullivan 'Days

%-/ */

BY

S. J. ADAIR FITZ-GERALD

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY

THE Rx. HON. T. P. O'CONNOR, M.P.

D APPLETON AND COMPANY

NEW YORK MCMXXV

WESTPOUT

Printed in Great Britain by

The Camdot Prtss Limitedt

Southampton

TO MY OLD FRIEND,

OSCAR BARRETT,

OF

THE EMPIRE THEATRE.

NOTE

Throughout this volume I have given full acknowledgment
of all the authorities I have had occasion to refer to and from
whom I have quoted ; but I specially wish to thank Messrs.
Macmillan & Co. for their kind present of the handsome book
of Gilbert's Bab Ballads, of which I have fully availed myself ;
Messrs. Chatto & Windus for a volume of Gilbert's plays;
Messrs. Metzler for their gifts of copies of " The Sorcerer "
and " H.M.S. Pinafore " ; and Messrs. Boosey & Co. for " Cox
and Box." And also my friend William Boosey for the whole
series of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, published by the
firm of which he is the respected head— Messrs Chappell & Co.
— and for valuable information he has kindly afforded me.
The Illustrations in this work are reproduced by special
permission of the photographers.

S* J. ADAIR FITZ-GERALD.

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION xix

CHAPTER L i

A Slight Retrospect — The Gallery of Illustration —
Gilbert and Sullivan meet — The German Reeds — " Cox
and Box "— " Ages Ago "— " Thespis ; or, The Gods
Grown Old "—And the first Gaiety Theatre—" Robert
the Devil."

CHAPTER II. 8

D'Oyly Carte-— The Royalty Theatre— Selina Dolaro and
Nelly Bromley — *' Trial by Jury " — Origin and Pro-
duction of this famous Dramatic Cantata — Frederic
Sullivan and W. S. Penley—*1 Princess Toto " at the
Strand and Opera Comique Theatres.

CHAPTER IIL * 19

Mr. and Mrs. D'Oyly Carte — The Comedy Opera Com-
pany— The Opera Comique Theatre — " The Sorcerer/'

CHAPTER IV. . 25

The Comedy Opera Company and the First Production
of " The Sorcerer "—Selecting the Company — " Dora's
Dream" and "The Spectre Knight "—Alfred Cellier
appointed Conductor*

CHAPTER V. .....*. 35

The Bo5 Ballads—*' H.M.S. Pinafore "—Nearly on the
Rocks — A Sudden Jump to Success — And a Furore in
America— A Quaint, Unauthorised Performance*

xiii

xiv CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER VI 48

" Les Cloches des Corneville " — More of " H.M.S.
Pinafore " — The Comedy Opera Company — Riots and
Ructions — A Manifesto to the Public — The Opera at
three other Theatres — Gilbert, Sullivan, and D'Oyly
Carte produce " Pinafore " in America — A Children's
" Pinafore "— " The Wreck of H.M.S. Pinafore."

CHAPTER VII 57

" The Pirates of Penzance ; or, The Slave of Duty " —
Original Production at the Bijou Theatre, Paignton —
The Country Cast— First Production at the Fifth
Avenue Theatre, New York— The " Band Strike " and
Sir Arthur Sullivan.

CHAPTER VIII 65

" The Pirates of Penzance " at the Opera Comique
Theatre — Death of George Grossmith, Senior — " Penny
Plain and Twopence Coloured " — A Children's Com-
pany in " The Pirates."

CHAPTER IX 74

" Patience ; or, Bunthorne's Bride " at the Opera
Comique — Oscar Wilde and the Esthetic Craze —
Sullivan's Delightful Music and Gilbert's Witty Songs
and Dialogue.

CHAPTER X. 84

The Building of the Savoy Theatre—0 Patience "
transferred from the Opera Comique— The Electric Light
— The Queue — And No Fees,

CHAPTER XI 89

A Fairy Opera at the Savoy — " lolanthe ; or. The Peer
and the Peri "—" The Fairy Curate " and " The Peri-
winkle Girl "—The Piece Produced Five Hours Later in
New York.

CHAPTER XII 99

" Princess Ida ; or, Castle Adamant ' W The Princess "
at the Olympic Theatre — Revival of " The Sorcerer "
and " Trial by Jury "—The Children's " Pirates o!
Penzance."

CONTENTS xv

PAGB

CHAPTER XIII 107

" The Mikado ; or, The Town of Titipu "—Wonderful
Reception on the First Night — Incidents and Accidents
— The Pirates of America — And how D'Qyly Carte
Circumvented them.

CHAPTER XIV 121

The Evolution of " The Mikado/'

CHAPTER XV 125

" Ruddygore ; or, The Witch's Curse " — The Curse of
the Title I—" Ruddy George ; or, Robin Redbreast "
at Toole's Theatre,

CHAPTER XVI 137

A very short Interlude and some short Revivals —
" H.M.S, Pinafore " — " Mrs. Jarramie's Genie " —
" The Pirates of Penzance " and " The Mikado " — with
a Prophecy.

CHAPTER XVII. ....... 141

" The Yeomen of the Guard ; or, the Merryman and
his Maid " — George Grossmith as Jack Point — " I have
a Song to Sing O "• — Sullivan's Difficulty with the
Setting — The Supposed Origin of the Song — John
Wilkinson and Henry A. Lytton as Jack Point,

CHAPTER XVIII. . . . , . .151

"' The Gondoliers ; or, The King of Barataria " — A
Quotation from Don Quixote — " Take a Pair of Sparkling
Eyes"— Mr. Ben Davies — The Fatal Carpet— And a
Storm in a Tea-cup,

CHAPTER XIX. ....... 160

An Interruption — The Royal English Opera House —
** Ivanlioe " — " La Basoche " — Madame Sarah Bern-
haxdt— The D^bade.

CHAFTER XX. . * 163

The Interregnum and Many Adventures — " The Nautch
Girl ** — Revival of " The Vicar of Bray " — Sydney
Grundy— " Haddon Hall "— - " Jane-Annie "--Sir James
M, Banie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle— The Re-union
of Old Friends—*1 Utopia, limited/1

xvi CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER XXL ....... 176

" Mirette "— " The Grand Duke "— " The Mikado"
again — " His Majesty/*

CHAPTER XXII 186

" The Yeomen of the Guard " Revived — A. New Version
of " The Grand Duchess " — " The Beauty Stone"— Sir
Arthur Pinero.

CHAPTER XXIII 198

More Revivals — " The Pirates of Penzance " —
" Patience " — The Death of Sir Arthur Sullivan — The
Death of D'Oyly Carte—" The Emerald Isle " — •" A
Princess of Kensington " — And New Managements.

CHAPTER XXIV 208

Mrs. D'Oyly Carte Returns to the Savoy—-" The Yeomen
of the Guard " — " The Mikado " banned by the Lord
Chamberlain — Some old Favourites in their Original
Parts— Death of Mrs. D'Oyly Carte— Also of George
Grossmith — Richard Temple — Richard Green and
Rutland Harrington.

CHAPTER XXV. ....... 218

" The Mountaineers " — " Fallen Faries "— " Two Merry
Monarchs " — End of C. H. Workman's Management
—A Long Break— Death of Sir W. S. Gilbert— Death
of Fran9ois Cellier and Frank Thornton — Gilbert and
Sullivan Redivivus at the Prince's Theatre — " Cox and
Box "— The End,

INDEX , 233

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

TYy FACING PAGE

W. S. GILBERT Frontispiece

ARTHUR SULLIVAN

RICHARD D'OYLY CARTE . „

ALFRED CELLIER

FRANCOIS CELLIER

Miss LEONORA BRAHAM, IN " PATIENCE " . . .12
RICHARD TEMPLE, FRANK THORNTON, AND DURWARD

LELY, IN " PATIENCE " . . . 13

Miss ISABEL JAY, IN " IOLANTHE " (revival) . . 28
SYBIL GREY, LEONORA BRAHAM, JESSIE BOND, IN " TUB

MIKADO " . . . . . . . ,29

GEORGE GROSSMITH, IN " THE MIKADO JJ . . .44
DURWARD LELY, IN " THE MIKADO " . . .45
RUTLAND BARRINGTON, IN " RUDDIGORE " . . .60
GERALDINE ULMAR, IN " RUDDIGORE . 61

JESSIE BOND, IN u THE SORCERER " (revival) . . 108
Miss DECIMA MOORE, IN " THE GONDOLIERS " . . 109
COURTICE POUNDS . , ... 124

R. BRANDRAM, E. OWEN, F. PERRY, IN " UTOPIA " . 125
WALTER PASSMORE , . . . . . .172

HENRY A* LYTTON, IN " RUDDIGORE " 173

Miss BERTHA LEWIS 188

C* H, WORKMAN AS JACK POINT . . . .189

FAGK

ROYALTY THEATRE , 10

f| TRIAL BY JURY" PROGRAMME . n

"H.M-S. PINAFORE" PROGRAMME , . . 38-39

«* PIRATES OF PENZANCE " PHOGRAMME . * .67

*' PATIENCE" PROGRAMME . . * .... 76-77

"loLAKTHE" PROGRAMME , ... 92-93

Bs ivii

INTRODUCTION

MR. ADAIR FITZ-GERALD is an old friend, an old colleague,
a fellow- Irishman, above all a distinguished and veteran
member of my own profession. When, therefore, he
asks me to write a Foreword to his book, I gladly do so.
I do so the more willingly because I am in such sympathy
with the work which he has produced. This generation
and many generations to come will delight in Gilbert and
Sullivan ; they have taken their places among the
Immortals. But I have the perhaps egotistic feeling
that they belong especially and most intimately to the
late Victorian generation, to which I belong. It was in
that epoch that their works were produced ; it is that
generation that found and acclaimed them ; thus they
are part of our earlier and perhaps more joyous selves.

I am one of the survivors of those who were present at
the first night of " The Mikado "— to my taste the best
thing they ever did. I saw "Trial by Jury"— their
first big success. I have seen all their pieces, and I want
to see them all again.

Finally, I knew Gilbert and Sullivan personally;
though dead they are still very living figures to me.

It is a duty to the public that a record should be given
of this extraordinary chapter in the history of the English
stage; and who better fitted to write it than Adair
Fitz-Gerald ?

He has not only seen all the operas from the very
beginning, but has been acquainted in the old days with
everybody who took part in their presentation. That is
from the first production of "Trial by Jury" at the
Royalty Theatre in March, 1875, until the last piece of
all, " Fallen Fairies/' in 1909, In 1875 Adair Fitz-Gerald
wa$ loiBself a youthful singer and comedian, and so came

xx INTRODUCTION

in contact with everybody behind the scenes of the comic
opera stage, and then, in due course, when he turned his
attention to journalism — aften ten years of acting when
he was also writing for the Press at leisure opportunities —
he became attached to the great theatrical paper in those
days, The Era, and worked under the directorship of
Edward Ledger for over thirty years. On The Era — apart
from his work on many London daily and weekly journals
—in course of time, he succeeded E. L. Blanchard as the
recognised dramatic historian and interviewer. In this
latter capacity, Adair Fitz-Gerald interviewed everybody
connected with the stage, including Irving and all the
" stars/' and, of course, in this way became personally
acquainted with all the original Gilbert and Sullivan
Company who were engaged to present the Savoy operas.

As a writer on theatrical matters and history, Adair
Fitz-Gerald long ago established himself as an acknow-
ledged authority, and in particular he has made a special
study of all the works of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur
Sullivan, both of whom he knew personally for many
years.

As a journalist he first worked for me when I started
The Star in 1888, and contributed very largely to my
first production of T. P/s Weekly and M.A.P., and now
he is a contributor to T. P. and Cassettes Weekly, and, of
course, he is the author of some dozen successful books
and plays.

In this work Adair Fitz-Gerald not only tells us of the
origin of the operas, but gives the fullest details of their
production, together with the ups and downs inevitably
consequent on the venture of an entirely new form of
entertainment, and the troubles and trials of P'Oyly
Carte, the manager, and W. S* Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan,
the harassed author and composer. One great feature
of the work is that we are given all the original casts of
each opera on the night of the premier production.

So I commend the volume to the public.

T. K O'CONNOR.

THE STORY OF THE
SAVOY OPERA

CHAPTER I

A Slight Retrospect— The Gallery of Illustration— Gilbert and

Sullivan Meet — The German Reeds — " Cox and Box " — " Ages

Ago" — "Thespis; or, The Gods Grown Old "—And the first

Gaiety Theatre — " Robert the Devil/*

RIGHTLY to understand and follow the development of the
Savoy Opera we must travel back to the sixties of the
nineteenth century, and those happy and innocuous
entertainments that were more or less invented, and cer-
tainly carried on, by the German Reeds at the St. Martin's
Hall, Long Acre, the Gallery of Illustration, Waterloo
Place, and finally the St. George's Hall, Langham
Place. The pieces were light, joyous, and whimsical, and,
W. S. Gilbert being born whimsical — at the age of two
he was kidnapped by brigands in Italy and had to be re-
deemed for twenty- five pounds (a fact he never forgot) —
he naturally turned his attention to a home where
whimsicality was encouraged. His first successes with
the German Reeds began with operetta, after a few bur-
lesques and pantomimes at the larger theatres, and it
was during the preparation of " Ages Ago," which Gilbert
afterwards incorporated in " Ruddygore " — or " Ruddi-
gore," as it was later re-christened — that William
Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Seymour Sullivan first met
each other. Sullivan, who had achieved many successes
as a composer of many popular ballads and other works,
learning that his friend Frederick Clay, of " Songs of
Araby " fame, was working with the author of the well-
appreciated Bab Ballads, suggested an introduction,

2 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

so Sullivan was invited to attend one of the rehearsals of
" Ages Ago " of which Clay was the composer, in the
early part of November, 1869. Gilbert and Sullivan
evidently took to each other at once, and it was not long
before they laid the foundation, not only of their own col-
laboration, but of the Savoy Opera itself. They first
joined serious forces — and the word serious is most
appropriate when one is engaged on comic literature — as
partners in the writing of a now forgotten work called
" Thespis ; or, The Gods Grown Old/' which was pro-
duced at the Gaiety Theatre, December 23, 1871. This
was based on a topsy-turvy idea with a vengeance, for
the Olympian gods were supposed to enter into a compact
to change places with a band of strolling players, headed
by Thespis, for one solemn twelvemonth, with very divert-
ing if not quite disastrous results for all concerned. Per-
haps the perversity of the scheme was a little too previous
for the period, or the good people of 1871 were not yet
educated up to the peculiarity of Gilbert's satirical
humour. Anyhow, the piece only ran about a month,
and then was heard of no more, except that Sullivan used
most of the characteristic music in his later operas,
especially in " The Pirates of Penzance." But as the
score was never published, although the book of the play
was well circulated, it is impossible to know which
numbers were utilised — always to advantage, of course.
In the libretto, however, Gilbert manifested his own
methods, somewhat drawn out in the length of the dia-
logue and also the many songs, with many happy sug-
gestions of coming operatic events. One dancing chorus
was used almost in its entirety in the " Pirates " —
" Climbing over rocky mountains," etc. Mercury —
acted, one can understand, by the then youthful Nelly
Farren, with great vivacity, had a song of six long verses,
of which I give one :

Then Cupid, the rascal, forgetting his trade is
To make men and women impartially smart,

Will now only shoot at pretty young ladies
And never take aim at a bachelor's heart.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 3

The results of this freak — or whatever you term it—-
Should cover the wicked young scamp with disgrace,

While every young man is as shy as a hermit,
Young ladies are popping all over the place.

Perhaps, however, Mercury's best song was "The
Celestial Drudge," and, remembering Nelly Farren so Well
from the year 1875, when I saw her in " Toole at Sea," apd
" Tottles " and everything else she played right to the
end of her career, I can quite imagine the chic she would
exhibit in its rendition. The words of this effusion, which
is quite up to date, are as follows :

Oh, I'm the celestial drudge,

From morning to night I must stop at it.
On errands all day I must trudge,

And stick to my work till I drop at it.
In summer I get up at one

(As a good-natured donkey I'm ranked for it),
Then I go and I light up the sun,

And Phoebus Apollo gets thanked for it 1

Well, well, it's the way of the world,
And will be all through its futurity;

Though noodles are baroned and earled,
There's nothing for clever obscurity.

I'm the slave of the gods, neck and heels,

And I'm bound to obey, though. I rate at 'em;
And I not only order their meals,

But I cook 'em, and serve 'em, and wait at 'em,
Then I make all their nectar — I do—

(Which a terrible liquor to rack us is),
And whenever I mix them a brew,

Why, all the thanksgivings are Bacchus's.

Then reading and writing I teach,

And spelling-books many I've edited I
And for bringing those arts within reach

That donkey Minerva gets credited !
Then I scrape all the stars with a knife,

And plate-powder the moon on the days for it,
And I hear all the world and his wife

Awarding Diana the praise for it.

I don't think that Lempri£re would credit all this-

4 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The other principal parts were in the hands of J. L.
Toole, then steering on to the height of his fame, J. G.
Taylor, Robert Soutar, the* husband of Nelly Farren, and
John Hollingshead's, right-hand man for quite forty years,
Mdlle. Clary, who must have made a brilliant Sparkeion,
Constance Loseby, and Annie Tremaine — all with names,
to make greater. Toole, who was always better at patter
than melody, had one very good ditty truly Gilbertian
about the " North South East West Diddlesex Railway/'
Frederic Sullivan, Sir Arthur's brother, was also in the
cast. Sparkeion's song is quite a forerunner of Gilbert
at his easiest :

Little maid of Arcadee

Sat on Cousin Robin's knee,

Thought in form and face and limb

Nobody could rival him.

He was brave and she was fair.

Truth, they made a happy pair.

Happy little maiden, she —

Happy maid of Arcadee.

Moments fled, as moments will,
Happily enough, until,
After say a month or two,
Robin did as Robins do.
Weary of his lover's play,
Jilted her and ran away.
Wretched little maiden, she —
Wretched maid of Arcadee I

To her little home she crept,
There she sat her down and wept,
Maiden wept as maidens will,
Grew so thin and pale, until
Cousin Richard came to woo 1
Then again the roses grew 1
Happy little maiden, she —
Happy maid of Arcadee.

When the change over of the mortals and immortals takes
place by agreement between Jupiter (John Maclean) and
Thespis, Toole in the latter character sings :

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 5

While mighty Jove goes down below

With aU the other deities,
I fill his place and wear his " clo " ;

The very part for me it is.
To mother earth to make a track

They all are spurred and booted, too,
And you will rend till they come back

The parts you best are suited to.

Here's a pretty tale for future Iliads and Odyssies.
Mortals are about to personate the gods and goddesses,
Now to set the world in order we will work in unity,
Jupiter's perplexity is Thespis's opportunity.

This, of course, is the gist of the story, and a very fine
mess the Thespians, as may be imagined, made of matters
in Olympus, and naturally they are all very glad when the
gods come back and take up their celestial duties again.

The Divinities have also failed in their mission down
below, and, finding that the Thespians have defied all
Olympian precedent and made new laws and regulations,
curse Thespis and his comedians to an everlasting tragic
doom* Jupiter sings :

Away to earth, contemptible comedians,
And hear our curse before we set you free;

You shall be all eminent tragedians
Whom no one ever goes to see.

Strange to say, John Hollingshead, who produced the
play, says very little about " Thespis " in either of his
books about the Gaiety theatre, but in his My Life-Time,
he writes : " The Christmas piece of 1871 was chiefly re-
markable for one thing : it brought Mr. W. S. Gilbert and
Mr. Arthur Sullivan together for the first time in a two-
act operatic extravaganza called ' Thespis.' Musically it
suffered a little, owing to the two chief parts being neces-
sarily represented by Mr. Toole and Miss Farren ; but it had
Miss Loseby, Miss Tremaine, Mdlle. Clary (who remained
after the French Company left), Mr. Wood, Mr. Sullivan
(Arthur's brother), and other vocalists, with a trained

6 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

chorus and the Payne family as pantomimists." Though
an elaborate two-act piece, it was not offered to the public
alone. It was preceded by Byron's " Dearer than Life."
In his Gaiety Chronicles Hollingshead adds to this state-
ment : " The union of Gilbert and Sullivan has produced so
much for the delight of the public and the honour and profit
of the writer and musician that 'Thespis * has an interest
above and beyond its intrinsic merits." Ther criticisms
were far from being favourable, but the most interesting
appeared in the Standard, and may have been written by
the late A. E.T. Watson. It is almost prophetic. "There
is no theatre in London where the kind of entertainment
provided is more in accordance with the characteristic
title of the house than at the Gaiety. . . . Even at this
season of the year the able director, Mr. John Hollings-
head contrives to preserve a speciality for his theatre. . . .
He has judiciously called on Mr. W. S. Gilbert to furnish
him with an original opera-extravaganza, and entrusted
its musical setting to Mr. Arthur Sullivan. From the
association of these two names the most pleasing result
has for some weeks past been anticipated, which the
success of last evening fully justified. It was with an
operatic extravaganza by Mr. W. S. Gilbert that, just
three years ago, the Gaiety Theatre opened its doors to
the public and inaugurated a new regime in theatrical
management which has borne good fruit. Independent,
therefore, of his talents as a clever writer, delightful
versifier and humorist, Mr. W. S. Gilbert has had the
advantage of acquainting himself with the tastes of the
bulk of the Gaiety supporters, and of shaping his piece to
suit the character of the house. , , . We are not aware
that Dr. Arthur Sullivan has previously written anything
for the Gaiety, but by his musical setting of * Box and
Cox ' and by his opera ' Contrabandista ' he has shown
how well suited are his talents for illustrating subjects
demanding a fanciful conception, melodious strain, and
humorous expression, together with skill in orchestral
Colouring and able musicianship. Mr, Gilbert in ' Thespis*
has happily provided the composer with everything he

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 7

could desire, mastering the character of opera-extrava-
ganza, which precludes the exercise of the highest flights
of genius of which a musician is capable and sets a limit
to the exercise of his talents. The composer in return
has wedded Mr. Gilbert's verses to some exquisite music,
has pleasingly coloured his scenes, and given a character
to some of his mythological personages which relieves
them from the complaint, too often urged against such,
of being mere puppets — unsympathising creatures of a
poet's fancy. Of course, Mr. Gilbert never once intends
to be serious throughout the operetta, for he carries his
extravagances to the utmost limits allowed a purveyor of
absurdities, but a clever composer rarely fails in finding
occasions for the introduction of the pathetic, and Mr.
Arthur Sullivan has been very happy in infusing a certain
amount of sentiment into several of the characters, which
creates for them an interest little imagined by those who
merely peruse the incidents of the plot. Perhaps the
clever author of ' Thespis ; or The Gods Grown Old,'
has revealed to his able collaborateur the allegory which
lies concealed in his story, and so has been enabled to
inspire his muse to a higher flight than it would appear
to the uninitiated to justify." The other piece referred to
was Gilbert's " Robert the Devil " burlesque, done at
the Gaiety opening night, December 21, 1868.

As Gilbert was moie or less pledged to continue his
collaboration with Frederick Clay, and was even then
busy writing " Happy Arcadia " for the German Reeds,
and very probably " Princess Toto " to be done later at
the Strand Theatre, it was not until 1875 that Gilbert
and Sullivan really began their life-long partnership,
when they were concerned together in the composition
of the world famous " Trial by Jury/'

CHAPTER II

D'Oyly Carte — The Royalty Theatre — Selina Dolaro and Nelly
Bromley — " Trial by Jury " — Origin and Production of this
famous Dramatic Cantata — Frederic Sullivan and W. S. Penley —
" Princess Toto " at the Strand and Opera Comique Theatres.

SEVERAL tales have been told about the inception and
production of " Trial by Jury " — not many of them being
right. When the Dramatic Cantata, as the work was
labelled on the bills, was first produced at the Royalty
Theatre on March 25, 1875, it was such a success, and
created such a sensation of joy amongst music-loving
playgoers, that the wildest stories were invented and
circulated as to its origin by the gossips in the Press, the
pit, and the stalls. The management, meanwhile, keeping
a discreet silence, public curiosity was stimulated to such
an extent that the little house in Dean Street, Soho —
which was often referred to as the Soho Theatre — was
crowded every night, not so much on account of seeing
Selina Dolaro in " La Perichole," which was the chief
piece, but to see Gilbert and Sullivan's whimsical novelty,
with the beautiful Nelly Bromley in the leading part,
though she did not play the jilted Plaintiff very long.

In January, 1875, the lessee of the Royalty Theatre
was Miss Henrietta Hodson (Mrs. Labouchere> and the
manager was Richard D'Oyly Carte, when the entertain-
ment consisted of " Awaking/' by Campbell Clark, and
Offenbach's " La Perichole," with Selina Dolaro in the
title role, supported by Messrs Walter Fisher, Fred Sul-
livan, C. Kelleher, C. Campbell, and Miss Linda Verner,
and also Mr. W. S. Penley as a member of the chorus. In

8

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 9

the programme there was an announcement to this effect :
" In preparation, a New Comic Opera composed expressly
for this Theatre by Mr. Arthur Sullivan, in which Madame
Dolaro and Miss Nelly Bromley will appear." A little
later the bill was altered, and the announcement was that
the comic opera was written by " W. C. Gilbert," etc.,
and only Nelly Bromley's name was printed to take part
therein. As can easily be imagined, this wrong initial
in his name brought W. S. G. down to the theatre full tilt
to know the reason why, and so on ! The first piece was
changed to " A Good Night's Rest/' by Mrs. Charles
Gore, a very old farce dating back to 1839, when it was
first given at the Strand Theatre. It is interesting to note
that this Mrs. Charles Gore was in her day a very famous
writer of novels of " fashionable life " ; she also won the
five hundred pounds prize which Benjamin Webster
offered for the best modern comedy, as the critics were
declaring that the stock authors were written out. This
prize play — the only possible one out of over a hundred
sent in — was called " Quid Pro Quo/' and was produced
with a magnificent cast at the Haymarket Theatre, June
18, 1844. Unfortunately it was a ghastly failure. Another
item in the Royalty bill with " La Perichole " was
" Cryptoconchoidsyphonostomata/' by Charles Collette,
with himself as Plantaganet Smith. Then on the event-
ful night of March 25, 1875, came the important produc-
tion after " La Perichole " of the long-promised " Trial
by Jury/' And here is the original cast from the first
night's programme :

The Learned Judge Mr, Frederic Sullivan

Counsel for Plaintiff Mr. Hollingsworth

The Defendant Mr, Walter H. Fisher

Foreman of the Jury Mr, C. Campbell

Usher Mr, C, Kelleher

Associate Mr. R. B, Pepper

First Bridesmaid Miss Linda Verner

The Plaintiff Miss Nelly Bromley

(Her first appearance
this Season)

mrif

L SoKo A \ I /

To cemeloda with a KOTO! & antfcdy original Dnmatlc Cantata,

TRIAL BY JURY,

•Music by ABTEUS SULLIVAN
The Book lyW. 8. GILBEET.

OfilKAOTI-R-8,

»• Kr. Z&EBESIO STJLIIVAH
Counsel for tto Plaiutiff, Hr. SOEXJHGSWOEm
The Defendant -, Ir, VAITEE E IISHEB ;

Joremaa of Jury ~ Mr. C, CWBBli

Ush,w •» 3lr, C* KELItEHES
Associate »• « «• •- Hfr. B, B, PEJPEB

Its Plaintiff * KISS HELIY BEOMLET
(Har first appearance this Season)

BiiAenotidi. JCndtmH VEEHEE, All CLOTOIB,

VILLIEES LASSAILS, DTJBMlTr,
PALHER, JTOIA lEYESLEY, 1EE, ETC.

Gentlaraen of to9 Juty,
Messrs. B1AD3EAW, HTJSI, ITO.

Scene . . ' . Kkt Court

« Hr,

Prices of Admission. PrlaaU Boxes, £2 2s. and JEa Xa-

Stalk, 7B. Cd. Ureea Circle, £&•
Upper DoiCB.Se. Ptt.2e, O&llorj, It,

Steti my tettturtdetaO, tin Libraries mt at tte 9n Q$tr,
.«Hto> rft*4S««rtiofl o/lfr. CQLLtVBR,

vtrsssByssn swoow,

TJndai tlio eumegoment ofHrH. DOD9¥OB,tH.

is THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The success of the piece, on account of its absolute novelty
and freshness, was instantaneous, and the cantata
attracted crowds right up to the spring of 1876, being re-
tained as an after-piece, though the chief item was changed
from time to time. The " Chef-d'Orchestre," by the way,
was Mr. Simmonds, who was the father of Selina Dolaro.
In a month's time, for reasons unexplained — except that
it was darkly hinted that little, pretty, fiery Selina Dolaro
objected to big, beautiful Nelly Bromley — Nelly Bromley
gave place to Linda Verner, who was Selina Dolaro 's
particular friend, at any rate for the moment, and she
sang the character of the Plaintiff until " Trial by Jury "
finished its Royalty run. When this change was made
Mr. W. S. Penley, who had been one of the Jury and was
in the chorus, was given the part of the Second Notary in
" La Perichole " at the same time that Mr C. Husk went
from the chorus to be Foreman of the Jury, Mr. E. Connell,
Usher, and Mr. T. Healey, Associate, who presently gave
way to Mr. Cairns, while Mr. W. H. Fisher had left the
theatre and Mr. W. Courtney was the defendant.

On June 5 yet another shuffling of the casts occurred,
when " La Fille de Madame Angot " replaced " La
Perichole/' and Cornelie D'Anka played MdUe. Lange to
the Clairette Angot of Pauline Rita. This version was
prepared by Frank Desprez, who acted as secretary to
D'Oyly Carte, who was no longer advertised as manager
of the theatre, although he was interested in it. On this
night W. S. Penley took up the part of the Foreman of
the Jury in Gilbert and Sullivan's work for the first time,
and incidentally made an immediate hit with his imper-
sonation, and the delivery, after consulting with the Jury,
of the first line :

We've but one word, my lord, and that is — Rapture !

and the four other short lines. When Penley, as the
Foreman, chanted :

Just like a father
I wished to be

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 13

and kissed the Plaintiff in a hesitating, lingering way, the
house simply roared at his comic gesture, his comic
delivery, and his comic face. That was practically the
beginning of W. S. Penley, although he had commenced at
the Court Theatre at the enormous salary of thirteen
^shillings a week, and after went to the Holborn and Opera
Comique Theatres in the chorus. But Penley was born
to be a star, and to divert us with Lay Brother Pelican in
" Falka," the Reverend Robert Spalding in " The Private
Secretary/' Charley's Aunt in " Charley's Aunt/' and
many other droll impersonations in the later years. As
most writers have implied that Penley played the Fore-
man of the Jury on the first night and onwards, I have
purposely given the exact details of his appearance. It was
when Penley was still in the chorus at the Royalty that
I first met him, and we were close friends until his lamented
deatTi in November, 1912.

And now the truth about the inception of " Trial by
Jury " may be appropriately told. When W. S. Gilbert
was on the regular staff of Fun, writing under the
pseudonym of " Bab/' he provided and illustrated the
first version of this breach-of-promise case burlesque for
Tom Hood, who had succeeded Henry J. Byron in the
editorial chair, and in the pages of Fun it was accordingly
printed. On the recommendation of a friend Gilbert
elaborated the work and showed it to Carl, Rosa, who
came to the conclusion that he would set the piece to
music himself, with a view to his wife, Madame Parepa-
Rosa, appearing in the leading part. Unfortunately,
before matters came to a climax Madame Parepa-Rosa
died, so that all the arrangements for the production were
mutually cancelled, and Gilbert had the manuscript re-
stored to him. Seeking for a suitable collaborator, Gilbert
one evening happened to visit the Royalty, where D'Oyly
Carte was installed as manager. In the course of con-
versation Carte suggested to Gilbert that he should write
_a light little one-act trifle as a curtain-raiser to strengthen
the bill, and that Sullivan should be invited to compose
.the music. Gilbert at once fell in with the proposal, and

Cs

14 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

remembering the play he had only recently had returned
by Carl Rosa, told Carte that he thought he could let
him have the very thing, and explained that the main idea
of the piece he had in mind was a breach of promise case,
introducing judge, jury, counsel, plaintiff, and defendant,
with all the paraphernalia of a real court of justice.
Carte was delighted, and when he had read the manuscript
he sent Gilbert off to see Sullivan on the matter at once.

" It was a very cold morning/' Sir Arthur Sullivan told
his biographer, Mr. Arthur Lawrence, " with the snow
falling heavily, that Gilbert came round to my place clad
in a heavy fur coat. He had called to read out to me
the MS. of ' Trial by Jury/ He read it through, as it
seemed to me, in a perturbed sort of way, with a gradual
crescendo of indignation, in the manner of a man consider-
ably disappointed with what he had written. As soon
as he had come to the last word he closed up the manu-
script violently, apparently unconscious of the fact that
he had achieved his purpose as far as I was concerned,
inasmuch as I was screaming with laughter the whole
time.^ Sir Arthur composed the music, and all the re-
hearsals were completed within the space of a few weeks,
and the piece was produced, as we know, to unbounded
applause. And when one considers the quality and
humour of the work, how could it have been otherwise ?
The parody had so many touches of reality that it was
sure to appeal to all lovers of fun and laughter and jingling
melody. The Judge's explanatory ditty is one of the most
joyous comic songs in the language :

-When I, good friends, was called to the Bar,

I'd an appetite fresh and hearty,
But I was, as most young barristers are,

An impecunious party.
I'd a swallow-tail coat of a beautiful blue,

A brief which I bought of a booby —
A couple of shirts and a collar or two,

And a ring that looked like a ruby.

But perhaps the sting of the satire of breach of promises

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 15

of those days, and perhaps generally, is contained in the
Usher's solo and chorus :

USHER :

' Now, Jurymen, hear my advice —
All kinds of vulgar prejudice

I pray you set aside :
With stern judicial frame of mind,
From bias free of every kind,
This trial must be tried.

CHORUS :

From bias free of every kind,
This trial must be tried.

USHER :

Oh, listen to the plaintiff's case,
Observe the features of her face —

The broken-hearted bride.
Condole with her distress of mind :
From bias free of every kind,

This trial must be tried.

CHORUS.

USHER :

And when amid the plaintiff's shrieks
The ruffianly defendant speaks —

Upon the other side ;
What he may say you needn't mind —
From bias free of every kind,

This trial must be tried.

The Lord Chief Justice, Sir Alexander Cockburn, who was
a friend of Arthur Sullivan, went to see " Trial by Jury "
and enjoyed the performance very much, but did not
altogether approve of the action of the piece because it
was calculated to " bring the Bench into contempt/' and
he would not go again for fear he should seem to encourage
it. But many other legal luminaries had no such
compunction.

The popularity of " Trial by Jury " was so great that
the piece and the company were frequently called upon
to add to the attractions of benefit performances at dif-
ferent theatres during 1875, including the Gaiety, of

16 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

course. Emily Soldene tells us in her Musical Recollec-
tions that on the occasion of her benefit at the Park
Theatre, Camden Town, where she had been playing
" Genevieve de Brabant " and " Chilperic " in the winter
of 1875, "Trial by Jury'' was sent up from the Royalty.
Rose Stella sang the Plaintiff (originally played by
Miss Nelly Bromley), Fred Sullivan was the Judge, and
Mr. Penley the Foreman of the Jury. The programme
at the Royalty, with D'Oyly Carte and George Dolby —
George Dolby, who had been manager for Charles Dickens
throughout his English and American Reading Tours —
as managers, was entirely changed in January, 1876, and
" Trial by Jury " was transferred, by arrangement with
Charles Morton, to the Opera Comique, where it was seen
from January 10, with Miss Emily Soldene and Miss Kate
Santley acting in " Madame L'Archiduc " for some con-
siderable time with Mr. Frederic Sullivan, Mr. Knight
Aston, and Mr. W. S. Penley in the chief male parts, and
Miss Clara Vesey, who was Miss Soldene's sister, as the
Plaintiff in the "Trial/1 And this fascinating little
musical play held its own, with various small changes in-
the cast, with " Genevieve de Brabant/' and then with
" La Fille de Madame Angot " (H. B. Farnie's version),
until the end of April. But even this was not the end of
the adventures of " Trial by Jury," for we find it over the
way at the old Strand Theatre in March, 1877, with Miss
Lottie Venne as the Plaintiff, M. Claude Marius as the
Defendant, Mr. J, G. Taylor the Judge, Mr. C. Parry
Counsel for the Plaintiff, Mr. Harry Cox the Usher, and
Mr. W. S. Penley as the Foreman of the Jury. In due
course " Trial by Jury " grew to be a perennial, and as
the years passed was constantly being requisitioned for
benefit and other matinees, as we shall from time to time
discover. It may be noted that Mr. Penley had been
especially selected by Mr. Gilbert to play Zapeter in
" Princess Toto," which he wrote, in conjunction with
Mr. Frederick Clay as the composer, for Miss Kate Santley.
This was presented at the Strand Theatre (after a trial
trip at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, in the previous

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 17

July) October 2, 1876. Others in the cast were Messrs,
Harry Cox, J. G. Taylor, and Miss Lottie Venne, with Miss
Santley as the changeable To to.

When Mr. D'Oyly Carte built his new Savoy Theatre and
opened it with the transferred " Patience " on October
10, 1881, John Hollingshead, being under contract to
revive " Princess Toto," opened the Opera Comique with
Messrs. Gilbert and Clay's three-act comic opera on the
I5th. In the piece, which lasted till December 17,
appeared Messrs. Richard Temple, Robert Brough, George
Temple, G. Loredan; Alfred Bishop, Misses Annette Albu,
Annie Poole, and E. Vane, This revival cost John
Hollingshead £7,000. As to other revivals of " Trial by
Jury " — Hollingshead wanted to do it with " Princess
Toto/' but D'Oyly Carte said " No "—they will be
dealt with as they occur.

There is no doubt that " Princess Toto " was -written
by Mr. Gilbert before the production of " Trial by Jury/'
and of course before " The Sorcerer/1 although the story
upon which the latter was founded appeared in the Christ-
mas number of the Graphic for 1876. As is well known,
most of Gilbert's plays were based upon stories he had
contributed to different annuals or journals, or to his
Bab Ballads, the majority of which were purposely written
for Fun ; but I have been unable to trace the origin of
" Princess Toto/' In designing this Gilbert was evidently
feeling his way, and was not altogether pleased with the
Press criticisms. E. L. Blanchard described it as being
" ambitiously comic and not funny/' Personally, when
I saw it in 1881, when it was revived at the Opera Comique,
I thought it delightfully droll, though neither the dialogue
nor the lyrics were as brilliant as the succeeding Savoy
operas. It is interesting to read what Mr. W, Beatty
Kingston said of the 1881 production. In parenthesis
he wrote — Theatre Magazine, November, 1881 — " I may
here observe that when I returned to England three years
ago, having hitherto been absent from London since the
year 1857, nothing surprised me more agreeably than the
improvement effected in the quality of English theatrical

18 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

chorus-singing during the period of my residence abroad.
. . . The ' Princess Toto ' is in every respect a meritorious
work. The libretto teems with those delightful incon-
gruities of which Mr. Gilbert may be said to possess the
intellectual monopoly — impossibilities cunningly made
to seem possible by the art of their inventor, and so in-
geniously linked together that they appear to constitute
a coherent entirety. Perhaps the chief charm of all the
quaint personages, children of Mr. Gilbert's fertile fancy,
whom he has at different times made known to us, is a
certain air of homely and simple consistency that pervades
their most extravagant sayings and doings. They convey
the impression that if they are a little odd and eccentric it
is really because they cannot help it. Their absurdities
are so spontaneous and naive that it is quite out of the
question to suppose them conscious, even when most
ridiculous, of differing in any essential respect from other
people. They are, moreover, always funny and never
tiresome. Their nonsense, like that of Shakespeare's
Fools, is frequently flavoured with delicate shrewdness ;
their unsettled brains, now and anon, emit brilliant flashes
of satire and sagacity/'

Mr. Beatty Kingston held a high position as a musical
and dramatic critic, and was special foreign corres-
pondent of the Daily Telegraph for many years. I have
given Mr. Kingston's remarks in full because they apply
most aptly to all W, S. Gilbert's literary and mental
phantasmagoria as exhibited and exploited in his lyrical
comedies, before and after the first real comic opera was
penned by this disciple of Aristophanes, All the same,
we shall find that Mr. Kingston somewhat altered his
opinions, and varied his praise of Gilbert's work from
time to time,

CHAPTER III

Mr. and Mrs. D'Oyly Carte — The Comedy Opera Company —
The Opera Comique Theatre — " The Sorcerer/'

IN a letter from the late Mrs. D'Oyly Carte in response to
an enquiry that lady wrote : " The Comedy Opera Com-
pany was entirely Mr. Carte's idea, and his own creation.
He was manager at the Royalty at the time of the original
production of ' Trial by Jury/ and after that piece he
always had the idea of getting Mr. Gilbert and Sir Arthur
Sullivan to write a larger work together ; but it was a long
time before he could get this arranged and before they
were both ready and able to undertake it, and then a
theatre had to be found, and the money got together to
start it. The Comedy Opera Company came to an end
after the production of ' Pinafore/ "

Richard D'Oyly Carte, who was to all intents and pur-
poses the originator and father of the Savoy Opera, was,
like Sir W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, a Londoner
born, having first seen the light of day in Soho in 1844.
His father, an excellent flautist, was for some consider-
able time a partner in an important firm of musical in-
strument makers which is still continued under the style
of RudaU, Carte & Co. His father fought at Waterloo
in the Blues ; his mother was a daughter of one of the
clerical staff of the Chapel Royal, Savoy. After passing
through University College School, Carte matriculated at
London University, and then entered his father's business
and turned his talents to the writing of songs and
operettas. His first effort was " Dr. Ambrosias — his
Secret/' produced at St. George's Hall, August 8, 1868,

20 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

with considerable approval. This was followed by
" Marie/' an operetta presented at the Opera Comique in
August, 1871, and " Happy Hampstead," written under
the pen-name of Mark Lynne, to the libretto of
Frank Desprez and put on the Royalty stage, while
he was still associated with the theatre, by Miss
Kate Santley, in January, 1877. However, not finding
sufficient scope for his ambitions, he soon launched out
on his own account, and became a musical and dramatic
agent, with offices in Craig's Court, Strand. Mr. Carte
had a striking personality. What he did was extra-
ordinary enough ; but it was overshadowed by what he
was. There was something Napoleonic about D'Oyly
Carte — not the conventional Napoleon of uncertain fiction,
but the real Napoleon Bonaparte. He was a very clever
musician, and had he chosen to follow up the Thespian
stage as his profession he would have become a light
comedian of the Wyndham type, or an entrepreneur in
the manner of Sir Herbert Tree. But his object was to
achieve financial success through his great artistic
ambition and desires, and so he became a theatrical
manager, and he was one of the most remarkable men
who ever launched upon this stormy sea of desperate and
alluring adventure.

A friend who knew him intimately, and, indeed, worked
for him for many years — the late Frank Desprez — said
that few men who came in contact with D'Oyly Carte in
the earlier part of his career could fathom the depths
of his character. To the young men at Romano's in the
Strand, the popular professional restaurant for many long
years, to the artists who came to consult him at his
dramatic and musical agency in Craig's Court, he went for
a genial bon vivant, a "jolly good fellow/' whose only
object was to pass life pleasantly. This was one of
the secrets of his success. The position of a
dramatic and musical agent has many advantages, and
Mr. D'Oyly Carte profited by them all. He was " in
the know " about projected enterprises, while many
tliejrs originated in his own fertile brain. Among his

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 21

first bits of business was the directing of the farewell per-
formances in this country of Signor Mario ; and a later
exploit was the planning of a tour in the provinces with a
repertory of comic opera, and with no less than three
prima donnas — Madame Selina Dolaro, Miss Bessie
Sudlow (who later became Mrs. Michael Gunn), and Miss
Pattie Laverne. A steamer was chartered to carry the
troupe across to Ireland. Rehearsals took place on deck
during the transit, and the vessel entered Queenstown with
the broad flag of D'OYLY CARTE'S OPERA COMPANY flying
gaily at the fore. It was while on this voyage that he
made the acquaintance of Mr. Michael Gunn, who after-
wards became, and was for many years, his partner in
several theatrical speculations. Even in those promising
and experimental days Carte always impressed his intimates
by a certain hard yet humorous irony. He had the
Napoleonic habit of regai'ding men and women as subjects
to be exploit^, but in one important respect he was far
more human than Napoleon. He was capable of warm
affection, and he never threw away his tools — as
Bonaparte did — when they were worn out. Many a
pensioned old servant, many a secretly assisted depend-
ant, had cause to bless D'Oyly Carte's generosity, which
was as delicately administered as it was carefully weighed
and considered. Under his government every detail,
down to the minutest, had to be submitted to his de-
cision— and his decision was almost invariably logical and
right. His tendency to over-centralisation was, however,
met and counteracted by the co-operation of the second
Mrs, Carte (Miss Helen Lenoir), whom he married in
1888, his first wife having passed away three years pre-
viously, For the second Mrs. Carte was^one of the most
remarkable business women in England. Sweet, gentle,
and sympathetic in manner, petite and apparently delicate
in physique, Mrs, Carte possessed one of those steel-and-
indiarubber brains and constitutions which nothing
seemed to fatigue, a decision and resolution which were
always at her disposal, and an extraordinary amount of
self-command. Her tact wa$ piarvellous and her

22 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

diplomacy acute and resourceful. Add to this an intense
love of work for its own sake, and it is easy to understand
the immense value of the alliance between the two in-
dividualities and intellects.

Mrs. Carte was a daughter of George Cowper Black,
Procurator Fiscal for Wigtownshire, who was a nephew
of Sir George Cowper, who was on the Duke of Welling-
ton's staff throughout the Peninsular War, and sub-
sequently held the position of Chief Equerry to the
Duchess of Kent, mother of Queen Victoria. Miss Helen
Black received a good if severe education in her
Presbyterian home, and when she entered at the London
University she quickly proved a surprising capacity for
taking pains, and passed the exacting examination with
flying honours — honours equivalent to the B.A. of those
times. After a considerable period devoted to educa-
tional and coaching pursuits, Miss Black determined to
seek for greater freedom, and so her thoughts turned
towards the stage. With a view to preparing herself
for her new career she took lessons in singing, dancing,
and elocution, one of her most serviceable tutors being
Mr. George Brad Coe, the stage manager of the Hay-
market Theatre under several famous lessees, starting
with John Baldwin Buckstone. She commenced acting
in a company of which Charles Wyndham was one of
the members, and then, for a short while, she appeared
under the management of Mr, Michael Gunn in Dublin,
Then it was that she first met Mr, Carte, who offered her
an engagement in his recently opened offices in Craig's
Court, London. Although she started in a quite sub-
ordinate position, Mr. Carte quickly discovered that
Miss Helen Lenoir — the name Miss Black had assumed
when she went on the stage — was a young kdy of
uncommon attainments, and very soon her talents for
business details secured for her an increasing measure
of confidence. Among those who were her associates in
the office in Craig's Court were Mr. Frank Desprez, who
acted as a sort of secretarial and literary assistant to Mr,
Carte— he afterwards became editor of the then great

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 23

theatrical paper, The Era, under the proprietorship of
Mr, Edward Ledger — and Mr. George Edwardes, who
was a nephew of Michael Gunn, and afterwards the
successful manager of the Gaiety, Daly's, and other
theatres. Mr. Edwardes at the time of Mrs. Carte's
death in 1913 was full of tender memories of their past
acquaintanceship. " A more wonderful woman it has not
been my lot to know/' he said. " It was my privilege
to work with her under D'Oyly Carte for quite a consider-
able time, and I never ceased to marvel at her extra-
ordinary energy, her inexhaustible activity. She laboured
day and night. The whole foundations of the Savoy
business rested upon her. She settled the tours, engaged
the artists, did, in fact, everything short of producing
And if any trouble arose it was Helen Lenoir, or, as she
subsequently became, Mrs, Carte, who put it right.
You could not be with her a minute without feeling
the extraordinary magnetism of her presence. Every-
body loved her — Sullivan, Gilbert, Cellier, myself, the
entire staff of the theatre. Not a question, however
important or unimportant, but she was asked to give
her opinion about it. She was the most lovable and the
sweetest woman that ever existed, but in the end I can-
not but think she sacrificed herself to her insatiable
appetite for work. Her own wants were of the simplest,
the most modest description. It was upon others, not
herself, that she lavished her money, with a generosity
that never stopped to enquire too curiously into the
merits of the case/'

It was when D'Oyly Carte formed the Comedy Opera
Company to produce " The Sorcerer " that Miss Lenoir's
abilities were called upon to develop their strenuous
activity.

D'Oyly Carte, while still carrying on his agency,
undertook the management of several seasons of light
opera, chiefly adapted from the French, at various
London theatres. And in due course he became manager
for Madame Selina Dolaro, and later for Miss Kate
Santley, at the Royalty, as already stated. With

24 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

intuitive penetration he had long cherished the idea of
a Gilbert and Sullivan combination, and so brought
about the collaboration which resulted in the; "Trial
by Jury " experiment. The success of this happy duet
foreshadowed the great triumvirate for which D'Oyly
Carte planned and schemed. The gold-mine had been
discovered; the thing now was how to work it. It
must not therefore be forgotten that however much was
due to the genius of Gilbert and Sullivan, ^it was largely
owing to the untiring energy and enterprise of D'Oyly
Carte that the unprecedented popularity and financial
success— as well as artistic— of the operas were eventuaUy

achieved.

And so in the autumn of 1876 he secured the assistance
of several financial friends who were also interested in
music and the drama, and formed the Comedy Opera
Company, Limited. This business company consisted
of many well-known music publishers and others, with
Mr. D'Oyly Carte at the head as managing director,
and W. S. Gilbert and Arthur S. Sullivan were
" approached " in regard to providing the piece for the
starting of the campaign, with the result that "The
Sorcerer " was secured for the opening programme.

CHAPTER IV

The Comedy Opera Company and the first Production of '* The
Sorcerer " — Selecting the Company — " Dora's Dream " and
" The Spectre Knight " — Alfred Cellier appointed Conductor.

THE Comedy Opera Company having been duly regis-
tered and established, and the piece chosen, the selection
of the vocalists, who must necessarily be actors as well,
was the next task — a task that was not to be lightly
undertaken or prematurely achieved. The story of
" The Sorcerer " had, by the way, already been contri-
bute^'fo'"tHe "Christmas number of the Graphic of 1876,
and was illustrated by Gilbert under his usual signature
of " Bab/' The original scheme introduces the Rev.
Stanley Gay, the village curate, who commissions Messrs.
Baylis and Culpepper, Magicians, Sorcerers, Astrologers,
and Professors of the. Black Art, of St. Martin's Lane,
London, to supply him with some of their advertised
" Love-Philtre/' Baylis, the head of the firm, had sold
himself to the devil at a very early age, and become
remarkably proficient in all kinds of enchantment.
Culpepper had been his apprentice, and, having also
acquired considerable skill as a necromancer, was taken
into partnership by the genial old magician, who from
the first had taken a liking to the frank, fair-haired boy.

Although the opera can easily be traced to this
Christmas number tale, Gilbert shows great skill in con-
verting the narrative into dramatic form. The curate
buys a nine-gallon cask of Potent Oxy-Hydrogen Love-
at-First-Sight Philtre, and distributes the potion, with
embarrassing consequences, including the loss of his own
sweetheart, who throws him over for his Bishop, and

26 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

causes the whole village to turn topsy-turvy, to the
amazement of the respectable folk who are not affected*
There was also a piece of prose in Fun, which has never
been reprinted, called " Our Own Pantomime, Harlequin
Wilkinson ; or. The Fairy Pew-opener of the Vicar of
Pendleton^um-Turnip-Top," which also was drawn
upon for " The Sorcerer " as well as for *' Trial by Jury."
After many excursions among the theatrical agencies
and interviews with numberless players, the cast was at
last completed. Mrs. Howard Paul, who was travelling
about the country with her own entertainment company,
was specially engaged by D'Oyly Carte to play Lady
Sangazure. Rutland Harrington, who had had some slight
stage experience under Mr, Henry Neville at the Olympic
Theatre in " Lady Clancarty," " The Ticket of Leave
Man," and " The Two Orphans," was a member of Mrs.
Paul's company, and Mrs, Paul kindly stipulated that
if she signed the agreement Banington was also to be
found a part — and this was the beginning of his happy
London career. George Bentham came from the Covent
Garden Opera, and Richard Temple, who was a most
alert actor, had played a great deal in opera bouffe
and Balfe ballad-opera in the country. George Gros~
smith, like his father, was purely an entertainer at the piano ;
he used to travel the country with his Drawing Room Enter-
tainment (they were always called Drawing Room Enter-
tainments), " Piano and I," and it was at a private house
that Arthur Sullivan first heard him sing, Arthur Cecil
had already mentioned him to his friend the composer,
It happened in this way. Sullivan and Cecil were both
writing1 letters at the Beefsteak Club when the former
said, " I can't find a fellow for the Magician in this
opera." Arthur Cecil said, " I wonder if Grossmith — *~"
Before the sentence was completed, Arthur Sullivan said,
"^he very man," and the next morning Grossmith
received the following letter : " Beefsteak Club, King
Wiffiain Street, W.C. Tuesday Night." (This would
b6$ome time in August, 1877.) " Dear Mr, Grossmith, —
Are you inclined to go on the stage for a time ? There

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 27

is a part in the new piece I am doing with Gilbert which
I think you would play admirably. I can't find a good
man for it, Let me have a line, or come to 9 Albert
Mansions to-morrow after 4 or Thursday before 2,30,"

As George Grossmith himself related the incident in
A Society Clown, we may as well read what he said,
" The great compliment which I considered the letter
conveyed filled me with more delight than I could
express. , . , Arthur Sullivan had only heard me sing
once, after a dinner-party, and it was evident from
this letter I had created some sound impression, hence
my extreme delight at his offer. I remember after
the said party Sir Arthur (he was then Mr.) kindly
asked me back to his rooms with a few other friends,
including Alfred CelHer, and Arthur Cecil, to whom
I was made indebted for the most valuable hints he
had from time to time given me respecting the style of
sketch and song, suitable for ' smart ' drawing-room
work, and who had taken a great interest in me. At
Sullivan's that evening we all sang, played, and chatted
till an early hour in the morning ; and I, as a compara-
tively ' new ' man, was * especially drawn/ "

George Grossmith, the elder, to whose advice the son
tells us he always listened with respect, told the coming
Savoyard, or rather, Opera Comiquist, that he did not
think his voice was good enough for the stage, so G. G,
went off to consult Sullivan, and Sullivan struck D, fourth
line in treble clef, and told him to " sing out as loud as
you can/' He did so, and Sullivan looked up with a
humorous expression on his face — " even his eye-glass
seemed to smile "— &nd he simply said " Beautiful/'
Sullivan then sang " My name is John Wellington Wells/'
and suggested, " You can do that ? " He thought he
could*

" Very well/* said Sir Arthur, " if you can do that
you can do the rest/1

The jaext visit was to W. S. Gilbert, to see what the
ptrt was Kke* Gilbert was very kind to him, and seemed
$tod tfeat Grosradth meditated accepting the eogagraeat.

28 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

A few months previously Grossmith had appeared as the
Judge in " Trial by Jury " at the Bijou Hall, Bayvswater,
when the rehearsals were conducted by Gilbert himself,
who coached Grossmith for the first time, Gilbert then
read the opening speech of John Wellington Wells
with reference to the sale of " Penny Curses/1 etc*, and
explained that the part of Wells had developed into
greater prominence than was at first anticipated.
Grossmith felt at once that the part would suit him
excellently, but ventured to hint ;

" For the part of a Magician I should have thought you
required a fine man with a fine voice."

" No," said Gilbert, with a humorous expression,
" that is just what we don't want,"

Then Grossmith sought an interview with D'Oyly Carte*
and after a while asked if he might have a day or two to
think it over. The request was granted, apparently,
thought Grossmith, to oblige him. " But/' explained
Grossmith afterwards, " I imagined from his look that
D'Oyly Carte also required a day or two to think it over
himself." ,

But all was not plain sailing, for the Comedy Opera
Company were all averse from the engagement, and one of
the gentlemen wired to Carte, " Whatever you do, don't
engage Grossmith." Meanwhile Grossmith was tossed
about upon the terrible billows of indecision. He had a
certain amount of confidence in his own powers, but
wondered what would happen if the piece failed. The
Opera Comique itself was looked upon as a very unlucky
house— it had had failures already by the dozen— and
Grossmith, having cancelled all his provincial engagements,
would in that event be thrown on his beam ends. At this
crisis he received a charming letter from Mrs, Howard
Paul urging him not to miss such a grand opportunity,
and so he wrote back to say he had decided to accept the
offer, and thereupon on November 5, 1877, Mrs* Paul*
Rutkad Harrington, and George Grossmith, and a few
others, celebrated the event in the back garden of Mrs.
Paul's toou&e at Bedford Park with a display of fireworks.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 29

Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte were by now all anxious to
have Grossmith in the cast, and although all the directors,
who were in the majority, were against them, the latter
were defeated.

Still nervous about the future, Grossmith asked Carte
to guarantee a month's engagement certain, and this was
done, though the salary arranged was three guineas a
week less than he wanted.

Then said Grossmith to Carte — and his remarks seem
peculiar in these days :

" Look at the risks I am running. If I fail I don't
believe the Young Men's Christian Association will ever
engage me again, because I have appeared on the stage,
and my reputation as a comic singer to religious com-
munities will be lost for ever 1 "

Carte replied, " Well, I daresay I can make that all
right/' Then a sudden idea occurred to him. " Come
and have some oysters/'

11 I did t " records Grossmith. " I shall ever regret it !
A lunch of? oysters and most excellent Steinberg Cabinet
infused a liberality into my nature for which I shall never
forgive myself* Carte again broached the subject —
after lunch-— oi the salary ; and in the end I waived the
extra three guineas a week. I calculate that, irrespective
of all accumulative interest, that lunch cost me up till
now " (Grossmith was writing in 1888) " about £1,800-"
George Grossmith , like his father, was always called
" Gee-Gee/' and so is his son—1' Gee-Gee " !

Here I may pause to say that both Gilbert and Sullivan
had resolved that had poor Frederic Sullivan lived he
was to have been the chief comedian of their operas,
and would, of course, have had all the characters that George
Grossmith afterwards enacted with so much humour and
ability. But Arthur Sullivan's brother, to whom he was
devotedly attached, died after a long illness in the pre-
vious January at the early age of thirty-six. As Arthur
Lawrence, in his admirable Life of Sir Arthur Sullivan,
said, Frederic Sullivan's ** cleverness as a comedian, and
bis mf ailing good spirits, had made him much liked by all

Ds

30 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

who knew liim, and during his brief career as an actor
he had already achieved reputation. Best known to the
public for his perfect performance of the Judge in
4 Trial by Jury,' he was a skilled musician and au actor
of great ability/1

It was during the distressing three weeks, mainly
occupied by watching by the bedside of his elder brother,
that Sullivan wrote the " Lost Chord/' Many historians
have declared that "Thou Art Passing Hence, My
Brother " was the work that Sullivan wrote in these sad
circumstances, but that fine piece was finished at Balcarres,
Fife, September -21, 1874. Mr. Charles Willeby tells us,
in a Monograph of Sullivan, how the " Lost Chord/'
perhaps one of the most successful of all Sullivan's separate
songs, came to be written. One evening, while Sullivan
was sitting by his dying brother, when the end was
rapidly approaching, the sufferer had for a time sunk into
a peaceful sleep, and as his faithful attendant sat waiting
and watching it chanced that he took up some verses
by the late Adelaide Anne Proctor, with which he had
for some time been impressed, and once had tried to set
them to music, but without satisfaction to himself. Now
in the stillness of the night he read them over again, and
almost as he did so conceived their " musical equivalent/'
A sheet of music-paper was at hand, and he began to write*
"Slowly the music grew and took shape, until, becoming
absorbed in it, he determined to finish the song, thinking
that even if in the cold light of day, it should prove worth-
less, it would at least have helped to pass the weary hours
of watching. So he worked on at it. As he progressed
he felt sure that this was what he had sought for and had
failed to find on the occasion of his first attempt to set
the words. In a short time it was complete, and not
long after published and given to the world/'

On one occasion Edward Solomon, who was a follower
of the Sullivan school, and who might have become almost
as great as Sullivan himself if his temperament had
been different, very unkindly and irreverently wrote
a hornpipe as a counter melody to the " Lost

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 31

Chord " which brought a friendly protest from Arthur
Sullivan*

" DEAR TEDDY,— I wrote the ' Lost Chord ' in so rro w
at my brother Fred's death ; don't burlesque it."

To return to " The Sorcerer." The principals having
been decided upon as well as the chorus, which was mainly
selected from pupils of the Royal Academy and private
sources— for there had been much trying and testing
of voices by Mr. Alfred Cellier for weeks past— the
long-expected opera was at last produced ,$tt the Opera
Comique Theatre, Wych Street, Strand*- Ipveinber 17,
1877,

THE SOROWRKR.
An Entirely Original Modern Comic Opera.

Written by W. S. Gilbert, Composed by Arthur Sullivan.
Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre (An elderly Baronet).. Mr. Temple

Alexis (Of the Grenadier Guards— his son) Mr, Bentham

Dr, Daly (Vicar of Ploverleigh) .,.,,.,,.» »Mr, Banington

Notary ..*,.< Mr, Clifton

John Wellington Wells (of J. W. Wells <fe Co., Family

Sorcerers) . , . 4 * , . . Mr. Grossmith
Lady Sangazure. .(A Lady of Ancient Lineage),.

Mrs. Howard Paul

Aline (Her Daughter— betrothed to Alexis) .... Miss Alice May
Mrs, Parttett (A Pew-opener) .*.*..„.,..*.... Miss Everard
Constance (Her Daughter) * Miss Giulia Warwick

Chorus of Villagers.

Stage Manager » « , . Mr, Charles Harris

Musical Director „.,.,, , Mr, G, B. Allen

There was one other character who had no lines to deliver
but who had to make himself to some extent conspicuous.
That was the Oldest Inhabitant, represented by Mr. Frank
Thornton, who later was promoted to speaking parts*
It will be noticed that none of the gentlemen are given
their Christian names in the first-night programme. In
the next printing this little omission was remedied.
The leading motive of the plot— the tove-philte busi-
— was, as Fran$oi$ Cellier reminds us, by no means

32 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

novel. It has done service again and again in song, story,
and play. It was therefore a severe tax on the ingenuity
of our author to put new life into such old bones. But
Gilbert proved equal to the task. His complete mastery
of the art of giving to the most incongruous ideas the
semblance of reason, his dialogue, rich in droll conceits and
keen but playful satire upon men and things, his admir-
ably turned lyrics, brimming over with humour and tender
sentiment— in short, Gilbert's quaint, original cut of new
cloth succeeded in fitting an old garment perfectly to the
taste of his clients. The representatives of the respective
characters at once seemed to fall in line with Gilbert's
fantastic pleasantries and with Sullivan's sympathetic
music and at times droll orchestration. " The Sorcerer/'
by the way, and " Trial by Jury " were the only ones of
the Gilbert and Sullivan operas that were not embellished
with a sub-title* Some of the songs caught on at once*
Dr. Daly's ballad " Time was when Love and I were well
acquainted/' generally called " The Vicar's Song/* was
sung, I should fancy, by nearly every light baritone singer
in the land, while the songs allotted to Alexis and Aline
were heard on every concert platform as well as in sub-
urban drawing-rooms. As for the patter song— -quite a
tongue-twister — " My Name is John Wellington Wells " —
well, every amateur comic singer carried it about with
him to all his Penny Readings, still incessantly in vogue,
and took it to all his evening functions, Gilbert had in-
vented many ingenious bits of business for his company,
but one particularly funny idea was conceived and carried
out by Grossmith, himself, and it came as a great surprise
to his fellow artists, and that was when he ran round the
stage brandishing the tea-pot in which he had mixed the
love charm and when he crouched down and made an
extraordinary exit in imitation of a railway train, holding
aloft a fizzing tea-pot, A tremendous roar of applause
greeted this comic disappearance of Grossmith into the
wings.

There was one, not significant member of the company,
who used to go nightly during the run to the pressing-room

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 33

used by Messrs. Grossmith, Barrington, Clifton, and
Temple to enquire after George Grossmith's health.
Barrington thought it was exceedingly kind of him, and
told Grossmith so, and he quite agreed, "He is my
understudy, you know," said Grossmith, " and he said
he thought I was looking awfully overworked and in need
of a change/1 Barrington, however, still insisted that he
thought it very considerate behaviour, but when, later,
he offered Grossmith his expenses to go away for a few
days, Barrington began to think the gentleman in ques-
tion~who in fact was Frank Thornton — was not quite
so disinterested as he had imagined,

Although there were scarcely any " catch" phrases in
" The Sorcerer " to take the public ear and tongue, such
as were discovered in many of the succeeding pieces, the
absurd words of the ensemble finale were hummed by,
most people as they came out of the theatre on the first
and subsequent nights ;

Now to the banquet we press —

Now for the eggs and the ham —

Now for the mustard and cress —
Now for the strawberry jam.

Now for the tea of our host —

Now for the rollicking bun—-
Now for the mumn and toast —

Now for the gay Sally Lunn,

Well, at that time — it seems only like yesterday to me —
all these " delicacies " figured at the tea-tables of London
Town and round about at afternoon tea, muffins and
crumpets, as in the days of Dickens and Thackeray, being
especial favourites.

Naturally, Grossmith's patter piece was much in request ;

Oh 1 my name is John Wellington Wells,
I'm a dealer in magic and spells,

In blessings and curses.

And ever-filled purses,
In prophecies, witches, and knells f

34 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

If you want a proud foe to " make tracks "—
If you'd melt a rich uncle in wax-— •

You've but to look in

On the resident djinn,
Number seventy Simmcry Axe t

" The Sorcerer " on its first production was preceded
by a little revived operetta, " Dora's Dream," written
by Arthur Cecil and composed by Alfred Cellier, which
was replaced on February 9, 1878, by " The Spectre
Knight/' with a clever libretto by James Albery, author
of " Two Roses/' and equally clever music by Alfred
Cellier, who had by this time been appointed musical
director in place of Mr. Allen.

Although " The Sorcerer " was quite a success, while
the music had grown very popular with the public—it
ran from November, 1877, to May, 1878 ; 175 perform-
ances altogether — D'Oyly Carte was greatly harassed
from time to time by some of his directors, and when in
January the houses became rather empty, up went a
fortnight's notice. When the houses got" better, clown
went the fortnight's notice, and so it went on— up and
down — causing infinite anxiety to all concerned, the
players particularly.

CHAPTER V

The Bab Ballads—" H.M.S, Pinafore "—Nearly on the Rocks— A

Sudden Jump to Success — And a Furore in America — A Quaint,

Unauthorised Performance.

WITH the production of " H.M.S. Pinafore" W. S. Gilbert
began to skilfully plagiarise himself— if such an Irishism
may be allowed— and several of the subsequent operas
were simply and delightfully the amazingly extravagant
Bab Ballads grown up, In his scheme of seeing the
ridiculous possibilities in mundane matters and events,
and presenting them in such a serious way that they
almost seemed to be probable, lay the secret of Gilbert's
genius. To him, in his search for originality and novelty,
nothing was sacred, and so, having exploited his upside
down theories of philosophy in lyric form, why not
enlarge his canvas, not to say his atmosphere, and turn
them into plays ? In consequence we find many of these
operas rescued from their infancy — and Fwn—and
developed into a larger growth, in other words, the operas
were evolved from the Bab Ballads, and became the
vehicle for a new kind of entertainment.

To exemplify this the following quotations are taade,
selected chiefly from the most prominent BQfr'B*ttads,
which in more senses than one speak for themselves,

CAPTAIN RBECB

Of all the ships upon the blue
No ship contained a better crew
Than that of worthy Captain Reece,
of the

36 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

He was adored of all the men,
For worthy Captain Reece, R.N".,
Did all that lay within him to
Promote the comfort of his crew.

If they were ever dull or sad
Their Captain, danced to them like wad.
Or told, to make the time pass by,
Droll legends of his infancy.

One summer eve at half-past ten
He said (addressing of his men),
" Come, tell me please what I can do
To please and gratify my crow ?

" By any reasonable plan
I'll make you happy if I can;
My own convenience count as nil ;
It is my duty, and I will."

Then up and answered William Lee
(The kindly Captain's coxswain ho,
A nervous, shy, low-spoken man),
He cleared his throat and thus began :

" You hare a daughter, Captain Roecc,
Ten female cousins, and a niece,
A ma, if what I'm told is true,
Six sisters, and an aunt or two,

" Now, somehow, sir, it seems to me
More friendly like we all should be
If you united of 'em to
Unmarried members of the crew,

" If you'd ameliorate our life,
Let each select from them a wife,
And as for nervous me, old pal,
Give me your own enchanting gal/'

The Captain agrees to these proposals, although all his
female relations are promised to dukes, and earls and
so on, and he even agrees to marry Bill's mother, who
washes for him.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 37

" Well, well, the chaplain I will seek,
We'll all be married this clay week — >
At yonder church upon the hill;
It is my duty, and i will"

The sisters, cousins, aunts, and niece,
And widowed ma of Captain Reece,
Attended there as they were bid ;
It was their duty, and they did. '

Here, of course, we get the main idea of " Pinafore/' with
a strong suggestion of " The Pirates of Penzance," who
were the " slaves of duty/' Yet there is another poem,
" The Baby's Vengeance/' which is too long to quote, in
which the exchange of infante forms the pivot, and is
utilised in both "Pinafore" and "The Gondoliers/'
Again, we have in "The Bumboat Woman's Story"
more " Pinafore/' and especially Buttercup. It tells of
Lieutenant Belaye's affection for the Bumboat woman.
After some preliminary chapters in verse we read :

Whenever I went on board he would beckon me down below,
" Come down, Little Buttercup, come " (for he loved to call me

80),

And he'd tell of the rights at sea in which he'd taken a part,
And so Lieutenant Belaye won poor Poll Pineapple's heart.

***»••»*•

And I went to a back, back street, with plenty of cheap, cheap

shops,

And I bought an oilskin hat, and a second-hfand suit of slops,
And I went to Lieutenant Belaye (and he never suspected me)
And I entered myself as a chap as wanted to go to sea,

We sailed that afternoon at the mystic hour of one —
Remarkably nice young men were the crew of the Hot Cross
I'm sorry to say that I've heard that sailors sometimes swear,
But I never yet heard a Bun say anything wrong, I declare.

When Jack tara meet, they meet with a " Mess mate, Ho ! What

cheer ? "
But h«rd, on the Hoi Cross Bun, it was " How do you do, my

" J

™ *

" /'

\$$S V c"

•aiggBESJ'^v J$Si&mp*r ^.--''"'i

-*- ___-> -^^^g...^ . *-e

r/-r

Ih » M»i9if8l Hk««b. wriibxi »u t

oompafcl by QKO CBOiilWITH, Junr,

CUPS AND SAUCERS.

Mr- Nnnk^-a W,.m>aUr , (a (!bte Maiuwj , Min E« ILT OIKKW
jr-wmt OwW» ... , , <«nuthtr« , Mr y.TKOKKTON,

/MM ,„ „, , Mi« E0«

mloi) OOAUC 0|«», »u T«"i

H.M.S. PINAFORE,

•t, IC|i t|at a

Written by W» 8, $!L8KftT» Cumpwd by ARTHUff SULJLIYAM

H» At, ttoft. 0ir JTowph PiwUr, K 0 B , „ Ufa M I »u d
«f DM JUbninltT) ... Wt, OEO.

MU Bobitay „,

. ,

My, EUTJti^N0

Mr, OKIOBGR POWUtt

JHbr, A. TBMPt»i
's &UU) Mr. If, OUPTON

Mr,
«. (HiaAtpmtko) Mr,

,

f the Ro)4llt»I(an Op«w, h« Flnt A

'.K-iroi Urd'a Bwtfln, hi, O>u»ia«, UJ« Aau- , fWtar* M«Hii«, Vt,

Sot rv* -Quarterdeck of H,M8. Plnafom, off Porumoutb

Act I. - NOON,

me* (17 MR-
* 0»» , 0 >

Act 2 , - NIGHT

fkilAm*

To e«ni-lu«l« witK. ai 10 30, a tC@

riUHK P«I'U6

riguo&i VAti4««Uk, in (>»# Aoi, wvitttn bj

O C«l>M4CR,

Mr, F.T

Mr, H. TIM PUB-

Km OWIKN1

r. FKANCQLH
Wr, 4 H.

MORNING PERFORMANCE EVERY SATURDAY,
AC rou/>ws ,

H.M.S PINAFORE.

At fi.90,
Mr 0. Orv^auM'. Dr^m)? room Wftrh. A ^ILVKR WfiJJDlKO, »*t i!30.

P*LCM

If* Bilcoflj 8t*U», «», (FroatEow.ft^)
mphl^«t/«. It, Sd, Oall^rj, I*.
* Bw Oftw r-p*n dtUy trow U t@ ft, Na

40 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

When Jack Tars growl I believe they growl with a big, big D,
Bxit the strongest oath of the Hot Cross Buns was a mild 4> Dear
mei"

Yet though they were all well bred, you could scarcely call them

slick :

Whenever a sea was on, they were all extremely sick ;
And whenever the sea was calm, and the wind was light and fair,
Th«y spent more time than a sailor should on his back, back hair,

It will thus be seen that " H.M,S, Pinafore " was first
cousin to the Hot Cross Bun and The Mantelpiece,
and other ballads such as "The Baby's Vengeance/'
"General John," "Lieutenant-Colonel Flare," "Joe
Golightly," and f< Little Oliver " which goes to prove that
when Gilbert got an idea he never neglected it. But
not many of the audience assembled at the Opera Comique
on the first night of the new opera were aware of that ;
although Gilbert's collected edition of his Bab Ballads
appeared in 1868 and should have been well known.
Here is a copy of the programme ;

Saturday, May 25, and Monday, May 27 (1:878),
Doors open at 8, to commence at 0.30 with

H.M.S. PINAFORE ; OR, THE LASS THAT Lovrcn A SAILOR.

An Entirely Original Nautical Comic Opera in Two Acts*
Written by W. S. Gilbert, Composed by Arthur Sullivan.
The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B,

(First Lord of the Admiralty) Mr, George Grossmith, junr,

Capt. Corcoran (Commanding H.M.S, Pinafore) . .

Mr, Rutland Harrington

Ralph Rackstraw (Able Seaman) Mr, Power

Dick Deadeye (Abie Seaman) Mr, K, Temple

Bill Bobstay (Boatswain's Mate) Mr, Clifton

Bob Becket (Carpenter's Mate) , Mr. Dymott

Tom Tucker (Midshipmite) , , , , Mr, Fitzailamont

Serjeant of Marines Mr, TftUx)t

Josephine (The Captain's Daughter) Miss E, Ilownon

Hebe (Sir Joseph's First Cousin) , Miss Jessie Bond

Little Buttercup (A Portsmouth Bumboat Woman) Misa Everard

The stage manager was Mr. Charles Harris, while Mr
Alfred Cellier was the musical director

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 41

The sensible custom of giving the Christian names of
the actors was not always, as already referred to, followed
in those days. The newcomers were Mr. George Power,
who later succeeded tq a baronetcy, and is well known
still as a teacher of music. Miss Emma Howson was an
American and sister to John Howson, who made a hit
in " Les Cloches de Corneville " as the Marquis at the Folly,
and Miss Jessie Bond, who afterwards became one of the
most prominent of the Savoyards, The Serjeant (sic)
of Marines was soon cut out. As the piece was rather
short George Grossmith wound up the evening with one
of his Drawing-Room Entertainments, " Beauties on the
Beach/' while on August 5, 1878, a musical sketch by
George Grossmith called ''Cups and Saucers," taken from
44 La Ceramique/' was put on as a curtain-raiser, with
Miss Emily Cross, Richard Temple, and Miss Rose Hervey
in the three parts.

In order that they should have everything as correct
as possible Gilbert, accompanied by Arthur Sullivan,
paid a visit to Portsmouth, and by permiSvSion of the
authorities made sketches of every detail of the quarter-
deck to the minutest ring, bolt, thole-pin, or halyard of
Nelson's old flagship, the Victory. From these sketches
he was able to prepare a complete model of the ' ' Pinafore's "
deck,

" Gilbert,0 says Francois Cellier, in his work
Gilbert, Sullivan and D'Oyly Carte, who was soon to
succeed his brother in the conductor's chair, " was by
no means a severe martinet, but he was at all times an
extremely strict man of business in all stage matters.
His word was law* He never for a moment adopted the
methods and language of a bullying taskmaster. When-
ever any member of the company, principal or chorister,
either through carelessness, inattention, or density of
intellect, failed to satisfy him, he vented his displeasure
with the keen shaft of satire which, whilst wounding
where it fell, invariably had the effect of driving home
and impressing the intended lesson. It was, in fact, a
gilded pill that our physician administered to his patients,

42 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

for his bitterest sarcasm was always wrapped in such
rich humour as to take the nasty taste away/1 " H.ML8*
Pinafore" was by no means a gmit success in the begin-
ning, in fact, business Ihictuated very much indeed,
although Sir Joseph Porter's song was whistled and sting
everywhere, and many of the phrases had caught on •-
of which " more anon/1 To add to his worries, IVOyly
Carte was still having trouble with his directors. At the
latter end of July, 1878, the weather became insufferably
hot, and London became empty. The takings fell oil
quite suddenly. One Saturday evening, a tolerably cool
night, the receipts were about £140, while on the follow-
ing Monday they were forty-— minus* the hundred I
The Comedy Opera Company became alarmed, and as
usual, as in the case of when " The Sorcerer " was being
presented, up^went the fortnight's notice, Matters were
becoming ludicrous, One Friday the artists were really
•unaware whether the next night was to be the last or
not. Eventually the directors agreed to accept the
proposals of the company— including the choristers,
who were only getting thirty shillings a week—which
was to make a reduction of a third on their salaries.
This was accepted and, singularly enough, the business
immediately improved. At last the directors began to
coin money, a^d about September " Pinafore" suddenly
became a grand success. There were one or two contrib-
utory causes that brought about this long-hoped-for
result. Just at this psychological moment Sir Arthur
Sullivan had been appointed conductor of the Promenade
Concerts at Covent Garden Theatre, and one evening
he put into the programme a brilliant arrangement by
Hamilton Clarke of the " Pinafore " music. The selection
created quite a sensation, and had to be repeated three
times before^the audience would permit the concert to be
proceeded with, As a result everybody rushed off to the
Opera Comique to see the opera itself, and the receipt*
gradually increased, and not till two years afterwards did
the necessity arise of providing a successor.
The inevitable street boys, desirous ol emulating, ao

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 43

doubt, the exploits of the First Lord of the Admiralty,
were everlastingly polishing up " the handle of the big
front door.0 The melody was easy to catch, and they
all vowed to stick close to their desks and never go to
sea, so that in time they should all be " Rulers of the
Queen's Navee/*

When I was a lad I served a term
As office-boy to an Attorney's firm,
I cleaned the windows and I swept the floor,
And 1 polished up the handle of the big front door.
I polished up the handle so carefullee
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navee.

As I have said, the melody was easy to catch, so every-
body caught it, Then soon it became rumoured that the
song was a skit on W. H. Smith, " the newsboy " of the
Strand and all the bookstalls, who had recently been
made First Lord of the Admiralty, and certainly filled
the post in a most business-like and admirable manner.
His widow was created Viscountess Hambleden,

The Captain's song, "I am the Captain of the Pinafore/1
too, took the immediate fancy of the public, with its
irresistible " What, never ? " " Hardly wer/'

Bad language or abuse

I never, never use,
Whatever the emergency ;

Though " Bother it " I may

Occasionally say,
I never use a big, big D»

And so on. Which reminds one that there is nothing
new under the sun, for this " Pinafore " joke " Never —
hardly ever " occurs in Persius. He says, " Quis haec
legat ? Nemo mehercule. Nemo ? Vel duo, vel nemo/1
" Who will read this ? Surely nobody. What, nobody ?
Well, hardly anybody/'

And Little Buttercup. It was a funny, real Gilbertian
idea to make Little Buttercup a plump, round-about
person, and, as Bill Bobstay describes her : "Aye, Littlfe

44 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPER

Buttercup— and well called, for you've the rosiest, tho
roundest, and the reddest beauty in all Spithead." Thl.
was really a paraphrase of the style of the old Hrr>
transpontine drama of the Surrey and Co burg Theatres.

For I'm called Little BiiH^ tear Little " * '

Though I could ' .'1 "V »

But still I'm called buttercup — poor Little jjiituiicup,

Sweet Little Buttercup I.

And of that gloriously boastful song and chorus, " He
an Englishman/' which was sung and quoted at ever
opportunity. Indeed, the newspapers, as well as the
man in the street, assisted in the irresistible popularit T
of " Pinafore " by everlastingly referring to one o
another of the catch phrases.

For he might have been a
A French, or Turk, or Procsna,
Or perhaps Itali-an.
But in spite of all teixip*"> '-'.$
To belong to other natiors
He remains an

Arthur Sullivan's separate songs and ballads wer?
greatly in demand also in the seventies, and when we
were not being regaled with the " Lost Chord " we had
a very Victorian ditty of the regulation sentimental order
£ la Claribel and Virginia Gabriel called " Sweethearts/'
sung by the great concert tenor of the day, Edward
Lloyd. Gilbert wrote a play with this title for the Ban-
crofts, which they produced at the Prince of Wales 's
Theatre, Tottenham Street, in 1874, but Sullivan's
" Sweethearts/' which was published a year later, had
nothing to do with that, although Gilbert was responsible
for the words.

" Oh, take this flow'r, dear love," said he,

He spoke with a tearful sigh,
That night he was going across the sea

And this was his last good-bye 1

Face p 44

ME, GEORGE GROSSMITH

AS KO-KO IN "THE MIKADO"

[Photo ty Barraud

Face p. 45

MR, DURWARD LELY

AS NANKI-POO IN 4iTHE MIKADO

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 45

She took the gift with a mocking smile,

In the flush of her maiden pride,
With heartless guile she dallied awhile,

Then threw the flower aside 1

Oh, love for a year, a week, a day,
But alas 1 for the love that loves alway.

What do you think of that as a valiant effort on the part
of Jester Gilbert? But we all loved that sort of thing
in those days ; so no -more. Was it done purposely ?
Besides,^ I am wandering from my point.
^ The insistent repetition and flair of the music of
" Pinafore/' which, while it became quite a fever in
America, almost amounted to a disease in England,
more particularly in London. As Mr. Arthur Lawrence
records in his life of Sir Arthur Sullivan, " In London it
had been successful beyond anything of the kind, but in
the States it created the tornado-like furore for which,
amongst many other big things, that great nation is
celebrated, It was not an uncommon thing for one
individual to have seen the piece, say, a dozen times ;
church choirs added it to their repertoire ; thousands of
sturdy Puritans, who had never been inside a theatre
before, went to see one or other of the performances.
It is on record that (miserable dictu] a hundred thousand
barrel-organs were constructed to play nothing else.
For the season it was found hardly worth while to run
anything else in opposition to it, and the spectacle was
presented of every theatre and every Concert Company of
importance in the big cities producing the same piece
1 without ' of course, the author and composer or
English producer ever receiving a farthing for their
work. So it was decided by the triumvirate to take over
their own selected companies and present the piece"
themselves, with a view also of endeavouring to solve the
problem of a reconstruction of the copyright laws, in
order that they might be made International As a
proof of what wa$ being done in the States with
Es

46 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

" Pinafore " I give a few extracts from an article ^ Inch
Paul Arthur, the accomplished actor, wrote for me for
The Era Annual in 1902 :

" During the * Pinafore ' boom, when all America was
going crazy over the Gilbert-Sullivan opera, our company,
managed by a most sanguine and happy-nutured individ-
ual, got simply stranded in a Far West town, as the
drama was not appreciated, and we did not know what
to do or where to turn for the next attraction. Always
when tilings are at their worst they are supposed to mend.
Well, they mended with us in this way. Our manager
struck a bright idea, and decided to put on ' Pinafore.'
So he sent to New York for the libretto and the vocal
score. Then he assembled us on the stage, demanded
the vocalists to stand forth-— some of the company,
especially the tragedy-merchant, could riot sing a note™
and when we heard that we were to play in comic opera
we all of us — not having had any proper salary for weeks-
struck for a rise, and we got the promise that we should
be paid princely sums if the money came into the house*
Weil, it did, and we were in clover. I was the Captain
Corcoran. Our chorus consisted of three charming
young ladies, but to make up for deficiencies all the
principals, when not singing solos, took their places in
the ranks and sang for all they were worth ; for Ralph
Rackstraw, Dick Deadeye, and the Captain all sang in
the chorus, and then went off, and came on for their
proper cues 1 Josephine had to sing her own lines
' Here she comes ' at one entrance, and then she went
off and came on again and sang her solo. Our tragedy-
merchant, who was the Sir Joseph who could not aing a
note, spoke every word to orchestral — ahem I—accom-
paniment, But that did not matter— the performance of
' H.M.S, Pinafore ' drew the town, and we were satisfied.
Some years later, when I met Sir Arthur Sullivan and
told him of the incident of this wonderful get-up, he
laughed uproariously, for he was one of the best and
most kind-hearted men alive* . . . His sympathies were
with the poor strolling players that we were ia time days,

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 47

for he also knew what it was to struggle ere he climbed
the operatic tree."

Many such " scratch " performances took place, not
only in America, but in England and Scotland as well,
and doubtless unauthorised productions of popular
pieces still happen in obscure villages and small towns
every day still.

CHAPTER VI

" Les Cloches do Oorncville "—More of " II M.S. Pimtfow M— Tho
Comedy Opera Company— -Riots and Ructions*— -A Manifesto to
the Public — The Opera at three other Theatres —Gilbert, Sullivan,
and D'Oyly Carte produce " Pinafore" in America —A Children's
" Pinafore "~" The Wreck of ILM.S. iHnafore/'

To quote from " Les Cloches dc Corneville/1 which were
ringing merrily out at the little Folly Theatre at Charing
Cross, " H.M.S, Pinafore " found herself deddtxily " on
billows rocking/* The Directors of the Comedy Opera
Company always seemed to be at loggerheads with thdr
own fate. The opera was doing well, but, knowing that
Mr. Carte, under the provisions of his lease, had to close
at some time or another for repairs, these foolish people,
remembering that at the previous Christmas they had
done bad business with " The Sorcerer/' decided when
" Pinafore " was prospering gaily to close the house at
the Christmas of 1878 for the necessary alterations,
Consequently actors, chorus, and employees were, with
one or two exceptions, without an engagement at the
very time when it would be presumed a little extra
revenue, if anything, would have been more in accordance
with the wish of the majority of the directors. However,
they had their way, and the house was given over to the
renovators. Everybody boded ill for the re-opening;
however, the pessimists were luckily contradicted by
events, for when the theatre was opened again in February,
1879, greater success than ever was in store for "Pinafore/'
mi more trouble ensued, for a dispute arose between
the directors and the author and composer. There are
two accounts of this quarrel, and so I will give both

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 49

versions as nearly as possible — one from an article
written with authority, and one from particulars given
from the outside. Mr, Carte was the responsible manager
of the theatre, although the lease was made out in the
name of Richard Barker, who was one of the stage
managers under Mr, Carte, The rights of the Comedy
Opera Company, as the Comedy Opera Company Limited,
as far as the Opera Comique Theatre was concerned,
came to an end on July 3ist, 1879, when Mr. Carte
practically dispensed with their services. One would
have imagined, said an Eye- Witness of the proceedings,
that on that final night the directors would have gone to
the theatre to bid the actors " Good-bye," and to have
thanked them for having in some small or large degree,
as you please, contributed to the success of the piece.
On the contrary. In return for their having kindly
reduced their salaries, and as an emolument for their
having been thrown out of an engagement at Christmas,
two of the principal directors, with many vans and the
co-operation of their friends, went up to the theatre
during the progress of the performance with the object
of moving all the scenery, which they thought was theirs,
though, according to the lease, it could not be removed.
They arrived early and began to get their men into the
theatre* The actors on the stage were startled by cries
of " Come on ! " " Now's the time ! " They heard a
rush of many persons down the stone steps which led
direct to the stage, and immediately afterwards saw a
number of rough-looking men at the prompt entrance.
Many of the company had heard that there was going to
be some trouble, but until the fatal moment had attached
no importance to the rumour, " The ladies on the stage
became panic-stricken, and too much praise cannot be
riven to Miss Everard, who was playing Little Buttercup,
for her presence of mind, and the struggles she made to
proceed with her part in the ordinary way. Ladies and
gentlemen in the audience began to hurriedly rise and
leave their seats. Mr. Alfred CeUier, who was conducting
in the orchestra, turned round to the occupants of the

50 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

stalls and quietly assured them that there was no cause
for alarm ; and begged of thorn to remain seated. One
of the crew of * II. MLS, Pinafore '--Frank Thornton —
addressed the frightened people in the stage-box to the
same effect, but to no pin pose, The uproar behind the
scenes increased, and scuffling and loud voices were heard
in angry altercation. The audience began to rise in all
parts of the crowded house and leave in haste, Mr,
Cellier then stopped the band and chorus, and Mr.
Grossmitli stepped forward and informed the terrifuxl
audience that the late directors laid claim to the scenery ;
that although there was a great dispute proceeding there
was no danger whatever. After some cheering the
audience became reassured, but the riot behind the
scenes continued for some time/' It is only fair to say
that Mr. Meteler and others, who would have sided with
Mr. Grossmith and his companions, were not present
during the evening of this disgraceful scene. But the
compromise of the police summonses cost the directors
several hundred pounds, a great deal of public indignation
and a shame which they carried with them for a very
long time, as aU the names of the parties to this scandalous
outrage were published.

A long time afterwards my friend Francois Collier, in
a Press chat, told me all about the incident, and later he
published his own account which I reproduce with slight
emendations, as a matter of history, and as showing how
the foundations of the Gilbert and Sullivan fortunes were
eventually made firm after many tribulations,

First I may say that Mr. Carte, having had prevision of
what might happen when the Comedy Opera Company
would be dissolved and got rid of, as he had grown weary of
their humorous and fantastic conduct, had met his old
friend Michael Gunn in the Strand, and explained that
with the withdrawal of the company's capital he might
find himself in a corner. Michael Gunn at once came
to the rescue with a serviceable cheque and guarantee,
so t^t during Mr* Carte's compulsory absence in America,
down pirates and looking after the affairs of

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 51

" Pinafore/' Michael Gunn was installed as his repre-
sentative. Francois Cellier gives us the story in his own
concise and explanatory manner.

" Mr. Carte had recently gone to America, and by the
consent of the company had appointed Mr. Michael
Gunn, by power of attorney, to act as his substitute in
the management of the theatre.

^ " In Carte's absence the directors, on the grounds of
dissatisfaction with Gunn's management, passed a
resolution dismissing him. A notice was also posted in
the theatre stating that Mr. D'Oyly Carte was no longer
manager, and on July 21, 1879, * motion was heard in
the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice to
restrain Mr. Michael Gunn from retaining possession of
the Opera Comique Theatre, and from receiving the
moneys of the company, and otherwise interfering with
their management of the theatre. The motion failed.
Mr. Gunn continued to act as Mr. Carte's locum tenens.
Following the judgment, a few evenings later, on
Thursday, July 31, the date on which the company's
tenure of the theatre expired, the 374th representation of
* H.M.S. Pinafore ' was disturbed by a disgraceful
incident. As the performance of the opera was drawing
to a close a cry of * Fire 1 ' was raised by someone in the
flies, followed by scuffling and tumult. Several of the
performers were alarmed, and the feeling of insecurity
rapidly spread through the audience, who began hurriedly
to leave the theatre."

This is not quite accurate, as the version which is
correct, which I have already given, proves, However
Francois Cellier recounts what he was told. So let him
speak on,

" My brother Alfred, who happened to be deputising
for me on that night in the conductor's chair, turned
round to the occupants of the stalls and assured them
there was no cause for alarm, and begged them to remain
seated. But the uproar behind the scenes was so great
that it was impossible to continue the performance ; so
the band was stopped, and thai George Grossinith with

52 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

commendable presence of mind appeared before the
curtain and announced that a determined attempt had
been made by a gang of roughs, acting under the inspira-
tion of the directors, to stop the performance, and seize
the scenery and properties, Grossmith's remarks,
though scarcely audible above the din of riot and disorder,
had the effect of restoring confidence in the auditorium.
Behind the curtain the battle continued to rage furiously,
The gallant crew of ' H.M.S. Pinafore/ assisted by
loyal stage hands, soon proved too much for the enemy,
and the invaders were quickly pushed off the premises.
During the engagement several of the First Lord's sisters
and cousins and aunts had fallen in a swoon, but Little
Buttercup, the stout-built Portsmouth bumboat woman,
distinguished herself greatly in ' expelling the boarders/
Chief amongst numerous casualties were the foreman
carpenter, who had been severely bruised and trodden
underfoot, and Mr. Richard Barker, who was thrown
violently down the steep flight of stone steps referred to "
(most frightfully steep). "With the aid of a strong
force of police order was restored, and the programme
brought to a peaceful conclusion with the operetta
'After All/"

Anyhow, in the end D'Oyly Carte and Richard Barker,
together with Michael Gunn, won the day.

Chagrined but not beaten, the Comedy Opera Company
immediately set to work to get together a scratch company,
and opened with " H.M.S. Pinafore " at the Imperial
Theatre, attached to the Royal Aquarium, Westminster,
at the end of July, 1879, wittl Mr- J- G- Taylor as Sir
Joseph Porter and Miss Mulholland as Josephine. It
was quite natural that financial backers of " Pinafore "
should desire to share in the prosperity of the play if
possible, and when it is remembered that these gentlemen
only had to provide £500 in the first instance, and for
many months had been drawing £500 a week clear profit,
they logically concluded that what was good fowl at the
Opera Comique would be good fish at the Royal Aqua-
rium. But somehow the ship had to shift from the

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 53

Imperial, and had to take refuge and anchor at the
Olympic, which was almost next door to the Opera
Comique^ so to speak, and caused any amount of con-
fusion with the play-going public, who, however, soon
made up their minds as to which house to support.
Although they were both in Wych Street, they chose
the part of Wych Street they were accustomed to. Very
soon " Pinafore " was on the move again, and from the
Olympic had to voyage to the Standard, in Shoreditch,
where they seemed to have been stranded far from home-
in, to be brief, Shoreditch — and the company and crew
were heard of no more.

Meanwhile " H.M.S, Pinafore/* with the original
company, was playing to record business and houses at
the Opera Comique, from which stronghold was issued
tlie following notice, which was printed on all the pro-
grammes and circulated in the Press :

" In face of the fact that our opera, ' H,M.S, Pinafore/
is being played at another London theatre, we, as the
author and composer respectively of the above-mentioned
Opera, feel it to be due to ourselves and to the Company
of the Opera Comique to state that the performances at
the Opera Comique are conducted by the artists, operatic,
dramatic, and orchestral, who were selected by us for
the purposes of the representation, and whose exertions
have contributed so largely to the exceptional success of
the Opera ; that the Opera as performed at the Opera
Comique is, and has always been, personally superintended
and sanctioned by us in every detail; that we have
superintended the rehearsals and sanctioned the en-
gagements of no other London Company whatever ;
and that the Opera as represented at the Opera Comique
is played with our entire concurrence and approval.'1
This not very elegant manifesto, which was sent forth
during the D'Oyly Carte's visit to America, was signed by
W, S, Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan and dated August 2,

*879-

Hearing ^so many weird accounts through D'Oyly
Carte o& his return home concerning the mutilations and

54 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

burlesques^ of the pirated versions of "Pinafore" in
America, Sullivan and Gilbert resolved upon a trip across
the " herring-pond " themselves to sec to things, and to
produce, if possible, their new work there. Alfred
Cellier also went with them, and also Miss Blanche
Roosevelt, who had been a singer at Oovent Garden
Opera tinder the name of Rosavilia, Although a very
beautiful woman, and a good vocalist, she was out of
place as Josephine, though subsequently she was highly
successful in the part of Mabel in " The Pirates of Pen-
zance," particularly as much of the music had been
specially written for her.

When Gilbert and Sullivan put on " Pinafore " at the
Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, in the manner that
it had been done in London, the reception was vastly
favourable notwithstanding that one would have thought
that the people would have been sick of the opera after so
many different doses. However, the daily journals gave
good reports, one writer saying, " Last night ' HJMLS.
Pinafore ' was under the command of its builders. Mr,
Sullivan conducted in the orchestra, and the master hand
was dearly discernible in the result. It seemed already
as though human ingenuity had been exhausted to provide
appropriate business for the opera, and that everything
thinkable had been thought of. But last night's per-
formance was everywhere studded with new points,
When the scene opened the sailors were all seen flemishing
down the ropes and attending to various ship's duties,
while the whole was under the supervision of the busy and
important Little Midshipmite. . . , But the really notice-
able difference in the interpretation was the orchestration.
There was breadth, colour, and tone, together with a
harmonious blending with the vocalism, which was
utterly wanting in what may be called the home-made
' Pinafores/ "

The many pat phrases with which the libretto is
sprinkled seemed even more in vogue in America than
in England. "What, never? Well, hardly ever/' had
become more than by-words— they were a terror. It is

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 55

told that one editor was compelled to forbid their use by
his staff on pain of instant dismissal, " It has occurred
twenty times in as many articles in yesterday's edition,"
he sorrowfully lamented to them. " Never let me see
it used again ! "

"What, never?"

" Well, hardly ever ! " replied the wretched man.

There were " darkie " " Pinafores " and German
" Pinafores/' " Dot ' Pinafore ' expression vas a
noosance," remarked a fat Teuton. " Auf you tole a
veller sometings, he speaks nodings but von blame English.
He say, ' Vot hardly, sometimes, nefer ! ' Vot kind of
language is dose ? "

While Gilbert and Sullivan and the others remained in
America to battle with the Yankee pirates and to prepare
for the advent of " The Pirates qf Penzance," the English
company were still working hard at home. In September
George Grossmith took a short holiday, and Fleming
Norton became Sir Joseph Porter, while George Mudie
played Ralph. The five hundredth night came and went,
and Richard Barker, as the Christmas of 1879 approached,
conceived the happy idea of organising a Children's
" Pinafore," and so, notwithstanding all difficulties —
and they were many, and hard was the task of trans-
posing the key of every song to fit each individual child's
voice — all came right in the end. The production took
place on the morning of December 16, 1879, and Gilbert,
Sullivan, and D'Oyly Carte, having returned home in
time to witness the performance, were so delighted with
the children that they advised the members of the elder
company to go and take lessons from their juvenile rivals.
For the purposes of reference I give the fufl cast.

H.M.S. PINAFORE ; OR, THE LASS THAT LOVED A SAILOR.
The Characters impersonated entirely by Children,

The Right Hon. Sir Joseph Porter . . Master Edward Pickering

Captain Corcoran ,,*,.» ,,».....* Master Harry Grattan

Ralph Rackstraw » , , . . „ Master Harry Eversfield

Dick Deadeye , » , Master Willie Phillips

56 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Bill Bobstay , * Master Edward Walsh

Bob Beckct ,.»... Master Charlon Btvker

Tom Tucker Master Augustus Wl/Huronee

*asephiue ...»,.,,».»,. , . . . » Mis« Kmilio CJrattun

Jloho , * , » . Miss 1 ,( uti.su Gilbert

Little Buttercup . Miss litiio Mason

Many of these lit lie people took to the stage in after years.
Mr, Pickering is well known as a business manager, Mr.
Harry Grattan is the " Revue " writer, after having
served a long term as an actor, Mr, Harry Kversiieltl ami
Mr. William Phillips have both aeted a great deal in
London, while of course Miss Kmitie (! rattan became quite
a favourite in comic opera and burlesque.

It may not be oxit of place to record the curious fact
that after Mr. C'arte opened the Savoy Theatre in 1882 a
comic opera called " The Wreck of the Pinafore/* with
libretto by II. Lingard and music by Luseombe S(Nirelle>
was put on at the Opera Comique with a great flourish,
but was soon taken off again, A prominent critic su'ul
of it : " The dialogue is barren of wit, and its music4 devoid
of all tune, and the so-called opera failed, as it drst rvecl
to do/' All the names of the characters of Gilbert and
Sullivan's work were used, and that is all The piece was
a mere skeleton, and had not the ghost of chance of
success — so it vanished.

CHAPTER VII

" The Pirates of Penzance ; or, The Slave of Duty " — Original
Production at the Bijou Theatre, Paignton — The Country Cast —
First Production at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York—
The " Band Strike " and Sir Arthur Sullivan,

THE enormous success of " H.M.S. Pinafore/' after it
had weathered the storms and squalls, had the effect of
stirring up the play-pirates to fresh activities, and very
soon there were unauthorised perfoimances and imita-
tions—apart from " The Wreck of the Pinafore " already
referred to — taking place all over the country, keeping
D'Oyly Carte and his satellites busy tracking down the
law-breakers, But it was the pirates in America — there
being no copyright law between the two countries in
existence— -that gave D'Oyly Carte and the authors
much cause for worry and anxiety, and means had to be
devised to outwit the robbers. After much thought and
discussion it was decided that the only way to protect
their rights was to produce the next opera in both
countries simultaneously. One instance of the cunning
of these operatic thieves may be set down as a sample of
their ingenuity. They would go to any length and depth
of artfulness to achieve their object, and to obtain the
proper scores. One " musician " was caught by a very
curious accident. He had been sitting in the pit of
the Opera Comique theatre "annotating" Sullivan's
orchestration with a view to transposing it to the " other
side." It was discovered in this way. Edward Solomon,
the composer of the " Vicar of Bray," " Billie Taylor/'
and other works, had a brother who was a music copyist
m the employ of D'Oyly Carte, He was engaged in

58 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

duplicating a set of parts for a provincial production
of the Sullivan operas when someone brought him a
" score to be copied for America." There was no title
on the manuscript, but to the intense amazement of
Solomon's brother he saw that it was exactly the same
work that he had been engaged upon for Mr. Cartel
Somehow America had to wait for that particular
" original orchestration " of which it w$us evidently
greatly in need. Sometimes attempts would be made to
bribe one of the players in the orchestra to supply one
of the violin parts, but particularly the first violin, which
of course is the leader's part, which, besides containing
the music for the first violin, has the necessary cues to
the rest of the orchestration, and could be used by the
conductor for the whole of the opera.

Having arranged to have the simultaneous production
of their successor to " Pinafore " in England and America,
" The Pirates of Pen^ance " was put into rehearsal in
both countries. Arthur Sullivan, W. S. Gilbert, and
Alfred Collier were already in the States, where Sullivan
was finishing the music* He had written the second
act in England without the orchestration, so that in
America he had the first act to do and to score the whole
of the opera. Therefore when ready, to circumvent
the pouncers "The Pirates of Penzance" was duly
presented at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, by
the triumvirate, with Alfred Cellier assisting, on December
31, 1879, which practically coincided with the produc-
tion of the same piece at Paignton— why, though not far
distant, Penzance itself was not selected is tolerably
obvious — on the afternoon of December 30 at the Bijou
theatre. This was only a tentative performance, to
preserve the legal rights in this country, and it is believed
that not more than fifty persons had been privileged to
witness the presentation. Many people were, and have
been, puzzled to know why D'Oyly Carto should have
chosen such a tiny place as Paignton to carry out his
plan, and to have referred to the exploit as a stupid hole-
arrangement* Now the fact is, one of D'Oyly

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 59

Carte's " Pinafore " companies was engaged at Torquay
and so the members of that company were chosen to
impersonate the dramatis personae in this initial produc
tion. And here is a copy of the original bill :

Royal Bijou Theatre, Paignton, Tuesday, December 30, 1879.

For One Day only, at Two o'clock, an Entirely New and Original

Comic Opera by Messrs, W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan,

ENTITLED

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE ; OR, LOVE AND DUTY,
Being the First Production in any Country.

Major-General Mr. R. Mansfield

The Pirate King Mr. Federici

Frederick (a Pirate) , Mr. Cadwalader

Samuel \ (p. , , , Mr. Lackner

James )(pirates){ Mr.LeHay

Sergeant of Police Mr. Billington

Mabel Miss PetrelH

Edith , . Miss May

Isabel Miss K. Neville

Kate . » . . Miss Monmouth

Ruth (Frederick's Nurse) , , . . Miss Fanny Harrison

Scene : Act I. A Cavern by the Sea. Act II. A Ruined
Chapel by Moonlight.

Doors open at Half-past One. Commence at Two. Sofa stalls,
3/-; Second seats, 2/-; Area, i/-; Gallery, 6d. Tickets
to be had at the Grafton Hotel. Conductor, Mr. Ralph
Homer ; Acting Manager, Mr. Herbert Brook.

The Bijou was quite a pretty little theatre, which was
owned by Mr, William Dendy, a wealthy gentleman
of some local eminence, of considerable artistic taste,
and a great lover of music.

It will be observed that the sub-title of the opera is
" or, Love and Duty/' When the " Pirates " was done
in London this was altered to the "Slave of Duty."
Mr* Carte being in America, the whole management of
this adventure devolved upon Mrs. D'Oyly Carte, who
was then, of course, Miss Helen Lenoir. Miss Lenoir
had only the previous day received the completed book
and music from America, and held the one and only full

60 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

rehearsal the same evening on the stage of the Torquay
theatre after the performance of " Pinafore/' The
original cast, although consisting almost entirely of
artists at that time unknown to theatrical fame, con-
tains the names of several actors who afterwards made
their mark. Richard Mansfield, who had been in the
chorus at the Opera Oomitjue and was one of George,
Grossmith's understudies, and who had been assured
by Richard Darker on more than one occasion that he
woxikl never make an actor as long as he lived, later
came back from America, where he rose to a good
position, to make conquest of London at the old Globe
Theatre in Newcastle Slret't, Strand, as Richard III, «
one of the best Richards, after Irving, I haw ever seen
— and still later in the dual parts in Robert Louis
Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" at the Lyceum.
Mr. John Le Hay, after much provincial experience,
made a name at the Gaiety, Savoy, Daly's, and other
places. The part of James, which he played, disappeared
when the opera came to town, Mr. Federiei became a
favourite in Australia, where he died. His cud was
intensely tragic, lie was playing Mephistopheles in
" Faust," with Nellie Stewart as Marguerite, at the
Theatre Royal, Melbourne, lie was a very excitable
man, and one night (the poor fellow suffered from heart
disease) he said, during the prelude to the opera, " I
will give a fine performance to-night, but it will kill me.0
He sang the last note of the opera, and got on the trap
with Faust ; when he arrival at the bottom beneath
the stage he was dead. The most notable of the, Patgn-
ton performers was Mr. Fred BilHngton, who created
the Sergeant of Police, Mr, Billington, who was the
doyen of actors in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas,
expired quite unexpectedly at the Great Eastern Hotel,
Liverpool Street, London, November 2, 1917, The
manner of his death is told by Mr. Henry Lytton in
The Secrets of a Savoyard, Billington had asked Lytton
how he, Lytton, would like to die, and Lytton put of!
the question by saying, " Anyhow, we are not goiag to

Face f>* 60

MR. RUTLAND HARRINGTON

IN " RUDDIGORE *'

[Photo by Batraud

jb, 61

Miss GERALDINE ULMAR

IN "RUDDIGORE"

[Photo by ftarrmd

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 61

die yet," But Billington said, " Well, if I had my way
it would be a good dinner, a bottle of wine, a good cigar,
a good joke, and pop off." Lytton continues, " It must
have been premonition. The very next day, while still
apparently in perfect health, he left Cambridge to keep
a luncheon engagement with Mr. Rupert D'Oyly Carte
at the Great Eastern Hotel, London. The intention
was that he should be back for the night's performance.
With the lunch they had a bottle of wine, and after-
wards, over cigars, they talked, with many a hearty
joke in between. Then he went out into the foyer —
and collapsed. It was at least good to think that the
passing of my dear old friend was free from pain or
suffering/' He was sixty-three. Mr. Billington began
his association with the Savoy operas as far back as 1879,
when he appeared at the Standard as Bill Bobstay in
" H.M.S. Pinafore," and up to the day of his death was
continuously under the D'Oyly Carte management,
mostly on the road, and to him chiefly fell the parts
that Rutland Barrington created in town. Pooh-Bah
in " The Mikado " was his most successful impersona-
tion, and it is computed that he enacted the character
more than four thousand times. He preferred appear-
ing in the provinces, where he was a distinguished
favourite, though he was well known in the outlying
theatres of the Metropolis. His stalwart figure, his dry,
unctuous humour and incisive diction, exactly fitted
him for the Gilbertian rfiles he undertook. Only
occasionally did he appear at the Savoy, but whenever
he was there he was welcomed with fervour for his
artistic performances and his genial nature.

But to return to Paignton. The scenery used was
whatever could be found in the little theatre. The
company wore their " Pinafore " costumes, with the
addition of a few coloured handkerchiefs to indicate
the caps of the pirates. Every now and then the actors
had to refer to their parts and music, which they carried
on the stage with them. But the audience appeared
perfectly satisfied, most of whom seemed unaware that

Fs

62 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

they were assisting at any unusual function. At the
same time that the English artists were delighting their
congregation at Paignton the American company, with
many English singers to make things equal, were stimulat-
ing more than a furore of applause in New York.
Appended is the American cast :

Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York.
December 31, 1879.

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE ; OR, LOVE AND DUTY.

Major-General Stanley Mr. J. H. Ryley

The Pirate King Mr. Brocolirii

Samuel (his Lieutenant) Mr. Furneaux Cook

Frederic (The Pirate Apprentice) Mr. Hugh Talbot

Sergeant of Police Mr. F. Clifton

Mabel Miss Blanche Roosevelt

Edith Miss Jessie Bond

Kate Miss Rosina Bran dram

Isabel Miss Billie Barlow

Ruth (Pirate Maid of all Work) Miss Alice Barnctt

With only a few exceptions, as will be seen, the artists
included in the cast had been carried from England by
D'Oyly Carte, most of whom, including Jessie Bond,
Rosina Brandram, and Alice Barnett returned home to
"further establish their reputations as leading lights of
the Savoy." Arthur Sullivan conducted on the first
night, after which the musical direction was left in the
hands of Alfred Cellier.

Miss Barlow, who later made a reputation at the
Gaiety Theatre with Henry E. Dixey, in " Adonis " in
1886, and chiefly appeared in pantomime and on the
Music hall stage, was christened Billie by W. S« Gilbert,
ofter the old comic song, her real " front " name being
Minnie, and so as Billie Barlow she travelled all over
the world.

In the Theatre Magazine for February, 1880, there
appeared the following criticism, under the heading
"Amusements in America," and dated New York,
January, 1880 : " The past month has witnessed the
production of several novelties at the various theatres of

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 63

this metropolis, decidedly the most important of which
has been Messrs. Gilbert and Sullivan's new opera comique,
' Pirates of Penzance/ It was first presented on Wed-
nesday, December 31, at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, before
an exceedingly brilliant audience. A great success,
If you compare it with ' Pinafore ' you will discover that,
as far as plot goes, it is vastly its superior, and that its
language and humour are of a higher and more subtle
order. The music, too, is much more elaborate and
better orchestrated, but, then, it is not so catchy or mirth-
ful The humour of the piece consists in the gravity of
the music applied to the most ridiculous situations imagin-
able.1' Then, after praising the acting and the singing —
Miss Blanche Roosevelt made the hit of her career as
Mabel, Miss Alice Barnett created a part " as distinct as
any seen here in some time "—the writer proceeds :
" Need I add that everything went on ' oiled wheels '
and that the applause was boisterous, and that the encores
prolonged the entertainment at least an hour beyond the
limit originally fixed for it. Of course, Messrs. Gilbert
and Sullivan had to appear again and again before the
curtain and bow their thanks to the amused and delighted
audience. Although for my part I prefer the ' Pinafore/
I think there will be found many in England who will
willingly give the palm to the ' Pirates.' " Subsequent
events have not quite borne this prophecy out, as " Pina-
fore " was long the supreme favourite after " The Mikado "
and " The Gondoliers/' But everything did not go quite
smoothly, for when " The Pirates of Penzance " was in
rehearsal, ajad only a few days before the opening night,
the band suddenly struck. The gentlemen of the
orchestra were all members of a trade union, and as they
declared that the music was more like grand opera than
comic opera they must be paid on the higher scale
according to the rules of their society, which regulated
their charges in conformity with the class of pausic they
had to perform. They had meanly left this question of
remuneration until the very last moment, so that Arthur
Sullivan was, to his disgust, put in a rather tight corner,

64 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

However, in his usual genial way he called the band
together and told them that they were quite mistaken as
to the quality of his music, though he felt highly flattered
by their implied compliment. The work was an operetta,
and in any case he could not possibly accede to their
demands. He then explained that the concerts at Covent
Garden Theatre, which he had been conducting, had just
concluded, that the band was the finest in England, and
that as they would have very little to do until the opera
season commenced, he felt sure that if he cabled over
for them they would at once sail and come to his assistance
and oblige him for little more than their expenses. Of
course, it was all pure bluff. In the meantime, he added,
he should go on with the opera, playing the piano himself,
while his friend Alfred Cellier 'would manipulate the
harmonium. And as a parting shot he said that when
the Covent Garden musicians did arrive they would have
a much finer band than it would be possible to get in
New York.

While the band went home to think it over, Arthur
Sullivan called on the editor of the New York Herald and
arranged to have an interview with himself on the subject,
and so he launched out very freely with his opinions and
the way the gentlemen of the orchestra proposed treating
the stranger within their gates, and so on. The result
was that when the article appeared the band gave way.
Naturally the idea of Sullivan's getting the Covent Garden
orchestra over was absurd on the face of it, but public
opinion was in his favour, and the little incident ended
quite happily.

CHAPTER VIII

" Tho Pirates of Penzance " at the Opera Comique Theatre —
Death of George Grossmith, Senior — " Penny Plain and Two-
pence Coloured " — A Children's Company in " The Pirates/1

WHILE " The Pirates of Penzance " was flourishing amain
in the United States, " Pinafore" was still steering gaily
on at the Opera Comique, and incidentally in the country,
where the First Lord of the Admiralty was being repre-
sented by Richard Mansfield, who later came to be known
as the Irving of America, although he was born and bred
an Englishman ; and later by such well known stars-to-be
as John Le Hay and W. S. Penley. But even " Pinafore "
had to be docked at last, and so, on April 3, 1880, was
presented for the first time in London town

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCB ; OR, THE SLAVE OF DUTY.

Major-General Stanley Mr, George Grossmith, Junior

The Pirate King , Mr Richard Temple

Samuel (his Lieutenant) Mr. George Temple

Frederic (The Pirate Apprentice) Mr. George Power

Serjeant of Police Mr. Rutland Barrington

Mabel } r^ Ml [ , Miss Marion Hood

Edith lcS££,g J Miss Julia Gwynne

Kate fTSXI 1 MissLaRue

Isabel )DauShters \ Miss Neva Bond

Ruth (a Pirate of all Work) Miss Emily Cross

Act 1.' — A Rocky Shore on the Coast of Cornwall.

Act II. — A Ruined Chapel on General Stanley's Estate.

The musical conductor was Mr. Alfred Cellier, back
from America. During the first fortnight of the .run of
the " Pirates '* Mr* Grossmith 's father died suddenly at

65

66 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

the Savage Club (on the 24th of April), so that after this
the " junior " was no longer printed against his name.
Frank Thornton, at a moment's notice, had, owing to
G. G/s loss, to don the Major-General's uniform and play
his part. The title " Sergeant " was still spelt with a
" j/' so that whoever drew up the bill must have been
thinking of W. S. Gilbert's barrister days. After the
first night " In the Sulks," by Frank Desprez and Alfred
Cellier, was restored to the programme — it was done on
February 21, of the same year — with George Temple,
Julia Gwynne, and Frank Thornton in the three characters.

Very soon there were several changes in the cast. Miss
Jessie Bond took up the part of Edith, and Miss Gwynne
was transferred to Kate. Miss M. Barlow (Billie) played
Isabel, and Miss Alice Barnett Ruth — the parts three of
the ladies had enacted in America.

It was quite unusual for Clement Scott to write criticisms
of musical plays, although he did pen a notice of
"GeneviSve de Brabant " when it was first done at the
old Philharmonic, Islington, in 1871, yet he elected to
write thus in The Theatre Magazine for May, 1880 :
" Meanwhile * The Pirates of Penzance ' is a success
beyond question ; the malcontents have been beaten
down, the humour of the text appeals to the whole
audience, the quaintness of the conceits are as original
as in any of the other operas, and the spirit of the tiling,
musical and literary, is beyond all praise. . . . Mr.
Sullivan is such a magician that he makes one listen to
his orchestra as well as to his voice, and enables one to
enjoy without fatigue a most delightful entertainment.
On this (the musical) point I can only speak as one of
the public. We can enjoy music and criticise in our
own way without being technical. Some people will
like ^ one thing and some another, as, for instance, the
singing of Miss Marion Hood in the madrigal ' Oh, leave
me not to live alone and desolate/ which by consum-
mate art and exquisite expression is turned into a song-
p<iem worthy of the highest-class opera ; the admirable
Simplicity and irresistible quiet of Mr, George Grossmith

OPERA COMIQUEA

JUk«n»e«t b> the IfJ^NJ^KitolM^M^ """'Jit *W. 5»»nd. \
LtnMWdTiinnirt • •" M»rb'OTI.Y~cIaTi .. \

68 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

as the patter-singing Major-General Stanley ; the
burlesque spirit of Mr. Richard Temple as the Pirate
King ; and certainly best of all the true comedy, twinkling
fun, and delightful gravity of Mr. Rutland Barring ton
as the Policeman, who in the smallest part of the opera
makes the greatest hit."

In regard to this Mr. Barrington gives us some interest-
ing side-lights. He tells us in his book of Reminiscences
that his method of acting without effort, which he
perpetually practised and which ever proved such an
asset in so many of his impersonations, was nearly his
ruin when the casting of " The Pirates of Peiuance "
came up for discussion by those in command. In fact,
he was most politely informed that there was no part
in the piece for him !

" Imagine/' says Rutland Barrington, " my despair t
With all the sanguine enthusiasm of youth and success
I had taken an elaborate set of chambers just off the
Strand, and furnished them comfortably though not
luxuriously, and the idea of being thrown out of employ-
ment raised the vision of an immediate sale of effects,
followed by a lengthy sojourn in the workhouse. How-
ever, I heard that the part of the Sergeant of Police
was not yet cast, and I so worked on the feelings of the
powers that were that it was eventually given to me,
and it turned out one of my greatest successes. It is
an abnormally short part, being only on view seventeen
minutes in all.1'

This impersonation met with the entire approval of
W. S. Gilbert, and it settled Rutland Barriugton as a
permanent member of the acting staff. And here is
the Sergeant's song :

SERG. : When a felon's not engaged in his employment —
ALL : His employment,

SERG. : Or maturing his felonious little plans—
ALL : ^ Little plans,

SERG, : His capacity for innocent enjoyment —
ALL : 'Cent enjoyment,

SERG. ; Is ju$t as.gimt as any honest man's —
' Honest man's.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 69

SERG. : Our feelings we with difficulty smother—
ALL : 'Culty smother,

SERG, : When constabulary duty's to be done —
ALL : To be done.

SERG. : Ah, take one consideration with another—
ALL : With another,

SERG. ; A policeman's life is not a happy one.
ALL : When constabulary duty's to be done.

To be done,
The policeman's life is not a happy one.

SERG. : When the enterprising burglar's not a-burgling —

ALL : Not a-burgling,

SERG, : When the cut-throat is not occupied in crime —

ALL : 'Pied in crime,

SERG, : He loves to hear the little brook a-gurgling —

ALL ; Brook a-gurgling,

SERG. : And listen to the merry village chime —

ALL : Village chime.

SERG. ; When the coster's done a-jumping on his mother —

ALL : On. his mother

SERG. : He loves to lie a-basking in the sun —

ALL : In the sun.

SERG. : Ah, take one consideration with another —

ALL : With another,

SERG, : The policeman's lot is not a happy one,

ALL : When constabulary duty's to be done,

To be done,
The policeman's life is not a happy one.

The vcrl) *' to burgle " soon got into everyday usage,
while the song itself found favour everywhere in a cynical
sort of way. Gilbert was very fond of using policemen
and robbers and sailors in his Bab Ballads and his
" Rejected Addresses" in Fun, as well as bishops and
burglars.

A new prima donna was engaged for the part of Mabel,
who, to quote Harrington again, " was a perfect picture
to look at and equally pleasant to listen to. This was
Marion Hood — taU| slight, and graceful, a typical English
girl with a wealth of fair hair, which I believe was all
her own. Her singing of the waltz song, * Poor Wander-
ing One/ was quite one of the features of the first act,

70 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

on account of what Sullivan called ' the farmyard effects.'
I only appeared in the second act, and my song, ' The
Enterprising Burglar/ was such an immense success
that I always had to repeat the last verse at least twice.
It occurred to me that an encore verse would be very
nice, and in a rash moment I one day presumed to ask
Gilbert to give me one. He informed me that ' Encore '
meant ' Sing it again ' 1 I never made such a request
again, but I heard it whispered that years later in a
revival of the opera, the comedian playing the part was
allowed to sing the last verse in three languages as an
encore.'1

Owing to an accident at rehearsal to Miss Everard,
who was to have played Ruth, Miss Emily Cross was sent
for at the last moment, and after much pressure she
consented to take up the part, and played it with entire
success after only two days' rehearsal. However, she
only acted the r61e for a short time, when Alice Barnctt,
who created Ruth in America, was sent for. But this
was a previous arrangement.

The original idea of the " Pirates of Penzance " is to
be found in one of W. S. Gilbert's prose contributions to
Fun. It is a pity that his " Rejected Addresses " have
never been reprinted from these old volumes. Of course,
the whole piece is a burlesque on the Early Victorian
(theatre) blood-and-thunder pirate and rover dramas
that were so popular at the old Surrey, the Coburg,
and the Grecian and Britannia Theatres, to say nothing
of the Adelphi and Drury Lane when T. P. Cook was the
hornpipe-dancing hero. Think of the excitement to be
extracted from " The Pirates' Lair/' " The Mutineer's
Widow/' "Jack's the Lad/' "Black Hugh, the Outlaw/'
and " Topsail Sheet Blocks ; or, The Gunner and the
Foundling." But above all it is wildly reminiscent of
the toy drama, which was always penny plain and two-
pence coloured. Those jolly cardboard characters, that
were manufactured by the Skeltons and the Webbs in
the Grecian and City Road emporiums, which were such
a joy to the boys of long ago. The Brigand Chief

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 71

reappeared in the gorgeous Pirate King of " Dick "
Temple ;

Oh 1 better far to live and die

Under the brave black flag I fly,

Than play a sanctimonious part

With a pirate head and a pirate heart.

Away to the cheating world go you,

Where Pirates all are well to do ;

But I'll be true to the song I sing,

And live and die a Pirate King.

There's noble sentiments for you !

Throughout the words are deliciously Gilbertian,
The most preposterous things are uttered by the characters
in the most serious way ; all the ordinary rules of life
are perverted after the author's own fashion, and the
maddest folly is clothed with a gravity that makes it
more laughable than if its true quality were thrust upon
the audience through the medium of a grinning mask.

George Grossmith was quite at his happiest as the
Major-General, and burlesqued the business with quiet
hilarity.

I am the very pattern of a modern Major-Gineral,

I've information vegetable, animal and mineral.

I know the Kings of England and I quote the fights historical

From Marathon to Waterloo in order catagorical ;

I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,

I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,

About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news —

With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

And two lines from another verse :

Then I can hum a fugue of which I've heard the music's din

afore,
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense, "Pinafore."

Some critics have thought this an advance on the
"Wellington Wells" patter song in "The Sorcerer/'
but it was not half su^h a favourite in Suburbia. It
a bit too clever, perhaps. W, S. Gilbert was rather

72 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

spare of the pretty ballads he introduced so plentifully
for Arthur Sullivan to set in his other works* Of course
there was a great similarity between the characters in
" Pinafore/' and in "The Pirates/' but they had so many
distinctive features that the likeness need not be insisted
upon. But the critics wondered how long Gilbert's
humour would last and be accepted, and questioned
whether Sullivan's music would How so sweetly, and
how long, in fact, the new school could maintain its
high level. " At present all this is fresh, and we should
make the most of it/' said one writer, but he warned the
public that the pieces were quite ephemeral, and would
not survive their generation ! Well, that was written
forty years ago, and—may we say it ?— the Gilbert and
Sullivan operas are still going strong, and show no sign
of decay.

An amusing incident that occurred at one of the
rehearsals has been recorded by Francois Collier. In
Act II, where the Major-General and his daughter
Mabel are captured by the pirates, Frederic, who is
supposed to have appeared on the scene, neglected his
cue, and was off the stage ; accordingly when Mabel
sang:

Frederic, save us !

Gilbert stood sponsor for the absent tenor, and, adopt-
ing his own tune, gave forth :

I'd sing if I could, but I am not able.
The pirates, unchecked, sang :

He would if he could, but he is not able,

Sullivan observed that it might be worse, but for his part
he thought the character of Frederic wanted power.
Then, turning to the dilatory actor he added, " And
strict tempo, if you please, Mr. Power." " Ihe Pirates/'
by the way, ran for three hundred and sixty-three
performances.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 73

Remembering the success of the children's " Pinafore "
in 1879, it struck the management that an experiment
might also be tried with " The Pirates/' so on December
24, 1884, while a revival of " The Sorcerer " was taking
place at the Savoy Theatre in the evenings, a children's
company gave their version of " The Pirates of Penzance "
in the mornings, with the following little people as the
dramatis personae :

Major-Gen era! Stanley Master Edward Percy

The Pirate King , Master Stephen Adeson

Samuel (his Lieutenant) Master William Pickering

Frederic (the Pirate Apprentice) Master Harry Tebbutt

Sergeant of Police Master Charles Adeson

Mabel Major- f Miss Elsie Joel

Edith ^ General I , Miss Alice Vicat

Kate " Stanley's 1 Miss Eva Warren

Isabel Daughters [ , . Miss Florence Montrose

Ruth (a Pirate Maid of All Work) Miss Georgie Edmonds

This was entirely successful, and the theatre was
packed every morning throughout the Christmas holidays.
Several of the young folk followed up the profession in
after years, and especial mention may be made of the
Adesons, who are well known on the Lyric stage, and
of Miss Georgie Edmonds, who became quite a favourite
in musical and other comedies

CHAPTER IX

" Patience ; or, Bunthorne's Bride " at the Opera Comiquo —

Oscar Wilde and the Esthetic Craze — Sullivan's Delightful Music

and Gilbert's Witty Songs and Dialogue.

WHEN "Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride" was first
presented at the Opera Comique on Saturday evening,
April 23, 1881, the weird and wild, not to say Oscar
Wilde, craze of sham sestheticism was not only at
its zenith, but it had invaded the whole of inner and
outer London in one form or another. Everything and
everybody, according to these false amateurs of art,
were either " too-too " or " utterly too-too " or " quite
too utter/' whatever those cryptic phrases might mean.
Of course, such catch expressions, which were the " sin-
cere " invention of Oscar Wilde and his followers, were
easily caught up in the theatres and in the comic papers,
while not only the man in the street, but the street boy
too, was, so to speak, impregnated with the idiotic
jargon that passed for " expressive speech " in the fast-
nesses of the elect. Oscar Wilde, when he first came to
London from Oxford, where he had greatly distinguished
himself, was received everywhere, and, notwithstanding
his eccentricities, promised to make a name for himself,
which at first he did, although even then he was one of
those unhappy decadents whose end was txagic, through
his own terrible faults. He sfrove for notoriety and
got it.

When only twenty-three years of age the young poet
set in motion, by means of poem, lecture, and story,
•that , curious nineteenth-century fashion, ^Estheticism,

74

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 75

which had an army of male and female apostles and
disciples. In America, in Paris, and in London his
daring and clever paradoxes found eager admirers, and
it may be said that he became the creator of a new
if somewhat artificial artistic atmosphere. As early
as the spring of 1881 he published his first volume of
Poems, which attracted a very large amount of criticism
and attention. Naturally Wilde's affected though strik-
ing personality tempted the satirists to wield pen and
pencil in Punch and many other journals — F. C. Burnand
in the pages of the London charivari and on the stage
with "The Colonel/' and Du Maurier, whose "Postle-
thwaites " and " Maudles" and the " Cimabue Browns"
were still diverting the town when " Patience " appeared.
When Wilde later developed into a dramatist, his plays
had all the characteristics of his conversation, and they
all had the same qualities — a paradoxical humour and
a perverted outlook on life being the most prominent.

The following is an example of Wilde's " funny little
ways." Soon after the trial of the notorious Lefroy, the
great worshipper of the sunflower was sitting in Romano's
Restaurant entertaining a few choice spirits with his
verbal fireworks. " If/' he said in his most ineffably
important manner, " if I were not a poet and could not
be an artist I should wish to be a murderer/' " What ! "
exclaimed someone, " and have your picture in the
Daily Telegraph!" "Better that/' murmured Wilde,
" than to go down to the sunless grave unknown."

Oscar Wilde was a sincere admirer of Irving, and on
this occasion he indulged in a strain of extravagant
praise of the popular idol of the Lyceum. Someone
criticised the somewhat attenuated legs of the great
actor. " Irving's legs/' replied Wilde pompously,
" Irving's legs are distinctly precious, but his left kg is
a poem.1'

When Gilbert first projected "Patience" his inten-
tion was to satirise certain magnates of the Church,
with the ambitious curates in minor r61es, and the primary
<}raft showed that the plot was to be based partly pit

At 8, a New uml Original Vaudeville,
By FRANK DRSPRKZ,

Mmic by EATON FANING,
called

Off

MOCK TURTLES

Mr. Wranjjlcbury ......... Mr, C, POUNIXs*

Mrs. Wrmngltbury ...... Mitt MINNA UN/ fa

Mrs* Bowcher .......... Mist BftANDR^Jt

Jane ......... Mw, fJVWL CRKY

*************** **-2«»ii*«9&*^»1:'

At 8.40

r, JBufithorto? i JSri&t,

WHttdnbyW.8,6fL0S;BT, Composed b.yARTHUB 80U8VAK

Reginald Bunthome .. ., Mr. GEO, OROSSMITII

A fleshly JpMf

Archibald Grosvenor, Mr. RUTLAND 8ARRINGTON
An IdyUw J*<Mrf

Mr Buathorne's Solidwr ...... Mr, 0. BOW LEV

Coi. Calverky ] 1

I "^ j
MaJ. Murgatroyd I g <

L«i*t, rh« Duke I 5 |
of IPunsuble / i!

OF

Mr. WALTER BROWNE

Mr, FRANK THORNTON

Mr. miRWAlU) LKLV

OF

The Lady Ang«1a\
The Lady Saphjfr
The Lady Ell
The Lady Jfcne J

««la\ t

rW

ne / V

Miss JESSIE BOND

Miss JULIA GWYNNE

Miss FOKTESCVK

Miss ALICE BARNETT

Patience .. 4 JDa»r^nm<t .. Miss LEONORA BRAHAM
CHORUS OF RAPTUROUS MAIDENS

XOT I.

EXTERIOR OP CASTLE BONTHORI(E

IOT XX.

A GLADE.

Conductor .. ..

Stag* Man*t*r ...

Mr.
.. Mr.

The Opera produced under1 the personal direction
of the Author and Composer.

NEW SCENERY BY H, EMDEN-

The Esthetic Presses designed by the Author, and executed

by Miss FISHER. Other Dresses by Messrs. E. MOSRS & SON,

Messrs. G. HOBSON & Co., and Madame AUGUSTK,

TUB DANCES AKRANGKD BY MR. J. D'AUBAN.

NO PEES OP ANY KIND.

Programmes are provided, and Wraps and Umbrellas taken
free of charge. Any attendant detected in accepting money
(iron visitors will b« instaotly dismissed; the public »B
therefore requested not to tempt the attendants by offering
them gratnitits.

The Refreshment Saloons are under the .direct control
of the Management, and eveiythtng will be found to be

of the best quality.
Actwf Mana&er .. .. Mr. GEOXGE

Gs

78 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

" The Story of Gentle Archibald/' a " Bab " ballad—
this has only recently been disinterred from the pages
of Fun by H, Rowland Brown and Rowland Grey, two
of Gilbert's personal friends — and " The Rival Curates/1
Archibald wanted to be a clown, much to the dismay
of his worthy but feeble sire.

" Oh, Archibald/' said he, " my boy,
My darling Archibald Molloy 1
Attention for one moment lend.
You cannot seriously intend
To spend a roving life in town,
As vulgar, base, dishonest clown,
And leave your father in the lurch,
Who always meant you lor the Church,
And nightly dreams he sees his boy
' The Reverend Archibald Molloy ' 1 "

But " The Rival Curates/' too, was to be drawn upon
extensively. It will be remembered that this ' ' Bab ' ' ballad
details how Mr. Clayton Hooper, who had the reputa-
tion of being " the mildest curate going/' was incensed
to find that a neighbouring curate, Hopley Porter, was
gaining credit for being milder still ; and how Hooper
engaged minions to go and threaten to assassinate Porter
if he did not curl his hair, play croquet, and indulge in
other worldly vanities, which Porter, to save his life,
joyously consented to do, leaving to his rival the mild-
ness which he had striven to maintain.

" What ? " said the reverend gent,
" Dance through my hours of leisure ?
Smoke ? Bathe myself with scent ?—
Play croquet ? Oh, with pleasure 1

" Wear all my hair in curl ?

Stand at my door and wink — so—
At every passing girl ?
My brother, I should think so.

" For years I've longed for some

Excuse for this revulsion ;
Now that excuse has come— -
I do it on compulsion."

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 79

He smoked and winked away —

This Reverend Hopley Porter —
The deuce there was to pay

At Asses-milk-cum-Worter.

And Hooper holds his ground,

In mildness daily growing ;
They think him all around

The mildest curate going.

But Gilbert changed his mind at the last moment, fear
ing he might give offence to the dignitaries of the Church
and religion itself, so, as the " aesthetics " were in the public
eye he thought he would elevate them to the boards.
Besides, in satiring the pretensions of the followers of
the new cult he knew he would not be doing any harm
to the genuine lovers and professors of the beautiful in
either of the arts. At the same time Gilbert was aware
that he was running the risk of supplying a piece that
could not be expected to be more than ephemeral, but
this he determined to face, and leave the rest to the
decision of the gods — Olympian and otherwise. How-
ever, Gilbert was a false prophet to himself, for, with
the glorious inspiration of Sullivan's music the piece is
just as welcome to-day as when it first caught the taste
of the town. For, indeed, age cannot wither nor custom
stale the infinite variety of Sullivan's melodies which
flowed from the Opera Continue Theatre.

To-night, Saturday, April 23, 1881.
An Entirely New and Original Esthetic Opera in Two Acts,

entitled

PATIENCE; OR, BUNTHORNE'S BRIDE.

Written by W, S. Gilbert. Composed by Arthur Sullivan.

Reginald Bunthorne (a Fleshly Poet).. Mr. George Grossmith

Archibald Grosvenor (an Idyllic Poet) . , Mr. Rutland Harrington

Mr, Bunthorne's Solicitor Mr J G. Bowley

Colonel Calverley "| Officers ( Mr. Richard Temple

Major Murgatroyd }of Dragoon | Mr. Frank Thornton

Lieut, the Duke of Dumstable J Guards [ Mr. Durward Lety

Chorus of Officers of Dragoon Guards

to THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The Lady Angela ^ r Miss Jessie Bond

The Lady Saphir i -o . », . , I Miss Julia Gwynne

The Lady Ella h Rapturous Maidens -^ iL» Forteseue

The Lady Jane ' ^ Miss Alice Barnett

Patience (a Dairymaid) , Miss Leonora Braham

(Her First Appearance at this Theatre) .
Chorus of Rapturous Maidens.
Conductor Mr. Frank Cellier

ACT I.

Exterior of Castle Bunthorne.

ACT II.

A Glade,

Note. — The Management considers it advisable to state that the
Libretto of this Opera was completed in November last.

It should be noted that Bunthorne, although credited
with a bride, never has one. He, of course, is trans-
formed from Clayton Hooper, while Grosvenor is Hopley
Porter, Archibald Grosvenor was originally called
Algernon — evidently Gilbert meant a sly hit at Swin-
burne, greatly as he admired that wonderful poet —
but one of the Westminsters whose name happened to
be Algernon Grosvenor objected, so Archibald was
chosen instead. Oscar Wilde was a much bigger man
than Grossmith, but very " floppy," so Grossmith made
him extravagantly floppy, and reproduced many of
Wilde's ridiculous manners. Bunthorne is a fleshly
poet in spirit — if the paradox may stand — but is a slave
to his appetite for admiration, with a fine contrast in
Grosvenor, who is distinctly amiable but " beastly
worldly." Gilbert was very firm in his drilling of the
company, so that each individual member should master
the eccentric " goose-step " and the stained-glass attitude
of mediaeval art, and he also taught them one and all
how to deliver the dialogue in the ultra-rapturous tones
and accents of the extravagant cultural methods of the
effervescent poetasters of the period. Gilbert — who,
by the way, designed all the Liberty dresses himself
—was greatly assisted, if not led, in the terpsichorean
department by John d'Auban, who has only recently
passed away at the advanced age of eighty-two, He

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 81

had arranged all the dances for all the Savoy pieces. The
dances were quite fantastic and solemnly performed
by everyone in the true spirit of burlesque.

As parodies of the aesthetic malady had been persist-
ently indulged in by the scribes and the Pharisees — the
Pharisees of other cults of course — the first night was
looked forward to with a considerable degree of anxiety,
but all went well as a marriage bell. In " Patience '*
Gilbert plays, upon the axiom that nothing is certain
except the improbable. And, apart from the satire upon a
vanished craze, the supreme underlying humour is more
tonic than acrimonious. Gilbert's dialogue is witty all
through, while his lyrics are some of the very best he
ever wrote. " Patience " teems with golden numbers, and
Sullivan's music is full of the spirit of the old English
masters blended with his own genial and touching melodies
suggestive of far-off times and music long ago.

Let us begin at the end of the first act, where author
and composer seem to have surpassed themselves in the
sestette :

I hear the soft note of the echoing voice

Of an old, old love long dead —
It whispers my sorrowing heart " Rejoice " —

For the last sad tear is shed —
The pain that is all but a pleasure will change

For the pleasure that's all but vain,
And never, oh never, this heart will range

From that old, old love again.

For a quick change we must hark back to the Colonel's
entry song :

If you want a receipt for that popular mystery,

Known to the world as a Heavy Dragoon,
Take all the remarkable people in history,

Rattle them off to a popiilar tune.
The pluck of Lord Nelson on board of the Victory —

Genius of Bismarck devising a plan ;
The humour of Fielding (which seems contradictory) ;

Coolness of Paget about to trepan—

82 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The science of Jullien, the eminent musico —

Wit of Macaulay, who wrote of Queen Anne —
The Pathos of Paddy, as rendered by Boucicault —

Style of the Bishop of Sod or and Man —
The dash of a D'Orsay, divested of quackery —
Narrative powers of Dickens and Thackeray —
Victor Emmanuel — peak-haunting Peveril —
Thomas Aquinas and Doctor Sachcverell —
Tupper and Tennyson — Daniel Defoe-
Anthony Trollope and Mr. Guizot 1
Take of these elements all that is fusible,
Melt them all down in a pipkin or crucible,
Set them to simmer and take off the scum,
And a Heavy Dragoon is the residuum.

The poem — or, as the comic papers of the eighties used to
spell it, " pome "— " Oh ! Hollow ! Hollow 1 Hollow ! "
recited by Bunthorne, was a deliberate parody, not only
of Wilde, but of the vagueness and insipidity of several
of his followers into the empyrean of the inexplicable.

Prithee, pretty maiden, prithee tell me true

is full of Sullivan touches of the old-world madrigal manner
that appealed to all music lovers. The marvellous way
in which Sullivan set the rather cruel recitative and song
allotted to Jane at the opening of the second act relieved
it of all its mordant intention, and made the melody one
of the most popular, apart from some of the duets, in
the whole opera :

Silvered is the raven hair,

But, as I have suggested, " Patience " contains more
quotable songs than almost any other of the whole Gilbert
and Sullivan series. " Love is a plaintive song/' sung
by Patience, is quite pathetic in the tenderness of words
and musical strain.

Mr. Richard Temple as Colonel Calverley had another
excellent song, besides the Dragoon one quoted, in " When
I first put this uniform on." Richard Temple was one
of tixe most valued members of the company — a very

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 83

good actor and a well- trained vocalist who had had a fruitful
amount of experience in Italian and English ballad opera,
as well as in opera bouffe> before he joined D'Oyly Carte.
George Grossmith was, of course, provided with many
suitable numbers, one of the best being the recitative and
song in Act I. in which he explains his own true sentiments :

If you're anxious for to shine in the high aesthetic line as a man of
culture rare

You must get up all the germs of the transcendental terms, and
plant them, everywhere,

You must lie upon the daisies and discourse in novel phrases of
your complicated state of mind,

The meaning does not matter if it's only idle chatter of a trans-
cendental kind.

And everyone will say,

As you walk your mystic way,

" If this young man expresses himself in terms too deep for me,
Why, what a singularly deep young man, this deep young rnan
must be."

Grosvenor's song, " The Magnet and the Churn," was
greatly admired, while his recitations of " Gentle Jane "
and " Teasing Tom " might have inspired Hilaire Belloc
to write his Cautionary Tales.

CHAPTER X

The Bufldm r *he Savoy Theatre—" Patience " transferred

from the Opera Comique — The Electric Light — The Queue —

And No Fees,

IT was a common saying at the time that the Pirates with
Patience built the Savoy Theatre, for the hour arrived
when, fortune having smiled on the Opera Comique
combination, the three " conspirators " decided that they
wanted a pleasure house of their own, D'Oyly Carte
was fortunate in securing a plot of land between the
Strand and the Victoria Embankment, on which he had
created the Savoy Theatre, on a spot, to quote the
enterprising entrepreneur's own words, " possessing many
associations of historic interest, being close to the Savoy
Chapel and in the precincts of the Savoy, where formerly
stood the palace once inhabited by John of Gaunt and
the Dukes of Lancaster, and made memorable in the
Wars of the Roses/' The theatre is noteworthy, apart
from other reasons, in that it was the first to be lighted
by electricity in every part of the house. It was another
manager who first introduced the electric light to London
as an illuminant in August, 1878. This was John Rollings-
head, always a go-ahead " showman," who had six arc
lights burning outside the Gaiety for nine mpnths as an
experiment and an advertisement. To Mr. Carte we are
indebted for two very agreeable conveniences — the queue,
since adopted by all the theatres of modern London, and,
following in the wake of John Hollingshead at the Gaiety
he kept to the innovation of " No Fees," This D'Oyly
maintained during his lifetime, but when other

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 85

managements invaded the house after Mr. William Greet's
lesseeship, and Savoy opera was heard there no more,
the fee fiend was again installed in all its vicious supremacy
and, as at all other places of theatrical entertainment,
still anogantly reigns.

On the opening night D'Oyly Carte issued a manifesto
to the playgoer and public generally in which the new
theatre was described in every detail, and, although
many beautiful theatres have since been built, few have
surpassed the Savoy in its ease, elegance, and general
serviceability. In this progressive period, when elec-
tricity is one of the greatest factors in all walks of life —
in all professions and callings — it seems odd to find D'Oyly
Carte almost apologising for his temerity in installing the
electric light — " this being done as an experiment, and
may succeed or fail," But naturally many of the old
school prophesied not only failure, but other dire evils,
as the result, if not the punishment, for daring to intro-
duce the incandescent lamps which were always to be
unreliable and uncertain — until they were to triumphantly
prove their utility. Another innovation was this estab-
lishment of the queue, which is now universal at all the
theatres and other public places of entertainment.

The first night's audience promptly recognised and
acclaimed D'Oyly Carte's liberality and innovations, and
in a few years he had many imitators and followers in
regard to his system of stage and auditorium lighting.
For the auspicious occasion of the opening one of the most
brilliant audiences ever gathered together filled the
theatre, and those who could not get into the stalls and
circle sought asylum in the pit, upper boxes, and even
the gallery. A very tastefully designed programme by
Miss Alice Havers was presented to every member of the
congregation of playgoers, " Free, gratis, and for nothing/'
Later some of the programmes were decorated by sketches
and pictures by Pilotell and other artistes. " Patience "
in the full tide of its prosperity was transferred in a day
from the Opera Comique to the new Savoy Theatre,
10, 1881, with the whole of the company, witl*

86 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

the exception of Richard Temple, who remained behind
in Wych Street, at the special request of W. S. Gilbert,
for the revival of " Princess Toto/' of which I have given
full particulars in an earlier chapter. At the Savoy,
Temple's place was taken by Mr. Walter Browne for the
time being. But when the next opera, " lolanthe," was
produced, Mr. Temple made his almost permanent Savoy
bow. Sir Arthur Sullivan conducted, and afterwards
changed his clothes and went down to Norwich by the
midnight train and superintended the rehearsal of the
Festival there at ten o'clock in the morning, very much
to the surprise of those who were then reading the
accounts in the morning papers of the opening night at
the Savoy. On the following Saturday night (November
17) a new Vaudeville was presented, called " Mock
Turtles," written by Frank Desprez and composed by
Eaton Faning

Mr. Wranglebury Mr. Courtice Pounds

Mrs. Wranglebury Miss Minna Louis

Mrs. Bowcher Miss Brandram

Jane Miss Sybil Grey

This was a good start for Courtice Pounds, who had
joined the Gilbert and Sullivan regime and appeared in
the chorus of " Patience " on November 10, but, as will
presently be seen, was soon promoted to a part, and
became a shining light at the Savoy and elsewhere.

There was one significant name on the programme —
George Edwardes, who, although he had been the acting
manager all the time at the Opera Comique, was now
first announced in print as filling that post. My old
friend Charles J. Abud tells the following characteristic
anecdote of George Edwardes. It is given in his own
words.

" I shall never forget," says Abud, " my first meeting
with George Edwardes. We were boyish acting managers
together, and first came into contact in 1880, when I was
at the Globe managing for Lord Kilmorey, and h

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 87

at the Opera Comique when ' Pinafore ' was done, looking
after the interests of Michael Gunn, who had a share
with D'Oyly Carte. These two theatres joined each
other, I soon got to know George by sight, but did not
meet him personally till one night he ran into me at the
Globe and said, ' I wish to goodness you would let me go
up on the roof of your theatre/ "

Not unnaturally, I immediately wondered whether he
had gone mad.

" ' What on earth for ? ' I asked.

" ' Well, the truth is, D'Oyly Carte is waiting for me
at the box office, and I am supposed to be in the theatre.
I want you to let me out of the trap-door of your theatre
so that I may get in at the trap-door of the Opera Comique.
Do you understand ? '

" I understood 1 It was a daring project — a truly
George Edwardian project ! But, like most of George
Edwardes's startling schemes, it came off. Up he went
across the roof of one theatre to the roof of the other,
down again, — et voilti !

" George Edwardes found D'Oyly Carte impatiently
waiting for him at the box office. And George Edwardes,
with that sang-froid which was one of his most amazing
and amusing characteristics, calmly informed Carte that
he had just been — counting the gallery ! "

" Patience " drew at the Savoy even better than it did
at the Opera Comique, and continued on its course until
on November 22, 1882, it had been played for four hundred
and eight performances. It was equally successful in
the country, where several companies were on the road,
and in Australia, and in America, where, apart from the
companies organised in London by D'Oyly Carte and
sent over, it was well known that unauthorised per-
formances had been given throughout the length and
breadth of the two continents. Actions were brought
by the Savoy triumvirate to stop these illegal productions,
but the American judges in several instances decided
against them. As Arthur Sullivan remarked " It seemed
to b$ their opinion that a free an<J independent American

88 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

citizen ought not to be robbed of his rights of robbing
somebody else/'

The songs and melodies were on everybody's tongue, for
they seemed to have gained fresh life from their home by
the Thames. One of the most popular hits of the opera
with everybody was the duet sung towards the end of
the second act, where Archibald Grosvenor is converted
by Reginald Bunthorne into an " Everyday young man/'

Conceive me, if you can,
An everyday young man,

A commonplace type

With a stick and a pipe
And a half-bred black and tan,

Who thinks suburban " hops "

More fun than Monday " Pops " ;
Who's fond of his dinner,
And doesn't get thinner

On bottled beer and chops.

The " Monday ' Pops ' " were particularly good concerts
held on Monday evenings at the old St. James's Hall,
while in the same building at a smaller hall if your fancy
was bent that way you could have a nigger feast with
the Moore and Burgess Minstrels. All the same I have
known singers rise from the one and descend to the other.

CHAPTER XI

A Fairy Opera at the Savoy — " lolanthe ; or, The Peer and the
Peri "— " The Fairy Curate " and " The Periwinkle Girl "—The
Piece Produced Five Hours Later in New York.

ONCE again we have to turn to the Bab Ballads for the
crystallised idea of the plot of " lolanthe " where all may
read it in " The Fairy Curate."

Once a fairy, light and airy,

Married with a mortal.
Men, however, never, never,

Pass the fairy portal.
Slyly stealing, she to Ealing

Made a daily journey ;
There she found him, clients round him —

(He was an attorney.)

This marriage resulted in the birth of a baby, who became
a curate. The Bishop one day calls upon the curate,
and finds him with his mother :

" Who is this, sir — ballet miss, sir ? "

Said the Bishop coldly.
" 'Tis my mother and no other,"

Georgie answered boldly.
" Go along, sir 1 You are wrong, sir ;

You have years in plenty,
While this hussy (gracious mussy 1)

Isn't two and twenty."

And as the Bishop would not believe Georgie the Curate,
Georgie took wing and joined the Mormons. In the poem
the father, as shown in the first verse, is an attorney ;
in the opera, after several incarnations as stockbroker

, 89

90 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

and attorney and judge, he attains to the highest eminence
and we meet him as a " highly susceptible Chancellor."
In " The Periwinkle Girl " we find that chaste maiden
wooed for her charms by her two most regular customers,
Duke Bailey and Duke Humphy, but their intentions
do not appear to be altogether honourable. But " A
Miserable grov'ling Earl " is made of different metal :

The Earl he up and says, says he,

" Dismiss them to their orgies,
For I am game to marry thee

Quite reg'lar at St. George's.1'

(He'd had, it happily befeU,

A decent education,
His views would have befitted well

A far superior station.)

Her views of earldoms and their lot

All underwent expansion.
Come, Virtue in an earldom's cot,

Go, Vice in ducal mansion.

Three nights after the withdrawal of " Patience " the
Savoy reopened its doors on Saturday, Novermber 25,
1882, with :

lOLANTHE ; OR, THE PEER AND THE PERI.

An Entirely New and Original Fairy Opera,
Written by W. S. Gilbert. Composed by Arthur Sullivan.

The Lord Chancellor Mr. George Grossmith

The Earl of Mountararat Mr. Rutland Barrington

Earl Tolloller Mr. Durward Lely

Private Willis (of the Grenadier Guards) Mr. Charles Manners

Strephon Mr. Richard Temple

Queen of the Fairies Miss Alice Bamett

lolanthe (a Fairy — Strephon's Mother) Miss Jessie Bond

Celia Miss Fortescue

Leila Miss Julia Gwynne

Fleta Miss Sybil Grey

Phyllis (an Arcadian Shepherdess and

Ward in Chancery) . . Miss Leonora Braham
Chorus of Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, Baxons and Fairies.

Act I. — An Arcadian Landscape.

Act II. — Palape Yard, Westminster.

Date : Between 1700 and 1882.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 91

At first it was intended to call the work "Perola,"
a sort of superstition having arisen in favour of a title
beginning with a P, owing to the success of " Pinafore/'
the " Pirates," and " Patience." Wiser counsels pre-
vailed, and lolanthe — far the prettier name — was chosen.

Some of the critics were very severe in their notices of
" lolanthe/' and condemned both Gilbert and Sullivan,
the one for his bad taste in satiring the House of Lords —
the reform of this classic institution was very much in the
air at the time — and the other for the lack of melody in
his music ! A few disgruntled scribes indeed fell to
abusing Gilbert quite violently, and demanded to know
" Where is this topsy-turvydom, this musical and dramatic
turning of ideas wrong side out to end ? " But on going
through these critisicms after this long lapse of years I
have come to the conclusion that the writers failed to
grasp the aim of Gilbert's satire. In the pungency of his
pen he was only carrying on the tradition created by
Aristophanes, and if his sarcasms were bitter and biting
they were never vitriolic. They could not see that all
Gilbert's sharp pokes were only intended to titillate,
and that there was never any gall in his fun. Anyhow,
" lolanthe " is very much alive to-day, and the humour
is as mordant as ever, while the music has long been
accepted as some of the prettiest and quaintest that even
Sullivan ever composed. After abusing Gilbert roundly
for his " scoffing " manner, a well-known critic speaks
of the instantaneous success of the opera ! " To Dr.
Arthur Sullivan's share in ensuring the certainty of their
result I shall presently refer more particularly. He has
as much to do with it as Mr. Gilbert, but in a different way.
The combination is a particularly happy one, and ' draws *
the public irresistibly. To thousands, doubtless, the
chief attraction of ' lolanthe ' will be a libretto by the
Po,et of Paradoxes and Incongruities ; to other thousands
the promise of enjoyment will be in the music of a composer
whose popularity is based upon talent and culture of a
very high order. But, in this felicitous partnership, it is
Mr. Gilbert after all, who is the mirth-mover. He has

At 2.30.

The Peer and the Pen.

FAIRY ©PBK

S. GILBERT,

ARTHUR SULLIVAN.

ffiramatis f n

The Lord Chancellor ». .. Mr. GEORGE GROSSMITH
TheEarlofMountararat ,. Mr. RUTLAND BARRINGTON
The Earl Tolloller ........ Mr, DURWARD LBI,Y

Private Willis (of the Grmadier Guards) Mr.C, MANNERS
Strephon (an Arcadian Skejkerd) . , Mr. R. TEMPLR
Queen of the Fairies ..... Miss ALICE BARNETT

lolanthe (a Fairy- -Strefhon's AT(?M^r)Miss JE$SIE BOND
Leila ,, .. , t ..Miss MAUD CATHCART

Celia ,. .. | Fairies * .. .. Miss FORTESCUE

Fleta .. .. ' I .... Miss SYBIL GREY

Phyllis (an Avcadtan S/tetfardess

and Ward in Chancery} Miss LEONORA B RAH AM

AN ARCADIAN LANDSCAPE

oo 600000300 6 OOP o <5 o~o <5*q

PALACE YARD WESTMINSTER

Date between 1700 & 1882.

'O^_Q^O.''6 OO 0 .0 6 O ;O'O P "jjj[ .5 p 'o "o"p '0; O: ....... '

The Opera produced under the personal direction of
the Author and Composer.

SCENERY by Mr. HENRY EMDEN.
Musical Director . , Mr. FRANK CELLIER.
The entire Theatre ^ Stage and Attditormm is lighted
by Electricity. The arrangements for this lighting*
and/or the Electric Stars used on the Fairies' heads are
carried out try Messrs. Siemens Bros,. &> Co. Limited;
the Lamps used being Swan's Incandescent Lamps-

NO FEES OP ANY KIND.

PROGRAMMES are provided and Wraps taken free of
charge. Any attendant detected in accepting money
from visitors will be instantly dismissed ; the public is
therefore requested not to tempt the attendants by
offering them gratuities.

The Refreshment Saloons are under the direct
control of the management, and everything will be
found to be of the best quality.

All letters on any business connected with the SAVOY
THEATRE should be addressed to Mr, R. D'OvLY
and not to any individual officer.

Hs

94 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

accustomed us to regard him as a fertile imaginer of
inimitable absurdities, and to expect that he will breathe
his special vein of fun more and more copiously every
time he puts forward a new work." After that the
carpers can be left to themselves to enjoy their own
carpings. The first-night audience was most decidedly
representative of all the best in art and society. Captain
Eyre Shaw, the chief of the Fire Brigade and one of the
then most popular men in London society, was seated in
the very centre of the stalls when Miss Alice Barnett, as
the massive Fairy Queen, sang, perhaps with deep intent,
and arms outstretched across the footlights :

On fire that glows

With heat intense,
I turn the hose

Of common sense,
Ajid out it goes,

At small expense I

We must maintain

Our Fairy law ;
That is the main

On which to draw-
In that we gain

A Captain Shaw 1

Oh, Captain Shaw,

Type of true love kept under 1

Could thy Brigade

With cold cascade

Quench my great love? — I wonder.

The boxes, stalls, and circles were mostly occupied by
Captain Shaw's frierids and acquaintances, and their
burst of hilarity at the line " Type of true love kept
under " was infectious, and was quite a memorable
incident of the night, for soon the rest of the house,
catching the point, were equally delighted, much to
the confusion of Captain Shaw at these unexpected
marks of attention. The only important addition
to the " front ranks of Savoyards " taking part

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 95

in " lolanthe " was Mr. Charles Manners, who was
promoted to take the small but striking part of the Sentry,
Private Willis. He at once justified the selection, and
long ago distinguished himself as a plucky pioneer in the
cause of English Opera. There were several M.P/s
present, and they were mightily tickled when the stalwart
Grenadier Guardsman in his splendid bass voice rolled
out :

When in that house M.P.s divide,

If they've the brain and cerebellum, too,
They've got to leave that brain outside,,

And vote just as their leaders tell 'em to.
But then the prospect of a lot

Of dull M.P.s in close proximity,
All thinking for themselves, is what
No chap can face with equanimity.

It was in " lolanthe " that one of the ladies, playing a
fairy, captivated the attention of a young peer, who
afterwards proved fickle, at considerable cost to himself
— in fact, to the tune of ten thousand pounds. This
young aristocrat mystified Rutland Barrington one night
when visiting his dressing-room before Barrington was
aware of his identity, or knew of the attachment, by his
happy-go-lucky ways and his intimacy with Grossmith —
Barrington and Grossmith both dressed in the same room
— so when Barrington remarked to the visitor, " You will
very soon know the piece by heart/' he received the reply,
" Well, is she not worth it ? " Then when the engage-
ment was announced — Miss Fortescue to Lord Garmoyle,
afterwards Earl Cairns — he understood. W. S. Gilbert
warmly espoused the lady's cause when the engagement
was broken off by the family, and succeeded, as the
parents did not anticipate any pleasure from a cause
ctlibre, in obtaining for Miss Fortescue, the lady in ques-
tion, the large sum of ten thousand pounds, as already
stated. After this unexpected event Miss Fortescue at
the suggestion of W. S. Gilbert, turned her attention to
the " legitimate " drama, and played in '^Dan'l Druce "
at the Court Theatre, atid gradually, as everybody knows,
became a most engaging and attractive West End actress

96 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

One of the saddest things in connection with Arthur
Sullivan and " lolanthe " was that on the evening that
he was to conduct the first-night performance information
was conveyed to him that all his savings had disappeared
in the bankruptcy of a firm of stockbrokers with whom all
his securities had been deposited. All the monetary result
of his labours and energy of twenty-five years were swept
away at once, and with only a few hundred pounds in the
bank he had to start life afresh. But, keeping his ill-
fortune to himself as much as he could — it was soon known
all over the world — he took his seat in the conductor's
chair and valiantly worked through the night.

Sullivan caught the right fairy spirit in his music, and
was particularly happy with Gilbert's love-songs, which,
however, were sometimes inspired with a spirit of mockery,
as in the ditties of the noble Lords with Phyllis the Shep-
herdess, but Sullivan ignored this, and fashioned his
muse with genuine melodies.

Spurn not the nobly born

With love affected,
Nor treat with virtuous scorn

The well connected.

All the principal characters were liberally supplied with
appropriate ballads and songs, while George Grossmith
as the Lord Chancellor was better furnished than either —
" The Highly Susceptible Chancellor " and

When I went to the Bar as a very young man

(Said I to myself — said I),
I'll work on a new and original plan

(Said I to myself— said I).
I'll never assume that a rogue or a thief
Is a gentleman worthy implicit belief,
Because his attorney has sent me a brief,

(Said I to myself — said I),

This and the " Sentry's Song " were in eager demand in
eyery drawing-room in and out of Suburbia by the amateur
male vocalists, and so was r ' When Britain Really Ruled

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 97

the Waves/' to which, by the way, many of the lachry-
moruous took exception because the dear old House of
Peers was made fun of. If the finest patter song ever
written, which Grossmith sang with such humour and
verve, had been published separately, that, too, I am
certain, would have been a tremendous favourite on the
concert platform as well as in the home. Of course it is
very long— but, then, it is also very good—" When you're
lying awake," etc. Although the songs were not easily
detachable, the music was always in request and popular.

When Miss Jessie Bond fell ill Miss Rosina Brandram
had her first great opportunity as her understudy, and
she quite electrified the house with her glorious rendition
of the recitative and song in which lolanthe pleads to
the Lord Chancellor for her son — " My lord, a suppliant
at thy feet I plead/1

Arthur Law, the author in the time to come of many
farces and comedies, was engaged to understudy Rutland
Harrington as Archibald Grosvenor, used to tell of
the extraordinary contract he had to sign. He was to .
" understudy, play old men, women, or juveniles, and
anything he might be cast for IJ ; with a final tag to this
effect : " And write first pieces when required " — all
for a weekly salary which was so strong that " weekly "
might appropriately be spelt with an " a/' Notwith-
standing, he wrote many small libretti, and eventually
justified himself. There was a considerable amount of fun
created at the rehearsals, at the expense of the gentlemen
who had to represent the peers, when Gilbert would con-
stantly implore them to wear their coronets as though " they
were accustomed to them all their lives." Once, when
watching the Procession of Peers, Gilbert remarked to
Frank Cellier, " Some of our American friends who will
be seeing ' lolanthe ' in New York will probably imagine
that British lords are to be seen walking about our streets
in this fashion/' As a matter of fact, some of them did,
and made many anxious enquiries on the subject.

When " lolanthe " was first presented in New York,
owing to the difference in longitudinal time the curtain

98 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

rose on the other side five hours later than it did at the
Savoy. Accordingly, through the courtesy of the
Atlantic Cable authorities, D'Oyly Carte was enabled to
send a message across the seas describing the enthusiastic
reception of the opera in London. This message trans-
cribed was issued to the American playgoers as they were
entering the theatre for the opening performance of
" lolanthe," consequently their appetite for the good
things in store for them was appreciably whetted,

In order to protect their rights in their works D'Oyly
Carte, acting with Gilbert and Sullivan, had to prepare
and send over an English company to play the operas in
America, and it was also necessary to refrain from publish-
ing any of the music in England until the two productions,
synchronising as nearly as possible in each country, had
taken place. Even then the sharks were busy.

CHAPTER XII

" Princess Ida ; or, Castle Adamant "— " The Princess " at the
Olympic Theatre — Revival of " The Sorcerer " and " Trial by
Jury "—The Children's " Pirates of Penzance."

" PRINCESS IDA " was more or less a parody of Tenny-
son's beautiful poem called " The Princess/' and was a
satire on the then prevalent and absorbing subject of
Women's Rights which so greatly agitated female
reformers — or male reformers — in the eighties. Gilbert
called his three-act libretto — £he first and only piece of the
series in three divisions — a " Respectful perversion of the
Poet Laureate's 'Princess.'" Already W. S. Gilbert
had perpetrated a piece on the same subject at the long-
defunct Olympic Theatre in Wych Street, Strand, in
1870. This was quite a charming work according to
E. L. Blanchard, although W. S. Gilbert's fantastic
methods were only just beginning to be offered to the
public, who had only seen a few of his extravaganzas.
It was called " The Princess — a Whimsical Allegory/*
As the author himself explained, he had for some time
determined te try the experiment of a blank verse
burlesque in which a picturesque story should be told
in a strain of mock-heroic seriousness. The fable of
Tennyson's " Princess " supplied the subject-matter of
the parody and, said Gilbert, " I endeavoured so to treat
it as to absolve myself from a charge of wilful irreverence.
The piece was produced with signal success, owing in no
small degree to the admirable earnestness with which
Miss M. Reinhardt invested the character of the heroine.
, . , It was unfortunately necessary to cast three ladies

9?

ioo THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

for the parts of the three principal youths, and the fact
that the three ladies were dressed as gentlemen disguised
as ladies imparted an epicene character to their proceed-
ings which rather interfered with the interest of the
story. The success of the piece, however, was unques-
tionable, and it led to a somewhat more ambitious flight
in the same direction/' It was through this production
that J. B. Buckstone commissioned Gilbert to write
" The Palace of Truth/' on the novelette Le Palais de
Verity for the Haymarket Theatre. Some modern
writers have stated that " The Princess " was a failure,
but, as will be seen, the reverse is the truth. In fact,
the critics of the day were highly enthusiastic in their
praise and greeting of a new kind of light operatic writing.
Even in 1870 Gilbert was planning for a brighter and non-
vulgar class of work. He made a start a year later with
" Thespis " at the Gaiety, which was the real forerunner
of all the Savoy inspirations. Gilbert once said to an
interviewer : " When Sullivan and I determined to work
together the burlesque stage was in a very unclean state.
We made up our minds to do all in our power to wipe out
the grosser element, never to let an offending word escape
our characters, and never to allow a man to appear as a
woman or vice versa/'

And now we come to the sixth full-grown operetta.
For the sake of reference the two casts are printed side
by side.

On Saturday Evening, January 5, 1884,
At 8 o'clock, will be performed for the first time a Respectful

Operatic Perversion of Tennyson's " Princess " in a Prologue
and Two Acts, entitled

PRINCESS IDA; OR, CASTLE ADAMANT,
Composed by Arthur Sullivan. Written by W. S, Gilbert.

Savoy, 1884. Olympic, 1870.

King Hildebrand. .Mr. Rutland Barrington Mr, David Fisher

Hilarion Mr. H. Bracy Miss Maria Simpson

Cyril Mr. Durward Lely Miss Augusta

Thompson

Flonaa Mr. Charles Ryley Miss M. Montgomery

ffing Gama ..... ,Mr. George Grossmith . .Mr, George Elliott

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 101

Arac Mr. Richard Temple . .Miss Jessie Sadler

Guron Mr. Warwick Grey Miss Harrington

Scynthius Mr. W. Lugg Miss Caroline Ewell

Princess Ida . . . .Miss Leonora Braham . .Miss Mattie

Reinhardt
Lady Blanche . . . .Miss Rosina Brandram. .Mrs. Poynter

Lady Psyche Miss Kate Chard Miss Fanny Addison

Melissa Miss Jessie Bond Miss Pattie Josephs

At the Savoy the piece was divided as follows :

Prologue : Pavilion in King Hildebrand's Palace.
Act I. : Gardens of Castle Adamant.
Act II. : Courtyard of Castle Adamant.

In a very short time the prologue was converted into
Act I. One critic said of " Princess Ida " : " W. S. Gilbert
in the libretto just given to the world abundantly proves
that he is still the monarch of the Realm of Topsy-turvy-
dom ; but his incongruities are more elaborately worked
up than of yore, and therefore less laughter-moving/'
When it is stated that the libretto of the " Princess Ida "
of 1884 is almost identical with the " Princess " of 1870,
this observation does not quite fit in with " the application
thereof." The dialogue, with slight variations and cuts
to admit of the musical numbers — there were only half
a dozen in the Olympic piece — was simply lifted from the
first version, and, indeed, it was all too good to lose, and,
notwithstanding that it was written in blank verse, it
went very well from start to finish. And yet there was
something amiss ; the story was very slight ; but the
lyrics were excellent, and the logic — save the mark — was
entirely Gilbertian. It was prophesied that it would run
for twelve months at least, but it only ran nine. Most
of the music was in Sullivan's best and inimitable manner
— catchy, tuneful, and quaint. The songs are full of
grace, fancy, and delicious melody, and, as ever, brimming
over with rich humour.

During the rehearsals George Grossmith tells us the
preliminary preparations were sometimes very tedious

102 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The music was generally given to the players before
Gilbert appeared to read the piece, so that they were often
in complete darkness as to the meaning of the words
they had to sing. George Grossmith in A Society Clown
in reference to " Princess Ida "in its early stages says :
" We were rehearsing the whole of the concerted music of
the first act. My song, ' I can't think why/ sung by King
Gama, was not composed, and the whole of my share
in the rehearsals was the following three bars and a half
of recitative :

KING GAMA (recitative) : Must we till then in prison cell be
thrust ?

HiLbEBRAND : You must 1
KING GAMA : This seems unnecessarily severe.

"At one of the rehearsals, after singing this trifling bit
of recitative, I addressed the composer and said : ' Could
you tell me, Sir Arthur, what the words " This seems
unnecessarily severe " have reference to ? ' Sir Arthur
replied : ' Because you are to be detained in prison, of
course/ I replied : ' Thank you. I thought they, had
reference to my having been detained here three hours
a day for the past fortnight to sing them.' The result
was that Sir Arthur liberated me from the remainder of
the first act rehearsals ; and as I had not to put in an
appearance in the second act, and had only one unwritten
song in the third, I had, for a wonder, a pretty easy time
of it."

When Gilbert came on the scene he usually made
things tolerably hard for Grossmith, and worried him,
as he did most of the others, a very great deal. But as
usual, after the fall of the curtain on every first night all
amenities were forgotten and forgiven. The opera was
admirably presented by the admirably selected company,
while the chorus of soldiers, courtiers, and " sweet girl
graduates in their golden hair " commingling with " the
daughters of the plough " were an especial feature of a
Vary gorgeous production. Gilbert's dialogue bristled

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 103

with smart remarks and was well peppered with pungent

puns.

She's so particular,

She'll scarcely suffer Dr. Watts' hymns,
And all the animals she owns are hers.

King Gama, that very unpleasant monarch, had some
good numbers. He remarks that the cock-crowing at
which the ladies of the university rise every morning is
" done by an accomplished hen." Mr. Grossmith made
the best of a bad King.

If you'll give me your attention, I will tell you what I am :
I'm a genuine philanthropist — all other kinds are sham.
Each little fault of temper and each social defect
In my erring fellow-creatures I endeavour to correct ;
To all their little weaknesses I open people's eyes,
And little plans to snub the self-sufficient I devise ;
I love my fellow-creatures — I do all the good I can—
Yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man 1
And I can't think why 1

But his best ditty, and one that quickly found itself in
quotation marks with both the Press and the public,
came in the last act ;

Whene'er I spoke
Sarcastic joke

Replete with malice spiteful,
This people mild
Politely smiled,

And voted me delightful I

Now when a wight
Sits up all night

Ill-natured: jokes devising,
And all his wiles
Are met with smiles,

It's hard, there's no disguising.

Oh, don't the days seem lank and long
When all goes right, and nothing goes wrong;
And isn't your life extremely flat
Witk nothing whatever to grumble atl

104 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Many of the songs became popular—" The Ape and the
Lady/' for instance, "Would you know the kind of
maid/' and in particular the Princess's song, " 1 built
upon a rock/'

Whatever the cause, " Princess Ida " did not make any
strong appeal even to the staunchest of the Gilbert and
Sullivan disciples, and on its withdrawal in October,
1884, it was never revived until January 24, 1922, when
it was well received at the Prince's Theatre. And again
March 3, 1924. Of this later.

la connection with the qualified success of " Princess
Ida'' I must quote this naive little bit by Rutland
Barrington : " This production was notable for an
innovation, being the first opera we had played in three
acts, but I fancy it was not altogether a successful one ;
it plainly was not reverted to in future. The fact that
it did not achieve a very long run I attributed very largely
to King Hildebrand not being sufficiently prominent,
and I well remember telling Carte as much, and his
agreeing with me, a condition of affairs that I should
somehow have taken advantage of, but which I failed
to do."

N.B.— Rutland Barrington played King Hildebrand !

By the way, it was in this piece that the clever and
popular Henry A. Lytton made his first appearance as a
Savoyard. His wife, Miss Louie Henri— they married
when they were mere boy and girl, as you will find duly
set forth in Mr. Lytton's most entertaining work, The
Secrets of a Savoyard — was engaged for the chorus that
was to go on tour, and Lytton was anxious to join the
company, and be in the chorus, too. Miss Henri spoke
to Mr. Carte about her " brother," as it was agreed he
should be called, and so he was told to have his voice
tried. He appeared at the auditions and, after one or
two adventures, was engaged by Richard Barker, the
stage manager, and that is how H. A. Lytton, now the
head and oldest member of the Savoyards, achieved his
first start. He was not only engaged for the chorus,
but to understudy Mr. David Fisher, junior, as King

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 105

Gama in the Country — this fine actor was the son of
the comedian who had created the part of King
Hildebrand at the Olympic in 1870.

As there was no new opera sufficiently developed to
follow " Princess Ida/' D'Oyly Carte had the happy
thought of reviving both " The Sorcerer " and " Trial
by Jury/' with the following casts — " The Sorcerer "
had, of course, not been seen since its original production
at the Opera Comique in November, 1877 :

THE SORCERER.
Savoy Theatre, October n, 1884.

Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre . . Mr. Richard Temple

Alexis Mr. Durward Lely

Dr. Daly Mr. Rutland Barrington

Notary Mr. Lugg

John Wellington Wells Mr. George Grossmith

Lady Sangazure , Miss Brandram

Aline Miss Leonora Braham

Mrs. Partlett Miss Ada Doree

Constance Miss Jessie Bond

This was followed by " Trial by Jury " :

The Learned Judge Mr. Rutland Barrington

The Plaintiff Miss Dysart

The Defendant Mr. Durward Lely

Counsel for the Plaintiff Mr. Eric Lewis

Usher Mr. Lugg

Foreman of the Jury Mr. Kennett

Associate t Mr. Wilbraham

First Bridesmaid Miss Sybil Grey

In these revivals it will be observed that there were two
new recruits — Mr. Eric Lewis and Mr. Charles Wilbraham.
The bill, which was greatly appreciated, well held its
own for one hundred and fifty performances, until, in
fact, " The Mikado/' who was waiting at the wings,
was ready to make his entrance.

The extraordinary enthusiasm on the first night had
come as a great and pleasing surprise to the management.
The " quips and j&ts and wanton wiles " of " The

io6 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Sorcerer" were seized at once by a most responsive
and delighted audience, and most of the points, in song,
dance, and dialogue, which often missed the target on
the original production, were now caught up with avidity.
The truth is, of course, that through a long series of
Gilbertian fantasy and Sullivanesque harmonies the
public had learnt to comprehend the variations of the
masters, whereas in 1877 the playgoer wanted educating
up to the new standard of refined grotesquerie. Anyhow,
to use the appropriate though hackneyed phrase, both
" The Trial/' in which Rutland Barrington surpassed
himself as the Judge, and ''The Sorcerer/' were an
" enormous success." And, if anything, Richard Temple
and George Grossmith were better than they were at
the Opera Comique. From America came the welcome
tidings that "The Sorcerer" was well received, though
when done there in 1877 it was a dead failure. It must be
recorded here that in the previous May Arthur Sullivan
was given his new title. The happy occasion was the
opening of the Royal College of Music, when Dr. Arthur
Sullivan, in company with Dr. Alexander Mackenzie
and Dr, George Grove, received the honour of knighthood
at the hands of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales (afterwards
King Edward VIL) on behalf of Queen Victoria. Seldom
has the bestowal of this distinction met with such com-
prehensive approbation and pleasure, and certainly never
was knighthood more richly deserved, or genius more
fittingly rewarded, than when Arthur Sullivan's work
in the cause of English musical art received this gracious
recognition from his sovereign.

During the Christmas holidays of 1884, remembering
the success which attended the juvenile performances of
"H.M.S. Pinafore," D'Oyly Carte and Richard Barker—
who, by the way, was always a barker, though he did not
bite much — came forward with a children's rendition of
" The Pirates of Penzance," of which adventure I have
already given full information in a previous chapter,

CHAPTER XIII

" The Mikado ; or, The Town of Titipu ''—Wonderful Reception

on the First Night — Incidents and Accidents— The Pirates of

America — And how D'Oyly Carte Circumvented them.

DURING the preparations for the production of the next
new Savoy work Dame Rumour had been more than
usually busy, and when the truth was supposed to have
leaked out, though it did not until quite near the day of
opening, club gossips and the pundits declared that the
reputation of the theatre would be ruined for ever by the
presentation of a foreign work ! Though just before
this happened everybody was assured by everybody
else that it was going to be a pure, true, real British
opera of the proper sort — in fact, a comic opera without
any more topsy-turvyism. With Vincent Crummies
one wonders — " How do these things get into the
papers ? " — for the paragraphists had sharpened up
their pencils and told the world more about the Gilbert
and Sullivan opera than Gilbert and Sullivan ever knew
themselves. The excitement in certain circles was
intense, but, notwithstanding all temptations to divulge
the secret, everybody at the theatre was not only
amazingly discreet, but exceptionally mysterious.

The earliest inception of the idea for " The Mikado"
came, as often happens, from a slight accident. Hanging
on the wall in his study Gilbert had, amongst many other
curiosities, an old Japanese sword, which one day
sijddeaaly slipped on to the floor. Taking it in his hand,
he began to cogitate, for the incident had almost instantly
directed his attention to this country of peculiar habits

108 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

and romance. And about this time one of the attractions
of London was the " Japanese Village " at Knightsbridge,
which was declared to be a replica of the real thing.
Everything at Knightsbridge seemed to be lacquer and
lucre, for London sightseers crowded to the Japanese
village which society patronised, and the theatres and music
halls had sketches and comic songs travestying or
belauding the tiny yellow visitors from over the seas.
J. L. Toole at his little theatre in King William Street,
Strand, about a month after the production of "The
Mikado " — on April 30, 1885, to be exact — put on a
" Japananza " by Arthur Law and George Grossmith
called "The Great Takin (or Taykin)," in which he
imitated a Japanese juggler. At that time we had
scarcely any reliable information concerning the manners
and customs of the Japanese, but the presence of the
small colony of native artificers and native artists under
the shadow of Knightsbridge Barracks — and we may
add Knightsbridge Guards — created an intense and
laudable curiosity. Consequently when the word went
forth that the new Gilbert and Sullivan opera was not to
be one a la Balfe and Bunn, as persistently stated, but
genuine Japanese, the interest rose to fever heat.

Gilbert and Sullivan always did things properly, and
D'Oyly Carte never did them by halves, and as they
found almost everything they wanted at Knightsbridge
to assist them in the correct representation of the work
in hand, they secured the co-operation of the managers
of the Japanese village, who willingly lent them a Japanese
male dancer and a Japanese waitress or tea-girl to attend
the rehearsals and coach the company — a charming
Japanese tea-girl, whose knowledge of English was
limited to " Sixpence, please " — the charge for a cup of
tea at Albert Gate, Knightsbridge. She very quickly, how-
ever, picked up the language, and was engaged to teach the
Savoyard^ Japanese deportment, , and how to walk or
run with the funny little footsteps necessary for their
parts. Others of her nation gave them lessons in the
art of manipulating the fan, and also in the science of

Face p. 108

Miss JESSIE BOND
IN "THE SORCERER" (REVIVAL)

[Photo by Barmud

Face p. 109

Miss DECIMA MOORE

IN " THE GONDOLIERS "

[Photo by Barraud

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 109

make-up. The Japanese terpsichorean artist and John
D'Auban between them arranged the incidental dances,
And thus to the minutest detail the Savoyards studied
to become Japanesy in every way, and succeeded to
such perfection as to win high and agreeable praise
from their monitors.

Liberty's supplied the majority of the dresses — all
made, of course, of Japanese silk — while some of the
costumes worn by the principals were real Japanese,
discovered in various quarters, and some were imported,
those worn by Miss Rosina Brandram as Katisha being
over two hundred years old, and in every instance the
robes and petticoats were absolute replicas of the genuine
articles.

According to Cunningham Bridgeman, when Sullivan
first read the libretto he remarked to Gilbert that he was
somewhat surprised to find that he had not made use of
the distinctive class titles of Old Japan, such as, for
instance, " The Shoguns." Gilbert's reply was, " My
dear fellow, I agree with you. Some of those names
were very funny ; in fact, so ear-tickling as to invite
excruciating rhymes. But when I found that the
aristocracy of Old Japan were called ' Samurais ' I
paused. Supposing I wanted to introduce the Samurais
in verse, the obvious rhyme might have seriously offended
those good gentlemen who worship their ancestors.
Moreover, the rhyme would certainly have shocked a
Savoy audience unless your music had drowned the
expression in the usual theatrical way — Tympani
fortissimo, I think you call it." " Ah ! " said Sullivan,
" I see your point/'

One very extraordinary incident relating to " The
Mikado" at the final rehearsal is worth mentioning,
because nowadays it seems more extraordinary still.
There was a large chance of the Mikado's famous song,
" My object all sublime," being entirely cut out, much to
the dismay of Richard Temple, who was cast for the
part, For some inexplicable reason Gilbert decided at
the dress rehearsal that it would not go, and had better

Is

no THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

be eliminated. When, however, the choristers heard of
this drastic suggestion they went in a body to Gilbert
and beseeched him to reinstate it. This, as we all know,
was done, and the number became one of the most
important in the piece.

At first, during the preliminary rehearsals, Gilbert was
not quite satisfied with Harrington's conception of
Pooh-Bah, as Barrington has told us himself. " It worried
me considerably/' relates Barrington, " because I could
not quite make out what he wanted. So, after a fort-
night's work, I said to Gilbert, ' I hope that is more like
what you wanted ? ' His reply came as rather a shock.
' My dear Barrington, I have no doubt it will be an
admirable performance, but it is no more my idea of
Pooh-Bah than chalk is like cheese ! ' I then suggested
that possibly a quiet visit paid to him at home, coupled
with an hour or two's devotion to the exposition of his
views, might have the desired effect." This little meeting
was duly carried out, and afterwards Gilbert congratulated
Barrington, and thanked him for his invaluable aid
towards the success of the piece.

At last the night of the production arrived, but there
was much anxiety behind the scenes as Grossmith was
not shaping at all well, nor was he up to his usual standard
throughout the evening. Of this fact Grossmith speaks
in his chatty little volume, A Society Clown : " The
first night of ' The Mikado ' I shall never forget the longest
day I live. It must have appeared to all that I was
doing my best to spoil the piece. But what with my own
want qf physical strength, prostration through the
numerous and very long rehearsals, my anxiety to satisfy
the author, and the long rows of critics rendered blast by
the modern custom of half-a-dozen matinfees a week,
I lost my voice, the little there is of it, my confidence, and
— what I maintain is most valuable to me — my own
individuality. . In fact I plead guilty to what Richard
Barker declared me to be on those occasions — ' a lament-
able spectacle.' " However, George Grossmith worked
himself up to a very good Ko-Ko, but was not so good

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA in

as some others who followed him in the part — Walter
Passmore, for instance.

On Saturday, March 14, 1885.

THE MIKADO ; OR, THE TOWN OF Trnro.

A Japanese Opera, in Two Acts, written by W. S. Gilbert,

composed by Arthur Sullivan.

The Mikado of Japan Mr. R. Temple

Nanki-Poo (disguised as a wandering

Minstrel and in love with Yum- Yum) Mr. Durward Lely

Ko-Ko (Lord High Executioner of

Titipu) Mr. George Grossmith

Pooh-Bah (Lord High Everything Else) . .Mr. Rutland Barrington

Pish-Tush (a noble Lord) Mr. Frederick Bovill

Yum- Yum C Three Sisters, "1 Miss Leonora Braham

Pitti-Sing I Wards of I Miss Jessie Bond

Peep-Bo I Ko-Ko J Miss Sybil Grey

Katisha (an elderly lady, in love with

Nanki-Poo) Miss Rosina Brandram

Act I. : Courtyard of Ko-Ko's Official Residence.
Act II. : Ko-Ko's Garden.

Sometimes in the cast of the opera appears the character
of Go-To. It was not in the initial performances, and
the first time I noticed it was in August, 1885. The
popping in and out of this person has mystified many
people, and not until April, 1905, was the matter cleared
up, when Mrs. D'Oyly Carte gave the following explana-
tion : " Go-To is a member of the chorus with a heavy
bass voice, to whom is given the music written for Pish-
Tush in the quartette in Act II., ' Brightly dawns our
wedding day/ when, as frequently happens, the baritone
playing Pish-Tush has not a sufficiently heavy voice
effectively to sing that number. This diversion of the
music was not made on the first production of * The
Mikado/ but when it was found desirable on a later
reproduction of the opera, Mr. Gilbert was asked kindly
to christen the new character, and he christened him
Go-To/' ^ Mrs. D'Oyly Carte, as will be observed, was not
quite correct, but her remarks will serve, Mr, Rudolph
Lewis ^as the first Go-To—August, 1885*

ii2 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

One incident, which occurred on the first night is related
in Miss Edith A. Browne's W. S. Gilbert, a very interesting
brochure, which I have slightly altered : " But there
is a story concerning Grossmith which throws some new
light on Gilbert the autocratic stage manager. It was
the first night of ' The Mikado/ Grossmith was singing
' The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la ' in its duet
form with Nanki-Poo in the second act when suddenly
he stumbled and feH. He quickly picked himself up.
The audience thoroughly enjoyed this unrehearsed
effect, imagined it 'had to do with the case/ and Grossmith
finished his duet with Nanki-Poo and made his exit.
He did not hear the outburst of applause calling him
back ; his mind was too full of his fall. He made his
way to Gilbert, who was standing in the wings, and in
great distress apologised for having lost his balance.
' I am so sorry/ he said. ' I'm afraid I quite spoiled the
song.1 'Not at all/ replied Gilbert, quick to gauge the
spontaneity of the laugh which greeted the tumble ;
' fall down in exactly the same way whenever you join
in the duet, but don't get up again till you've finished/
And nightly after that Grossmith added to his quaint
interpretation of this duet by slipping to the ground at
the same point where he had involuntarily stumbled and
fell on the first night, and to the added amusement of
the audience he maintained a fantastic sitting posture
till the end of the song/'

As it had come to be understood, on what was supposed
to be good authority in musical and dramatic circles —
how incorrectly events quickly proved — that Gilbert and
Sullivan, after the comparative failure of " Princess
Ida," acknowledged th&nselves weary of the Bab Ballad
method of compiling comic operas, and that they were
employed upon a straight and old-style kind of piece,
the astonishment of the audience, when the curtain went
up on the first act of " The Mikado/' large and dis-
tinguished as it was, may well be imagined

The key note of joy was struck in the setting of the
first scene, and immediately the suitably attired Japanese

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 113

nobles and others were discovered singing the opening
chorus, but more especially emphasised when Nanki-Poo
commenced to lightly warble :

A wandering minstrel I,

A thing of shreds and patches,

Of ballads, songs, and snatches,
And dreamy lullaby.

The arresting quality about " The Mikado "—the
cleverest comic opera in its particular line ever written —
is that the story commences directly the curtain rises,
and the plot is so dexterously constructed that it carries
conviction, albeit, Gilbertian, all through to the end of
the fable. Then the lyrics are certainly the most delight-
ful, semi-serious or wholly extravagant, that even Gilbert
himself ever penned.

Gilbert's humour was Gilbert's humour, and everything
was almost invariably topsy-turvy, and to be judged
only by his own standard, as explained in his Bab Ballad
" My Dream " :

The other night, from cares exempt
I slept — and what d'ye think I dreamt ?
I dreamt that somehow I had come
To dwell in Topsy-Turvydom.

Although the majority of people could quite follow the
rigmarole of Gilbert's intentionally inverted philosophy,
there were some who took his perversions quite seriously
as being the outpourings of a diseased or disorganised
brain. For example, William Beatty Kingston, who
was a recognised musical critic, thus expressed himself
about the harmless, but exuberantly funny " Mikado " :
" ' The Mikado ' proved to be an extravaganza of the
old Savoy type — a fabric in which familiar material has
been cleverly worked up into a dainty Japanese pattern.
Anachronisms, surprises, incongruities — unsparing ex-
posure of human weakness and follies — things grave
and even horrible invested with a ridiculous aspect — all

H4 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

the motives prompting our actions traced back to

inexhaustible sources of selfishness and cowardice —

a strange, uncanny frivolity indicated in each individual

delineation of character, as though the author were bent

upon subtly hinting to the audience that everyone of

his dramatis personse is more or less intellectually

deranged ; these are the leading characteristics of Mr.

Gilbert's latest operatic libretto in common with its

predecessors. . . . Mr. Gilbert is a past master in the craft

of getting his puppets into and out of scrapes with an

agreeable recklessness as to the ethics of their modus

operand! He makes them lie with a frank sprightliness

irresistibly provocative of laughter ; and perjury as they

perpetrate it recommends itself to society at large as the

most natural and obvious of expedients for extracting

oneself from a tight place. The executioner, commanded

to do the duties of his office, which he has fraudulently

suffered to fall in abeyance, instantly looks about him

for some innocent victim, and bribes such an one with

his own bethrothed bride to perish in his stead. The

cumulative official, a very nonpareil of infamy, expresses

his pride in his ancestry by the basest venality. The

heroine, when united to the lover of her heart's choice,

displays a hysterical eagerness to renounce him as soon

as she understands that her marriage entails the sacrifice

of her own life as well as his. Upon hearing that his

son and heir has been deliberately murdered, the Mikado

points out with bland geniality that such a trifling

accident is really not worth making a fuss about, and turns

the assassins' consternation into mirth by one or two

curiously ghastly pleasantries. All these people, and

their ' principals ' to boot, are carefully shown to be

unsusceptible of a single kindly feeling or wholesome

impulse ; were they not manifestly maniacal they would

be demoniacal." And much more to the same purpose.

Did I not know from personal knowledge that Beatty

Kingston was absolutely devoid of the right sense of

humour I should have imagined that he was trying to

pull the kg of the whole of the universe. When the article

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 115

was shown to W. S. Gilbert it was thought he would have
had an apoplectic fit. However, he made haste to laugh
like Figaro, for fear that he should be compelled to
weep.

One of Grossmith's quickest hits was when, as Ko-Ko
he sang :

As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,

I've got a little list — I've got a little list
Of social offenders who might well be underground,

And who never would be missed — who never would be missed.
There's the pestilential- nuisances who write for autographs —
All people who have flabby hands and irritating laughs —
All children who are up in dates, and floor you with 'em flat —
All persons who in shaking hands shake hands with you like

that—
And all third persons who on spoiling tete-b-t&tes insist —

They'd none of 'em be missed — they'd none of 'em be missed.

Although Gilbert had a rooted aversion from allowing
"gags" and additions of his dialogue and songs, in the
case of this particular ditty he assumed a lenient attitude,
and many interpolations were introduced by succeeding
comedians. On this subject Mr. Rupert D'Oyly Carte
wrote an elucidating letter to the editor of the Daily
Telegraph on November 12, 1919. 'Mr. Carte said, "I
have read in the Press and heard several remarks to the
effect that there is much 'gagging' in 'The Mikado, *
As the point is clearly of national importance, will you
allow me to say that the book of ' The Mikado/ as now
being played at the Prince's Theatre, is precisely as
written and revised by Gilbert himself, the only exception
being one word in the ' Never would be missed ' song ?
Gilbert replaced the original words ' lady novelist ' in
this song at various revivals, " by ' red-hot Socialist/
* scorching bicyclist/ ' sham philanthropist/ * scorching
motorist/ and ' lovely Suffragist/ and obviously intended
that a word suitable to the moment should be used.
Mr. Henry Lytton at my request uses the word ' pro-
,hibitionist ' in the present revival. la the second act
the reply to the Mikado's demand for Nanki-Poo's

n6 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

address has always been varied according to circum-
stances and locality, in accordance with Gilbert's written
instructions/'

The " Three little maids from school/' trio, has become
almost a classic, while Yum-Ynm's song, at the opening
of Act II., " The sun whose rays," became popular
almost from the first time it was sung. But of course the
chief success was, and always has been, the Mikado's
song and chorus, the words of which have passed into
the vernacular of the day :

My object all sublime
I shall achieve in time —
To let the punishment fit the crime —

The punishment fit the crime,
And make each prisoner pent
Unwillingly represent
A source of innocent merriment —
Of innocent merriment.

And " The flowers that bloom in the spring " has passed
almost into a proverb. But the individual number was
never so important as the combined conglomeration
of solos, duets, trios, and choruses.

There was no question about the success of " The
Mikado " in London from the very beginning, and even
the street boy was captivated with the title, which he
quickly transmogrified into " The Mickey Doo." Success
somehow always seems to suggest plunder and so of
course the pirates and purloiners very soon got busy with
their clawing, clamouring hands. How to beat the
gentlemen at their own game soon became a very serious
problem.

In 1885 Arthur Sullivan went to America to try and safe-
guard the interests of the opera, and as the true story of
the production in the States was so well told in one of
the American papers I make bold to transcribe the
whole matter via Mr. Arthur Lawrence, one of the
biographers of Sir Arthur Sullivan, for the complete
purposes of this narrative. " The English public/' said

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 117

the well informed writer in this paper, " have heard a
good deal about the local warfare which has been waged
over ' The Mikado ' in America. Some may remember
that, after the enormous success of the opera in London,
two American managers entered into treaty with Mr!
D'Oyly Carte for the production of the piece in New
York. These were Mr. Stetson of the Fifth Avenue
Theatre, and Mr. Duff of the Standard. Mr. Carte finally
closed with Mr. Stetson, and annoyed by the success of
his rival, Mr. Duff resolved to pirate the piece and to play
it in New York, in advance of Mr. Carte and, of course,
in advance of the author and composer. Then com-
menced a campaign between the English and American
managers. Mr. Carte had arranged to produce ' The
Mikado ' at the Fifth Avenue Theatre about the middle
of October (1885), but when he ascertained that it was
Mr. Duff's intention to forestall him by beginning his
unauthorised performance in August, Mr. Carte decided
to steal a march on his opponent by placing all possible
impediments in the way of carrying out his scheme,
and by so arranging his own plans that the first perform-
ance of ' The Mikado ' which the New Yorkers witnessed
should be the genuine and authorised one. Mr. Duff
had the advantage in commencing hostilities, of being on
the scene of action in New York, whereas Mr. Carte was
well aware that if he made preparations to take his
artists over to America the fact would be cabled to Mr,
Duff in New York, who would then have about ten days'
start in. bringing out the opera with his own company.
It was obvious that the expedition must be organised
secretly, and what the difficulties in the way of such a
course were anyone can imagine who reflects on the
number of different persons who have to be taken into
confidence before a large opera company can be got
together and made ready to start for a foreign shorg.
At this juncture of affairs Mr. Carte discovered that Mr.
Duff was attempting to obtain Japanese costumes in
London in imitation of those used at the Savoy Theatre,
so Mr. Carte proceeded to buy up all the Japanese

u8- THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

costumes of any value in London, and also in Paris.
Several hundred costly costumes were bought up in
this way, but they could easily be utilised for the various
companies in England, Australia and America. All
the members of the company were rehearsed under the
impression th? they were destined to start on tour in
the English provinces, but one day Mr. Carte privately
requested them to assemble at the Savoy Theatre.
Here he addressed them in a body, told them the whole
story of Mr. Duff's proposed piracy, and finally told
them it was impossible to rely on the protection of
American law in the matter, in the absence of any
International Copyright Act ; the only practical plan
was to get the play, company, costumes, etc., out to
New York so secretly that no information of his intentions
could reach the city before their arrival. They would
have to sail in two days.

" The company left London on August 7, by midnight
train, and reached Liverpool in the early morning. They
breakfasted together at a small commercial hotel where
none of them were known, and then conveyed by special
tug to the Cunard s.s. Aurania. She was to start that
afternoon, and when the passenger tender was seen
approaching all the company retired to their cabins
and shut themselves in, so that they might not be seen
and recognised by any persons who were coming to bid
farewell to their friends. The berths of the company
were all booked under fictitious names, Mr. D'Oyly
Carte was entered on the ship's books as Mr. Henry
Chapman.

" On the arrival of the vessel in New York Harbour
Mr. Carte's agent came out to meet it with the pleasing
information that nothing was yet known in New York.
Great was the consternation of Mr. Duff when it became
known that the enemy, supposed to be three thousand
miles away, was actually in the citadel. The outcome
of this strategic movement was a complete defeat for
Mr. Duff, as * The Mikado ' company drew all the city
to their first-night performance, while Mr. Duff's company

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 119

had hardly begun their preliminary rehearsals." Mr.
Duff swore !

The success of " The Mikado " produced at the Fifth
Avenue Theatre on August 19, 1885, was immediate and
triumphant. A year later, while the opera was still
drawing crowded houses throughout Great Britain and
the United States, "The Mikado" was tried on
the Germans, and, as it turned out, the experiment
in Berlin was entirely successful It was carried
out by one of the English companies, which had
had a long tour in America. The critic of The North
German Gazette said, "At the very outset we were
surprised by the pretty scenery and the truly blinding
splendour of the dresses as well, by the easy grace of all
who took part in the play. Not only are the solo singers
excellent performers, but the minor members of the
choir do their work artistically. We are conscious of
entertaining a very pronounced predilection for all our
home products, but we scruple not to confess that as a
performance ' The Mikado ' surpasses all our operettas.
And were it not for the fact that the English language
must remain unintelligible to the bulk of .the audience,
and thus hamper their appreciation of the piece, their
delight in the treat which is offered them would be greater
still. The music is effective all through, and even
comprises some delicate masterpieces/1 In the course of
time " The Mikado " became a stock piece in the German
capital and in 1889 Arthur Sullivan, by special request,
conducted the orchestra himself.

Arthur Sullivan used to relate the following anecdote
with very much relish. When he was at Los Angeles,
a Mexican killed another on some disputed territory,
and no one seemed to know who had jurisdiction, but
there was one man who acted as Judge, Sheriff, and
Executioner, besides Ming other offices requisite for
the carrying out of the law. The man who ha:d committed
the crime was brought up before the gentleman of
multiple offices, who tried him and sentenced him to
death. Meanwhile there was no likelihood of the man

120 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

running away, so he was left perfectly free, and told that
his execution would take place within three days of
sentence. When the day arrived the Judge, being his
own Sheriff, went to look for him, and having found him
said, " Come along, Juan Baptisto ! Time's up ! " But
Juan was engaged in a very exciting game of euchre and
asked the Judge for permission to finish the game. The
Judge, being a bit of a sportsman acceeded, and it is
believed, took a hand in it himself. As soon as the game
was over Juan declared himself ready, and within a few
minutes the Judge and Sheriff satisfactorily performed
his duty as hangman.

It is only necessary to add that " The Mikado " had been
played in the town only a short time before this unique
performance in real life.

CHAPTER XIV

The Evolution of " The Mikado."

IN a most unexpected burst of confidence W. S, Gilbert,
through the pages of the New York Tribune in August,
1885, revealed to his admirers the origin and development
of this humorous gem of the Gilbert and Sullivan,
masterpieces. " Very few people " says Gilbert, " have
any idea of the amount of earnest thought that a dramatic
author must bestow upon his original work before it is in
a condition to be presented to the very exacting audiences
that fill a good London theatre on the occasion of the
first performance of a new play. • I do not mean to say
that original dramatic composition involves necessarily
a high order of literary ability. On the contrary, I
believe the chief secret of success is to keep well within
the understanding of the least intelligent section of the
audience. The dramatic author is in the position of a
caterer, who has to supply one dish of which all members
of every class of society are invited to partake. If he
supplies nothing but creme de volatile, he may please
the epicure in the stalls, but he will surely irritate the
costermonger in the gallery. If he supplies nothing but
baked sheep's heads, the costermonger will be delighted,
but the epicure will be disgusted. , Probably, the dish
that will be acceptable to the largest number of every
class is rump steak and oyster sauce, which is, after all,
a capital thing in its way, and may be taken as a type of
the class of piece which is most likely to succeed. It
does not call for a very high, order of merit on the part
of the chef, but it requires a good deal of practical skill
nevertheless. It occurred to me that the difficulties of

122 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

dramatic authorship might be effectively set forth by
narrating the history of a piece from its germ to its
production upon the stage, and as the incidents of ' The
Mikado ' are fresh in my mind, that piece will serve my
purpose as well as another. In May, 1884, it became
necessary to decide upon a subject for the next Savoy
opera. A Japanese executioner's sword hanging on the
wall of my library — the very sword carried by Mr.
Grossmith at his entrance in the first act — suggested the
broad idea upon which the libretto is based. A Japanese
piece would afford opportunities for picturesque scenery
and costumes, and moreover, nothing of the kind had
ever been attempted in England. There were difficulties
in the way. Could a sufficient number of feminine
Japanese dresses in good condition be procured in
London ? How would the ladies of our chorus look in
black wigs ? Could they be taught to wear the Japanese
costume effectively ? However, none of these difficulties
appeared to be insuperable, and the scheme of a Japanese
opera was decided upon. Then it became necessary to
fit the company with parts, and this was not so easy a
matter as it may at first sight appear to be. We had
written six operas for practically the same company,
and in this, our seventh, it was of course necessary to
steer clear of everything that we had already done,
and yet to fit' our company with parts to which they
could do justice, and which would do justice to them.
The accident that Miss Braham, Miss Jessie Bond, and
Miss Sybil Grey, are short in stature and all of a height,
suggested the advisability of grouping them as three
Japanese schoolgirls who should work together through-
out the piece. Miss Brandram is a personable young
lady who has no objection to ' make-up/ old and ugly—
and of her good natured readiness to sacrifice her own
personal attractions to the exigences of the plot we have,
perhaps, taken an undue advantage. The next thing
was to decide upon two scenes, which should be charac-
teristic ami effective, Tfre respective advantages of a
street in Nagaski, a Japanese market-place, wharf with

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 123

shipping, a Japanese garden, a seaside beach and the
courtyard of a Japanese palace, were duly weighed ; and
the courtyard and the Japanese Garden were finally
decided upon. The story of the piece had to be drawn
up in narrative form, and this I find was done in eleven
different ways, each presumably an improvement upon
its immediate predecessor. The story is next divided
into two acts, and the sequence of events in each act is
decided upon, with the exits and entrances sketched out.
the purport of the various dialogues suggested, and the
musical situations arranged. I had to make at least a
dozen shots at the ' scenario ' (that is the technical name
for the piece in its skeleton form), before a course of
action was finally decided upon,

"The plot having reached this stage, I read the story
and the scenario to Sir Arthur Sullivan. He approved
of ^ the story; made some valuable suggestions bearing
chiefly on the musical situations, and after three or four
hours ' of careful deliberation the chain of events was
finally determined, and a twelfth and last version of the
story, varying in no great degree from its immediate
predecessor, was prepared the next day and then the
libretto was begun. The libretto in its first form is
simply the scenario reduced' to dialogue of the baldest
and simplest nature, leaving the songs to be written
afterwards. No attempt at a joke is to be found in
the dialogue; it merely carries on the action in the
fewest possible words. Having roughly sketched out
the dialogue it was put aside for a time, that I might
devote myself to the words of the songs. My usual
practice is to furnish Sir Arthur Sullivan with the songs
of the first act, and while he is setting them I proceed
with the songs of act two. When these are practically
finished I revert to the dialogue, elaborating and polishing
the crude suggestions contained in the first version of
the libretto, while he composes the music, and so it comes
to pass that the pianoforte score and the libretto are
usually completed at about the same date. The libretto
is then set up in type and read to the company. This

124 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

is always a nervous affair, for by this time the jokes have
lost their point, the situations their novelty, and the
author is generally at a loss to see where the laughs will
come in. I have often seen it stated that actors and
actresses form a dispiriting audience at such a ceremony,
and that they care little for the story or the dialogue
in the abstract, their attention being concentrated on
the parts which they believe they are destined to play.
I am bound to say that my own experience is to the
contrary effect. As a body they are keenly alive to
such merits as the piece may possess, and I am sorry to
say that I have often had occasion to wish that my play
had gone with the audience half as well as it did when it
was read to the company.

" Then comes the actual business of putting the piece
upon the stage. Hitherto, it has existed only in manu-
script— henceforth it is to live as an aggregate of fifty
human beings. As the piece is an opera, the company
must have the music before they begin to study the
dialogue and action. The music rehearsals usually last
a- fortnight, during which the author occupies himself,
partly in getting the rhythm of the musical numbers
into his very unmusical head, partly in arranging details
of scenery with the scenic artist, partly in arranging
details of the costume, but chiefly with determining
' stage management ' of the piece, so that when the
first ' stage rehearsal ' takes place he shall be in a position
to announce a clear and distinct policy to his company.
To this end fac-simile models of the scenes, on a scale of
half an inch to the foot, are supplied to me, by the scenic
artist, and on the miniature stages the piece is duly
rehearsed, by the aid of blocks of wood three inches and
two and a half inches in length representing men
and women respectively. The details which are obtained
by these means are committed to paper, and, at the
very first rehearsal the piece begins to take a definite
and distinct form. While these matters are occupy-
ing me, Sir Arthur Sullivan is busy witji the music
rehearsals."

Face p. 124

MR. COURTICE POUNDS

[Photo ly Barraut

Face p. 125

[Photo by Alfred Ellis

Miss ROSINA BRANDRAM, Miss EMMIE OWEN
AND Miss FLORENCE PERRY

IN " UTOPIA LIMITED "

CHAPTER XV

" Ruddy gore ; or, The Witch's Curse ''—The Curse of the Title

" Ruddy George ; or, Robin Redbreast/'

FOR close upon two years " The Mikado " drew delighted
audiences to the Savoy theatre, recording on its first run
six hundred and seventy-two performances. On
February n, 1886, a "whimsicality "'called " The Carp/'
written "by Frank Desprez and composed by Alfred
Cellier, was put on as lever de rideau, the chief character
in which being played by Eric Lewis, who had only been
on the stage about five years. He was another under-
study of George Grossmith and a very good one he made.
It may be noticed that "The Mikado/' besides
being constantly performed in English in Germany and
Austria made its appearance in Berlin in March, 1888,
in a translation, the German librettists being Messrs.
Zell and Richard G6n6e. But previously to this Dutch
impresarios had toured " Het Mikado/' Van Gilbert-
Sullivan, throughout the chief cities and towns of Holland.
Jhis is jumping ahead a little, so we will return to our
muttons, and the first production of " Ruddygore ; or
The Witch's Curse/' which caused more discussion than
all the other Savoy pieces put together. However, it
will be better to have the cast first :

To-night, Saturday, January 22, 1887.

RUDDYGORE ; OR, THE WITCH'S CURSE.

A New and Original Supernatural Opera.

Written by W, S. Gilbert. Composed by Arthur Sullivan.

Dramatis Persona.

MORTALS.

Rabin. Oakapple (a Young Farmer) .... Mr. George Grossmith
Ks - 135

126 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Richard Dauntless (his foster-brother

—a Man-o'-War's Man) Mr. Durward Lely

Sir Despard Murgatroyd (of Ruddy-

™f °^' a Wicked Baronet) Mr. Rutland Barrington

Old Adam Goodheart (Robin's faithful

•o old Secant) Mr. Rudolph Lewis

Rose Maybud (a Village Maiden) Miss Leonora Braham

Mad Margaret Miss Jessie Bond

Dame Hannah (Rose's Aunt) Miss Rosina Brandram

Zorah f Professional \ Miss Josephine Findlay

Ruth | Bridesmaids] Miss Lindsay

GHOSTS.

Sir Rupert Murgatroyd (The First Baronet) Mr. Price

Sir Joseph Murgatroyd (The Third Baronet) Mr. Charles

Sir Lionel Murgatroyd (The Sixth Baronet) Mr. Trevor

Sir Conrad Murgatroyd (The Twelfth Baronet) Mr. Burbank

Sir Desmond Murgatroyd (The Sixteenth Baronet) . . Mr, Tuer
Sir Gilbert Murgatroyd (The Eighteenth Baronet) Mr. Wilbraham

Sir Mervyn Murgatroyd (The Twentieth Baronet) Mr. Cox

and
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd (The Twenty-first Baronet)

Mr. Richard Temple

Act I. : The Fishing Village of Roderring, in Cornwall.
Act II. : Picture Gallery in Ruddygore Castle.

Most of the Sunday papers, and many of the dailies, had
something to say about the title as being to some extent
objectionable. Said the Observer, together with much
praise, " The subject of the opera, which has its scene
laid in England at the beginning of the present
century, affords an admirable opening not only for the
cynical fun of the playwright but for the remarkable
imitative faculty of the composer. . . . There is some-
thing not all pretty about the sound of ' Ruddygore/ which
moreover threatens a grimmer mood of satire than that
in which the author is here pleased to indulge." Much
unnecessary objection was taken to the title, and the
pious public, some who even called themselves regular
playgoers, began to write letters of protest to the papers,
while " friends " of the management remonstrated gravely
against such a title as " Bloodygore." There are many
anecdotes about the matter, and Gilbert certainly felt the

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 127

assaults upon his supposed waijt of good taste very keenly.
One story ran that an ardent first-nighter, who was bitterly
disappointed at the production, wrote to Gilbert com-
plaining that the title " Bloodygore " was wrong, and that
Gilbert wrote back saying: "'Ruddygore is one thing,
Bloodygore is another thing, and if, in writing to you,
I said ' you had a ruddy cheek ' it would very inadequately
express my meaning." Perhaps, many years after—
when in fact "Ruddygore" was revived at the Prince's
on October 24, 1921 — a gentleman, signing himself Senex,
and dating from the Athenaeum Club, wrote: "The
correct, or perhaps one should say the best version of
the famous story, is as follows : A friend meeting Gilbert
soon after the production, asked him how his ' Bloody-
gore ' was going. Gilbert said, ' It isn't " Bloodygore "
it's " Ruddygore." ' ' Oh/ said the friend, ' its the same
thing/ ' Is it/ replied Gilbert. ' Then I suppose you'll
take it that if I say " I admire your ruddy countenance/'
I mean " I like your bloody cheek ! " ' " That sounds a
bit elaborate, and perhaps originated with Ben Trovato,
yet, as late as October 2, 1921, we find George R. Sims
writing "'Ruddigore' the Gilbert and Sullivan opera,
which is being revived for the first time after thirty years'
rest, was not first received with that rapturous applause
that had rewarded the earliest Savoy successes. There
was something in the title that jarred, and thereby hangs
a tale. Soon after the production .Gilbert, at a ball
supper was seated next a very charming young lady.
After the preliminary banalities the young lady said,
' I have seen your new opera, you know, Mr. Gilbert,
and I like it very much, but why did you give it such
a dreadful title? Ruddygore means bloody-gore, and
that is not nice ! ' ' My dear young kdy ' replied
the Savoyant, smiling grimly, ' you are quite wrong.
Ruddy does not mean bloody. For example, when
I say " I like your ruddy cheek/' I dti not refer to your
bloody cheek 1 * ' Yes — No — I see/ stammered the young
lady. But I don't think she did." Well, that is a very
good story. But even in the eighties, I doubt if any

128 THE STORY OF, THE SAVOY OPERA

young lady would have used the word, although she
would know it, nor do I think that Gilbert would have
made such extraordinary observations — even to score a
point.

Now one of the reasons — perhaps the chief reason — why
the title did not find favour was well known to the man
in the street. In the middle seventies of last century, long
before " Ruddygore " was thought of by Gilbert, the use
of swear words in general conversation amongst almost
all classes was of frequent occurrence. But when the
youngsters began to imitate their elders instead of saying
" bloody " the common practice was to replace it with
" ruddy/' and for one youth to say to another don't be
a r< ruddy fool/' meant exactly what it meant, and the
" sisters and the cousins and the aunts " were perfectly
well aware of the expression, much as they deprecated it.
Perhaps Gilbert did not know this, and when he changed
the " y " into an " i " the mischief was done — but after,
and besides, the pronunciation was the same.

Mr. George Grossmith in his Society Clown says :
" A great objection was taken both by the Press and a
large section of the public to the title of ' Ruddygore '
and the opera itself was not favourably criticised/'
About a week after its production Gilbert turned up at
the Savoy and said : "I propose altering the piece and
calling it ' Kensington Gore ; or, Not So Good As The
Mikado." But long after this, some twenty years, when
the O.P. club, at the instigation of Carl Hentschel gave
a dinner at the Hotel Cecil, December 30, 1906, to old
Savoyards, including, of course, Gilbert himself, the
Savoy librettist referred to the many rumours current
soon after the production of " Ruddygore," and said
among other things :

" We were credited, or discredited, with one con-
spicuous failure — ' Ruddigore ; or, The Witch's Curse/
Well, it ran eight months, and, with the sale of the libretto,
put £7,000 into my pocket. It was not generally known
that, bending before the storm of Press execration aroused
by fixe awful title, we were within an ace of changing it

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 129

from 'Ruddygore' to 'Kensington Gore; or, Robin
and Richard were Two Pretty Men/ " It was Sullivan
who protested against the alteration, though Gilbert
had maintained that it would be more idyllic. Amongst
the many letters that appeared during the newspaper
controversy was a singularly inept one from George
Edwardes, who, assuming the work to be a failure, sug-
gested that had the Savoy management followed the
precedent of the Gaiety (of which he was of course the
manager) and allowed the comedians to " gag/' the play
would have been saved. Gilbert quietly retorted that
the ideals of the Savoy and the Gaiety were not exactly
the same. The Gaiety attraction at that time was a most
successful concoction, in which half a score of authors
and composers were concerned. By producing musical
comedy George Edwardes was slowly trying to exterminate
real comic opera, and in the end he for the time succeeded.
Although " Ruddigore " was a deliberate burlesque, very
much in the style of Henry J. Byron— who might be
termed Gilbert's foster-parent — of the old Surrey and
Victoria dramas, that were already in themselves some-
what stale and old fashioned, some of the superfine scribes
were greatly exercised in their minds over the unnatural-
ness of the characters and the horrible murdering main-
spring of the plot ! They were all criminals of the deepest
dye, the motives prompting their actions and utterances
were all selfish, cynical, and cruel. But luckily the public
did understand the real humour of " Ruddigore " with
its reminders of the ghostly not to say ghastly Monk Lewis,
and the simple imbecilities of old time domestic drama,
with the everlasting virtuous village maiden ; and the
gallant rescuing tar who always arrived on the scene a
hundred miles from theportwherehehaddisembarkedhalf
an hour previously, at the psychological moment, and
rescued her from death "or worSeK' It was all sheer
delightful burlesque and legitimate parody, andjf a little
strained here and there it provided harmless amusement
for thousands of playgoers. " Ruddigore " was a Develop-
ment of a scheme Gilbert had partly executed

130 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

in a small extravaganza called " Ages Ago," with music
by Frederick Clay, produced by the German Reeds at the
Gallery of Illustration, Regent Street, in 1869. The
second act of " Ruddigore " is in a way a repetition of the
part where the old masters come to life and the ancestors
step from their picture frames. There is an old Fun con-
tribution called " The Ghost and His Ladye Love/1
which was not reprinted in the Bab Ballads :

Fair phantom come, the moon's awake,
The owl hoots gaily from its brake,

The blithesome bat's a-wing.
Come, soar to yonder silent clouds —
The ether teems with peopled shrouds ;
We'll fly the lightsome spectre crowds,

Thou cloudy, clammy thing.

With which Sir Roderic Murgatroyd's song in the second
act may be compared :

And then each ghost with his ladye-toast to the churchyard beds

take flight
With a kiss perhaps on her lantern chaps and a grisly-grim

" good-night,"
Till the welcome knell of the midnight bell rings forth its j oiliest

tune
And ushers our next high holiday — the dead of the night's high

noon.

Also in " The Modest Couple/1 of " Bab/' there is a hint
of both Robin Oakapple and Rose Maybud.

When man and maiden meet, I like to see a drooping eye ;
I always droop my own — I am the shyest of the shy.
I'm also fond of bashfulness and sitting down on thorns,
For modesty's a quality that womankind adorns.

But Gilbert was always " developing " himself. The
book, however, was not in Gilbert's best manner although
the vein was there right enough. While everybody joined
in a chorus of admiration over Sullivan's music, Gilbert's

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 131

*

libretto was considered too indefinite and halting and
came m for a great deal of harsh criticism. There were
one or two hitches on the firstnight, and when Gilbert and
Sullivan took then- "call" before the curtain the un-
accustomed but brutal " boo " was heard more than once
in the gallery, for the first time at the Savoy

Notwitstanding, the opera ran from January until
October and very many of the musical numbers became
as popular as those in previous works, and some few of
the lines were remembered and repeated lone after its
career was finished.

Robin's song, as delivered by George Grossmith, tickled

tne taste immensely.

My boy, you may take it from me
That of all the afflictions accurst
With which a man's saddled
And hampered and addled
A diffident nature's the worst,
Though clever as clever may b&—
A Crichton of early romance —

You must stir it, and stump it
And blow your own trumpet
Or trust me you haven't a chance.
If you wish in the world to advance
Your merits you're bound to enhance.
You must stir it and stump it
And blow your own trumpet,
Or, trust me, you haven't a chance.

Gilbert always had a good excuse for his supernumeraries
who sang and played the chorus, and in "Ruddigore "
he has a bevy of professional bridesmaids who are on
duty every day from ten to four to assist at any wedding
that may take place. It is just possible that Gilbert
was inspired with this idea by a short paper which
appeared in H. J. Byron's Comic Journal Mirth to which
he was a contributor. The article was entitled " Broken-
down Bridesmaids." One astounding incident occurred
through Ruddigore " that almost took Gilbert's breath
a-way. It was the second verse of Richard Dauntless's
song * la Dibdin, splendidly sung by Durward Lely, that
caused all the trouble.

I32 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Then our Captain he up and he says, says he,
" That chap we need not fear —
We can take her, if we like,
She is sartin for to strike,
For she's only a darned mounseer.

D'ye see ?
She's only a darned mounseer

But to fight a French fal-lal — it's like hittin' of a gal —
It's a lubberly thing for to do ;
For we with all our faults
Why, we're sturdy British salts.
While she's only a Parley -voo,

D'ye see,
A miserable Parley- voo/'

This caused quite a storm across the Channel. The verse
was intended to ridicule the bragging spirit and Chauvin-
istic boastings that were indulged in in by-gone times, but
the French took it literally and declared that it was an
affront to their national pride. The burlesque words,
indeed, not only disturbed the French but also a few dull-
witted Englishmen, who, describing themselves as British
patriots, construed it into a slight upon our Navy, and
it almost threatened to disturb our friendly relations with
our friends across the Channel. The French corres-
pondent of the Paris Figaro, who bore the very un-Gallic
name of Johnson, and, although he lived in our midst
for many years, never mastered the subtleties of the
English language, and who was entirely deficient in
humour, saw a studied insult to his beloved compatriots
and said so. It did not quite become a national affair,
however, but it caused a lot of friction for the moment,
and it was stated in several quarters that Gilbert himself
had been challenged to mortal combat ! And if it did
not exactly end in coffee and cigars, it did in smoke.

In the Ophelia-like character of Mad Margaret, Miss
Jessie Bond surprised everybody by the intensity of her
acting. She had a very pretty ballad " To a garden full
of posies/' which was one of the hits of the piece ; while
Miss Leonora Braham, a most deliciously simple village
maiden, who knew her way about, as Rose Maybud,

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 133

delighted everyone with " In bygone days I had thy love/1
But the book was full of interesting lyrics and they
were soon heard everywhere.

Although Rutland Harrington was not allotted a solo
he had much concerted music to sing. This was his last
appearance at the Savoy for some little time, for hanker-
ing after other worlds to conquer he went into manage-
ment on his own account and opened the St. James's
Theatre with a new play by Sydney Grundy and F. C.
Phillips. This was called "The Dean's Daughter/'
and was unfortunately a very great failure, and so was
W. S. Gilbert's " Brantinghame Hall " on November 29,
1888, when the piece was speedily withdrawn, because, as
the management stated, it " failed to attract " — a phrase
which was invented by Gilbert himself. There was one
good thing about it, it gave Miss Julia Neilson her first
proper engagement. But to return to " Ruddigore/'
there were several changes in the cast during the run of
the piece. On May 7, 1887, Miss Geraldine Ulmar took
up the part of Rose Maybud during the absence of Miss
Leonora Braham, and I believe played it until the play
was removed. Being a pretty woman, a good singer and
a capable actress, she made a very welcome first appear-
ance in London and remained to create Elsie Maynard
in " The Yeomen of the Guard/' For a time toq Miss
Amy Augarde replaced Miss Jessie Bond as Mad Margaret.

One of the most important events that happened was
the engagement of Mr. H. A. Lytton to understudy
George Grossmith as Robin Oakapple. Let Mr. Lytton
tell his own tale. " Towards the end of that week
(when ' Ruddigore ' was first produced) Grossmith was
taken seriously ill with peritonitis. By an effort he was
able to continue playing until Saturday, then he collapsed
and was taken home for a serious operation. Upon the
Monday morning I was told I was to play the part—-
and play it that very night. . . . Then the cue came and
I went on. The silence of the audience was deathly*
They gave me not the slightest welcome. The great
Grossmith, the lion comique of his day, was not playing.

134 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Robin Oakapple was being taken by an unknown stripling,
No wonder they were disappointed and chilling. First
I had a few lines to speak and then I had a beautiful
little duet with Miss Leonora Braham who was playing
Rose Maybud. And when that duet ' Poor Little Man '
was over, and we had responded to the calls for an encore,
all my tremors and hesitation had gone. I knew things
were all right. . . . The applause when the curtain fell
was to me unforgettable. It betokened a triumph." 1
take this from Mr. Lytton's book The Secrets of a
Savoyard. Mr. Lytton had succeeded. Gilbert said to
him as he shook him by the hand, " There is no need for
the Lyttons to turn in their graves." George Grossmith
of course got better and returned, and Mr. Lytton was
sent on tour with one of the D'Oyly Carte companies, and
continued acting in the country for some years, with
occasional appearances in London.

It seems an odd thing to burlesque a burlesque, but
that is what was done at Toole's Theatre, March 19,
1887, when <c Ruddy George; or, Robin Redbreast" was
presented. It was rather feeble. Portraits of W. S. Gilbert,
Arthur Sullivan, and D'Oyly Carte were shown in the
picture gallery scene and were quickly recognised. Mr.
Toole did not appear in it himself, but made a humorous
speech before the curtain as a sort of prologue, and that
was the funniest part of the show.

RUDDY GEORGE ; OR, ROBIN REDBREAST,

A Musical Parody in One Act.
Written by H. G. F. Taylor. Music by Percy Reeve.

Robin Redbreast Mr. E. D. Ward

Dick Leward Mr. C. Wilson

Sir Jaspard Rougegorge Mr. G. Shelton

Old Daddy Longlegs Mr. W. Brunton

Rosy Miss Marie Linden

Aunt Joanna Miss Emily Thorne

BettY Miss Bella Wallis

Molly Miss Susie Steele

Old Chloe Miss J. Wise

Sir Gilbert Rougegorge Mr. C. M. Lowne

Sk Arthur Rougegorge Mr. G. Be Pledge

Sir Doyley Rougegorge Mr. J, B. Catell

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 135

W. S. Gilbert sat in a box and waited in vain for the sparks
of wit which never came. Then he went behind the
scenes and had a chat with his old friend, Johnnie Toole.
Some few of the members of the cast are still happily
in the land of adventure — George Shelton, Miss Marie
Linden, C. M. Lowne, and I think, Miss Bella Wallis, who
married and left the stage soon after this Saturday
matin 6e.

^ now^ after a lapse of thirty-four years— for the
piece was laid on the shelf as far as London was concerned
ever since its production in 1887— (( Ruddigore " was
revived at the Prince's Theatre on October 24, 1921,
and again on February 18, 1924, with Mr. H. A. Lytton
as Robin Oakapple— the assumed name of Sir Ruthven
Murgatroyd— the part that gave him his great lift up
the ladder of comic opera fame. A Note on the pro-
gramme makes historical reading, as it gives some
particulars of the opera, which in another form have
already been related in these pages.

RUDDIGORE; OR, THE WITCH'S CURSE.

Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd (disguised as

Robin Oakapple — a Young Farmer) ...... Henry A. Lytton

Richard Dauntless, his Foster Brother

(a Man o' Wars' Man) ..................... Derek Oldhara

Sir Despard Murgatroyd (of Ruddigore

— a Wicked Baronet) ...................... Leo Sheffield

Old Adam Goodheart (Robin's

Faithful Servant) ...................... Robert McQueen

Sir Roderic Murgatroyd (The Twenty-

first Baronet) ........................ Darrell Fancourt

Rose Maybud (a Village Maiden) ................ Elsie Griffin

Mad Margaret ........................ Catherine Ferguson

Dame Hannah (Rose's Aunt) .................. Bertha Lewis

Zorah /Professional 1 .................... .... Elsie Coram

Ruth \Bridesmaidsj ................ Marguerite Kynaston

The performances were highly appreciated, and the music
came back as a beautiful echo of the past after so many
years. Although the satire must have been quite

136 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

foreign to the majority of the audiences, the fun was
appreciated at its right value, while the songs and the
music generally were encored again and again, and the
piece has now been restored to the Gilbert and Sullivan
repertoire under the management of Mr. Rupert D'Oyly
Carte.

CHAPTER XVI

A Very Short Interlude and Some Short Revivals — " H.M.S.

Pinafore " — " Mrs. Jarramie's Genie " — " The Pirates of

Penzance " and " The Mikado " with a Prophecy.

As already indicated, " Ruddigore," like " Princess Ida,"
for many explainable and also some unexplainable
reasons, did not appeal with very great force to the general
public, so it was withdrawn on November 5th, and as the
new piece was in a chaotic state of semi-preparation,
" H.M.S. Pinafore " was revived a week later, November
12, 1887, with several changes in the cast, though the
original exponents can be easily picked out.

Sir Joseph Porter, K.CJB Mr. George Grossmith

Captain Corcoran Mr. Rutland Harrington

Ralph Rackstraw Mr. J. G. Robertson

Dick Deadeye Mr. Richard Temple

Bill Bobstay Mr. R. Cummings

Bob Buckett Mr. Rudolph Lewis

Josephine « Miss Geraldine Ulmar

Hebe ..».,, Miss Jessie Bond

Little Buttercup Miss Rosina Brandram

Mr. J, G. Robertson, who succeeded Mr. George Power,
was a brother of Mrs. Kendal,

On February I4th, 1888, " Mrs, Jarramie's Genie/* a
new and very light and tuneful operetta, of which the
story by Frank Desprez and the music by Alfred and
Francois Cellier were considerably above the average of
that generally associated with these pieces, proved to be
a capital curtain raiser*

137

i38 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

MRS. JARRAMIE'S GENIE.

MORTALS.

Mr. Harrington Jarramie (a retired

Upholsterer) Mr. Wallace Brownlow

Ernest Peppercorn Mr, C. Wilbraham

Smithers (Butler) Mr. Charles Gilbert

Bill /Railway^. Mr. Lebreton

Jim^Carmen j Mr. Metcalf

Mrs. Harrington Jarramie Miss M. Christie

Daphne (her Daughter) Miss R. Hervey

Nixon (Parlourmaid) Miss M. Russell

IMMORTAL.

Ben-Zoh-Leen (the Slave of the Lamp) . .Mr. John Wilkinson

The wonderful lamp of Aladdin, after the lapse of centuries,
has come into the possession of Mrs. Jarramie. Acci-
dentally she discovers its secret, and uses its power —
or, rather, the power of the genie — in various ways, but
growing afraid of the " Spirit," in the end presents the
lamp to the genie himself ! Mr. John Wilkinson proved
himself to be a most humorous and capable comedian.
He had joined the Savoy company in the previous August
as understudy (of course) to George Grossmith in all his
parts for some years, and often played them. When I
first met little cheery Jack Wilkinson he was call-boy at
Toole's Theatre, and what at once struck me was that
he always wore a tall silk hat, as though he went to bed
in it. He was a genial little actor and a genial companion.
This bill was not changed until March 17, 1888, when
<c Pinafore " gave place to :

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE.

Major-General Stanley Mr. George Grossmith

The Pirate King Mr. Richard Temple

Samuel Mr. R. Cummings

Frederic Mr. J. G. Robertson

Sergeant of Police Mr. Rutland Barrington

Mabel Miss Geraldine Ulmar

Edith Miss Jessie Bond

Kate Miss Kavanagh

Isabel Miss Lawrence

Ruth Miss Rosina Brandram

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 139

Apart from Messrs. Grossmith, Temple, and Barrington
the only original member of the cast was Miss Jessie
Bond, who had long established herself as one of the
greatest of Savoy Theatre favourites both before and
behind the scenes.

ft For eighty nights (with Saturday mornings thrown in)
"The Pirates/' with its contradictory humours and
amazing perplexities, invited all who would call, and then
they had to give up their wild career to the demands of
the suave and seductive " Mikado/' but, not wishing to
incur any risks on account of possible future revivals
and because " The Yeomen of the Guard " had rehearsed
itself into readiness, this Japanese opera, after a hundred
and sixteen performances, had to retire. However,
notwithstanding that there were only one or two new-
comers— and these can be easily discovered — the cast
is worth repeating.

On June 8, 1888, first revival.
THE MIKADO.

The Mikado Mr. Richard Temple

Nanki-Poo Mr. J. G.' Robertson

Ko-Ko Mr. George Grossmith

Pooh-Bah Mr, Rutland Barrington

Yum- Yum Miss Geraldine Ulmar

Pitti-Sing Miss Jessie Bond

Peep-Bo Miss Sybil Grey

Katisha Miss Rosina Brandrarn

It was immediately at the end of this revival that Rutland
Barrington, after ten years1 service with D'Oyly Carte,
left his old manager, as recounted in the last chapter,
with th,e hope of becoming a permanent manager on his
own account. In any case, there did not seem any
possible part for him in " The Yeomen of the Guard/'
as no one could possibly have imagined him in the
character of Wilfred Shadbolt after seeing W H* Denny
in this gruesome part, yet, strange to say, he did enact
it years after — in 1909 — with surprising ingenuity of
altered method.

140 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The gift of prophecy is not vouchsafed to many, but
soon after the production of " Ruddigore " the critic
of the Sporting Times (January 29, 1887), William Yardley
in an extensive review, sometimes friendly, sometimes
severe, said : " I scarcely dare venture on a moral, and
even the conclusion that I have formed in my own mind
probably will not be justified by events, for goodness
only knows what space of time might be occupied with
advantage by revivals of the earlier Gilbert-Sullivan
operas. For something like ten long years the public
have been supplied by Sir Arthur Sullivan and W. S.
Gilbert with dramatic fare that has differed only in
degree rather than in sort. It is therefore just possible
that the public taste has become vitiated ; the delicacies
of Gilbert's humour, however, are perhaps not quite so
much appreciated as heretofore, and public appetite may
be satiated with surplusage of dainties, and the public
constitution may require a pick-me-up. A real comic
opera dealing with neither topsy-turvydom nor fairies,
but a genuine dramatic story, written with Mr. W. S.
Gilbert's masterly power, and set to music as Sir Arthur
Sullivan can alone compose, would be a greater novelty
and a more splendid success than anything we are at
all likely to see during the present dramatic season."

This in many ways seemed to forecast " The Yeomen
of the Guard," which was then on the way.

William Yardley, who signed himself for years " Bill
of the Play," was a personal friend of W. S. Gilbert, and
acted with him in many extravaganzas, and in the
famous amateur Gaiety pantomime of 1878 called " The
Forty Thieves," written by Robert Reece, F. C. Burnand,
Henry J. Byron, and W. S. Gilbert. So, in regard to
Yardley 's suggestion, as Tree used to say in "The Red
Lamp," " I wonder — I wonder 1 "

CHAPTER XVII

" The Yeomen of the Guard ; or, The Merryman and his Maid "
— George Grossmith as Jack Point — " I have a Song to Sing O "
— Sullivan's Difficulty with the Setting — The Supposed Origin
of the Song — John Wilkinson and Henry A. Lytton as Jack Point.

GREAT events from little causes spring. While waiting
for a train, one day at Uxbridge Railway-station, W. S.
Gilbert's eye was arrested by the picture of a Beefeater
in the large displayed advertisement of the Tower Furnish-
ing Company, and this at once gave him the first idea of
the plot and scene of " The Yeomen of the Guard/' one
of the best, if not the best, piece of straight work that
Gilbert ever accomplished. The story was so truly
human that folk experienced in Gilbert's mood of thought
and work wondered how the author had managed to
stray out of the upside-down universe, where he had
found nearly all his extravaganza characters, into the
realm of pure romance and reality. There was only a
slight Bab Ballad inspiration here, and it may be dis-
covered in " Annie Protheroe — A Legend of Stratford-
Le-Bow." Our genial jester had got down to theactuality
of life for once, at any rate. Musically and dramatically,
" The Yeomen of the Guard " is far superior, in the
opinion of many people, to all the other operas, and in
its construction is almost as perfect as that of " The
Mikado , ' ' From the very beginning the opera received not
only very careful attention from the constant contingent
of Savoyards, but from a large circle of amateurs and
lovers of music and drama — for in " The Yeomen " both
elements are in striking evidence — and the success was
Ls HI

I42 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

most decidedly very pronounced, immediate, and
enthusiastic. In some of the lyrics Gilbert more than
surpassed himself, and showed a poetic gift of high power
unmarred by any fatal divergence into topsy-turvydom,
although that spirit of reversal is traceable here and there
in the dialogue, and perhaps in a song or two, but without
affecting the high and natural tone of this magnificent
masterpiece.

On Wednesday, October 3, 1888
THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD ; OR, TIITC MBRRYMAN AND ins MAID.

A New and Original Opera in Two Acts,
Written by W. S. Gilbert. Composed by Arthur Sullivan.

Sir Richard Cholmondeley Mr. Wallace Brownlow

Colonel Fairfax Mr. Courtice Pounds

Sergeant Meryll Mr. Richard Temple

Leonard Meryll Mr. W. R. Shirley

Jack Point Mr. George Grossmith

Wilfred Shadbolt Air. W. II. Denny

The Headsman Mr. Richards

First Yeoman , Mr. Wilbraham

Second Yeoman •. Mr. Metcalf

First Citizen Mr. Boyd

Elsie Maynard Miss Geraldine TJlmar

Phoebe Meryll Miss Jessie Bond

Dame Carruthers MivSs Rosina Brandram

Kate Miss Rose Hervey

Scene — Tower Green. Date — Sixteenth Century.

After the first night " Mrs. Jarramie's Genie " was restored
to the programme with Mr. John Wilkinson in his original
character.

Gilbert and Sullivan succeeded beyond the evident
expectations that had been formed of their work. Not
quite devoid of sarcastic humour, but replete with a
quaint pathos, often very tender and breathing throughout
a poetic vein of fancy, Gilbert's share was highly appreci-
ated, while Arthur Sullivan's music was acknowledged to be
in absolute harmony with the new conditions, and his
sparkling and pathetic melodies were greeted with sincere
approbation. One of the most attractive pieces in the

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 143

opera, sung with great feeling and expression, by George
Grossmith, as Jack Point, and Miss Geraldine Ulmar as
Elsie Maynard, " I have a Song to Sing 0," caused Arthur
Sullivan much anxiety in the setting. Gilbert wrote the
words after the model of " The House that Jack Built/'
The opening stanza, " I have a Song to Sing 01 " com-
prises seven lines, to each verse succeeding two lines are
added until the last verse is extended to thirteen lines.
Upon reading the song through carefully the most
urxtechnical reader will at once perceive the difficulty
of the task the composer had before him. It is known
that Sullivan took over two weeks before he was satisfied
with the eventual melody and its crescendo movement,
It was stated on good authority that it kept Sullivan
awake o 'nights, and that when a friend called and found
him in a semi-demented state, he moaned out in melan-
choly tone, " My dear fellow, I have a song to set 0, and
I don't know how the dickens I'm going to do it." Once
in conversation with Sullivan he said, " I spent a fort-
night over that blessed jingle and must have set and reset
it a dozen times before I was satisfied. It was the
extension of the verses principle about it that bothered
me, an additional phrase being added to each verse.
Gilbert told me he got the idea from a nautical ballad
he had heard in his yacht, beginning ' I have a Song to
Sing O I ' and as the song progressed it increased in
length, just as the ' Merryman ' did. I was glad I assure
you when I completed it to my satisfaction. It would
have been ungrateful of the public not to have liked it ;
but happily it went all right, being quaintly sung, and I
was repaid for all my trouble/'

The subject deserves following up, and so apropos we
may turn to a long paragraph which appeared in the
Daily ^ Telegraph, August 27, 1921, which is worth
repeating in cxtenso, " Lovers of Savoy opera in the
West, who have been enjoying a very successful Gilbert-
StiUivan season at Plymouth, will have found interest
in the Wtetwn Morning Ntws mi Mercury, concerning
the possible origin — or rather source of inspiration — of

144 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

the famous ' Merryman and Maid ' duet from the ' Yeomen
of the Guard/ In an article dealing with the subject
Mr. James Martin recalled the fact often mentioned by
Gilbert that he used to say that the duet was suggested by
an old Cornish chanty which was sung by sailors on
board his yacht, and the first two lines of which ran :

Come and I will sing you,
What will you sing me ?

There are, it would seem, several versions of that Cornish
folk song, and all of them more or less related to the chanty
familiar as the Dilly Song, one form of which is to be
found in Baring-Gould's Songs of the West. Did Sullivan
owe his inspiration for his setting of the ' Merryman
and his Maid ' to the ' Dilly Song ? ' and, according to
one correspondent, the melody was ' put into his head by
his collaborator/ who whistled it. But as reproduced
in the columns of our Western contemporary, that song
has no similarity whatsoever to Sullivan's tune. Can it
be that Gilbert, who admittedly had no ear for music,
' whistled ' something utterly unlike ' the Dilly Song/
when trying to reproduce its phrases for his partner's
benefit ? As a matter of fact Sullivan had extraordinary
difficulty in setting that particular tune in ' The Yeomen
of the Guard/ and made several' attempts before his
' inspiration ' reached its final completed form."

DUET : POINT AND ELSI*.

POINT : I have a song to sing, O 1
ELSIE : Sing me your song, O I

POINT : It is sung to the moon
By a love-lorn loon

Who fled from the mocking throng, 0 I
It's the song of a merryman, moping mum,
Whose soul was sad and whose heart was glum
Who sipped no syp, and who craved no crumb
As he sighed for the love of a ladye,
Heighdy I Heighdy I
Misery me, lackadaydee

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 145

He sipped no sup, and he craved no crumb
As he sighed for the love of a ladye.

And the last verse :

ELSIE : I have a song to sing, O 1
POINT : Sing me your song, O 1

ELSIE : It is sung with a sigh,
And a tear in the eye,
For it tells of a righted wrong, O !
It's a song of a merrymaid, once so gay,
Who turned her heel and tripped away
From the peacock popinjay, bravely born,
Who turned up his noble nose with scorn
At the humble heart he did not prize :
So she begged on her knees, with downcast eyes,
For the love of the merryman, moping mum,
Whose soul was sad and whose glance was glum,
Who sipped no sup, and who craved no crumb,

As he sighed for the love of a ladye,
Heighdy ! Heighdy I
Misery me, lackadaydee.
His pains were o'er, and he signed no more,

For he lived in the love of a ladye.

Jack Point, the rather doleful jester, was in all proba-
bility suggested to Gilbert by Shakespeare's clowns and
more definitely Autolycus in " The Winter's Tale " and
Touchstone in " As You Like it," but he had foreshadowed
him in a five act blank verse play which he designed as being
suitable for Miss Bateman — Miss Batenjan who was a very
dramatic actress in the sixties and seventies at the Adelphi,
Olympic, and Lyceum theatres. " Leah " was one of her
greatest parts, while in " Mary Warner " her talents had
very full expression. " Mary Warner " was adapted
by Tom Taylor from a story called " Margaret Meadows/'
written by W. S. Gilbert's father.

The drama which W, S. Gilbert is said to have designed
for Miss Bateman appeared in the tragic pages of Fun,
and was entitled " Gemma di Vergy " and one of the
characters, Jumbles the Jester, is surely twin-brother
to Jack Point

146 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

JULIA : A murrain on thee, thou fool.

JUMBLES (sarcastically) : Nay, it is thou that art the fool, and
I, Jumbles the Jester, am a wise man.

GEMMA (sternly) : This jester has answered me oft by his rare

wit.

JUMBLES (feeling himself called upon to say something smart) :
There art thou forsworn, and I, the fool, am the wiser of the

twain.

It is a pity that the whole of this blank verse tragedy
cannot be reprinted in full — but those censors, the
publishers, forbid !

Most of the songs in the " Yeomen of the Guard "
found their way into the homes and the hearts, and
people of every degree. - Fairfax's ballad for example :

Is life a boon ?

If so, it must befal

That Death, whene'er he call
Must call too soon.

Though fourscore years he give

Yet one would pray to live
Another moon 1

What kind of plaint have I

Who perish in July,

I might have had to die,
Perchance in June.

There is a strong flavour of sad philosophy all through
the play ; the laughter and the tears mingle in reasonable
proportions. The best and most popular numbers were,
and are still, apart from " I have a song to sing," " When
our Gallant Norman Foes " and Phoebe's exquisite ballad
" Were I Thy Bride." It is rather too long to quote
beyond this :

Were I thy bride,
Then the whole world beside
Were not too wide

To hold my wealth of love
Were I thy bride.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 147

and the Jester's song " Oh, a private buffoon/' and there
are many delightful duets and trios that cannot very well
be separated from the music score. Fairfax had much
to sing, and Courtice Pounds in his best original part at
the Savoy did full justice to them both vocally and
dramatically. Richard Temple, although he had much
concerted work to do, and did it well, did not have any
special song. In the place of Rutland Barrington, W. H.
Denny was engaged, and so the part of Shadbolt the jailer
fell to his lot. Mr. Denny was a well-known comedian
and made a distinctive hit in the gruesome character,
But all the Savoyards, new and old, distinguished them-
selves in the opera, Miss Jessie Bond in particular, though
with many Miss Geraldine Ulmar was the favourite. As
Dame Carruthers, Miss Rosina Brandram once more
demonstrated her peculiar and striking, talent.

A great deal has been written about the last scene of
" The Yeomen of the Guard " and Jack Point's falling
insensible at the feet of Fairfax at the end of the opera,
Grossmith followed out Gilbert's instructions and did
not pretend to die, nor did John Wilkinson, who took
up the character after George Grossmith, on Saturday,
August 17, 1889, who then severed his twelve years' connec-
tion with the Gilbert-Sullivan Opera Company. He wanted
a change as he found the constant strain of playing the
arduous part too much for him, and so he determined upon
taking a lengthy tour with his own Drawing-Room Enter-
tainment, and so when he bade farewell to his old com-
panions and associates and the theatre itself, it was good-
bye indeed, for he never appeared on the boards there
again, except for a very brief term in " His Majesty "
in 1897, But we shall meet George Grossmith at another
house later. John Wilkinson opened as Jack Point on
Monday night, August 19, and continued to represent
the character until the end of the run in December,
1880,

Why Grossmith — apart from Gilbert's desire— never
attempted a tragic finale to " The Yeomen of the Guard "
I <lo not know, but Mr. Henry A, Lytton tells us in

148 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

his Secrets of a Savoyard how he came to give his
rendering of the character, " It was toward the end of
1888 that I first played what is, I need hardly say, the
favourite of all my parts, Jack Point in ' The Yeomen of
the Guard.' . . . When at the close of the 'Yeomen'
Elsie is wedded to Fairfax does Jack Point die of a broken
heart, or does he merely swoon away ? That question
is often asked, and it is a matter on which the real pathos
of the play depends. The facts are these, Gilbert had
conceived and written a tragic ending, butGrossmith, who
created the part, and for whom in a sense it was written,
was essentially the accepted wit and laughter-maker of the
day, and thus it had to be arranged that the opera should
have a definitely humorous ending, ... If he had tried
to be serious they would have refused to take him seriously.
Whatever Grossmith did, the audience would laugh, and
the manner in which he did fall down at the end was
irresistibly funny."

Here I join issue with Mr. Lytton. I saw the piece
several times and the pathos of Grossmith's final fall
struck me as being very fine indeed. Let me quote from
the criticism in Clement Scott's Theatre Magazine,
November i, 1888. "The Jack Point of Mr. George
Grossmith will be remembered as one of his best per-
formances ; he has divested himself from any approach
to burlesque, and conveys that, though the jest may be
on the lip and the clown may be a source of laughter to
others, he may carry within him a heavy heart, and a
bitter sorrow/' When Jack Point fell prostrate just
before the curtain came down there was many a sob and
many a tear in the house.

But this does not detract from H. A. Lytton's story.
" So," he goes on, " it came about that while he (Gros-
smith) was Jack Point in one way in London, I was
playing him in my way in the provinces. The first time
I introduced my version of the part was at Bath. For
some time I had considered how poignant would be
the effect if the poor strolling player, robbed of the love
of a lady, forsaken by his friends, should gently kiss the

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 149

edge of her garment, make the sign of blessing and fall
over, not senseless, but dead."

Well, this was, and, I may add, is, not only true to art
but also true to nature. D'Oyly Carte saw the perform-
ance and approved of it, and W. S. Gilbert later said,
when Lytton asked him if he shouM alter or modify his
reading, " No, keep on like that, it is just what I want.
Jack Point should die and the end of the opera should be
tragedy/'

Sin.ce writing the above, Mr. Lytton has modified
his claim as to this tragic ending, for it is very evident
that he was forestalled by the late George Thorne who
died July 24, 1922.

George Thorne, who had been on the stage since he
was two years old, was not seen in London as often as
he would have been had he been more dependable in his
moods and temperament* He was decidedly the most
artistically humorous of all his acting relations, and they
were all on the stage except one, Henry, who suddenly
became an evangelist. George Thorne, who joined the
principal D'Oyly Carte touring company in 1882, had
a varied career in England, America, and India. He
played all the Grossmith parts and acted Ko-Ko in " The
Mikado " before Queen Victoria at Balmoral. The
part that he prided himself upon most was Jack Point,
and in truth it was his finest impersonation. And hfe
it was who really introduced the tragic ending to " The
Yeomen of the Guard/' when the work was first intro-
duced to provincial audiences on November i, 1888, at
the Prince's Theatre, Manchester. A month later, H. A.
Lytton, inspired with the same idea for the conception
of the finale, acted it practically in the same way at
Bath. This fact, I may add, Mr, Lytton has properly
acknowledged in, the new edition of his Secrets of a
Savoyard. But one great point about the whole matter
is that Gilbert originally designed that Jack Point should
die!

Both. Gilbert and Sullivan considered " The Yeomen
of the Guard " the most important and best work they

150 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

ever did in collaboration, at the same time having
very deep regard for their other offspring, especially
the " Mikado " and the fascinating " Gondoliers/'
though Sullivan had great affection for his share in
" Ruddigore."

CHAPTER XVIII

"The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria " — A Quotation

from Don Quixote — " Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes " — Mr, Ben

Davies — The Fatal Carpet — And a Storm in a Tea-cup.

NOTWITHSTANDING the approbation with, which the
serious story of " The Yeomen of the Guard *' had been
received, a great sigh of welcome, on the first night, went
up with the curtain after the joyous overture — conducted
by Arthur Sullivan himself — to " The Gondoliers ; or,
The King of Barataria/1 Who that remembers his
Don Quixote does not send his thoughts back in merry
mood to Sancho Panza's glorious island " surrounded,
by land/1 when he witnesses or thinks about " The
Gondoliers " ?

" After having travelled a certain distance, Governor
Sancho, with his attendants, came to a certain town
that had about a thousand inhabitants, and was one of
the best in the duke's territories. They gave him to
understand that the name of the place was the island of
Barataria. As soon as he came to the gates the magis-
trates came out to receive him, the bells rang, and all
the people gave demonstration of joy. They then
delivered him the keys of the gates, and received him
as perpetual governor of the island of Barataria." So
we see at a glance where lay some of Gilbert's inspiration,

The " changed-at-nurse " pivot, which Gilbert once
more used in " The Gondoliers/1 he had, of course,
exploited more than once in his Bab Ballads, as well as
in his stage pieces. One verse from " The Baby's
Vengeance " should prompt the reader to seek for more.

152 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

One darksome day (I should have mentioned that
We were alike in dress and baby feature)

I in MY cradle having placed the brat,
Crept into his — the pampered little creature.

It was imprudent — well, disgraceful maybe,

For oh, I was a bad, black-hearted baby 1

The story of " The Gondoliers " was not only Gilbertian,
but it was absolutely improbable and consequently very
droll and enjoyable. The whole show — was it not
Shakespeare himself who called a theatrical entertainment
a " show " ? — was full of brilliant dresses, sparkling
music, and witty inverted wisdom turned paradox,
with many seductive melodies set to enchanting lyrics.

On the Night of Saturday, December 7, 1889.
THE GONDOLIERS ; OR, THE KING OF BARATARIA.

An Original Comic Opera in Two Acts,

Written by W. S. Gilbert. Composed by Arthur Sullivan.

The Duke of Plaza-Toro (A Grandee of Spain) . .Mr, Frank Wyatt

Liiiz (His Attendant) Mr. Wallace Brownlow

Don Alhambra del Bolero (The

, Grand Inquisitor) Mr. W. H. Denny

Marco Palmieri Mr. Courtice Pounds

Guiseppe Palmieri , Mr. Rutland Barrington

Mr. Metcalf
Mr. Rose

Antonio
Francesco
Giorgio
Annibale

Venetian Gondoliers

Mr. do Pledge
Mr. Wilbraham

The Duchess of Plaza-Toro Miss Rosina Brandram

Casilda (Her Daughter) Miss Decima Moore

Gianetta Miss Geraldine Ulmar

Tessa Miss Jessie Bond

Fiametta ^ ( Miss Lawrence

Vittoria [ Contadine J Miss Cole

Giulia J [ Miss Phyllis

Inez (The King's Foster-Mothcr) Miss Bernard

Chorus of Gondoliers and Contadine, Mcn-at-Arms, Heralds,
and Pages.

Act I. : The Piazetta, Venice.
Act II. : Pavilion in the Palace of Barataria.
The period of the piece is 1750.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 153

As usual, Mr. Frangois Cellier was the musical director,
After a while (July, 1890) that very charming actress-
singer, Miss Esther Palisser, replaced Miss Geraldine
Ulmar as Gianetta.

It will be noticed that George Grossmith's name no
longer appears at the Savoy for the reasons already
explained. But Gilbert would have liked to have had
him back, and wrote to Grossmith at Torquay, where
he was giving his entertainment, to that effect, adding,
" You shall have a thousand a week and then the entire
receipts." Grossmith never had a large salary at the
Savoy, but while there he was quite content. However,
as he cleared £10,000 in the first seven working months
during his peregrinations with his songs at the piano,
and made the same amount the following year, he was
still content — only more so. Naturally the great prestige
hf had gained in the operas was a splendid advertising
aaset in the country. His place was taken by that
versatile — not to say volatile — actor, singer, and dancer,
Frank Wyatt. But Savoyards had good recompense
in the return of Rutland Barrington, who must have felt
very happy at the cordial reception accorded him on
the first night. Another new-comer who in time proved
a very charming acquisition was Miss Decima Moore,
who as Casilda practically made her first appearance on
the stage.

In " The Gondoliers " both author and composer
returned to their earlier and lighter vein of composition,
and gave the happiest of all happy results. The story
as treated by W. S. Gilbert is a most amusing one. The
two handsome gondoliers, Marco and Guiseppe, take to
themselves as wives Gianetta and Tessa. Their felicity
is disturbed by its being discovered that one of them —
but which no one at present can tell— is the King of
Barataria. The Grand Inquisitor, who had to save the
threatened life of the heir to the Kingdom, brought him
as a child to Venice, and entrusted him to a worthy
gondolier, who also possessed one child, and somehow
the two children " got mixed/' This is the more awkward

154 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

as the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro arrive, attended
by their " suite " — & drummer — in search of the heir to
the throne, their daughter Casilda having been wedded
to him in infancy. However, as the throne must be
filled, the two gondoliers, until it is known which is the
rightful sovereign, act as regents to themselves and reign
together. In the second act we have them as joint rulers,
but as they rule on strictly constitutional principles
they have to do all their own work, taking it in turns
to wait upon each other. Also they are on very short
allowances, as rations are only allowed for one. But
presently the foster-mother, wife of the gondolier to
whom the infant prince had been entrusted, arrives, and,
after undergoing a ludicrous examination and a little sup-
posed torture, declares that neither Marco nor Guiseppe
is the King, but Luiz, the private drummer of the
Duke, a fortunate denouement that suits all parties as
Casilda has long been deeply in love with the lucky
" suite." ^

There is no need, where all was so perfect in every
respect, arid each artist did his and her work so naturally
and buoyantly, to go into details of the acting. The
names speak for themselves.

One anecdote that has often been told will still bear
repeating, especially as Arthur Sullivan was fond of
telling it himself. Arthur Sullivan — who had long been
Sir Arthur — whilst watching the performance one night
from the back of the dress-circle, unconsciously began
to hum the melody of the song then being sung, where-
upon an elderly musical enthusiast turned angrily to the
composer and said : " Look here, sir, I paid my money
to hear Sullivan's music — not yours." Candidly con-
fessing that he deserved the rebuke, Sullivan went behind
the scenes and recounted the incident with much
enjoyment.

" The Gondoliers " was most liberally furnished with
duets, daaces, choruses, and ballads, some of which
^peedily attained a world-wide circulation and reputa-
gxnu The piece is full of pearls of melody, and aft the

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 155

lyrics are as light as gossamer, no matter what their
portent.

The Duke of Plaza-Toro explains himself, he " always
leads everybody " :

In enterprise of martial kind,

When there was any fighting,
He led his" regiment from behind —

He found it less exciting.
But when away his regiment ran,
1 His place was at the fore, O —
That celebrated,
Cultivated,
Underrated

Nobleman,
The Duke of Plaza-Toro,

The brand Inquisitor is equally ready to supply in-
formation of a useful kind.

I stole the prince, and I brought him here

And kept him, gaily prattling,
With a highly respectable gondolier
Who promised the Royal babe to rear,
And teach him the trade of a timoneer

With his own beloved bratling.

Both of the babes were stout and strong,
And, considering all things, clever,

Of that there is no manner of doubt —

No probable, possible shadow of doubt,
No possible doubt

Tessa has a very beautiful song in :

When a merry maiden marries
Sorrow goes and pleasure tarries-

There is great fun in Act II. ia the song of Giuseppe, who
elaborates the duties he and Marco have to take it in
turn to do when shamg the throne as dual King.

156 1HE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Rising early in the morning,

We proceed to light our fire,
Then, our Majesty adorning
In its work-a-day attire,
We embark without delay
On the duties of the day.

And so on. But Marco's ballad so admirably sung by
Courtice Pounds, in every respect is a gem of the first
water :

TAKE A PAIR OF SPARKLING EYES.

Take a pair of sparkling eyes
Hidden ever and anon,
Tn a merciful eclipse —
Do not heed their mild surprise —
Having passed the Rubicon,
Take a pair of rosy lips ;
Take a figure trimly planned —
Such as admiration whets,
(Be particular in this) ;
Take a tender little hand
Fringed with dainty fmgeretfces,

Press it — in parenthesis —
Take aH this, you lucky man —
Take and keep them if you can.

This became one of Ben Davies'smost popular successes
at the Chappell Ballad Concerts and elsewhere. And
there are others of similar beauty, with many of a
humorous order, that at once secured recognition. Duke
of Plaza Toro's song sung by Frank Wyatt was a great
favourite. He promotes " everybody to the top of the
tree " to guarantee everybody's happiness. And also the
marital-taming effusion of the Duchess of Plaza-Toro :

On the day that I was wedded
To your admirable sire

I acknowledge that I dreaded
An explosion of his ire.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 157

I was overcome with panic —
For his temper was volcanic,

And I didn't revolt

For I feared a thunderbolt 1

I was always very wary,

For his fury was ecstatic,
His refined vocabulary-
Most unpleasantly emphatic.
To the thunder

Of this Tartar
I knocked under
Like a martyr;
When intently

He was fuming
I was gently

Unassuming ;
When reviling

Me completely,
I was smiling

Very sweetly :

Giving him the very best, and getting back the very worst,
That is how I tried to tame your great progenitor— at first.

The dances were original and ravishing.

We will dance a cachucha, fandango, bolero,
Old Xoros we'll drink — Manzanilla, Montero,
For wine when it runs in attendance enhances
The reckless delight of the wildest of dances.

This glorious Spanish- Italian salmagundi drew the town
and the country for five hundred and fifty-four con-
secutive performances, and brought to the Savoy ex-
chequer a larger sum than ever earned by any preceding
opera. During the career of the merry " Gondoliers,"
Queen Victoria through the Prince of Wales (afterwards
Edward VII) " commanded " a performance at Windsor
Castle much to the gratification of D'Oyly Carte and
everybody concerned. The whole affair went off; with
great 6ckt, Her Majesty evidently greatly enjoying
'

158 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

herself, laughing heartily at the fun of the piece and
beating time to the music.

But, alas 1 how easily things go wrong. While " The
Gondoliers " was pursuing its merry course at the Savoy,
and supplying thousands of good folk with exquisite
enjoyment, a little rift was beginning to spread in the lute
that had been so well tuned aforetime. A sudden rumour
flew through the city that the pleasant partnership of
the triumvirate had been suddenly broken — had come
to an end. Gilbert and D'Oyly Carte had had a small
difference over a small matter, and into this, unfortun-
ately, Sullivan was incontinently drawn. It was quite a
terrific affair from the outside point of view ; a very tiny
storm in a very tiny tea-cup, from the inside 1

Mr. Cunningham Bridgeman has cleverly described
the affair of the carpet in concise terms : "It appears
that D'Oyly Carte, as duly authorised business manager
of the firm, conceived it to be not only politic but right
and proper to minister to the comfort of clients through
whose patronage and support their business had thrived
so remarkably. Accordingly Mr. Carte purchased,
among sundry other items of furniture for the renewal
and repair of the theatre, a carpet. The carpet, etc,,
were, in the usual course, charged to the joint account.
Sir Arthur, on his part, raised no objection to the outlay,
and for the sake of peace did his utmost to persuade Mr.
Gilbert to take a similar view of the matter. But Mr.
Gilbert remained obdurate in his opposition to such lavish
expenditure. He was of opinion that a new carpet
costing £140 would not draw an extra sixpence into the
exchequer, that the theatre was so crowded nightly that
no one could possibly tell or care a jot how the floor was
covered. Mr. Gilbert thought it waste of money. He
was then politely reminded that by the terms of the
partnership agreement he had no voice in the matter.
Whereupon our author waxed exceeding wroth, and went
to law against his friends and comrades " — and, I may
add, lost the day.

Thus was the great Savoy partnership of thirteen years'

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 159

standing, with its tenth successful production, dissolved
into thin air over the cost of a miserable — one may
say definitely a fatal— carpet, for although the breach
was mended it was never healed. However, there was
to come an interregnum; and then a patching up of
all quarrels, with amity again, and peace with honour
distributed all round — at any rate for the time being.

CHAPTER XTX

An Interruption — The Royal English Opera House- -" Ivanhoe ''
— " La Basoche " — Madame Sarah Bernhardt — The D6b&cle.

FOR a brief space we will break away from the Savoy
Theatre. While the gay " Gondoliers/' to speak in the
plural, are enjoying themselves on the lagoon at Venice
and in the palace at Barataria, D'Oyly Carte has made
huge progress with his pet project, the Royal English
Opera House in Cambridge Circus. As was tersely
written in The Theatre Magazine at the time, "If grand
opera in English is ever to succeed, now is its chance.
It is provided with a house as admirably arranged
and as sumptuously furnished as any audience could
desire. It has enlisted the services of a composer, whose
name is a sure promise of ear-tickling melody and
picturesque orchestration. It is managed by one who
commands practically limitless resources, and who is
skilled in all the arts of attracting public attention. It
is presented to the audience with every possible attrac-
tion in the way of mounting and effect, and it is played by
a company of capable singers, including amongst them
some who are also capable actors. Nothing could be
more fitting in the nature of things than that this new and
handsome temple of English musical drama should be
opened with an opera by Sir Arthur Sullivan, founded
upon a romance by Sir Walter Scott. There is, however,
some room to doubt whether ' Ivanhoe ' is the one
amongst Scott's novels best suited to give a composer
liis chance." The stage version of the book was by Julian
Sturgess ; and, generally speaking, both the libretto and

160

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 161

the music were very encouragingly received and spoken
of, and the opera broke the record as far as pure serious
English opera was concerned by attracting crowds to
Cambridge Circus for one hundred and sixty representa-
tions. D'Oyly Carte's attempt to found a national opera
was received with storms of approval, but the one, the
great, the terrible mistake was to set out with that pur-
pose with no other opera to fall back upon, " Ivanhoe "
was produced on January 31, 1891. This laudable
effort, however, deserved a better fate than fell to its lot,
and as it was marked at least with good intentions the
first cast of " Ivanhoe " is worth preserving.

On Saturday, January 31, 1891,

IVANHOE.

A Romantic Opera.
Words by Julian Sturgess. Music by Arthur Sullivan,

Richard Cceur-de-Lion (Disguised as

the Black Knight) Mr. Norman Salmond

Prince John Mr. Richard Green

Sir Brian de Bois Guilbcrt (Com-
mander of the Order of Knights Templars) . .Mr. Eugene Oudin

Maurice de Bracy Mr. Charles Kenninghara

Lucas de Beaumanoir Mr. Adams Owen

Cedric the Saxon (Thane of Rotherwood) . .Mr, Fran9on Davies
Wilfred, Knight of Ivanhoe (His Son,

disguised as a Palmer) Mr. Ben Davies

Friar Tuck Mr. Avon Saxon

Isaac of York Mr. Charles Copland

Locksley Mr. W. H. Stephens

The Squire Mr. F. Bpvffl

The Lady Rowena (Ward of Cedric) .... Miss Esther Palisser

Ulrica , Miss Marie Groebl

Rebecca (Daughter of Isaac of York) . . Miss Margaret Macintyre

On the initial performance Sir Arthur Sullivan conducted,
while later Francis Cellier and Ernest Ford divided the
duties. Mr. Hugh Moss was the producer.

Later Mr. Norman Salmond made a great hit in " La
Poup^e " at the Prince of Wales's Theatre, while Mr.
Richard Green made several'appearances at the Savoy.

162 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Other Savoy names will be familiar amongst the
" Ivanhoe " dramatis personse.

When " Ivanhoe " in due course had to be withdrawn,
D'Oyly Carte had no other English opera to take its place.
Where were the English composers, with all those works
about which everybody had been hearing for years —
works that the world was credibly informed were going
to cause a revolution in English music, and keep the
hated foreigner away from our shores ? But, alas 1
when the critical moment arrived, and there was a demand
for new operas, there were no new opeias to be had, and
consequently to keep his house going D'Oyly Carte had
to seek the assistance of a composer from over the Channel
— Andr6 Messager — who had nothing to offer but a comic
opera — a most excellent and amusing comic opera
certainly, entitled " La Basoche," on November 3, 1896.
This, truth compels me to state, was entirely successful.
After " La Basoche " Madame Sarah Bcrnhardt took
possession with French drama, and then came the d6b&cle.
Sir Augustus Harris secured the Royal English Opera House
and converted it into a High Class Music Hall — which at
the beginning was also a dead failure — and so ended
D'Oyly Carte's long cherished dream.

But one has often wondered why D'Oyly Carte did not
revive some of the old ballad operas — such as Macfarren's
" Robin Hood/' Loder's " Night Dancers," " Lurline/1
or Purcell's works, of which we hear so much and see so
little, some of the Pyne and Harrison productions,
perhaps ; but at any rate, there are numberless operas
that would have borne resuscitation until a new work by
another British composer could have been- brought
forward.

CHAPTER XX

The Interregnum and Many Adventures — "The Naufcch Girl "
— Revival of " The Vicar of Bray " — Sydney Grundy — " Had don
Hall " — " Jane-Annie " — Sir James M. Barrie and Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle — The Reunion of Old Friends and " Utopia

Limited."

As there did not seem any immediate prospect of the
breach in the partnership created by the foolish and
illogical action of W. S. Gilbert being healed, D'Oyly
Carte was placed in an awkward position. Gilbert came
in for a great deal of rather cynical criticism when the
whole story leaked out, and the price of peace was dis-
covered to be a mere hundred and forty pounds for a
carpet. Gilbert had gone off in a huff, presumably with
a new Savoy libretto in his pocket, for only a few months
later " The Mountebanks " with several Savoy artists
therein, was produced at the Lyric Theatre, the music
being by Alfred Cellier. In any case, D'Oyly Carte
who found himself left more or less in the lurch, was hard
put to it to find a suitable Book of Words for Arthur
Sullivan to set.

Luckily, before the end of the run of " The Gondoliers "
" The Nautch Girl " came into his hands, and maybe
through Sullivan himself, who was a friend of the com-
poser, Edward Solomon, for he was always ready to do
a brother artist a good turn. Of course, " The Nautch
Girl/1 written by George Dance, although not quite up
to the standard of W. S, Gilbert, was not at all an
indifferent substitute, and well served its purpose at any
rate by filling the theatre for several months. As a

164 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

matter of fact, it was a very good comic opera, with a
very good plot and some capital lyrics.

On Tuesday Evening, Juno 30, 1891.

THE NAUTCH GIRL ; OR, THE RAJAH OF CHUTNEYPORE.
A New Indian Comic Opera.

Written, by George Dance. Composed by Edward Solomon.

The Lyrics by George Dance and Frank Desprez. ,

Punka Mr. Rutland Barrington

Indru Mr. Courtice Pounds

Pyjama Mr. Frank Thornton

Chinna Loofa Miss Jessie Bond

Suttee Miss Saumarez

Cheetah Miss Lawrence

Baboo Currie Mr. Frank Wyatt

Hollee Beebee f Miss Leonora Snyder

Banyan Miss Louie Rowe

Kalee Miss Annie Cole

Tiffin Miss Cora Tinnie

Bumbo Mr. W. H, Denny

The presence of many of the old Savoy favourites in the
cast was, of course, greatly in the favour of this Indian
opera ; besides, it was a novelty, as India had not been
introduced into any stage work for some considerable
time. The piece scored one hundred and ninety-nine
performances, and was quite profitable. In August,
Mr. J. J. Dallas took up the part of Punka for a month,
and was succeeded by Mr. W. S. Penley, during Mr,
Barrington's unavoidable absence in the country, but he
returned long before the end. Miss Katie James also
appeared as a substitute for Jessie Bond for a short time.
While Arthur Sullivan was hard at work on " Haddon
Hall >; — the libretto of which was by Sydney Grundy,
the dramatist, who was rapidly coming to the front,
which had been accepted as the next original Savoy
production, D'Oyly Carte had the happy thought of
reviving Sydney Grundy and Edward Solomon's clever
piece, " The Vicar of Bray," which had met with a certain
meed of praise and prosperity at the Globe Theatre,

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 165

Newcastle Street, Strand, some ten years previously.
" The Vicar of Bray " when produced at the Globe had
in its dramatis persons, amongst others, W. J. Hill (a
tower of strength), Walter H. Fisher, the husband of
Miss Lottie Venne, Miss Emma d'Auban, and W. S.
Penley. This was done while " Patience/' transferred
from the Opera Comique, was in full swing at the Savoy
in July, 1882.

At the Savoy the company playing in the revival,
January 28, 1892, was as follows :

THE VICAR OF BRAY. (Revised version.)

Words by Sydney Grundy, Music by Edward Solomon.

The Rev. William Barlow (Vicar of

Bray) Mr. Rutland Barringtoa

The Rev. Harry Sandford (his Curate

and Pupil) , . Mr. Courtice Pounds

Thomas Merton, Esq. (of Bray

Manor, another pupil) Mr. Richard Green

Mr. Bedford Rowe (a Confidential

Family Solicitor) Mr. W. H. Denny

Mrs. Merton (a Widow) Miss Rosina Brandram

Nelly Bly (a Premidre Danseuse) Miss Mary Duggan

Cynthia Miss Louise Rowe

Agatha Miss Annie Cole

Blanche Miss Cora Tinnie

Winifred (the Vicar's Daughter) Miss Leonora Snyder

with some half dozen minor characters. Thomas Day's
tedious but " moral " story of Sandford and Merton, on
which the youth of a bygone age were regaled to repletion
if not disgust, has long been forgotten. But in 1882
F, C* Burnand had been contributing a series of comic
articles to Pttnch called the " New Sandford and Merton/'
and these created considerable curiosity, and helped to
send people to the Globe Theatre. At the Savoy Rutland
Barrington made a most benevolent Vicar, and in a
measure recalled the famous historical Vicar of Bray of
the song and reality. The piece ran a good five months,
and was then taken on tour by the entire London

166 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

company. Then the Savoy Theatre, as there was nothing
ready and D'Oyly Carte did not think it would be wise to
revive anything during the intensely hot weather,
remained closed for about three months, while " Haddon
Hall " was being finished and prepared for production.

Meanwhile W. S. Gilbert, having had a trip to Cairo
and back, had already secured the collaboration of Alfred
Cellier — whose " Sultan of Mocha/' " Dorothy," and
" Doris " will be affectionately remembered — to write
the music for " The Mountebanks," which was first
presented at the Lyric Theatre, January 4, 1892, with,
amongst others, Frank Wyatt, J. G. Robertson, Furneaux
Cook, Harry Monkhouse, Lionel Brough, Miss Geraldine
Ulmar, and Miss Eva Moore in the cast. " The
Mountebanks/' with its captivating music, was poor
Alfred Cellier's Swan Song, for he died almost on the eve
of production — December 27, 1891. " The Mounte-
banks " was written, of course, quite in the recognised
Savoy manner.

Determined not to be idle, and to show the Carte people
that he revelled in being in the midst of the theatrical
tray, W. S. Gilbert dug out an old farce which he had
adapted from the French in 1873 for the Court Theatre
under the title of " The Wedding March/' and converted
it into a musical comedy for George Grossrnith to set.
This was re-christened " Haste to the Wedding/' and
presented at the Criterion Theatre, July 27, 1892. George
Grossmith's music came in for a severe handling by the
critics, for, truth to tell, the task was very much beyond
his powers. Although well cast, with Miss Ellis Jeffreys,
Frank Wyatt, David S. James, Miss Marie Studholrne,
Lionel Brough, and George Grossmith, Junior, our present
G. G. — who then made his very first appearance on the
stage as Cousin Foodie—" Haste to the Wedding " was
wrapped in lavender at the end of three weeks, and
has not been heard of since.

We must now return to the Savoy for the first night
of the long-promised and long-expected piece by Sydney
Grundy.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 167

On Saturday Night, September 24, 1892.

HADDON HALL.

An Original Light English Opera.

Written by Sydney Grundy, Composed by Arthur Sullivan
John Manners "} f Mr. Courtice Pounds

Sir George Vernon V Royalists J Mr. Richard Green

Oswald J [ Mr. Charles Kenningham

Rupert Vernon (Roundhead) Mr, Rutland Harrington

Mr. W. H. Denny
Mr. Rudolph Lewis

The McCrankie
Sing-Song Simon
Kill-Joy Candlemas
Nicodemus Knock- Knee
Barnabas Bellows-to-Mend

Puritans

Mr. W. H. Leon
Mr. A. Fowler
Mr. G. de Pledge

Major-Domo Mr. H. Gordon

Dorothy Vernon Miss Lucille Hill

Lady Vernon Miss Rosina Brandram

Dorcas Miss Dorothy Vane

Nance Miss Nita Cole

Gertrude , Miss Claribel Hyde

Deborah Miss Florence Easton

ACT I. THE LOVERS.
Scene : The Terrace.
The green old turrets, all ivy thatch,

Above the cedars that girdle thern rise,
The pleasant glow of the sunshine catch
And outline sharp on the bluest of skies.

ACT II. THE ELOPEMENT.
Scene I. Dorothy's Door.
It is a night with never a star,

And the hall with revelry throbs and gleams ;
There grates a hinge — the door is ajar —
And a shaft of light in the darkness streams.
Scene IL The Long Gallery,

ACT III. THE RETURN.

NOTB, — The Clock of Time has been put forward a century, and
other liberties have been taken with history.

A very cheering reception was accorded this pro-
duction, though some of the critics were very harsh in
their treatment of the author, and so were many of the
prejudiced Savoyards. Nobody expected another Gilbert,

168 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

and a bad imitation would have been a catastrophe.
Although Grundy was not Gilbert, he had tackled a
difficult job with considerable enthusiasm and achieve-
ment. The story was consistently told in robust, easy
English, while the lyrics, though not as flowing as one
could wish, very well served their purpose, Sydney
Grundy never was a good verse-maker — he lacked the
light touch of your true lyrist — but many of the songs
became popular, thanks, of course, to Arthur Sullivan's
setting. Indeed, from the composer we had some stir-
ring, some dainty, and some sympathetic melodies, which
blended well with the old English tale that was gradually
unfolded. And, after all, if it was a departure from the
established formula it was a very good departure. And
evidently the public thought so too, for they responded
with their patronage with great eagerness for over two
hundred performances.

Sydney Grundy only replied once to his antagonistic
and captious attackers and sophistical carpers — and once
was enough. Independent readers of the daily papers
were vastly tickled.

" Sir, — As a humble but sympathetic student of
dramatic and musical criticism, may I venture to suggest
that a short Bill be introduced into Parliament making
it a penal offence to supply the Savoy Theatre with a
libretto ? Having regard to the magnitude of the
crime, the punishment — which should, of course, be
capital — might be made at the same time ignominious
and painful. Should the libretto be so impertinent
as to be successful, I would respectfully suggest ' some-
thing lingering, with boiling oil in it/ if so humble a
person as I may be permitted a quotation.
" Yours, etc.,

"SYDNEY GRUNDY/'

Sullivan at any rate approved of Grundy's lines, and
said so more than once.
When two authors have reached almost the topmost

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 169

tine of dramatic and literary fame it seems almost an
impertinence to refer to any of their works as being a
ghastly failure. However, that is all that can be said of
" Jane-Annie/' the united effort of Sir James M. Barrie
and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and so we will give the cast
for purposes of reference and pass on. As actors say, the
book was too "wicked" for anything. Nor was the
music up to the standard set up by the composer himself
in many charming previous productions. He was an apt
pupil of Arthur Sullivan, and perhaps showed overmuch
the influence of the master.

On Saturday Evening, May 13, 1893.
JANE- ANNIE ; OR, THE GOOD CONDUCT PRIZE.

Written by J. M. Barrie and A. Couan Doyle
(With Explanatory Notes down the margin by Caddie),

The Music by Ernest Ford.
A Proctor Mr. Rutland Harrington

Sim \ •Qtiii/u^ / • • • * Mr. Lawrence Gridley

Greg } Bulld°gs [ Mr. Walter Passmore

Tom (A Press Student) Mr. Charles Kenningham

Tack (A Warrior) Mr. Scott Fishe

Caddie (A Page) Master Harry Rignold

First Student Mr. Bowden Haswell

Second Student Mr. Herbert Crimp

Third Student Mr. Sidwell Jones

Miss Sims (A Schoolmistress) ........ Miss Rosina Brandram

Jane-Annie (A Good Girl) Miss Dorothy Vane

Bob (A Bad Girl) Miss Decima Moore

Milly -v r Miss Florence Perry

Rose I Average I Miss Emmie Owen

Meg I Girls ) Miss Jos6 Shalders

Maud J I Miss May Bell

Schoolgirls, Press Students and Lancers.

The best parts about the " book " were the marginal
notes in the printed play, which of course only purchasers
thereof knew anything about. This seemed a new and
original way of writing a piece for the stage, where the
chief items and jokes are put in as asides that are never
spoken. Poor Rutland Harrington (he passed away on
May 31, 1922, very greatly lamented) had a "fat"

170 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

part, and that's all that can be said for it. But the work
is notable for one thing — it introduced that clever
comedian, singer, and dancer, Walter Passmore, to the
" precincts of the Savoy/' And for ten agreeable years
he proved to be one of the best all-round actors in the
theatre.

" Jane-Annie " lingered on for fifty days, and then van-
ished into the Ewigkcit, and was heard of no more. Again
the theatre was closed for another three months, after
which period of mourning over its past glories there
suddenly came the glad tidings that the estrangement
between W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan had happily
come to an end. Presently it was stated that although
Sir Arthur had been very ill, he was now not only con-
valescent, but hard at work on a new libretto from the
pen of his old friend and fellow-labourer.

There had been an ardent feeling during the past
months amongst playgoers and Savoyites especially—
" a father to the thought " sort of feeling — that all would
be well in the end, and that the diplomatic D'Oyly Carte
would be able to bring about a reconciliation between
the two men of genius. And so it happened, and the
first evidence of the renewed combination was signalised
by the significant announcement of " Utopia " 1

Quite an unusual yet characteristic act on the part of
the newly united author and composer was the notification
of a public rehearsal of the new opera. This took place
on the night before the performance proper, in the presence
of an enormous audience. The theatre exhibited a
curious spectacle to the uninitiated of crowds of people of
all sorts and conditions — mostly perhaps Bohemian —
artists and critics, journalists, authors, and other friends
and acquaintances of the management. All except the
very front rows of the stalls— which were jealously
reserved for the author and composer, to occupy fitfully
as it pleased their fancy or suited their whim or calls
to take due note of the business of the stage and the
business of the performers — all but the front rows were
filled with eager spectators. Only now and then did

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 171

Arthur ^ Sullivan or Gilbert hold up the action with a
suggestion, otherwise the piece went with complete
smoothness, and, generally speaking, the whole per-
formance was identical with what was done on the follow-
ing night, when the play-going populace took their places.
At the termination of this full-dress rehearsal Gilbert
addressed the assembled auditors and expressed the
great pleasure which he experienced in once more working
in association with his old friends and new of the Savoy
Company, and declared his conviction that every part
would be " played as well as it deserved, if not better."
He added his keen appreciation of the work done by
Charles Harris, the stage manager, and Frank Cellier, the
musical " coach " and director. After which three
hearty cheers, " and one cheer more/' were given by the
company for W. S. Gilbert, and then Sir Arthur said a
few words, while D'Oyly Carte stood by and listened,
and then there was more cheering and more graceful
expressions of satisfaction, and so everybody to their
various homes.

On this occasion Miss Nancy Mclntosh, the new
American prima donna, thus unburdened herself to Perpy
Fits-Gerald as recorded in his Savoy recollections : " Until
something like a month ago I had never stepped on to a
stage in my life ; but I have taken very kindly to the
boards." She added, smiling : " And, so far from being
a weariness, each rehearsal was a pleasant experience.
But that I must confess was greatly owing to Mr. Gilbert,
who is the most delighted and painstaking stage manager.
I never knew so patient a man. After you have done a
thing wrong twenty times, he will put you right the
twenty-first as amiably as if he were telling you quite
a new thing/'

On Saturday Evening, October 7, 1893.
UTOPIA LIMITED ; OR, THE FLOWERS OF PROGRESS.
Written by W, S. Gilbert. Composed by Arthur Sullivan.

UTOPIANS.
King Paramount the First Mr. Rutland Harrington

172 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Scaphio ]X Judges of the Utopian f Mr. W. H. Denny

Phantis j Supreme Court | Mr, John Le Hay

Tarara (The Public Exploder) Mr. Walter Passmore

Calynx (The Utopian Vice-Chamberlain) . . Mr. Bowden Haswell

IMPORTED FLOWERS OF PROGRESS.

Lord Dramaleigh (A British Lord Chamberlain) . .Mr. Scott Russell
Captain Fitzbattleaxe (First Life Guards) . .Mr. Charles

Kenningham
Captain Sir Edward Corcoran, K.C.B,

(of the Royal Navy) Mr. Lawrence Gridley

Mr. Goldbury (A Company Promoter) Mr. Scott Fishe

(Afterwards Controller of the Utopian Household)

Sir Bailey Barre, Q.C., M.P Mr. Rues Blackmore

Mr. Blushington (Of the County Council) . .Mr. Herbert Ralland
The Princess Zara (Eldest Daughter

of King Paramount) Miss Nancy Mclntosh

The Princess Nekayaj Her Younger f Miss Kmrnie Owen

The Princess KalybaJ Sisters \ . . Miss Florence Perry
The Lady Sophy (Their English

Gouvernante) Miss Rosina Brandram

Salata"! C Miss Kclith Johnston

Melene \ Utopian Maidensj Miss May Bell

Phylla J [ Miss Florence Eastern

Act I. A Utopian Palm Grove.

Act II. Throne Room in King Paraaiount's Palace.

That W. S. Gilberts fancy bad not lost its cwmiujj
became at once manifest when the curtains were parted
and revealed a soothing palm grove in the gardens of
King Paramount's Palace, with a view of the sea in the
distance, discovering a bevy of beautiful maidens lying
lazily about the stage and singing the opening chorus :

In lazy languor, motionless

We lie and dream of nothingness;

For visions come

From Poppydom

Direct at our command ;
Or delicate alternative,
In open idleness we live,

With lyre and lute

And silver flute
The life of Lazyland.

Fact JK 172

* WALTER PASSMORE

Face p. 173

MR. HENRY A. LYTTON

AS SIR RUTHVEN MURGATROYD IN "RUDDIGQRE"

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 173

It was not long before it was shown that " Utopia " was
another^ topsy-turvy burlesque, as we are told that
Utopia is to be henceforth modelled upon that " glorious
country called Great Britain— to which some add— but
others do not— Ireland." All began well, but somehow
Gilbert's " Utopia " was not altogether convincing, and
the plot, such as it was, was somewhat involved. The
songs and ballads, however, were found to be, if anything,
quainter and more fantastic than ever, and in any case
the public responded by filling the house during its two
hundred and forty-five nights of performance, and the
Press were almost unanimous in its cordiality. But
unfortunately W* S. Gilbert went a trifle too far, and
aroused the resentment of the Royal family by parodying
the English Court, referring to the customs and practices
" of the Court of St James's Hall/' the St. James's
Hall in those days being particularly the home of the
Moore and Burgess black cork minstrels. Not only that,
but the stage business and instructions in the Book of
the Words— which were duly carried out— in Act, II

were ;

They range their chairs across stago like Christy Minstrels. King
sits C, Lord Dramaleigh on his L., Mr. Goldbury on his R.
Captain Corcoran L, of Lord Dramaleigh, Captain Fitzbattleaxe
R, of Mr. Goldbury, Mr. Blushington extreme R, Sir Bailey
Barre extreme I,.

The ^ King, who is relying upon Lord Dramaleigh, the
British Chamberlain, to see that things are done properly
says;

KING ; We take your word for it that all is right. You are
not making fun of us ? This is in accordance with lie Court of
St. James's?

LORD DRAM. : Well, it is in accordance with the practice of
the Court of St. James's Hall.

KING ; Oh 1 It seems odd, but never mind.

Whether this was a matter of U$e majestt or not, it
suggested grossly bad taste, and prevented members of

Ns

174 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

the British Court from paying a second visit to see
" Utopia." But that was all forgotten and forgiven
when King Edward VII. came to the throne, and con-
ferred upon Gilbert the honour of knighthood on July 15,
1907. One of the best songs was the one in which the
English girl is extolled :

Go search the world and search the sea,
Then come you home and sing with me :
There's no such gold and no such pearl
As a bright and beautiful English girl,

" Utopia " is full of satire on the English and their ways,
and yet is also full of patriotic praise and fervour. That,
of course, was Gilbert's little way — a little way that made
him and his mixed sentiments very difficult sometimes
to be " understanded of the people/' The humour of
the opera here and there was patently mechanical and
f eminiscent, and there were, too, reminders in the dialogue
of many incidents of matter that Gilbert had utilised in
his other operas. Captain Sir Edward Corcoran came as
a peculiar surprise from " H.M.S. Pinafore " — but he was
quite welcome. However Sullivan's music seemed fresher
and newer than ever, but unfortunately not detachable-
One curious tiling about the published Book of the
Libretto is that the name of the theatre is not given, nor
are there any names printed of the representatives of the
dramatis personse.

Walter Passmore made a great advance in this his
second Savoy appearance, and, as we all know, had no
need to fear comparison with either his predecessor, the
clever George Grossmith, or those who came after him.
Besides being a first-rate comedian — his Ko-Ko stands
alone — he was also a first-rate musician. Miss Nancy
Mclixtosh, who made her first appearance on the stage
in this opera, was a finished vocalist, but as an actress
she had everything to learn, but she progressed as time
went on, and for several years was heard of in London*
Sir W. S. Gilbert was very fond of her, and in the end
adopted her as his daughter,

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 175

The first night of " Utopia " was memorable in many
ways, but in particular because of the tremendous ovation
Sir Arthur Sullivan received directly he was seen making
his way to the conductor's chair ; the hearty applause
bestowed upon each member of the cast as each one
appeared; and the final enthusiasm of the audience
when at the end Arthur Sullivan and W. S* Gilbert took
their <f call," and shook hands in front of the curtain.
Everybody was happy at the re-union of two such dear
and brilliant friends.

CHAPTER XXI

" Mirette ' — " The Grand Duke "— " The Mikado" again—
" His Majesty/'

AFTER " Utopia " had only partially redeemed the hopes
held out at the beginning of its career, D'Oyly Carte was
again hard put to it to find a suitable and more promising
successor. Although a new work by the old partners
was underlined, but as it was yet in embryo, the manager
was perforce compelled to take, to keep the theatre open,
what he could get. There had been negotiations with
Andr£ Messager for the production of an operetta entitled
" Mirette." The book, written by Michael Carr6, was
ridiculously old-fashioned, the plot simple to boredom,
and the action not worthy of a marionette. Think of
it, gipsies again t The Count loves the gipsy maiden ;
the gipsy at first listens, and then returns to her " own
true love/' one of her own tribe. It was utterly inoffen-
sive and utterly stupid, while Messager's music was
commonplace and uninteresting. D'Oyly Carte, however,
was under contract to adapt and produce it. There was
Uttle wisdom in the choice of the adaptors. The work
was given to authors who were not too well acquainted
with the requirements of the art of the stage. It was a
bad libretto to start with — without action or humour
— and wanted careful handling. Mr. Harry Greenbank
should have changed places, perhaps, with Mr. Fred E.
Weatherly, for Mr.^ Greenbank up to that time was not
noted for his talent as a writer of dialogue, whereas as a
lyric author he was almost the equal of any lyrist in
town. Mr. Weatherly had won a great reputation as a

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 177

writer of ordinary drawing-room ballads, but he had
little or no sense of the theatre, and in any case the
material he had to work upon was far from brilliant,
But D'Oyly Carte had firm faith in the work, and so,
when one version failed, he gave us another. The first
was translated by Fred E. Weatherly and Harry Green-
bank, the second as under.

MlRETTE.

A New Opera in three Acts, written expressly for the Savoy

Theatre.

Founded on the French of Michael Carre1.

English Lyrics by Frederic E. Weatherly ; English Dialogue
by Harry Greenbank.

New Version with New Lyrics by Adrian Ross.

The Music by Andr6 Messager,
Produced at the Savoy Theatre by D'Oyly Carte,

July 3, 1894. October 6, 1894,
The Baron Van den Berg

Mr. John Coates Mr. Richard Tempi®

Gerard Mr. Scott Fishe Mr. Scott Fishe

(Nephew of the Marquis)

Picorin .,....,, Mr. Courtice Pounds Mr. Courtice Pounds

Bobinet .Mr, Walter Passmore Mr. Walter Passmore

Francal Mr, Avon Saxon Mr. John Coates

Bertuccio, .Mr, Scott Russell Mr. Scott Russell

Mirette (a Gispy) , . Miss Maud Ellicott Miss Florence St. John

Bianca ..»*,,.. Miss Florence Perry Miss Florence Perry

(Daughter of the Baron Van deri Berg)

Zerbinette (a Gipsy) Miss Emmie Owen Miss Emmie Owen
The Marquis de Montigny

Miss Rosina Brandram Miss Rosina Brandrwn

The Opera produced under the stage management of Mr. Chartee

Harris.

Mi»s Kate Rolia played Mirette for a short time, and then
Miss Florence St. John was called in— but, notwithstand-
ing all that was done to justify D'Oyly Carte's faith in
w work — second-rate French opera was out of place
at the Savoy— it hiui to make way for a newly written

178 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

version of an old German Reed sketch, " Contra-
bandista," dating from 1867, written by F, C. Burnand
and composed by Arthur Sullivan. It was a fatal mistake
to try to resuscitate or regenerate this very old-fashioned,
uninteresting work* However, it was done, and ran
for ninety-six performances under its re-christened name.

On Wednesday, December 12 , 1894.

THE CHIEFTAIN.

An Original Comic Opera in Two Acts.
Written by F. C. Burnand, Composed by Arthur Sullivan*

Count Vasquez de Gonzago Mr. Courtice Pounds

teter Adolphus Grigg (a British

tourist in search of the picturesque) . , . .Mr. Walter Passmore
Ferdinand de Roxas (Chieftain of the

Ladrones, disguised as Pietro Slivinski, a Polish Courier)

Mr. Scott Fishe

Sancho (First Lieutenant of the Ladrones) .... Mr. R. Temple
Tos6 (Second Lieutenant of the Ladrones) . .Mr, M. R. Morand
Fedro Gomez (Consulting Lawyer, Astrologer,

and Keeper of Archives of the Ladrones) . .Mr. Scott Russell

Blazzo . . , Mr. Bowden Harwell

Escatero *...., Mr. Powis Pinder

Pedrillo (a Goatherd) Master Snelson

Luz de Roxas (Chieftainess of the

Ladronos) , Miss Rosina Brandram

Dolly (Peter A, Grigg's Wife) Miss Florence Perry

Juanita (the Dancing Girl of the

Ladrones) , . , . Miss Emmie Owen

Maraquita , . . Miss Edith Johnston

Anna (a Camerista) Miss Ada Newall

Zitella , Miss Beatrice Perry

Nina Miss Ethel Wilson

Rita (an English lady engaged to

Vasquez) Miss Florence St. John

The tide in the affairs of Savoy Opera were at an
unpleasantly low ebb, and not even Sullivan's music
Could save "The Chieftain " from strangulation, and
there was nothing new ready, or likely to be for some
time, and although there were persistent paragraphs about
Another masterpiece, it seemed to tarry overlong on the
road. To fill the gap and to try and rally the old Savoy-
s, who secintd to be growing less enthusiastic in their

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 179

allegiance, Mr. D'Qyly Carte resolved to speculate with
" Hansel and Gretel," which was then running at the old
Princess's Theatre in Oxford Street, and so he gave a
welcome to Humperdinck's pretty piece on April 16, 1895,
This was well received, and made many new friends.

The theatre now closed its doors for a little vacation,
to reopen with the always reliable " Mikado " on November
6, 1895, with Walter Passmore as Ko-Ko for the first time.
Rutland Barrington was Pooh-Bah as usual, and other
favourites ; and, as will soon be seen, it had to be restored
to its place in a few months. I will wait till we come to
that before giving the full cast.

In due season the first programme of the new, eagerly
anticipated " Gilbert and Sullivan " was announced and
took place;

On Saturday Evening, March 7, 1896,
A Now and Original Comic Opera, entitled
THE GRAND DUKE ; OR, THE STATUTORY
Written by W. S. Gilbert* Composed by Arthur Sullivan,

Rudolph (the Grand Duke of Pfennig

Halbpf ennig) . * . « , , . Mr* Walter Passmore

Ernest Drummkopf (a Theatrical Manager)

Mr, Charles Kenningham
Ludwig (his Leading Comedian) ...... Mr. Rutland Barrington

Dr* Tannhauser (a Notary) Mr, Scott Russell

The Prince of Monte Carlo Mr. R. Scott Fishe

Viscount Mentone *,....... Mr. E. Carlton

Ben Hashbaz (a Costumier) Mr. C. Herbert Workman

Herald „ . » , . , « . . » , Mr. Jones Hewson

The Princess of Monte Carlo (Betrothed

to Rudolf) ,,.,... ,..,».». Miss Emmie Owen

The Baroness Von Krakenfeldt (Betrothed

to Rudolf) ,«.,«.*„,...* * Miss Rosina Brandrara

Julia Jellicoe (an English Comedienne) Madame Ilka von Palmay
Lisa (a Soubrette) ...,,.* » Miss Florence Perry

Olga

Gretchen

Bertha

Elsa

Martha

f Miss Mildred Baker

Members of ...... Miss Ruth Vincent

-Ernest Drumrakopf sJ Miss Jessie Rose

Theatrical Company Miss Ethel Wilson.

I

»Miss Beatrice Perry

i8o THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The newcomers were Madame Ilka von Palmay, who was
chosen purposely by W. S. Gilbert to play an English
comedienne at a German Court — she spoke with a pleasing
foreign accent and sang very well — and Mr. C. H. Work-
man, who it is true had made his Savoy d6but in the
curtain-raiser " After All" m the previous November,
and was to become a valued Savoyard, Some of the
papers declared " The Grand Duke " to be a great success,
notwithstanding that it " had its faults/' and that from
first to last it was a delightful entertainment : " It
makes one glad/' said one writer, " that there are such
men in the world as Gilbert and Sullivan — glad above all
that they are once more pulling together in ' double
harness ' instead of flying on in opposite directions, and
devoting their energies to separate work." That was
very nice, but it became known that the collaborators
were not working precisely in harmony, and as this was
their thirteenth — an ominous number, cried the super-
stitious—opera together, including "Trial by Jury/'
something was sure to happen, These wiseacres, to the
sorrow of all who loved the Savoy, prophesied right,
Something did happen, for Gilbert and Sullivan never
acted as collaborators any more. The truth had to be
confessed that Gilbert's book was " far, far from gay,"
but Sullivan's music, though occasionally reminding one
of what had gone before, was very bright and tunefuL
The good company — none could have been better —
worked hard, but the opera was uninteresting, ingustible,
and dry. Many of the speeches were too long, and the
lyrics were so commonplace and so ordinary as to be quite
unworthy of the originator of the Bab Ballads. There
was nothing distinguishable about the work, which
honestly made no appeal whatever, and ended not
gloriously with the small total of one hundred and twenty-
three performances. The work was apparently based
upon a well-known Blackwood tale called " The Duke's
Surprise/1 the plot of which had been utilised by H, B.
Faraie in "The Prima Ponna," done at the Avenue
Theatre in October, 1889, Tito Mattel wrote the music.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 181

With the exit of " The Grand Duke " came the entry
of — I was almost going to say the inevitable — " Mikado."
It came anyhow, again conquered, and before it was
withdrawn reached its one thousandth performance on
October 31, 1896, The special programmes were printed on
Japanese fans ?^d the souvenir took the form of a book
containing extracts from the libretti and scores of all the
Gilbert and Sullivan operas for every day of the year.
This handsome gift was compiled ana arranged by Miss
Kitty Lofting. The theatre, which was beautifully
decorated with scarlet and gold chrysanthemums, was
crowded with all the notabilities of the day — famous per-
sonages of music and the drama, the artistic world
generally and society, resembling a gala first night. The
revival during which this interesting event took place
began on the previous July u. The cast on this and the
festival occasion was as follows :

THE MIKAPO ; OR, THE TOWN OF TITIPU.

The Mikado of Japan Mr, Scott Flsho

Kanki-Poo , Mr. Charles Kenningharn

Ko-Ko , „ Mr. Walter Passmore

Pooh-Bah , . . , Mr, Rutland Barring-ton

Fish-Tush , , . . * , , , , , , Mr. Jones Hewaon

Yum- Yum , **,*.,* Miss Florence Perry

Pitti-Sing Miss Jesaie Boad

Peep-Bo »*.»,.»». Miss Emmie Owen

Katisha Miss Rosina Brandr&m

By many experts, Mr. Walter Passmore's Ko-Ko was
considered to transcend George Grossmith's lively ex-
position of the Lord High Executioner. In any case Mr.
rassmore was a better singer and a far superior dancer,
being one of the best of his style on the London stage at
that time, Much regret was expressed soon after this
revival at the secession of Rutland Barrington, who
then acted for the last time for many a long day in the
old house, and then went to take up Harry Monkhouse's
part in the "Geisha," at Daly's Theatre, urtder the
management of George Edwardea,

Rutland Banington had appeared in all the Gilbert
and Sullivan Works at the Opera Comique and at the

182 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Savoy with the exception of " The Yeomen of the Guard/*
when he had his little managerial exploit in 1888 at the
St. James's Theatre. Barrington himself, in his Record
of Thirty-Five Years' Experience on the English Stage, tells
us of his decision, " I did not look forward with any
special pleasure to my reappearance as Pooh-Bah as I
had got rather tired of the part during the long original
run and my forebodings were realised, as, after playing it
for a month or so, I began to fed as if I had never played
anything else, and it so worked on my brain that I felt
compelled to ask Carte to release me, which he very
kindly did, and within a very short time I returned to
Daly's for the ' Geisha/ which play was the commence-
ment of a stay of ten years with George Edwardes/' But
he had not deserted the Savoy by any means, as later we
shall see. To fill Barrington's place Mr. Fred Billington,
who had for years enacted the character in the country
in one of D'Oyly Carte's repertoire companies, was called
in, and a very fine, unctuous, suave Pooh-Bah he demon-
strated himself to be. Now we are on the subject of
Pooh-Bah, it is interesting to recall that James Robinson
Planch6 (of whom Gilbert was an ardent student, as
well as of Henry J. Byron) in his " Sleeping Beauty,"
first presented at Covent Garden, April 20, 1840, has a
character called Baron Factotum, who was also a kind
of Pooh-Bah, and who describes his burden of offices
as follows.

Ve who sigh for place
Behold and profit by my piteous case.
As Lord High Chamberlain I slumber never,
As Lord High Steward in a stew I'm ever,
As Lord High Constable I watch all day,
As Lord High Treasurer I've the devil to pay.
As Great Grand Cup Bearer I'm handled queerly,
As Great Grand Carver I'm cut up severely.
In other States the honours are divided,
But here they're one and all to me confided ;
They've buckled Fortune on my back — until
I really feel particularly ill 1

Young man, avoid the cares from State that spring
And doa't you be a Great Grand anything 1

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 183

In August, by the way, a new musical duologue by
Adrian Ross and W. Beach, called "Weather or No," with
music by Luard Selby was presented. Another great
loss to the Savoy was the retirement of Miss Jessie Bond
at the conclusion of the run of this revival, after a splendid
period of nearly twenty years' service, Miss Bond had
engendered a deep affection, not only among her fellow-
artists behind the curtain, but also among her constant
and appreciative friends in front, Miss Bond was soon
afterwards married to Mr. Lewis Ransome and left the
stage for good.

" The Mikado," having reigned until well into February,
had to vacate his throne for another ruler, so was produced
on

Saturday, February 20, 1897,
His MAJESTY ; OR, THE COURT OF VIQNOLIA.

An Original Comic Opera in Two Acts,
Written by F. C. Bumand and BL C, Lehmann,
With Additional Lyrics by Adrian Ross,
The Music by Sir Alexander C. Mackenzie,
Ferdinand the Fifth (King of Vignolia) * .Mr* George Grossmith
Count Cosmo (Prime Minister and

First Lord of the Admiralty) Mr, Scott Russell

Baron Vicentius (Lord High Chamberlain) , ,Mr. Jones Hewson
Baron Michael (Vice-Chamberlain ;

of Celtic Extraction) *.,*,, Mr, Earldon

Prince Max (of Baluria) **,.,,»*.,.. Mr* Charles Kenningham

Mopolio VIL (King of Osturia) Mr, Fred BiUington

Boodel (Ex-Master of the Revels to

King Ferdinand) ,.*,,.,,, Mr. Walter Passmore

Herr Schrdppentrimmer (Court Costumier) -*...**. Mr, Bryan
Chevalier Maxkateixi de Frise (Court

Perruquier , * * * ...» » , , Mr. H, Charles

Adam (a Woodman) , * ,,»,,.,„, Mr. Herbert Workman

Princess Lucilla Chloris (of Osturia,

daughter of King Mopolio) «,.,,,.*,,,, Miss Florence Perry
Felice (Adopted Daughter of Adam

and Gertrude)..... ............. Madame Ilka von Palmay

Duchess of Gonzara (Mistress of the

Royal Wardrobe) »»„*»,», » . Miss Macaulay

Dame Gertrude (wife of Adain) .«*»,,,,<» Miss Bessie Bonsall
Helena \ Principal Ladies in ( Miss Jessie Ros$

Dorothea V Waiting on Princess \ Miss Ruth Vincent
Claudina Luciila Chloris I Misa Mildred Baker

184 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

This opera was heralded with much puffing and blowing
in the Press, but somehow there was something un-
satisfying in the over elaborate story which dwindled
down to nothing at the end. There were too many
cooks, and there was too much froth. It was
suggested that by a cutting away process the balance
of parts could be restored. " By now this has doubtless
been done, and if well done, we see no reason why
the new Savoy Opera should not have been converted
from a questionable into a solid and 'certain success/'
Unluckily this did not happen.

" The music of < His Majesty/ " said a leading critic, " is,
apart from its wealth of technical resource and refined
melody, remarkable for the fact that it is not in the
slightest degree Sullivanesque. Dealing, as he had to, with
characters and lyrics that savour rather strongly of the
Gilbertian flavour, Sir A. C. Mackenzie must have found
it anything but an easy task to avoid suggestion or
reminiscences of his accomplished brother composer.
That he has succeeded in doing so and yet written number
after number, abounding in tunefulness and spirit, is an
immense tribute to his individuality/'

The smartest lyrics came from the pen of Adrian Ross
and the best acting from Walter Passmore and Fred
Bttlington. There were several good songs well sung by
a company whose strength may be judged from the names
of the performers. George Grossmith was exceptionally
nervous and did not do justice on the first night either
to himself or this cleverly conceived personage, As
a matter of fact it was drawn from that world-wide
pestilence, the ex-Kaiser, when he was a young man,
making a fool of himself. Somehow Grossmith did not
get into the skin of the part, and at the end of the per-
formance on the fourth night he threw up the sponge and
left the theatre. Interviewed as to this action he stated
in effect that the part he played was very different at the
end of the rehearsals from what it was at the beginning,
" One thing is really beyond dispute, He was out of his
dement in the piece, which, clever as he is, g-dm&cl rather

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 185

than lost by his absence, and is now going much better."
So wrote Frederick Hawkins. George Grossmith was
temporarily replaced by rising Herbert Workman, and
then Henry A. Lytton burst upon the scene with im-
mediate success. Not forgetting his Robin Oakapple in
" Ruddigore " this may be said to have been H, A.
Lytton' s first great hit which was to lead him on to fame
and fortune in the later revivals at the same house. Mr.
Lytton had been debarred from his right place in London
too long. But he was not to reign long as " His Majesty/'
for that unhappy monarch was deposed after sixty-one
days from his thorny throne. The revival of " The
Yeomen of the Guard " at once changed the fortunes of
the Savoy. Of that there could be "no shadow of
doubt, no possible doubt whatever 1 "

CHAPTER XXII

" The Yeomen of the Guard " Revived ; a New Version of the
" Grand Duchesa " " The Beauty Stone " — Sir Arthur Pinero.

IN the first revival of " The Yeomen of the Guard," on
May 5, 1897, there were naturally not many of the original
cast of 1888 in the bill ; indeed, there were only two —
Richard Temple and Miss Rosina Brandram. For the
sake of reference I copy the programme list of characters.

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD ; OR, THE MERRY MAN AND His

MAID.

Sir Richard Cholmondeley , . Mr. Jones Hewson

Colonel Fairfax , Mr. Charles Kenningham

Sergeant Meryll . , Mr. Richard Temple

Leonard Meryll ....«, Mr, Scott Russell

Jack Point Mr. Walter Passmore

Wilfred Shadbolt Mr. H, A. Lytton

Elsie Maynard * Madame Ilka von Palmay

Phoebe Miss Florence Perry

Dame Carruthers Miss Rosina Brandram

Kate Miss Ruth Vincent

Other parts were taken by Messrs. Richards, C, Childerstone,
H. Gordon, lago Lewys, E. Bryan, and (X H, Workman.

After about a month Mr, Cory James replaced Mr. Scott
Russell as Leonard Meryll. Mr. Passmore made a dis-
tinctive and immediate success, and was looked upon as
the next best Jack Point, and to this verdict W. S, Gilbert
himself subscribed at the time, " After All " was also
revived.
D'Oyly Carte was still seeking for a new comic opera,

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 187

at least that was the general rumour, and it is well-known
that he had several works offered to him, some of which,
to his own disadvantage, he turned down. He seemed
to be hunting for the impossible and seemed* afraid to
venture on new works by new authors. However, he
was the manager, and was naturally the best judge of his
own requirements* But it was generally accorded that
he made a mistake in putting on a revised version of
Offenbach's thirty-year-old comic opera "The Grand
Duchess of Gerolstein/' the history of which is very
romantic but too long to tell at this moment. It seemed
curious to see Jacques Offenbach's name at the Savoy,
for Sir George A. Macfarren, at one time President of the
Royal Academy of Music, had, in a spirit of spitefulness,
christened Sullivan the " English Offenbach/1 much to
Sullivan's chagrin and annoyance. I suppose there
are no two composers in the wide world who were so
dissimilar in works, ways and methods, than the great
French opera bouffeist and the essentially English com-
poser of Savoy opera. Why Macfarren, who was supposed
to be always full of kindness and ready to help any
musician on his way, should have shown such jealous
pique towards Sullivan, it is hard to say, as most decidedly
Sullivan's friends looked upon the label as an insult and
an affront, " The Grand Duchess," ever to be associated
with the name of Hortense Schneider, who was the
original ; and with Julia Mathews, who was first seen
in the part at Covent Garden, November 18, 1867, in
the version prepared by Charles Lamb Kenney. For
his own purposes D'Oyly Carte engaged Charles H,
E, Brookfidd to write the new dialogue and Adrian Ross
to provide fresh lyrics.

On Saturday, December 4, 1897.
TSTK GRAND DUCHESS OF GEROLSTSIK.

The Grand Duchess of Gerolsteln . * , » Miss Florence St» Tohn
Wanda (a Peasant betrothed to FadtzJ . . , »Miss Florence Perry

Fritz (a Recruit) , , , . » . » Mr. Charles Kenningham

Prince Paul (Son and Heir of the Elector) . ,Mr, Henry A* Lytton

i88 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Baron Puck (Chamberlain) Mr. William Elton

Nepomuc (Aide-de-Camp) Mr. George Humphery

General Bourn (Commander in Chief) Mr. Walter Passmoro

Baron Grog (Emissary of the Elector) Mr. Charles H. E. Brookficld
Colonel Marcobrunner"} Officers in the ( Mr, Scott Fishe

Captain Hockheim vGrand Duchess'J Mr, Jonos Hewson
Lieutenant Neirstein J Army [ Mr, Cory James

Iza \ ( Miss Ruth Vincent

Olga I Maids of J Miss Mildred Baker

Amdlie | Honour j Mias Jessie Rose

Charlotte J ( Miss Beatrice Perry

Left and right the production was violently criticised
and C. H. E. Brookfield was seriously taken to task for
" bowdlerising " the play, but in a long letter to the press,
Mr. Carte justified his action in approving of the many
doubtful incidents in the work, and defended his writers
against the attacks made upon them for their version of
the libretto. Moreover, for three months the public
flocked to listen to Offenbach's light and airy music and
to enjoy the excellent acting and singing of a most
excellent company. Then, pending the production of
" The Beauty Stone." with Sullivan as composer, a short
season of the " The Gondoliers " was given from March 22,
1898.

THE GONDOLIERS ; OR, THB KING OF BARATARIA.

The Duke of Plaza-Toro Mr, W, Elton

Luiz Mr, Jones Hewson

Don Alhambra Del Bolero Mr. Walter Passmoro

Marco Palmier! Mr, Charles Kenningham

Giuseppe Palmier! Mr, H, A, Lytton

Duchess of Plaza-Toro Miss Rosina Brandram

Casilda Miss Ruth Vincent

Gianetta . . , , , Miss Emmie Owen

Tessa Miss Louie Henri

Fiametta Miss Ethel Jackson

Vittoria Miss Jessie Rose

Giulia , * , * ....», Miss Margaret Moyse

Inea . * * ,**,..„*,«..*.„ Miss Jessie Pounds

Great things were anticipated from the advent of " The
uty Stone/' to the book was by the leading dramatist

Face p. 188

Miss BERTHA LEWIS

Face p. 189

MR. C H. WORKMAN

AS JACK POINT IN "THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD*

[Photo by Elliott 5* Pry

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 189

of the day, while the lyrics were by a scholarly poetic
author who was also the writer of many plays. But the
truth must be confessed at once that the " Beauty
Stone/' by Arthur W. Pincro, J. Comyns Carr, and Arthur
Sullivan, was not only not interesting, but it was deadly
dull and was consequently withdrawn after about fifty
performances. Perhaps had this romantic opera, or
musical drama, as it was called, been clone by the Carl
Rosa Company, it might have passed into the casual
repertoire, but it was quite out of place at the Savoy.
Sir Arthur Pinero's dialogue was too diffuse and too
heavy, while Mr. Cart's lyrics did not seem to lend
themselves easily to musical treatment. The Devil,
in the person of Mr, Passmore, was a principal character
which was objected to by critics and public alike, although
Mr. Passmore's impersonation could not be improved
upon. Said the authors : " In the old mysteries and
miracle plays the Devil was usually presented as a
grotesque personage ; and it is in this spirit, if with some
modification, that the character is traced in this instance I "
Unfortunately this conception of the Spirit of Darkixess
jarred.

Saturday Evening, May 28, 1898.

THE BEAUTY STONE.
An Original Romantic Musical Drama in Three Acts.

By Arthur W. Pinero and J. Comyns Carr. Composed by
Arthur Sullivan,

Philip, Lord of Mirlemont ,..**,. * Mr, George DevoU

Gunton of Beaugrant , , , Mr. Edwin Asham

Simon Limal (a Weaver) , Mr. H. A, Lytton

Nicholas Dircks (Burgomaster of Mirlemont) Mr. Jones Hewson

Peppin (a Dwarf) * , Mr. D'Arcy Kelway

A Senechal ,,.,,,., Mr, Leonard Russell

A Lad of the Town .,,,,,.*..,,.,., Mr. Charles Childerstone

Baldwyn of Ath . , . , , , , Mr. J. W. Foster

— , - . ,«,,,,„... / Mr. Cory Tames

The Lords of Snttult, Velames I ^ H. Gordon

and St. Saweur | ^

Os

igo THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

The Devil Mr. Walter Passmore

Lainc (the Weaver's 1 )aufchU*r) Miss Ruth Vincent

Joan (the Weaver's Wife) Miss Rosina Bramlnim

Jacqueline Miss Emmie Owen

Loyse, from St. Denis Miss Madge Moyse

Isabeau, from Florence Miss Minnie Pryce

Blanche, from Bovigny Miss Kthol Jackson

A Shrewish Girl Miss Mildred Baker

A Matron Miss Ethel Wilson

Saida - Miss Paulino Joran

The story is laid in the Flemish town of Mirlomont in
the fifteenth century.

The musical director was Frangois Cellier. Messrs.
George Devoll and Edwin Ashara, who had been
specially imported from America, were unhappily quite
unsuited in every respect for the roles for which they
were cast. They were vocally and physically unfit
for the characters, besides which their American accent
was not altogether in keeping with the Flemish setting.
Miss Emmie Owen and Mr. Walter Passmore provided
the comic relief, but somehow the parts did not appear
to be altogether in the picture. Miss Pauline Joran, a
new-comer, proved to be a great acquisition, while Miss
Ruth Vincent well foreshadowed the splendid career
that lay before her.

On the departure of "The Beauty Stone/' with all
Sullivan's exquisite music, "The Gondoliers" resumed
its position in the public estimation, with a cast
almost unchanged from its recent revival, except that
Robert Evett now played Marco in place of Mr,
Kenningham,

" The Gondoliers " having finished its course, " The
Sorcerer " and " Trial by Jury," after a rest of fourteen
years, made a welcome reappearance on September 22,
1898, and filled the theatre for just over a hundred
performances. As no one who took part in the initial
production at the Opera Comique was present to play
on this occasion, I give the list of dramatis personae ;

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 191

THE SORCERER.

Sir Marmaduko Pointclextre Mr. Jones Hcwson

Alexis Mr. Robert Evett

Dr. Davy Mr. Henry A. Lytton

Notary Mr. Leonard Russell

John Wellington Wells Mr, Walter Passmore

Lady Sangazure Miss Rosina Brandram

Aline , , Miss Ruth Vincent

Mrs. Partlett Miss E. McAlpine

Constance , Miss Emmie Owen

Followed by the Dramatic Cantata :
TRIAL BY JURY.

The Learned Judge Mr, Henry A, Lytton

The Plaintiff Miss Isabel Jay

The Defendant , Mr. Cory Jarneg

Counsel lor the Plaintiff Mr, Jones Hewson

Usher Mr. Walter Passmore

Foreman of the Jury Mr. Leonard Russell

Associate , Mr. Charles Childerstone

First Bridesmaid Miss Mildred Baker

A line in the programme ran : " Both operas reproduced
under the personal direction of the Author," indicates
that Gilbert still preserved a lively interest in all move-
ments at the Savoy. "The Sorcerer/' by the way,
celebrated its twenty-first anniversary on November 17,
1898. Sir Arthur Sullivan occupied the conductor's
chair, Gilbert and friends occupied one box, and Mr. and
Mrs. D'Oyly Carte sat in another. It was also the
twenty-first anniversary of Mr. Carte's management-
In succession to these old favourites a new comic
opera entitled the " Lucky Star " was tried, and met
with fair success, but it was of a much lowef class than
that to which patrons of the Savoy had been accustomed*
The history of the libretto forms a curious record
as an instance of collaboration. The original, called
" I/Btoile/* was brought out at the Bouffes Parisians
in 1877. The " book " was by Leterrier and Vanloo,
with music by Emmanuel Chabrier. Probably on
account of its difficulty the original score was, with the

192 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

exception of part of the finale to Act, L, entirely
abandoned, and the version presented at the Savoy was
based on an American translation of the French libretto
by Cheever Goodwin and Woolston Morse, while Ivan
Caryll was responsible for the music, the English lyrics
being provided by Adrian Ross and Aubrey Hopwood,
with some new dialogue by C. H. E. Brookfield. Then
the whole concoction '* was revised and put together by
H. L,/' who was Helen Lenoir — otherwise Mrs, D'Oyly
Carte! Notwithstanding all this, the French original
was closely followed and much of the dialogue was
rehashed,

On Saturday, January 7, 1899,

THE LUCKY STAR,
A Comic Opera in Three Acts.

King Ouf the First Mr. Walter Passmore

The Baron Tabasco (Ambassador from

King Mataquin) Mr. Henry A, Lytton

Siroco (the Astrologer Royal) Mr. Sydney Paxton

Kedas (Chief of Police) Mr, Frank Manning

Tapioca (Private Secretary to Baron

Tabasco) Mr, Robert Evett

Cancan (A Citizen) Mr. Leonard Russell

Princess Laoula (Daughter of King

Mataquin) Miss Ruth Vincent

Alofis (Daughter of Tabasco) Miss Isabel Jay

"

Oasis "\ Maidg of r Miss Jessie Rose

Asphodel h Honour \ Miss Madge Moyse

Zinnia J ±lonour ( Miss Mildred Baker

Lazuli (A Travelling Painter) Miss Emmie Owen

Whatever its merits or demerits, " The Lucky Star "
was good enough to attract attention for one hundred and
forty-three representations. In the second edition Mr,
Henry ClafE was the Kedas and Mr. Fred Wright, Junior,
Siroco.

While waiting for " The Rose of Persia/' promised from
the pen of Bastt Hood, to fill up the gap " H.M.S. Pina-
fore " was launched for its second revival on June 6, 1899,

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 193

Sir Joseph Porter * Mr. Walter Passmore

Captain Corcoran Mr. Henry A. Lytton

Ralph Rackstraw Mr, Robert Evett

Dick Deadeye Mr. Richard Temple

Bill Bobstay Mr, W. H. Leon

Bob Becket Mr. Powis Finder

Josephine Miss Ruth Vincent

Hebe * . * , Miss Emmie Owen

Little Buttercup Miss Rosina Brandrara

Mr. Richard Temple, it will be seen, appeared in his
original character of Dick Deadeye. " Trial by Jury "
completed the entertainment. It may be noted that on
September 16, " Pinafore " reached its thousandth per-
formance. Through Mr. Wilfred Bendall, who was for a
time private secretary to Sir Arthur Sullivan, Captain
Basil Hood was introduced to the latter as a likely
librettist* Captain Hood had already written "The
French Maid " and " Gentleman Joe/' and other pieces,
and his great ambition was now to be consummated,
for he had long aspired to be numbered among the active
Savoyards. The first result was the evolution of a very
fine Eastern story.

On Saturday, November 29, 1899,
A New Comic Opera in Two Acts*

THE ROSE OF PERSIA ; OR, THE STORY-TELLER AND THB SLAVE,
Written by Basil Hood* Composed by Arthur Sullivan.

The Sultan Mahmoud of Persia ,,,,..„. Mr, Henry A, Lytton

Hassan (a Philanthropist) ,..,»,„.. Mr. Walter Passmore

Yussuf (a Professional Story-Teller) . . Mr, Robert Evett

Abdallah (a Priest) » * . . Mr, George Ridgwell

The Grand Vizier Mr. W. H, Leon

The Physidan-in~Chief * ,..,„. Mr. C. Childerstone

The Royal Executioner . » . Mr. Reginald Crompton

Soldier of the Guard . * * Mr, Powis Pinder

The Sultana Zubeydeh (named

*' Rose4n-Bloom ") * * « . . Miss Ellen Beach Yaw

** Scent of lilies " * .»,.,..** Miss Jessie Roee

" Hesurt's-Deaire " ,*»*»«, >*.»*** Miss Louie Pounds

41 Ho&ey-of-Life " * * » *» ,.,,.,.*...* Miss Emmie Owen

i94 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

0 Dancing Sunbeam " (Hassan's First

Wife) Miss Rosina Brandram

" jMu'ih-of-Morning " (his Twenty-Fifth

Wife) Miss Agnes Fraser

" Oasis-in-the-Desert " ^ w- mo f Miss Madge Moyse

" Morn-upon-the-Waters " I ^J68 I Miss Jessie Pounds
" Song-of -Nightingales " f w /;* | Miss Rose Rosslyn

" Whispor-of-the- West- Wind " J nassan I Miss Gertrude Jerrard

Miss Ellen Beach Yaw, who came from the United
States, only played the Sultana Zubcydch for two weeks,
as her voice was not quite suited to the Savoy ; therefore
Miss Isabel Jay was engaged, and she secured a most
delightful success. In this piece Mr, Reginald Crompton
made his appearance at the Savoy. A change of some
importance was the return of Miss Decima Moore to take
up " Scent-of-Lillies " in April, in the place of Miss Jessie
Rose,

" The Rose of Persia " was a worthy successor to Gilbert's
work. Basil Hood — who was a descendant of Thomas
Hood, by the way — whose lyrics were light and graceful
and whose dialogue was witty and pungent, was at once
accused of imitating Gilbert, but close examination of the
two authors will prove that there was no real imitation.
Hood, like his great ancestor, who was certainly, amongst
other things, the master punster of the world, was very
fond of plays upon words —

You took me out to take mo in,
That's what you took me for —

and this happy little faculty lent an agreeable charm to
the speeches allotted to his creations. The piece was
bright and pleasant. The music was Sullivan at his very
best, and consequently "The Rose of Persia" turned
out to be an unequivocal success. The Persian atmo-
sphere pervaded the excellent story of the opera. The
influence of Edward FitzGerald's " Omar Khayyfim " was
certainly over it all through the quaint philosophy and
in the tender love-songs. There was also many an
agreeable touch of the Arabian Nights, Hassan, most

TJtiJC STUKY (JV THE SAVOY OPEKA 195

artistically and feelingly played by Walter Passmore,
quotes from Omar, while the lyrics suggest the methods
of the Persian poets,

'Neath my lattice,
Through the night,
Comes the west wind,

Perfume-laden ;
As a lover to a maiden,

Sighing softly, " Here I am,1*
Come and wander where I wander in the silence of the stars.

This was well rendered by Miss Isabel Jay, as Rose-in-
Bloom. Hassan has several good ditties, which Walter
Passmore sang in his best manner, the cleverest of all
being the winding-up song, in which Hassan tells of his
own life, and as the Sultan has ordered him to tell a tale
that has a happy ending, otherwise his life will be forfeit.
Hassan tells it so, and of course the Sultan finds himself
finely tricked, " You have played an odd trick upon
me/' he says, to which Hassan replies, " It is the odd
trick, 0 King, that wins the game,"

Robert Evett had some capital pieces to sing also, and
scored in each one — a drinking song and " Our Tale is
Told " particularly. It would be a very good comic opera
to revive. It was acted for over two hundred perform-
ances—two hundred and twenty, to be precise — and
Savoyards looked forward to seeing more of a similar
kind. The more than capable company worked well
together, and brought back memories of past successes.

At this time Sir Arthur Sullivan had promised to write
the music for Rudyard Kipling's " Absent-Minded
Beggar " for some Daily Mail Fund, but he was harassed
and very ill, and felt the task a laborious one, J. M,
Glover, in his book of Reminiscences, says : " It was utterly
impossible to get poor, dear, lazy Arthur Sullivan to do
' The Absent-Minded Beggar/ The then plain Alfred
Harmswotth rayed, Kennedy Jones telephoned, the entire
staff of the Daily Mail lived on the composer's doorstep
in Victoria Street, but to no purpose, and the song was

196 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

announced to be sung at the Alhambra on a fast approach-
ing Monday evening. So Kennedy Jones got on the
'phone to Sullivan's secretary, Wilfred liondall, and asked
him to do ' something like Tommy Atkins/ the opening
strains of which Kennedy Jones hummed on the 'phone,
and in a few hours down to George Byng's music-room in
the Alhambra the MS. of the piano and voice part was
triumphantly carted. Byng sat up late, scored it, and
the eulogiums of the Press the next morning spoke highly
of the ' well-known musicianly orchestration of Sir
Arthur Sullivan', ' In his best Savoy style/ ' Sullivanesque
to a degree/ etc/'

There is only a modicum of truth in this tale as
told by Mr. Glover. George Byng was not the only
composer who could imitate Sullivan's style, though none
could achieve it.

Now let us hear what Mr. Cunningham Bridgeman, an
intimate personal friend of Sullivan's, has to say on the
subject. " One day I happened to meet Sullivan coming
from rehearsal (of ' The Rose of Persia ') He was looking
worn and worried. I anxiously inquired the cause of his
dejection. * My dear fellow/ he replied, ' how would
you feel if, whilst you were in the throes of rehearsing an
opera, you were called upon to set " The Absent-Minded
Beggar " for charity ? That's my trouble ! All day long
my thoughts, and at night my dreams, are haunted by
the vision of a host of demons pursuing me with the cry
" Pay— Pay — Pay/' It puzzled me to compose Gilbert's
" I have a song to sing, 0 ! " but that was child's play
compared to the setting of Kipling's lines. If it was not
for Charity's sake I would never have undertaken the
task/ "

Everybody knew that Sir Arthur Sullivan was seriously
ill at the time, and anybody who knows anything about
music knows that Kipling's " Absent-Minded Beggar " is
the most unmusical piece of verse ever written, Twelve-
months later Arthur Sullivan was dead. The Earl of
Donraven, in his Past Times and Pastimes records a most
incident in regard to Sir Arthur's last illness and

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 197

death. D'Oyly Carte was also ill, so dangerously ill that
it was deemed advisable to keep the sad news of Sullivan's
extremity from Mm, and he was not informed of his
death. Carte's bedroom overlooked the Thames Em-
bankment along which the funeral cortege passed. After
it had gone by, someone went to D'Oyly Carte's room and
found him out of bed and prostrate by the window ;
asked what he was doing there, he replied " I have just
seen the last of my old friend Sullivan/' What strange
impulse was it which made him straggle to his window,
and to assume that a passing funeral was that of his
friend ?

Cunningham Bridgeman, by the way, was associated
with Francois Cellier in the " Gilbert, Sullivan and D'Oyly
Carte " volume of recollections.

CHAPTER XXIII

More Revivals — " The Pirates of Penzance " — " Patience " —
The Death of Sir Arthur Sullivan— The Death of D'Oyly Carte— •
" The Emerald Isle " — " A Princess of Kensington " — And
New Managements.

THE success of the new Sullivan-Hood collaboration
suggested of course that Basil Hood should provide the
libretto for the next Savoy venture and as " The Emerald
Isle," as the new piece was called, though in rapid progress
was not advanced enough to be put into rehearsal, Mr,
Carte decided to fill in the time with some special revivals.
Therefore, on June 30, 1900, was revived, with an entirely
new setting, as far as concerned the dramatis personae :

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE.

Major General Stanley Mr, Henry A, Lytton

The Pirate King Mr, Jones TIcwson

Samuel , Mr, W. IL Leotx

Frederic , , » . . . Mr. Robert Bvett

Sergeant of Police Mr, Walter Passrnoro

Mabel \ / Miss Isabel Jay

Edith
Kate
Isabel
Ruth

General

Stanley's *
Daughters

. » , . , Miss Lulu Evans
, , . Miss Alice Coleman

Mias Agnes Fraser

Miss Rosina Brandram

Miss Louie Pounds took up the part of Kate from the
third night. Miss Brandram had, of course, played Ruth
me opera was revived in 1888, Sentimental
198

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 199

Savoyards— a very few of the Old Brigade of pittites
and galleryites that remained — lamented that none of the
original players were engaged, although many of them were
in the land of the living. But as the evening passed along
there were very few necessary regrets, for the exponents on
the stage gave a very good account of themselves. In any
case most of them were already old friends to those pres-
ent. Besides, the ordinary regular playgoer's allegiance
rarely lasts more than ten years, as the ardent theatre-
goer, like most other folk, marries and settles down;
and, as he has domestic and other interests to occupy him,
he in due course passes on his enthusiasm to his sons and
daughters.

Walter Passmore cut a quaint and important figure as
Sergeant of Police as he marched with his stalwarts round
the scene and sang the Sergeant's song with much verve
and go, Mr. Lytton, who is now the doyen of Savoyards,
gave, as he always does, a very good account of himself in
George Grossmith's old part. For the rest, everybody
was as " right as right could be/' " The Pirates " was
preceded by a new operetta by A. O'D, Bartholeyns
from the German of Karl Theodor Korner, with music
by Hamilton Clarke.

" The Pirates " ran until Guy Fawkes* day and on the
following Monday, November 7, 1900, " Patience" was
revived, with some doubts and fears, for the first time since
its original appearance at the Opera Coxnique in 1881.
Tastes had changed ; the sethestic mania — some called it
poetic dementia—was dead and buried, and most of its
apostles were dead too, or at least forgotten. However, the
new public took kindly to the satire and the melodies, so
many of which were inspired by the merry lyrics that were
not altogether cynical The text was brought up to date
where necessary, by Gilbert, who superintended the
rehearsals; and the new generation applauded the pro-
duction, to the echo, while Sullivan's music was hailed
with the same fervour as in the old days. No
comparisons were mad©, because few could make
them*

200 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

PATIENCE ; OR, BUNTHORNE'S BRIDE.

Reginald Bunthorne Mr. Walter Passmore

Archibald Grosvenor Mr. Henry A. Lytton

Mr. Bunthorne's Solicitor Mr. H. Carlylo Pritchard

Colonel Calverley Mr, Jones Hewson

Major Murgatroyd Mr. W. H, Leon

Lieut, the Duke of Dunstable Mr. Robert Evctt

The Lady Angela ")
The Lady Saphir I Rapturous
The Lady Ella [ Maidens
The Lady Jane

Miss Blanche Gaston-Murray

Miss Lulu Evans

Miss Agnes Fraser

Miss Rosina Brandram

Patience Miss Isabel Jay

" Pretty Polly," by Basil Hood and Fran$ois Cellicr (pro-
duced May 19), was the curtain raiser.

On this first night of the revival of " Patience," after all
the old favourite numbers had been encored again and
again, two of the famous Savoy originators — W, S. Gilbert
and D'Oyly Carte — made their last bows together, Arthur
Sullivan lay dying, and D'Oyly Carte was soon to be
rendered hors de combat, and he, too, was to pass away
in a few months' time.

Arthur Sullivan, while still engrossed in composing
the music for the " Emerald Isle," had at last to lay his
pen aside and give in. He had been in very bad health
for many months and died at his London residence,Queen's
Mansions, Victoria Street, on November 22, 1900. He
had arranged to conduct the orchestra on the revival of
" Patience " ; but three days previously he had con-
tracted a chill, and his physician advised him to keep to
his bed. Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born in London on
May 13, 1842. He was the second son of Thomas Sullivan,
an Irishman, who, after having been bandmaster at the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from 1845 to 1856,
subsequently became associated with the Military School
of Music at Kneller Hall. Young Sullivan was therefore
brought up in a musical atmosphere and was afforded
every opportunity of learning the practice of his art, for his
father did his utmost to develop his son's musical faculties,
and it is recorded that when still quite young he had

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 201

acquired a practical knowledge of several wind instru-
ments, and as time went on he mastered the practical use
of every instrument of every kind known to the largest
orchestra. At the age of twelve he became a chorister
of the Chapel Royal, under the Rev. Thomas Helmore.
Two years later he competed for the first Mendelssohn
scholarship, which resulted in a tie between him and the
late Sir Joseph Barnaby, but which, after a final examina-
tion, was awarded to him. In 1858 he went to Leipzig,
where he remained for three years studying at the Con-
servatoire, under Moscheles, Plaidy, Hauptmann, Julius
Reitz, and Ferdinand David. On his return to England
Sullivan's name at once came to the front through the
performance of " The Tempest " music, which he had
composed for the Crystal Palace, After this preliminary
success Sullivan published six Shakespearean songs. These
included " Orpheus with his Lute/' " 0, Mistress Mine/'
and the "Willow Song/' which count among his best known
vocal compositions. Shortly afterwards we find him in
Paris in company with Charles Dickens and H. F, Chorley,
the music critic. While there he made the acquaintance
of Rossini, who greatly admired his " Tempest " music,
and often played it, as a duet, with Sullivan. Back in
London Sullivan was busy writing songs, cantatas and
ballets for Covent Garden, and the Birmingham and other
Festivals. In 1867 he commenced seriously writing for
the stage, and his first effort, " Cox and Box," was done
at the Adelphi, which he quickly followed up with
" Contrabandista/' for the German Reeds, when he was
introduced to W. S, Gilbert with what glorious results we
aU know. " Thespis ; or, the Gods Grown Old/' which
was their first joint work, dates from 1871 and the old
Gaiety Theatre. This, in 1875, was accentuated by the
production of " Trial by Jury/' which was the absolute
foundation of all their after successes, and was the fore-
runner of the many years of collaboration in the Savoy
operas* For the rest, their careers are genetically
detailed in this volume, although, of course, Sullivan
was responsible for an enormous quantity of other

202 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

compositions, including innumerable songs, ballads, and
hymns, of all of which full particulars will be found in the
various accounts of his energetic life, two of the best being
by Arthur Lawrence and B. W. Findon respectively.

Sir Arthur Sullivan had only been able to complete
about half the music for "The Emerald Isle/' and much
thought and consideration had to be given to the question
as to who would be the most competent composer to
complete the work. At last the honour fell to Mr. Edward
German, and certainly no more sympathetic choice could
have been made.

Under the direction of the author and Richard Barker
the " Emerald Isle/' appropriately enough, went into
rehearsal on St. Patrick's Day.

D'Oyly Carte was unable to render any practical
assistance in the preparation of the work for produc-
tion as the state of his health was fluctuating day by
day, and though everyone hoped that he would be
able to be present on the first night, he suddenly
became worse, and all hope was abandoned* D'Oyly
Carte suffered a severe relapse and passed away on Wed-
nesday, April s, 1901, aged only fifty-seven— just four
and a half months after his famous confrere. His death
was keenly felt not only by all those who had been
associated with him at the Savoy Theatre, but by his
numerous friends in the profession and the great public
at large. It was to D'Oyly Carte that so much of the
credit of the success of all the operas produced under
his able business management was due, and everybody
recognised the fact. And in so recognising it, also
realised what a great man he had been and what a severe
loss everyone had suffered. I have, in a previous chapter,
told of D'Oyly Carte's many achievements, and in this
book almost every page bears witness to his successful
activities.

• •••»»«.«

After his death the business of the Savoy was carried
oa for a time by Mrs. Carte and later with the assistance
of Mr. Carte's surviving son, Rupert D'Oyly Carte, who

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 203

stiil maintains the traditions of the family as head of all
the Gilbert and Sullivan combinations for the continuance
of the performances of the opera in town and in the
country.

" The Emerald Isle " being now ready to submit
to the public for their verdict, was first presented at the
Savoy Theatre, April 27, 1901.

THE EMERALD ISLE ; OR, THE CAVES ov CARRIG-CLBBNA.

A New and Original Comic Opera in Two Acts.

Written by Basil Hood. Composed by Arthur Sullivan and
Edward German.

The Earl of Newtown, K.P, (Lord

Lieutenant of Ireland) , , » Mr. Jones Hewson

Dr. Fiddle, DJX (his Private Chaplain) Mr. R. Rons

Terence O'Brien (a Young Rebel) Mr. Robert Evett

Professor Bunn (Shakespearian Reciter,

Character Impersonator, etc,) Mr. Walter Passmore

Pat Murphy (a Fiddler) Mr, Henry A, Lytton

Black Dan / Irish \ Mr. W. H, Leon

Mickie O'Hara \ Peasants / ,..».., Mr. C. Earldon

Sergeant Pincher / H,M. \ . . Mr, Reginald Crompton

Private Perry \iith Foot/ Mr. Powis Finder

The Countess of Newtown Miss Roaina Brandram

Lady Rosie Pippin (her Daughter) , . . , Miss Isabel Jay

Molly O'Grady (a Peasant Girl) ..... , Miss Louie Pounds

Susan (Lady Rosie's Maid) ,,,.». Miss Blanche Gaston-Murray

Nora / Peasantry . , , . » Miss Lulu Evans

Kathleen \ Girls / Miss Agnes Eraser

Act I. : Outside the Lord Lieutenant's Country Residence.
Act IL ; The Caves of Carrig-Cleena.

Period ; About a Hundred Years Ago,

The musical director was, as usual, Frangols Cellier,
The verdict on the first night was unanimously favour-
able, and, indeed, enthusiastic — there were a great many
Irishmen present. It was a triumphant evening through-
out. The keynote of satisfaction was struck almost
directly the curtain rose on the very Irish scene and the
very Irish chorus, and encores set in very severely*
Throughout Captain Hood in witty dialogue and delight-
ful lyrics maintained the Irish atmosphere, and the

204 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

characters and local colour lent enchantment to the
whole simple but pretty rustic story.
Walter Passmore as Professor Bunn sang :

If you wish to appear as an Irish typo

(Presuming, that is, that you arc nt>t one)
You'll slick the stein of a stumpy pipe
(In your hat-band, if you've got otic),
Then no doubt you're aware you must colour your hair

An impossible shade of rod ;
While a cudgel you'll twist with a turn of your wrist,

Being careful to duck your head—-
Or your own shillelagh unhappily may accidentally knock

you down
With a fearful crack on the comical back of your typical

Irish crown !
If you manage, instead of the back of your head, to belabour

the floor like that,

And shout " Whirroo I " bcclacl, you*!! do 1 You're the
popular type of Pat.

The opera is sprinkled with songs and ballads, which
were equally distributed amongst all the characters,
though Robert Evett and Walter Passmore seemed to
get the lion's share* But the ladies were not forgotten,
and Miss Isabel Jay, Miss Brandram, and Miss Louie
Pounds had some taking numbers, Henry A* Lytton
sang " Good-bye, my native town/1 with considerable
feeling.

The critic of the Globe— the late lamented Globe, I may
say in aU sincerity— thus expressed himself : " In the
main the point of view and the treatment are Gilbertian
(without anything like slavish imitation), but Mr. Hood
infuses into his work a good deal, not only of the wit and
humour, but of the fancy and pathos which are accepted
as essentially Celtic, He is especially happy in his
portrayal of the love episodes between Murphy, the
supposedly blind fiddler, and Molly O'Grady, admirably
played and sung by Mr. H. A. Lytton and Miss Louie
Pounds. Molly has been very tender to Murphy, and
hie is afraid to tell her that his blindness has all along

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 205

been a deception, thrust upon him by his father, a ' blind
fiddler ' by profession. The scene in which Murphy has
to make his confession to Molly is genuinely touching.
More conventional, but pretty enough in itself, is the love-
making between O'Brien (Mr. Evett) and Lady Rosie (Miss
Jay), who, as might be expected, satisfy all requirements,
vocal and histrionic* Fresher in idea are the Lord
Lieutenant (Mr. Jones Hewson) and his wife (Miss Bran-
dram) , both of them so filled with a sense of their own
dignity that they cannot speak otherwise than in blank
verse. They suggest, no doubt, the Duke and Duchess
of Plaza-Toro ; but it will be seen that the characters
are well differentiated, nevertheless. The Earl and
Countess could not have been in abler hands. The little
obsequious chaplain who follows them about everywhere
is enacted by Mr. Rous, a new-comer. To another new-
comer, Mr. R, Crompton, is allotted an excellent creation
of Mr. Hood's— a pudding-headed Devonshire sergeant,
whose individuality is likely to be remembered. Some
very good comedy is contributed by Miss Blanche Gaston-
Murray as Lady Rosie's maid ; but the lion's share of
the fun has been allotted to Mr. Walter Passmore, who,
starting as an itinerant professor of mesmerism and
legerdemain, appears afterwards in various Protean
shapes- -a sort of Rip Van Winkle, an old-fashioned and
a modern goblin, and so forth, being exuberantly comic
in all. Mr. Passmore has probably done nothing quite
so good as this. As vocalist, pantomimist, and dancer
he is always on the alert, and always diverting/'

The music of "The Emerald Isle " received the highest
praise, and Sullivan's music stood out magnificently,
while Edward German's was equally melodious and
distinctive. The opera ran its course until November 9,
1901, on its two hundred and fifth representation. With
a week's break the theatre re-opened with " Ib and Little
Christina" and " The Willow Pattern Plate," both
written by Basil Hood and composed respectively by
Franco Leoni and Cecil Cook, on November 14, It was
during the run, by the way, of " The Emerald Ijje *'

?§

206 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

that Mrs, D'Qyly Carte let the theatre to Mr. William
Gree.t for a few years. Mr. Greet continued the Savoy
policy and the programme indicated above, and on
December 7 revived " lolanthe," of which I give the
cast.

The Lord Chancellor . , * ..... . ......... Mr. Walter

Earl of Mcnmtarurut ....... ....... ,..,., Mr Powis Pimior

Earl Tollollor ____ . ..................... Mr. Robert Kvett

I Private Willis .................... . . Mr, Kof.*inal<l Crompton

Strephon ................. . ........ .*.. Mr, H. A, LytUm

Queen of the Faiiien . ........ , ..... . Miss Kor.inu Bramlrum

lolanthe ........................ ,*,,.» IVliw 1 .owe rounds*

Cclia ........ * .......... , ............. , M ISH Agnc« Knvsor

Leila ..... ........................... Miss Isabel A#new

Flcta . ........ . ........................ Miss Hurt Dyke

Phyllis ........... „ ...................... M ISH Isabel Jay

Mr. Greet followed this up with a new opera called *' Memo
England/' by Basil JJood and lulwanUionnan, on April 2,
1902, and this had a short career of one hundred and two
nights ; then for a time the Savoy was given over 1o a
weird concoction called " Naughty Nancy/' which
changed for a while the whole character of the houst\ Hut
luckily Mr. Greet made a fresh start with another phve
by Basil Hood and Edward German called " A l*rin<'.css
of Kensington " on January 22, 1903, with many of the
Savoyards who made themselves popular under D'Oyly
Carte, but it did not altogether meet with public
approval or support, and only ran one hundred and
fifteen performances. Basil Hoocl seemed to have
fallen under the spell of Gilbert entirely by now, but
unfortunately not with sxiflicient originality of his own
to support his pretension. As Mrs. D'Oyly Oartu wa»
soon to return, 1 give the names of the plays done in the
interim ; " The Love-Birds/' a musical comedy in three
acts by George Grossmith, junior, composed by Raymond
Roze ; " Who's Who/' a farce in three acts from the
French by Sidney Dark, a most fearful fiasco, not a grain
of wit or a glimmer of humour throughout the thn&
acts, The Savoy was rapidly losing its character

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 207

as a musical house, as all sorts of experiments were being
made under various vacillating managements, which
dawdled between high tragedy, melodrama, and farce,
with the result that in the minds of old Savoyards it got
to be known as the Protean Play House. However,
after a few years of theatrical philandering by different
people, the good news went forth that Mrs. D'Oyly Carte
was about to resume management, so everybody hoped
for the best.

Frangois Cellier, who had resigned his baton to H'amish
MacCunn when the change had happened, had remained
with Mrs. Carte to look after her interests and the operas
that were on tour, devoting all his time to the duties
associated with the selections of new artistes and choruses.
He now returned to his old post as musical director. Mr.
J. W. Beckwith, who had taken up the position of acting
manager when George Edwardes went to join John
Hollingshead at the Gaiety Theatre, had remained at
his post all the time under the changing lessees and
speculators, so that there was a pleasant flavour of old
timers at the Savoy when Mrs. Carte began operations
again in December, 1906.

CHAPTER XXtV

Mrs, D'Oyly Carte Returns to the Savoy—" Tin* Yeomen of the
Guard" — "The Mikado" banned by the Lord Chamberlain—
Some Old Favourites in their Original Parts Heath of Mrs.
D'Oyly Carte — Also of George Groittmuth, Richard Temple,
Richard Green, and Rutland Barring ion.

FOR her opening programme Mrs, Carte selected " The
Yeomen of the Guard/' which had not been seen since
its first revival in May, 1897. Many of the names in this
presentation on December <S, icjoO, were quite new to the
Savoy, as will be observed.

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD,

Sir Richard Cholmondeley » . * Mr, A. Johnstone

Colonel Fairfax , , Mr, Pncie Hippie

Sergeant Meryll , . Mr, ( )verton Moyno

Leonard Meryl! . , Mr, t lenry Humautl

Jack Point Mr, C, II. Workman

Wilfred Shaclboit Mr. John Clulow

Elsie Maynarcl Mi.ss Lilfian Coomber

Phoebe Meryll »..,., Miss JOHHUI Ko«e

Dame Carruthers » , MI^H Louie Ken6

Kate Mm Marie Wilson

This served as a very seasonable Christmas dish. Now,
to turn to a lighter entertainment, one of the prettiest of
all the Gilbert-Sullivan works was put in the bill on
January 22, 1907 :

THE GONDOLIERS,

The Duke of Plaza-Toro , . , Mr, C. H, Workman

Luiz Mr. A, Johnwtone

Don Alhambra del Bolero . , Mr, Jofia CM0W

300

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 209

Marco Palmier! Mr. Pacie Ripple

Giuseppe Palmieri Mr. Richard Green

Antonio Mr. Overton Moyse

Francesco Mr. Henry Burnand

Giorgio Mr. Tom Redmond

The Duchess of Plaza-Toro Miss Louie Rene

Casilda Miss Marie Wilson

Gianetta , Miss Lillian Coomber

Tessa Miss Jessie Rose

Fiametta Miss Bessie Adams

Vittoria Miss Nora McLeod

Giulia Miss Clara Dow

Inez Miss Ethel Morrison

It will be noticed that an old favourite, Richard Green,
was in the cast, together with clever Miss Jessie Rose.
" The Gondoliers " satisfied all requirements until April
4, when it gave place to

PATIENCE ; OR, BUNTHORNE'S BRIDE.

Colonel Calverley Mr. Frank Wilson

Major Murgatroyd Mr. Richard Andean

The Duke of Dunstabie Mr. Harold Wylde

Reginald Bunthorne Mr. C H. Workman

Archibald Grosvenor Mr. John Clulow

Mr. Bunthorne' s Solicitor Mr. R, Greene

The Lady Angela ...» Miss Jessie Rose

The Lady Saphir Miss Marie Wilson

The Lady Ella Miss Ruby Gray

The Lady Jane Miss Louie Ren6

Patience „ Miss Clara Dow

Mr. Workman made a distinct hit in all the old Gros-
smith and Passmore parts, giving a very refined and quiet
rendering of each character. Of Mr. Workman in these
and later performances W. S. Gilbert spoke very kindly,
and in regard .to " The Yeomen of the Guard " said :
" In Mr. Workman we have a Jack Point of the finest and
most delicate finish, and I feel sure that no one will more
readily acknowledge the triumph he has achieved in their
old parts than his distinguished protagonist, Mr. George
Grossmith, and his immediate predecessor, Mr. Walter
Passmore/1

2io THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

On June ir that very pretty, yet somewhat cynical
• ]x>litically speaking -fairy opera, " loiauthe/' was
given for a couple of months.

lor.ANTUE ; OR, THK PKKR AND run PERI,

The Lord Chancellor „, Mr, C. It. Workman

The Karl of Mountararat , Mr, Lcircfltw Tunks

EarlTolloller Mr. H. Herbert

Private Willis . , . Mr, I -co ShofMd

Strephon Mr. Henry A. Lytton

The yueen of tho Fairies JVliss Louie Hra$

lolantlxo Miss Jessie Utme

Celia Miss Dorothy Court

Leila * Miss Beatrice Honror

Flela , Miss Ethel Lewis

Phyllis Miss Clara Dow

It had been the intention of Mrs, Carte to have revived
" The Mikado," but to her anwxemout, when all pre-
parations had been made she received a notice from the
Lord Chamberlain prohibiting the performance. The
reason assigned when the question was raised in the House
of Commons early in May, 1907, was that " The Mikado "
might give offence to the Japanese Prince Kushimi, who
was shortly expected on a visit to England, This ex-
planation aroused great inclination, mingled with
ridicule, throughout the land, while the comments of
the newspapers were severe and scathing. As one
journal said, it was now to be dinned in our cars that
we had been enjoying a piece for over twenty years that
was " purposely offensive to Japan." A performance
of the opera by the Robins1 Dramatic Society at the
Cripplegate Institute announced for Tuesday, April 30,
had to be abandoned ; but on Thursday, May a, notwith-
standing the Lord Chamberlain's order, the opera Wits
played at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, and again on
the Saturday night. The manager of the Lyceum,
Sheffield, when interrogated on the previous night,
said he knew nothing of the Lord Chamberlain's ban,
He had read a great deal in the papers about the play

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 211

being prohibited, but not a word had reached him
officially. Mrs. D'Oyly Carte's manager said he had
heard nothing from London on the subject, and thought
it curious that Mrs. D'Oyly' Carte had not communicated
with him if the play was not to be presented. Then he
added, " The piece is booked to run for some time yet,
and until we receive definite and official information that
the Lord Chamberlain has taken action we shall proceed
with our business as usual/' But a new element was
introduced into this storm in a tea-cup as it proved to be,
when the Lord Chamberlain had prohibited a performance
of " The Mikado " by the Middlesbrough Amateur
Operatic Society, " owing to buffoonery in certain parts."
This caused more pother, and drew a letter from W. S.
Gilbert, which was printed in the Daily Telegraph, wherein
he stated that " The Mikado " had been leased to Mrs.
D'Oyly Carte, and she was under contract to him not to
permit any deviation whatever from the dialogue and
" business " as settled by him on the occasion of its
original production at the Savoy Theatre, " If," con-
cluded W. S, Gilbert, " any ' buffoonery ' has crept into
the piece during its long career in the provinces (which
I have no reason to suppose to be the case) 1 submit that
the Lord Chamberlain's obvious course would have been
to suppress such buffoonery, instead of slaughtering the
play outright, and by so doing deprive the public
of a very popular entertainment, and the proprietors
(the representatives of the late Sir Arthur Sullivan
and myself) of a property valued at ten thousand
pounds."

Notwitstanding that Mr, K. Sugimura (the special
correspondent of a leading Japanese newspaper), who was
in London in connection with Prince Fushimi's visit,
stated that he had discovered nothing whatsoever to
complain ol in the piece, which he had travelled especially
down to Sheffield to witness, had only " found instead,
bright music, much fun and no insults."

Nevertheless the Lord Chamberlain, " acting on his own
responsibility," withdrew the license of the Sheffield

212 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

theatre, yet notwithstanding his high action the perform-
ance took place, as stated, on the Saturday night. But
all things, after much friction, came right in the end.

On August 24, 1907, to mark the close of a memorable
series of revivals, Mrs, Carte gave some special excerpts
from several of the operas, including, much to the
surprise and joy of the assembled audience, a scene from
" The Mikado." There was a double programme which
was started at four o'clock, and with an hour and a
quarter's interval was continued until eleven, and all was
peace and enjoyment. Referring to some of the older
theatre-goers who are fond of praising the past at the
expense of the present Mrs. Carte declared herself well
content with those who had figured in the latest revivals,
and who, as she generously stated, " have by their merits
worked their way into the hearts and affections of thou-
sands of the London public to whom their performances
have undoubtedly given the greatest pleasure," The
afternoon began with the first act of " The Yeomen of
the Guard/' in which Mr, Workman gave a masterly
representation of Jack Point. He had a great reception
and divided the honours with Miss Jessie Rose and Miss
Clara Dow. This was followed by the second act of
"The Gondoliers." In the evening the second act of
" Patience " opened the ball, and was succeeded by
the first act of " lolanthe." These parts aroused the
audience to the greatest enthusiasm. Between the
pieces Mrs. Carte sprang a welcome surprise ujxm her
congregation of friends and patrons with a scene from
" The Mikado" — the first note of which in the orchestra
causing the wildest demonstrations of delight- -played in
admirable form by Mr. Workman and Miss Louie* Rentf,
After this " The Mikado " was always given " without
let or hindrance," for it came about, after a short lape
of time, and " The Mikado " in all its glory re-appeared
on April 28, 1908.

THE MIKADO ; OR, THE TOWN OF Tmr* IT.

The Mikado of Japan Mr, I lenry A. Lytton

Nanki-Poo Mr. Statf ord Moot

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 213

Ko-Ko „....,„„..,,„...... Mr. C. H. Workman

Pooh-Bah . , . „ * , . , . Mr. Rutland Harrington

Go-To , „ „ » , , » , . Mr, F, Drawater

Piah-Tush . , * .„,..,„. Mr. Leicester Tanks

Yum-Yum * . » . ,...,,.,..,.,,.„„ Miss Clara Dow

Pltti-Sing » , *.,,**.,» Miss Jessie Rose

Pe©p-Bo . • , . * ..«*.., ... ,Miss Beatrice Bearer

Katisha **„»,**»*».* , Miss Louie Ren4

Rutland Harrington said that when he saw the ban had
been removed from " The Mikado/* and that he would be
called upon to take his old part of Pooh-Bah, it fell out
he got a letter from Mrs, Carte, without any previous
warning, to appear on a certain morning to run through
his music. In his book Barrington writes, " At eleven-
thirty on Monday, April 13, 1908, Sir William Gilbert
made his first appearance as a titled stage manager, and
it was soon evident that his master-mind was as alert and
as keen as ever, and those of us who were uncertain as
to what was gag and what original in our parts were
feeling slightly nervous." However, there was no need
for alarm, as there was a geniality about the proceedings
that brought back happy memories to their minds, And
on the eventful night all went well, and " Pran<joi$
Cellier, on taking his seat to conduct, was received almost
as if he were the composer/* There was naturally
enough a large contingent of visitors from Japan to see
the opera about which there had been so much discussion*
On July 14, " Pinafore " was played alternately with
"The Mikado/1 and later this plan was Mowed
when ** loknthe M took its turn with the Japanese
opera.

Apropos of this revival of M Pinafore/1 Barrington bet
CeEier sixpence that Gilbert would not comnamce work
until he had pointed out that one of the ropes was in
wrong |>osition» Cellier asked, fl Which one ? Barring-
ton said, ** Neva: mind about the details, wait, and
see/* The bet was made and Barrington won. What
he dM with sixpence all at once nobody knows, per&api
he gave it to a Scotchman,

214 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

H.M.S, PINAFORE; OK, THE LASS THAT Lovici* A SATLOK.

Sir Joseph Porter ........................ Mr, ( >, U. Workman

Captain Corcoran .................. Mr. Rutland Harrington

Kalph Rackstraw ...................... Mr, I ionry I lorbei t

Dick Deadeye. , , , , ..................... Mr. I lenry A, LyUon

Bill Bobstay , , ................... ... Mr, LeutX'stor Tunks

Bob Bocket ..... . ........................ Mr, Fred Hewott

Josephine ......... * ...................... * * Mto« Klwe Spain

Hebe ..... ..».**»..«..**.•* ............... MINH Jessie

Little Buttercup ........................ . , Miss Ix>uic

Mr. Henry Herbert, by tlie way, also appeared as Nanki-
Poo in place of Mr, Stafford Moss, when he departed,
Although " Pinafore " had not been done for nine years,
and although folk said it would be old-fashioned, it came
out just as fresh as ever and the songs were sting as
heartily as in the old days* On July 15 a new operetta,
written by Frederick Fcnn, with music by Philip Michael
Faraday, entitled " A Welsh Sunset," was put on as a
curtain-raiser.

" lolanthe " began the change about plan, with " The
Mikado " on the alternative nig] it, on October 19, and,
although only about a year had passed since it was last
done, the cast had several new names.

lOLANTHE ; OR, THE PEER AND THE

The Lord Chancellor ...................... Mr, C, IT, Workman

The Earl of Mountararat .,.,.,. ..... Mr* Kutlnwl Baningtcm

Earl Tolloller ...... , ..................... Mr. 1 Icnry Herbert

Private Willis ...................... . ..... . .Mr, t.eo Slu«ffiftW

Strephon .................. , , , . ..... , , . Mr, Henry A, Ly tt<m

The Queen of the Fairies .................... MWH Txmio Ktm^

lolanthe ............... » ...... . , ......... , MiKS Jt\HHt« Koso

Celia ... ...................... * ...... Miss I )oroihy <*ourt

Leila .............. . ............ . », . * Miss Beatrice Bmrcr

Fleta * ............... ... ................ . Mins Kthd I^owm

Phyllis .................................. Minn Clara Dow

On December I, " The Pirates of Penasance/' with Messrn,
C. H. Workman, H. A, Lytton, Loo Sheffield, Elenry
Herbert and Rutland Harrington in the consecutive ordsr
of parts, and the ladies in theirs as follows ; Miss Dorothy

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 215

Court as Mabel; and her sisters. Misses Jessie Rose,
Beatrice Boarer, and Ethel Lewis ; and Miss Louie Ren6
as Ruth* In "The Gondoliers/* done on January x8,
1909, in proper order of the dramatis p^rsonae, were
Messrs* C. Hu Workman* Leo Sheffield, R. Harrington, H,
Herbert, Henry A» Lytton, Miss Ixmie Ren6, Dorothy
Court, Elsie Spain, Jessie Rose, Ethel Lewis, Beatrice
Boarer, Adrienne Adean and Amy Royston ; and finally
" The Yeomen of the Guard/' on March i» of the same
year, As there were several important changes the full
cast is hereunder set out,

THI YEOMEN or THE GUA«D ; OK, THE MERRYMAN AND His

Sir Richard Cholmemdeley .,,.,,,.,,*,,. Mr, Leo Sheffield
Colon©! Fairfax ....I...,,.,.,.,........ Mr, Henry Herbert

Sergeant Meryll ,«.,..,......,..«».... Mr* Richard Temple

I*eonftrd Meryll . . ,..,,..,..,,,,. Mr* Lawrence Legge

Jack Point , . . . , ...,.., . , . Mr, C. H. Workman

Wilfred Shaclbolt ,.,.,,...,,....... Mr, Hutland Harrington

Klnie Maynard »..,.,,,,..*,.,,,.,.,..*«, Miss Elate Spain
Phoebe Meryll ..,.,...,...*,,..,,...,.., Miss Jasde Rose
Dame Carruthers ,.,.,......,......*.**.. Miss Louie R«u4

Kate ,.,....,.. .,,,,.,„ Miss Bcmtrica Boarer

Mr. Richard Temple had a hearty welcome on his re-
appearance in his original part. This, by the way* was
the last time he acted at tin* Savoy, and this wan the last
appearance also of Mrs. D'Oyly t4arte as manageress of
the theatre, but she still continued to devote her atten-
tion to the business connected with the touring com-
pany» although she was not at all In good health, or really
fit to undertake the task. However, her energetic
nature would not permit her to remain idle long, and so
notwithstanding that frequent attacks warned her that
her physical strength was declining, she kept on till the
inevitable happened, and then she passed peacefully to
her rest on May 5, 1913.

King Edward VII. had for her well-known beneficent
works bestowed upon Mrs* D'Oyly Carte the " Order of

2i6 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Mercy/1 but as a friend wrote at the time, greatly pricing
as she did the royal honour, to her generous heart it must
have been a greater pride to feel how she had won the
esteem and love of a multitude of men and women, who,
professionally engaged at the Savoy, had experienced
at her hand true acts of friendship, sympathy, and
encouragement to lighten their days of toil and anxiety.
Death was tolerably busy with old Savoyards in these
years, and on March 2, 1912, George Grossmith died as
he wished to die. Three years previously he had said
to a friend, "I have had a jolly good innings, and when
the time comes all I want to do is to slip out,'1 '* (Joe
Gee11 passed peacefully away at Folkestone, having accom-
plished his life work right worthily, George Grossmith
began on the professional boards as an entertainer in
1870, and while he assisted his father at Bow Street
Police Court, when he was a reporter for " The Times/'
he appeared at the Polytechnic Institution in the evenings
and kept it up for some time with Miss Florence Marryat
as a partner, with " Entre Nous " for which he wrote a
neat little comedietta called " Cups and Saiuvra/' and
many songs, And then he was snapped up by Arthur
Sullivan and D'Oyly Carte for the Savoy operas, and of
that and other parts of his career, I have already written
fully, During the time he was appearing in the Gilbert
and Sullivan works, he was constantly sending forth
various humorous songs, and amongst those that achieved
more than passing popularity were " He was a careful
man/' " He went to a party/' " I am so volatile/' " An
Awful Little Scrub/' " The Duke of Seven Dials/' " The
Happy Fatherland/1 ''The Muddle Puddle Porter," which
Lionel Brough used also mainly to sing, and above all
"See me Dance the Polka/1 which gained a world-wide
reputation, and brought in for (ice-Gee considerably over
a thousand pounds in royalties, Apart from his Savoy
duties as an actor, George Grossmith played in other
pieces by W. S, Gilbert as duly recorded, also in " Young
Mr. Yarde " and " The Gay Pretenders/' written by his
son, the present Gee-Gee, at the old Globe Theatre In

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 217

November, 1900, with music by Claude Nugent. George
Grossmith's last public appearance was at the Brighton
Pavilion in xyo8» after which he retired into private life,
to enjoy, as he said, the society of any friend who chose
to give him a call !

In the following October another great Savoyard was
gathered to his fathers, Richard Temple died on the
igth of that month. He had been ill for several months,
and his end was a happy release. He began with the
Gilbert and Sullivan oj>eras in 1877, and remained with
the D'Oyly Cartes almost to the end, his last appearance
being in his original character of Sergeant Meryll in the
" Yeomen of the Guard/* March i» 1909. He was sixty-
five.

In January, 19x4, there came also the end of Richard
Green, who, apart from his connection with some of the
Savoy productions and " Ivanhpe " at the Royal English
Opera House* was well known in grand opera at Covent
Garden, and with Madame Adelina Patti, and in many
light operas at various London theatres, He was onh
in his forty-fourth year. And on May 31, 1922, Rutland
Barrington* after a long illness, passed away at the age
of seventy-two. He published two books of Recollec-
tions, in which he tells of his theatrical ventures and
adventures, too. He wrote many songs and sketches
and one or two plays.

CHAPTER XXV

" The Mountaineers " — " Fallen Fairies "—• " Two Merry
Monarchy "—End of C, H, Workman'** Management A 1 ,mig
Break— Death of Sir W. S. Gilbert- Death of KnmvoiH (VliitT
and Frank Thornton—- Gilbert and Sullivan Kedivivus at the
Prince's Theatre—" Cox and Box " — The End,

WITH every prospect of prosperity, and with the valuable
aid of many earnest friends, on the retiivuu'Ut of Mrs,
D'Oyly Carte, Mr. C. H, Workman undertook the con-
trol and management of the famous Savoy house in
March, 1909, and continued the run of " The Yt*omun
of the Guard.1' But Mr. Workman's real season may
be said to have begun properly with a comic opera called
*' The Mountaineers/' with music, story, and dialogue
by Guy Eden and Reginald Somerville, and lyrics by
Guy Eden, on September 29. It was desmlwl us " a
New Romantic Comic Opera/' and was exceptionally
well cast. However, Mr, Workman had to run the risk
of the dangers and pitfalls that beset the path of any
manager who produced any work other than a (lilbeit
and Sullivan, and his first speculation, most unhappily,
was not encouraging, " The Mountaineers " was not
quite up to the mark, and was only strong enough to
attract for a short time, and then, according to the
promise made by Sir William Gilbert, the now ojwra, he
had written, with Edward German an composer, wit*
put into rehearsal The piece was entitled *' FalU-n
Fairies/' and was based upon the same author's three -act
fairy comedy, " The Wicked World/' an old Hay market
success of January 4, 1873, which was cou»ti<irrcxi U>
have been a " big success/' But " The Wicked \VorW "

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 219

did not lend itself to musical treatment, and, notwith-
standing that " Fallen Fairies " was quite rich in
Gilbertian songs and other good numbers, and Mr.
German's music was full of melody, the public failed to
be charmed, and so, after a few weeks' struggle against
fate, it gave way to another attraction* Nevertheless
it should be noted that Gilbert, only three months after
** The Wicked World " was produced, burlesqued it for
Miss Litton at the Court Theatre, with Gilbert A* Beckett,
March 3, 1873, under the title of " The Happy Land/*
where, as it was a satire on the politicians of the day,
it created a great stir, and was an enormous success*
The Lord Chamberlain banned it for a few days and
then ** released " it, and of course the theatre was
crowded for months by playgoers anxious to see such
an interesting novelty. However, as this was Gilbert's
last contribution to the theatre, the cast is worth
preserving :

December 15, igog,

FALLEN FAIRIES ; OR, THE WICKED WOULD*

An Opera in Two Acts,
Written by W* S, Gilbert. Compost by Edward German*

HAIftlKS.

Ethals ,,,».,. ..,,,.,...... Mr. Claude Flamming

Phylion . , , , Mr, Leo Sheffield

Luttn ..,....,.....,.,.., ..,..,. Mr, C, H. Workman

Selene * ....,,.,..... , . , Mm Nancy Mclntosh

Darine ..,..*,....»...»*. Miss Maidie Hope

Zayda ,,,.....*.*.»,...., ,».,,.» * ,, Miss Jessie Rose

Locrine *.,.*,,.,..*..... , Him Ethel Morrtison

Neodie **....,,, Mim Alice Cox

Fl©ta ...,,.. ,*.......«.*... Uim Marjorie Dawm

2am ....,.«.*,..• ..,,«.,,.» Mis$ Mabel Boraege

Leila •,,.,,, .,,..,.,,*. Mm Ruby Gray

Cora ,...,,..,,, .,.,,,... * Miss Rita Gtway

Maia MiM Gladvt Lancaster

Cliioris .„.,,.„.... Miat MMajcn Lycett

tea , , , , , . * ***.,.*»»*»* » Miss Isabel Afaew

M01TALS.

Sir Sthais ..*,*,».... Mr. Claude FlemmJbag

Sir Phylioa .........*........««.* .^. 4 ..* Mr. Leo Sheffield

. , * . , » - . . , . v • « « . . . , . i . . » • . t , . , . Mr* Cf

220 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

Lutin, John B. Buckstone's old part, which Mr. Workman
played, was very heavy with words and songs ; it was
a most exhausting character, and Mr. Workman's power
and talent, fully put to the test, were generously recog-
nised and applauded, but the piece was too crowded
with dialogue, and the whole matter was too didactic*
In any case the public seemed tired of these very old-
fashioned and tiresome fairies, and so it kept irritatingly
away. Anyhow, the play most definitely failed to
attract, and therefore Mr, Workman cast the hazard of
his die on " Two Merry Monarchs," a musical play in
two acts by Arthur Anderson and George I^vy ; the
lyrics by Arthur Anderson and Hartley Carriek, with
music by Orlando Morgan. Again Mr, Workman sur-
rounded himself with, a well-chosen company of
comedians and singers and dancers, but still the public
would not respond, and so perforce he had to give in
and retire from management decidedly a sadder if not
a wiser man. But that was no comfort to him or his
staunch and anxious friends. However, he was soon
secured by a manager in good working order, and the
popular actor's abilities were once more being utilised
in the right direction*

C. H. Workman, who was born in 1873 at Beetle, near
Liverpool, died suddenly at sea, travelling with a Savoy
Opera Company from the Far East to Australia in April,
1923. He had a very varied operatic career, chiefly with
the D'Oyly Carte companies, but played in many other
London successes as well.

When Mrs. D'Oyly Carte gave up management In 1909,
and after Mr. Workman's control of the Savoy ended, the*
wiseacres wagged their heads vigorously and declared that
Gilbert and Sullivan opera was as dead as any amount
of door-nails you cared to count, forgetting that the works
were still being performed somewhere in the United
Kingdom every night ; and even now the D'Oyly Carte
Company is more firmly established than ever, and
flourishing in " London town and everywhere/' But I
remember that this cry of miserere was a very old o&et

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

and was particularly vehement in 1806, after the failure
of " The Grand Duke/1

There were many statements in the public Press in that
year to tine effect that Sir Arthur Sullivan had resolved
to " lay aside his pen once for all, and seek no further
accession of fame/' Also the busybodies had imparted
to a public " thirsting for trustworthy information the
melancholy tidings that they had witnessed positively
the last of the Mohicans in the series of Savoy successes,
and that a difference of opinion, real or imaginary, be-
tween these distinguished authors (Gilbert and Sullivan)
would make any future achievement in the field of
collaboration impossible/' Well, there is no need to
argue the point now, but it is well known that there was a
break— & very bad break— the reason for which concerned
nobody except the two men themselves. However, these
rumpiaw— especially those that averred that Sir Arthur
Sullivan and William Schwenk Gilbert, would write no
more together— proved, unfortunately, absolutely correct,
But that had nothing to do with the continuance of the
performances already done. Time and again, moreover,
old Savoyites clamoured for the operas to be revived
in London once more. And in 1914 quite a lively corre-
spondence was carried on in the public Press with an
insistent demand, as the basis of the epistolary outburst,
for Gilbert and Sullivan as a permanent institution in the
metropolis. And then the Great War came upon us,
and ended aU discussions and apparently all hopes, until
five years later the voices of musie-lovers became decidedly
clamant, and were not hushed until the welcome news wa$
bruited abroad that Mr. Rupert D'Oyly Carte, worthy
successor to a worthy father, had resolved upon at least
one trial season in town with what result we aH know

But meanwhile and before this occurred, Sir W» S
Gilbert had met with a tragic end ta 1911, and a few years
kter that dear, delightful friend and companion, Francis
Cellier* had joined the great majority, CeEier, who wa$
employed upon hk last work, Gtftorf, SuUiwn, and
D'Oyty Corfe, died quite unexpectedly at his residence

Qt

222 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

at Kingston on Monday night, January 5, 1914, at the
age of sixty-four* Fran?ois Cellier wast the youngest
of three brothers, all of whom made their mark* Alfred
Cellier the eldest achieved the greatest distinction with
the once immensely popular " Dorothy " and other operas
of similar calibre, Francois Cellier, a very old friend of
Sir Arthur Sullivan, although he composed the music for
several one act operettas that saw the light at the Opera
Comique and Savoy Theatres, elected to devote all his
accomplishments to the art of the conductor and joined
the wonderful and unique combination of manager, com-
poser, and author as musical director in succession to his
brother Alfred when " H.M.S. Pinafore " was the rage of
London, and indeed, the greater part of the civilised
world, in 1878. He maintained his connection with the
Savoy Operas until within a few years of his demise, and
when not engaged in town, travelled all over the provinces
and over half the world, conducting performances and
controlling rehearsals, For over thirty-five years he was
at his post, genial, gentle, and lovable, unobtrusively
carrying forward the work of the great men with whom
his whole life and interests had been so intimately associ-
ated. His whole career, feelings and sentiments were
wrapped up in the Savoy — and in a measure in his own
department he was the Savoy, and devoted all his energies
and exertions to the welfare of the masters he adored,
and the work he loved. The book of historic Savoy
memories upon which Cellier was engaged, was finished
by his friend Cunningham Bridgeman*

To do justice to W. S. Gilbert, a whole volume would be
required. Bom in the very heart of Theatre-land, South-
ampton Street, Strand, it is not surprising that, despite
the temptations of the Army, the Civil Service, the Bar,
and Fleet Street (and although he did not try the Church,
he was closely connected with " the (Impel " when he
got among the printers in Brain Stroet and the Chafxd
Royal, Savoy, in the Strand) and he tried till four
professions— his inclinations called him to the
Even as a very young man when he was preparing for

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 333

Army, he became not only an ardent playgoer, but an
amateur actor as well. As far back as 1861, when he
was a member of the Civil Service Volunteers, he took
part in an amateur performance of " Captain/* Tom
Taylor's " A Lesson for Life/' at the Lyceum Theatre,
May 22, 1861, where he had as his fellow conspirators.
Captain Hood, Tom Taylor, Samuel Lover, and Edmund
Yates, having the assistance of Mrs, Stirling, Mrs. Stephens
("Granny" Stephens), and Ellen and Kate Terry.
Captain Hood was Tom Hood, who became the editor of
Fun, to which W. S. Gilbert contributed his first press
work— the Bab Ballads, which had been rejected by
Punch and the editor, Mark Lemon. Tom Taylor
succeeded Lemon on Punch, and was the author of
Innumerable dramas and comedies, while Edmund Yates
made a name as a novelist, a writer of a few plays, but,
above all, as Editor of The World, His father was a
favourite light comedian of the Adelphi Theatre, so
Gilbert started in good Bohemian company* His next
appearance as an actor was as ** An Invisible Black " in
a burlesque called " Robinson Crusoe/' at the Haymarket
Theatre in 1867, Then we come upon him as harlequin
in an amateur pantomime entitled the *' Forty Thieves "
at the Gaiety Theatre in 1876, In July, 1904, he acted
in^his own parody " Rosencrantz and Guildenstern " as
King Claudius o! Denmark at the Garrick Theatre.
Another piece from his pea, " The Fairy's Dilemma,"
figured in the programme, In 2:906 he took part in the
benefit matinee to Ellen Terry, and appeared as the
Associate m " Trial by Jury/1 with him were Rutland
Barrbgton as the Judge, Courtice Pounds the Defendant,
Henry A* Lytton Counsel for the Plaintiff, Walter Pass-
more the Usher, and Miss Ruth Vincent the Plaintiff.
This was on June 5, 1906, at Drury Lane Theatre, W. S.
Gilbert got his veiy first chance as a writer for the theatre
tteougfa Tom Robertson, the author of the " Caste "
plays* Gilbert told of the incident himself ; '* Of the
maw good and staunch friends I made on my intro-
duction to journalism, one of the best and staimchest

824 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

was poor Tom Robertson, and it Is entirely to him that
I owe my introduction to stage work, lie had been asked
by Miss Herbert, the then lessee of the St. James's Theatre,
if he knew anyone who could write a Christmas piece in a
fortnight. Robertson, who had often expressed to me
his belief that I could succeed as a writer for the stage,
advised Miss Herbert to entrust me with the work, ami
the introduction resulted in my first piece, a burlesque
on ' L/Elisir d'Amore ' called ' Dulcamara ; or, the Little
Duck and the Great Quack/ The piece, written in ten
days, and rehearsed a week, met with more success
than it deserved, owing, mainly, to Frank Matthews 's
excellent impersonation of the title-r&le. In tine hurry
of production, there had been no time to discuss terms,
but after it had been successfully launched Mr* II, Emdm
(Miss Herbert's acting manager) asked me how much I
wanted for the piece. I modestly hoped that, as the
piece was a success, thirty pounds would not be considered
an excessive price for the London rights* Mr, Emden
looked rather surprised, and, as 1 thought, disappointed*
However, he wrote out the cheque, asked for a receipt,
and when he had got it said, * Mow take a bit of advice
from an old stager who knows what he is talking about.
Never sell so good a piece as this for thirty pounds again/
And I never have." "Dulcamara1' was produced on
December 29, 1866. From that time onward, W, S.
Gilbert's name appeared on the playbills of I*ontU>n
theatres throughout a period of well over forty years,
almost, one may say, without a break, and it has been
roughly computed that over one hundred thousand per-
formances of his pieces have taken place in Europe,
America, and British Colonies and Possessions in various
parts of the world. Gilbert was the Bayard of latter-day
writers for the stage, at once irreproachable and fearless.
" His dramatic works/' said one friendly critic, " although
their name is legion, are unblemished by a single unseemly
thought or offensive word, and his countless contributions
to comic periodicals are equally free from the objection-
adle innuendoes and douUe&enUn&res with which a good

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 225

many of his humorous contemporaries, in England as well
as in France, have not disdained to bid for an evanescent
popularity/* Gilbert's success as a dramatist, dated
from 1866 and " Dulcamara " and " Robert the Devil,"
the burlesque which was played on the opening night of the
old Gaiety Theatre, 1868, under John Hollingshead, Then
he was constantly supplying the metropolitan houses with
drama, comedy, burlesque, and comic opera to the tragic
end of his career, when he died from heart failure after
giving two young lady friends some lessons in swimming
in the lake in the grounds of his own residence, Grimsdyke,
Harrow Weald* May 20, 19x1, in his seventy-fifth year.

The list of Gilbert's works must total quite fifty — if
not more- -in number* Of his Savoy comic operas, I
have endeavoured to do him justice in recording their
productions and the incidents connected therewith in
these pages*

Those who knew Gilbert best were well acquainted with
his powers as a humorist, and the epigrammatic form in
which his thoughts found expression* He was a satirist
of the first water, and, being of a combative — not to say
aggressive™ temper, rarely forwent an opportunity of
saying smart things, regardless of the pain and dis-
comfituie they often inflicted upon those to whom they
were addressed, 1 do not think he had many personal
friends. ** You give not your head but your heart to
Sullivan/1 said Howard Paul, ** but Gilbert has no con-
cern with the latter. His writing is brilliant, but cold
as marble, and his jests and epigrams are intellectual,
dart, sparkling, but without feeling,** On several times
Gilbert essayed drama and polite comedy, when a touch
of the kinder, softer side of human nature was attempted ;
but it never had the true ring* which is why so much of
his rlally serious work almost invariably failed. There
was too often a false note that did not appeal to the
people, but whan he was grotesque, humorous, paradoxical*
witty, fantastic* topsy-turvykh, h© was an absolute
msstar, H. M. Walbrook in his little book called Gilbert
and Sullivan, very aptly gives us a pungent paragraph

226 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

on these strong characteristics of Gilbert. He has
written : " Gilbert's words are nearly always witty and
well-turned, but for the most part they arc detached
from humanity* . . . Often when he is quite serious,
he will suddenly let fall a phrase which kills sincerity. , . .
It has been pointed out a thousand times how marvellously
Sullivan fits the music to Gilbert's words, but it has not
been pointed out how often he does so by making the
spirit of his music the entire antithesis of the words/*
Sullivan, as a matter of fact, ignored Gilbert's deliberate
method of sneering at all " things human and divine/'
by pretending that Gilbert wrote the opposite of what
he meant. That is why the Savoy operas are full of the
most entrancing and human music, as well as to fit his
subject, the " music of the spheres/' And yet in sub-
conscious moments Gilbert was inspired by some God-
like fairy to write perfect little gems of true feeling and
poetry.

Of Gilbert's repartees and witty propositions count-
less anecdotes have been told. He was a most accom-
plished, resolute, and sardonic stage manager, and
most of the members of his companies suffered acute
agony through the cruelty of his remarks- One after-
noon, it is related, while drilling the " ladies of the ballet "
with extreme strictness, he observed that one of tine girls
was crying bitterly, and making strenuous but ineffectual
efforts to restrain her emotion. " What's the matter,
my dear/' he asked, smiling compassionately, "Oh,
Mr* Gilbert," sobbed the woebegone figurante, ft the
ballet mistress says I am no better than I ought to bo I "
" Well, but you're not, are you ? " rejoined Gilbert
interrogatively, On another occasion, when the stage
was " full," a messenger came " on " with a parcel for one
of the actresses, and displayed considerable activity in
dodging the principals and supers while crossing from
one wing to the other, Jessie liond, who was standing
close to the stage manager, exclaimed " Look, Mr* Gilbert,
at that agile creature* One would think he were dancing
a pas-seul" "Yes," was the instant reply, "a browa

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 227

paper pas-seul, obviously/* While he was in New York
with Sullivan, it feU to his lot oru ev wing to take down
to dinner a lady of the " new-rich ** urder, who posed as
a patron of music but knew absolutely nothing about it.
** Oh, Mr. Gilbert/' exclaimed the precipitate dame,
" your Mend Sullivan's music is really too delightful
It always reminds me of dear Bach " (pronounced Batch),
*' Do teU me what Batch is doing just now ? Is he
composing anything ? " " Well, no, xnadame," replied
Gilbert with the utmost gravity, " Just now, as a matter
of fact, dear Batch is by way of decomposing." But
Gilbert's retorts are of endless variety and were usually
not only caustic but more often appropriate by inference.

Apart from his operas he will be remembered, it is
feared, by only a few of his plays out of the many, as the
majority have long passed their period of popularity,
" Pygmalion and Galatea/* " Broken Hearts/' " Engaged/'
" Danl Drace/' " Sweethearts/' which he wrote specially
for the Bancrofts! and ** Comedy and Tragedy/' which he
wrote for Miss Mary Anderson, are still occasionally
performed, but they carry an unmistakably old-fashioned
tir about th$m,

One otto important Savoyard, who spent many
of his Jiter years, until his retirement, in Australia!
Frank Thornton should be remembered. He died on
December 18, 1918*

flie Great World War altered most theatrical projects
and, of course, put an end to many plans and arrange-
ments* but Mr* Rupert D'Qyly Carte, when the psycholog-
ical moment arrived, was as good as his promise in regard
to a London season of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, and
matters materialised on Monday, September 29, 1919*
He commenced operations at the Prince's Theatre, with
the sparkling " Gondoliers/* headed by Mr* Henry A.
Lytton, the only one of the old Savoyards now in active
service. Alas, nearly all the 4< Old Brigade *' have passed
away* "The Gondoliers'* ran for three hearty weeks, to
give way to " loianthe " on October 20, A fortnight later
cam© the ever welcome <f Mikado/1 which drew fuB, homes

228 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

from November 3 until Saturday, November 22, when
"Patience*' was tried with excellent resiilts for a week,
and on the following Monday, the 24th, " The Yeomen of
the Guard " filled the bill and kept it for three weeks,
In response to urgent requests, a " Repertory Season "
of six weeks was initiated for certain performances of
" Princess Ida/1 " Trial by Jury " and " The Pirate of
Penzance/' " The Sorcerer " and " H.M.S. Pinafore/'
The last performance took place on January 20, 1920,
when "The Mikado" was presented to say good-bye—
but only for a short time. Besides Mr, Henry A, Lytton,
the company consisted of Mr. Leo Sheffield, Mr, l)erdk
Oldham, and Mr, Frederick Hobbs. Miss Klsic Coram,
Miss Nellie Briercliffe, and Miss Helen Gillilmid being
the representatives of the feminine characters-

This season was so successful that Mr. Rupert D'Oyly
Carte very soon arranged for a "return visit/' and after a
long provincial tour this culminated in the opening of the
Prince's Theatre on Monday, October 3, 1921, with the
ever popular " The Gondoliers/' For a long time the
ardent followers of Gilbert and Sullivan have cried out
for a permanent home for the works of these two gifted
writers, and although that " consummation devoutly to
be wished " has not quite come to pass, there wis a
splendid revival of all the Savoy operas, with the excep-
tion of two — " Utopia Limited/' which was fairly well
appreciated when first staged in 1893, and " The (Iranti
Duke/' which was not, as previously stated, so well
received. But we had " The Pirates of Penzance " (Octotxsr
17), " Ruddigore " — about which I have fully written in
another chapter— (October 24), c< Cox and Box " by K C
Burnand and Arthur Sullivan, and " The Sorcerer "
(November 28), "The Yeomen of the Guard1' (Dtwml>er
5), "The Mikado " (December 19), " ILM.S. Pinafore "
(January 2, 1922), " lolanthe " (Januiury xo), " Priuceiis
Ida" (January 23). The company, again headed by
Mr. Henry A. Lytton, could not have been better. Har-
mony in all senses and departments reigned supreme.
The principals who naturally took the loading parts were

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 229

Messrs. Gordon Heather, Leo Darnton, DarreU Fancourt,
Sydney Granville, t)erek Qldlutm, and Leo Sheffield;
Misses Elsie Coram, Catherine Ferguson, Helen Gilliland,
Winifred Lawson, and Bertha Lewis.

The revival of ** Princess Ida " earned universal satis-
faction. It had never been seen at the Savoy (nor in tovm)
after its first run there in 2884. Said Mr, Rupert D'Qyly
Carte, in an interview : " Its special subject and the
fact that it is in three acts instead of the usual two, give
scope for extra treatment as to mounting and casting.
Therefore 1 am making it the most important of my present
Savoy scenes at the Prince's Theatre/* For example,
I have engaged Miss Winifred Lawson, a celebrated concert
artist, to play the Princess, and I have got Percy Anderson
to design new costumes throughout, and very beautiful
costumes they are. Mr. Anderson has done some fine
costume work for our operas but, for this once, I fed he
has exalted himsdf ; in fact the public will see a really
splendid production in * Princess Ida ' which is practically
a new opera to the West End of London/' All this proved
to be perfectly true. The opera itself was received
throughout with thunders of applause, and one wondens
why so charming a piece should have been laid aside so
long, for it was even dropped out of the repertoire of the
travelling combinations. The humours of Gilbert are very
patently exploited especially in the first two acts» while
the characters of King Gama and his loutish sons were a
sheer revelation of delight. Whenever Gilbert seemed
to hesitate in his fun his accomplished assistant came
to the rescue with some of his most entertaining music.
The songs are aH so good that it seems invidious to pick
out one or two for particular praise* Miss Winifred
Lawson had to be sincerely congratulated upon her first
appearance in comic opera. Her voice being dtar and
$mre, and her enunciation singularly distinct, she at once
made her mark* And she was ably supported by Mr*
Derek Qldham, Mr. Leo Darnton, aad Mr, Sydney Gran*
vflle, Mr, Leo Sheffield made of HMebra&d a nmt
engaging monarch. Words of commendation must also

Rs

230 THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

be accord**! to Mr, Fancourt as Arac, and to Messrs, Ruff
and Sinclair. All the ladies did well -MLss Bertha Lewis
as Lady Blanche, Miss Elsie Coram as Lady Psyche, and
Miss Ferguson an Melissa.

At the Prince's Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, on
January 24, 1922, was revived :

PRINCESS IDA ; OR, CASTLE ADAMANT.

King Hildebrami * Mr* Leo 8hf ttiald

Hilarion Mr. I H»,rek OUilwrn

Cyril ..,,,«.. . * . , . Mr, I ,(*o I >urnlf m

Florian » , * Mr, Sydney Grunville

King Gama < . . Mr, I Umry A. Lytton

Ara,c , . , , .Mr. Harrdl Kunrourt

Guron ,.,.,»„„ , . Mr* J<«» Kuff

Scynthius , . * . » « . » Mr, Gtwgo Sinclair

I*nncesa Ida , , * MiMH Winifred T^awson

Lady Blanche »,».«.,,•* Miss Itetha Ixwin

Lady Psyche ...»,.*.,., » , Minn l*U»ic Cx>ram

Molissa * ,..»**.,.,.. Minn ("uthoritu^ Lt%wit

Sacliarisna •.»»..»... Mi*w Nancy Kny

Chlo« ..***.. * Minst Antui Bt*thell

Ada * , , , , Mi«« Neil Raymond

Mr, Geoffrey Toye seemed to enjoy conducting the
beautiful Sullivan music and theieby added to tlu*
pleasure of the audience* Mr. Henry A, Lytton *B King
Gama " the twisted monster " stnick the right note and
suggested that it was one of his best impersonation**.

Another novelty introduced at the Prince's theatre by
Mr. Carte was Sullivan's earliest attempt at dramatic
composition, " Cox and Box/* arranged by P. C Burnand
from Maddison Morton's old farce- it wan Old even thtin -
" Box and Cox " first done at the Lyceum Theatre in
English, in 1841.

According to Mr. Arthur Lawrence iu his valuable
Life of Arthur Sullivan, at an evening party in a frusnd's
house in 1866, Sullivan saw George du Manner^ ttits famous
Punch artist, and Harold Power, play Offenbach's farce
" Les Deux Aveugles," and it occurred to him that a
similar extravaganza in English might not be 1« happy.

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA 231

On his way home from that party he discussed the idea
with his friend F, C. Burnand, who promptly proposed
an adaptation of the then extremely jx>pular farce " Box
and Cox/* which Morton had constructed out of two
French pieces " Frisette M aad " La Chambre & deux
Lits." Soon after that the MS, was handed to the
composer under the inverted title of " Cox and Box." Sir
Arthur Sullivan himself explained the genesis of ** Cox
and Box/* He said, " There was a society of amateurs
who met for the purpose of singing part songs and so
forth at Moray Lodge, Kensington, the house of Arthur
J. Lewis, who afterwards married Kate Terry, and this
little society called itself * The Moray Minstrels/ " ^ Mr.
Lewis used to give entertainments during the winter
consisting of an operetta, part songs, and solos, and so
Sullivan resolved to do a little piece for the company and
thus "Cox and Box " came into existence. Then it was
proposed that it should form an item in the programme
of a benefit performance that was organised by the staff
of Punch, with (1, du Maurier as Box, Harold Power, the
son of Tyrone Power, the well-known actor, who was
drowned in the ill-fated President, as Cox, and Arthur
Cecil as Sergeant Bouncer, and played at the Adelphi
Theatre in May, 1867. Two years later it was put on
by the German Reeds, and since then it has been revived
many times, especially at the Gaiety and once at the
Savoy in 1895, where Richard Temple made a capital
Sergeant Bouncer, Says Mr* Lawrence : " The rich
vein of fun that was discovered in ' Cox and Box ' runs
through the remainder of the series (Savoy opera) , for
in this little operetta written in collaboration with F. C»
Burnand he (Sullivan) sprang, after the manner of
Minerva, full grown and fully aroused into the world of
comic opera/1

After ** Cox and Box " came " Contrabandista " and it
is well known that Burnand was most anxious to con-
tinue supplying Sullivan with libretto, and when W. S.
Gilbert joined Sullivan and he took his place he was
bitterly disappointed. By the way, it was while out

THE STORY OF THE SAVOY OPERA

riding with Sullivan one day and reaching Merton that
Buniuud's horse stumbled and Huniand had to dismount
immediately as the horse had gone dead lame, " Wdl,
this is a nice thing " tic said, what am t to do ? and good
humouredly exclaimed " Happy thought 1 Walk/* and
so said Sullivan, he went on enunciating all sorts of
notions preceding each new suggestion with the exclama-
tion " Happy Thought ! ** This incident gave him the
idea of using the phrase for the brilliant series of papers
which became so deservedly popular. It was (iilbert
who said to Sir Frank Burnaml after he became editor of
Punch on the death of Tom Taylor, " I snpjXHw you do
get some good jokes sent in from the outside occasion-
ally?" "Oh, yes I" ejaculated Burnand, "Heaps!"
Then said (iilbert " I wish to goodness yoti would use
some of them 1 "

But to return to the Prince's and the operetta which
was presented on November 29, 1921, with "The
Sorcerer."

Cox AND Box,

Cox (a Journeyman Hatter) ...,*».... Mr. Sydney Grattvilla
Box (a Journeyman Printer) ...»*,,*»».,.. Mr. I**HJ 1 )unU«n
Sergeant Bouncer (their landlord) Mr, Dared! Fancourt

Owing to the enormous success of these revivals t ho season
had to be extended for a further period of nine wwkn*
making assurance doubly sure, that when Mr. Rupert
D'Oyly Carte docs start his permanency in London Tuwn
that he need have no frur as to what the result will bt%
In any case he will be sure of a substantial following
whenever ho takes the venture in hand, MeamvhiU* ht%
has given us a most excellent taste of his intentions at
the Prince's Theatre again in 1924, Nous vorrous.

THE END

INDEX

NOTE: References to the Operas, Plays and Songs, Ballads and Theatres,
will be found under their respective headings.

A'Beckett, Gilbert, 219
' Absent Minded Beggar,*' 196
Abud, C. J., 86
Adams, Bessie, 209
Addison, Fanny, 101
Adean, Adrienne, 215
Adeson, Charles, 73
Adeson, Stephen, 73
Agnew, Isabel, 206, 219
Albu, Annette, 17
Anderson, Arthur, 220
Anderson, Percy, 229
" Arabian Nights,*' 194
Arist'.'phuiK.'S, 1 8, 91
Arthur, Paul, 46
Ashani, Edwin, 189, 190
Aston, Knight, 16

Bah Ballads, I, 13, 17, 35,, 89, 113,

130, 141, 151. 186
" Baby's Vengeance," 151
Bach,"j. S.. 227
Baker, Mildred, 179, 183, 188, 190,

191

Bancroft, Sir Squire, 44
Barker, Richard, 52, 55, 60, 104
Barrie, Sir "]. M., 169, 170
Barlow, Billie, 62, 66
Barnett, Alice, 62, 63, 77, 80, 92
Barrmgton, Rutland, 79, 90, 95,

loo, 105, no, in, 126, 137, 138,

139, 152, 164, 165, 167, 169, 171,

179, 181, 182, 183, 213, 214, 215,

SU3

Bartholeyns, A. O'D., 199
Beefsteak Club, 26
Becker, Claude, 56
Beck with, J. W., 207
BH1, May, 169, 172
Belloc, Hilnire, 83
Bendall, Wilfred, 193, 196
Bentharn, George, 26, 31
Bethell, Annie, 230
Bliliugton, Fred, 59, 60, 61, 78,

182, 183, 184
Black, George Cowper, 22
Black Hugh, 70
Black, W., 183
Blackmore, Enes, 172
Blackwood's Magazine , 180
Blanchard, E. L., 17, 99
Boarer, Beatrice, 210, 213, 215
Bond, Jessie, 40, 41, 62, 66, 8or

90, 97, 103, 104, u i, 122, 126,

132, 137, 138, 139, 142, M7.

152, 181, 183, 226
Bond, Neva, 65
Bonsall, Bessie, 183
Bovil, F., in, 161
Bow Strt«t Police Court, 216
Bracey, H., 100
Braham, Leonora, 80, 90, ici, 105,

in, 122, 126, 132
Brandram, Rosina, 62, 86, 97, 105,

in, 122, 126, 137, 138, 139, 142.

147, 152, 165, 167, 169, 17?, 177,

179, 181, 186, 190, 191, 193, 194,

19^, 200, 203, 204, 205, 206
Bridgemau, Cunningham, 109, i59>

196, 197, 198, 222
Brocolini, Sigiior, 62
Bromley, Nelly, 12, 16
Brookfield, C. H. E., 187, 188, 192
Brough, Lionel, 166, 216
Brought, R., 17
Browne, Edith A., 112
Browne, Walter, 76
Brownlow, Wallace, 138, 142
Bryan, E., 186
Buckstone, J. B., 100, 220
Burnege, 219
Bumand, F. C., 75, 140, 165, 178,

183, 228, 230, 231, 232
Burnand, Henry, 208, 209
Byng, George, 196
Byron, H. J., 6, 13, 129, 131, 182,

183

Cadwalader, L., 59

Cairns, Earl, 95

Campbell, C., 8, 9

Carlton, E., 179, 180

Carr, J. Comyns, 189

Carr6, Michael, 176, 177

Carrick, Hartley, 220

Carte, Richard D'Oyly, 8, 12, 13,
14, 17, 20, 22," 23, 26, 40, 41, 48,
49, 50, 51, 52» 53? 57, 58, 59,
62, 84, 85, 87, 98, 117, 118, 139,
149, 157, 158, 160, 161, 162, 163,
164, 166, 176, 177, 181, 182, 186,
i8>, 191, 197, 198, 200, 202, 216,
223

Carte, Mrs. D'Oyly, u, 19, 59, *9r»
202, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211,

212, 213, S2O

Carte, Rupert D'Oyly, 6r, 115, 202
#21, 227, 228, 229, 232

233

Cecil, Arthur, 26, 27, 34, 231
Cellier, Alfred, 27, 34, 40, 49 , 5i,

64, 65, 66, 137, 163, 166, 222
Cellier, Francois, 23, 31, 50, 51,

72, 77, 80, 97, 137, 153, 161, 190,

197, 200, 203, 207, 213, 221, 222

Chabrier, E., 191

Chapel Royal, 201

Chappell Ballad Concerts, 156

Chard, Kate, 101

Chiklerstone, Charles, 186, 189, 193

Chorley, H. F , 201

Christie, M., 138

Civil Service Volunteers, 223

Claff, Henry, 192

Claribel, 44

Clark, Campbell, 8

Clarke, Hamilton, 42, 199

Clay, Frederick, i, 2, 7, 16, 17

Cleather, Gordon, 229

Clifton, F., 31, 33, 40, 62

Clulow, John, 208, 209

Coates, John, 177

Cockburn, Sir Alexander, 15

Coe, George Brad, 22

Cole, Annie, 164, 165

Cole, Nita, 167

Coleman, Alice, 198

CoUette, Charks, 9

Comedy Opera Co,, 19, 23, 24, 25,

28, 49, 50
Connell, E., 12
Cook, Cecil, 205
Cook, Furneaux, 166
Coomber, Lillian, 208, 209
Copland, Charles, 161
Coram, Elsie, 228, 229, 230
Court, Dorothy, 210, 215
Courtney, W., 12
Co vent Garden Opera Co., 26
Cox, Alice, 219
Cox, Harry, 16, 17
Crimp, Herbert, 169
Crompton, Reginald, 193, 194, 203,

205, 206

Cross, Emily, 41, 65, 70
Crystal Palace, 201
Cummings, R., 138

Daily Mail, 195

Daily Telegraph, 18, 75, 143, 211
Dallas, J. J., 164
Dance, Sir George, 163, 164
P'Anka^ Cornelie, 12
Dark, Sidney, 206
Dam ton, Leo, 229, 232
D'Auban, Emma, 165
D'Auban, John, 80, 109
Davies, Ben, 156, 161
Davies, Francqn, 161
Pawes, Marjorie, 219
Day, Thomas, 165
Denny, W, H., 142, 147, 152, 164,
165, 167, 173

Desprez, Frank, 12, 20, 39, 66, 137

Devoll, George, 189, rgo

Dibdin, Charles, 131

Dickens, Charles, 201

Dolaro, Selma, 8, 9, 12, 21, 23

Dolby, George, 16

Don Quixote, 151

Dore>, Ada, 105

Dow, Clara, 209, 210, 213, 214

Doyle, A, Conan, 169

D'Oyly Carte Opera CoM 21

Dr a water, F., 213

Duff, Manager, 117, 118, 119

Duggan, Mary, 165

" Duke's Surprise, The," 180

Du Manner, George, 75, 230, 231

Dunraven, Earl of, 196

Dyke, Miss Hart, 206

Dysart, A., 105

Earldon, C., 183, 203

Easton, Florence, 137, 172

Eden, Guy, 218

Edward VIL, King, 157, 174, 2I5

Edwardes, George, 23, 77, 86, 129,

181, 182, 207
Ellicott, Maud, 177
Elliott, George, too
Elton, W., 188
Emden, H., 93, 224
Era, The, 23
Era Annual, 46
Evans, Lulu, 198, 200, 203
Everard, Miss, 31, 40, 70
Evorsfield, Harry, 55
Evett, Robert, 190, 192, 193, 195,

198, 200, 203, 204, 205, 206
Evolution of " The Mikado," 121
Ewell, Caroline, 101

Fancourt, Darrell, 230, 232

Faning, Eaton, 86

" Failed to attract," 133

" Fairy Curate, The," 89

Faraday, Philip Michael, 214

Farnie, H B., 16, 180

Farren, Nelly, 2, ^, 4, 5

Fcdenci, F ,"59

Fenn, Frederick, 214

Ferdinand, David, 201

Figaro, Pans, 132

Fmdlay, Josephine, 126

Findon, B. W., 202

Fishe, Scott, 169, 177, 178, 181, 188

Fisher, David, 100, 104

Fisher, Walter, 165

Fisher, W. H 8, 9, 12, 165

FitzGeraM, Eaward, 194

Fits-Gerald, Perry, 171

Flemraing, Claude, 219

Ford, Ernest, 161, 169

Fortescue, Miss, 77, 80, 90

Foster, J. W., 189

Fowler, A., 167

334

Fraser, Agnes, 194, 198, 200, 206
Fun, 13, 17, 69, 70, 78, 130, 14.5
Fushirai, Prince, 210, 211

Gabriel, Virginia, 44

Gaiety Chronicles, 6

Garmoyle, Lord, 95

G6nee, Richard, 125

German, Edward, 202, 203, 205,
218, 219

German-Reed, 178

German-Reeds, I, 178, 201, 231

Gilliland, Helen, 228, 229

Graphic, The, 17, 27

Great World War, 222

Grattan, Emilie, 56

Grattan, Harry, 55, 56

Gray, Ruby, 209, 219

Greenback, Harry, 176, 177

Green, Richard, 161, 165, 167, 209,
217

Greene, R., 209

Greet, William, 85, 206

Grey, Rowland, 78

Grey, Sybil, 86, 90, 105, in, 139

Grey, Warwick, 101

Gridley, Lawrence, 169, 172

Groebl, Marie, 161

Gilbert, Charles, 138

Gilbert, W. S., 13, 14, *7, 18, 19, 23,
24, 25, 27, 28, 31, 32, 43, 45, 53,
54, 62, 69, 70, 72, 79, 80, 81, 86,
90, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102,
109, no, 112, 115, 121, 125, 130,
140, 141, 142, 143, 149, 153, 158,
163,166,168,170, 171, 172, 173,
174, 175, 178, 179, 180, 181, 1 86,

191, 193, 201, 211, 2l8, 219, 220,

223, 225, 226, 231, 232

Gilbert and Sullivan, 225

Gilbert, Sullivan t and D'Oyly Carte,
4i, 197

Globe, The, 204

Glover, J. M., 195, 196

Gordon, H. 167

Gore, Mrs. Charles, 9.

Gould, Baring, 144

Granville, Sydney, 229

Grossmith, George, the elder, 27, 65

Grossmith, George, 26, 27, 28, 50,
65, 66, 71, 76, 79, 90, 95> ioo,
101, 102, 103, 105, 106, no, in,
115, 122, 125, 137, 138, X39, 142,
143, 147, 153, 1 66, 183, 184, 185,
20Q, 216, 217

GrossmitU, George, junior, 206

Gruncly, Sydney, 164, 165, 166, 167,
1 68 \

Gunn, Michael, 23, 50, 51, 89

Gwynne, Emma, 39

Gwynne, Julia, 65, 77, So, 90

*' Happy Thought," 232
Harrington, Miss, 101

Harris, Sir Augustus, 162

Harris, Charles, 40, 177

Harrison, Fanny, 59

Harmsworth, Alfred, 195

Haswell, Bpwden, 169, 172, 178

Havers, Alice, 85

Hawkins, Frederick, 185

Healey, T., 12

Helmore, Rev. Thomas, 201

Henri, Louie, 104, 188

Hentschel, Carl, 128

Herbert, Henry, 210, 214, 215, 216

Herbert, Miss, 224

Hervey, Rose, 41, 138, 142

Hewett, Fred, 214

Hewson, Jones, 179, 181, 183, 186,

187, 189, 191, 198, 200, 203, 205
Hill, Lucille, 167
Hill, W. J., 165
Hobbs, Frederick, 228
Hodson, Henrietta, 8
Hollingshead, John, 5, 17, 84, 202,

225

Hollings worth, J., 9
Hood, Basil, 192, 193, 194, 198,

200, 202, 203, 204, 206
Hood, Marion, 65, 69
Hood, Tom, 13
Hope, Maiclic, 219
Hopwood, Aubrey, 192
" House that Jack Built," 143
Howson, Emma, 40, 41
Howson, John, 41
Humphrey, George, 188
Husk, C., 12

" lolanthe," 96, 97
Irving, Sir Henry, 60, 75

Jackson, Ethel, iSS, 190

James, Cory, 186, 188, 189, 191

James, David S , 166

James, Katie, 164

Jay, Isabel, 191, 192, 195, 200,

203, 205, 206
Jeffreys, Ellis, 166
Jerrard, Gertrude, 194
Joel, Elsie, 73
Johnson, M., 132

Johnston, Edith, 178
ohnstone, A., 208
ones, Kennedy, 195
ones, Sid well, 169
yran, Pauline 190
asephs, Pattie, 101

Kavanagh, Miss, 138
Kay, Nancy, 230
Kellehtir, C,, 8, 9
Kelway, D'Arcy, 189
Kendal, Mrs., 137
Keantagharn, Charles, 161, 167
169, 179, 183, 186, 187, 190

335

Kennett, C., 105

Kenney, Charles Lamb, 187

Kent, Duchess of, 22

Kingston, W. Beatty, 17, 18, 113

Kilmorey, Lord, 86

Kipling, Rudyard, 195

Knighthood for Sullivan, 106

Korner, Karl Theodor, 199

Lackner, W., 59

Lancaster, Gladys, 219

La Rue, Miss, 65

Law, Arthur, 108

Lawrence, Arthur, 29, 45> u<5* 230

Lawrence, Miss, 138

Lawson, Winifred, 229, 230

Le Hay, John, 59, 60, 172

Ledger, Edward, 23

Lefroy, Percy, 75

Lehmann, R. C., 183

Lely, Durward, 76, 79, 90, 100, 105,

in, 126

Lemon, Mark, 223
Lempriere, 3
Lenoir, Helen (Mrs. D'Oyly Carte),

21, 22, 59, 192

Leom, Franco, 205

Leon, W H., 167, 193, 198, 200, 203

Le terrier, M., 191

Lewis, Bertha, 229, 230

Lewis, Catherine, 230

Lewis, Eric, 105, 125

Lewis, Ethel, 210, 214

Lewis, Rudolph, in, 126, 137

Lewys, lago, 186

Levy, George, 220

Life of Arthur Sullivan, 29, 45,
230

Lindsay, Miss, 126

Lingard, Horace, 56

Loder, E. J., 162

Lofting, Kitty, 181

Loredan, G , 17

Lord Chamberlain, 210, 211, 219

Loseby, Constance, 4, 5

Louis, Minna, 86

Lover, Samuel, 223

Lowne, C M., 134

Lugg, W., 101, 105

Lycett, Miriam, 219

Lynne, Mark, 20

Lytton, Henry A., 60, 104, 147,
148, 149, 185, 1 86, 187, 189, 191,
192, 193, 198, 200, 203, 204, 206,
212, 214, 215, 227, 228, 230

Macaulay, Miss, 183
Macfarren, Sir George A., 162, 187
Mackenzie, Sir A. C., 106, 183, 184
Me Alpine, E , 191
MacCunn, Hamish, 207
Maclean, John, 4
Maclntyre, Margaret, 161
Manners, Charles, 90, 95

Manning, Frank, 192

Mansfield, Richard, 59, 60

Maxius, Claude, 16

Marryat, Florence, 216

Mason, Effie, 56

Mattei, Tito, 180

Mathcws, Julia, 187

Matthews, Frank, 224

May, Alice, 31, 59

Mclntosh, Nancy, 172, 174, 219

" Margaret Meadows,," 145

Messager, 176, 177

Metcalf, J., 138

Metzler & Co., 50

" Monday Pops," 88

Monkhouse, Harry, 166, 181

Montgomery, M., 100

Montrose, Florence, 73

Moore, Decima, 152, 169, 194

Moore, Eva, 166

Moore and Burgess Minstrels, 88, 173

Moray Minstrels, 23 r

Morse, Woolston, 192

Morton, Maddison, 230

Morrison, Ethel, 209, 219

Moss, Stafford, 212/214

Moyse, Margaret, iSfi, 190, 192, 194

Moyse, Overtop, 208, 209

Mullholand, Miss, 52

Murray, B. Gaston, 200

Musical Recollections (Emily

Soldenc), 16
My Life Twie (J. Hollingshead), 5

Napoleon Bonaparte, 20
Neville, Henry, 26
Neville, Kate, 59
Newall, Ada, 178
New York Herald, 64
New York Tribune, 12 r
North German^ Gazette, 119
Norton, Fleming, 55
Nugent, Claude, 217

OBITUARY :

Barrington, Rutland, 217

Carte, R. D'Oyly, 200

Cellier, Alfred, 1 66

Celher, Francois, 221

Gilbert, Sir W. S., 221

Groen, Richard, 217

Grossinith, 208, 216

Sullivan, Sir Arthur, 198

Temple, Richard, 217

Thornton, Frank, 227

Workman, C. H., 220
Observer, The, 126
Offenbach, Jacquc-s, 8, 181, 187, 230
Oldham, Derek, 228, 229, 230
" Omar Khayyam," 194
One Thousandth night of " The

Mikado/* 181
One Thousandth night of

" H.M.S. Pinafore/' 193

230

OPERAS AND PLAYS :
" After All," 52, 186
"Ages Ago,'1 i, 2, 130
"Awaking," 8
" Box and Cox," 6, 230, 231
"Basoche, La," 162
"Beauty Stone," 188, 189
" Beauties on the Beach," 41
" Billie Taylor," 57
" Broken Hearts," 227
" Carp, The," 125
"Caste," 179

' Charley's Aunt," 13

1 Chieftain, The," 178

1 Chilpo.ric," 1 6

' Cnlnnol. Thf1." 7S

' Contrabandista," 6, 1 7 3, 201,231

* Cox and Box," 201, 218, 230,

231

" Cups and: Saucers/' 41
" Cryptoconchoidsyphonostoma-

ta, 9

" Dan'l Druce," 95
" Dearer than Life," 6
" Doctor Ambrosias," 19
" Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," 60
" Dora's Dream," 34
" Doris," 166
" Dorothy," 166
" Dulcamara," 224, 225
11 Emerald Isle," 198, 202, 203,

205

" Engaged," 227
" Entre Nous," 216
" Falka," 13
" Faust," 60
" Fairy's Dilemma," 223
" Fallen Fairies," 218, 219
" Forty Thieves," 140
" French Maid, The," 193
" Frisette," 231
" Gay Pretenders, The," 216
" Geisha, The," 181
"Gemma di Vergy," 145, 147
" Genevieve de Brabant," 16,

166

" Gentleman Joe," 193
" Gondoliers, The," 63, 150, 151,
152, 153, 154, 157, 158, 163,

I9O, 212, 215, 227

" Good Night's Rest, A," 9

" Grand Duchess," 187

" Grand Duke," 180, 181, 221

" Great Tay Kin," 108

" Haddon Hall," 163, 164, 166,

167, 1 68

'* Hansel and Gretel," 179
" Happy Arcadia," 7
" Happy Hampstead," 20
" Happy Land," 219
" Haste to the Wedding," 166
" His Majesty,'' 183, 184
"H.M.S. Pinafore," 19, 35, 37,

38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47,

50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58,
61, 63, 72, 87, 91, 106, 174,
192, 193, 213, 214, 222
Children's " Pinafore," 55, 73
" Pinafore, Wreck of," 56, 57

1 Ib and Little Christina," 205

1 In the Sulks," 66

* lolanthe," 89, 90, 91, 92, 96,

97, 210, 212, 213, 214, 228

* Ivanhoe," 160, 161, 162, 217
5 Jane-Annie," 169, 170

* Kensington Gore ; or, Not so
good as * The Mikado,'" 128

' La Ceramique," 41

' La Chambre & deux Lits," 231

* Lady Clancarty," 26

* La Fille de Madame Angot,"
I2r 16

' La Perichole," 8, 9, 12, IQ, 138

' La PoupSe," 161

1 Leah," 145

' Les Deux Aveugles," 230

1 Les Cloches de Corneville," 41,

48

' Lesson for Life, A," 223
' L'EUsit d'Amore," 224
1 L'Etoile," 191
4 Love -Birds, The," 206

* Lucky Star, The," 191, 192
' Madame Archiduc," 16

* Marie," 20

' Mary Warner," 145
' Merrie England," 206
1 Mikado, The," 63, 107, 108,
109, no, in, 112, 113, 116,

117, Il8, 119, 120, 121, 139,
149, I5O, 179, l8l, 2IO, 211,
212, 213, 228

' MikacLo"*' banned by the Lord

Chamberlain, 210
' Mikado " in Holland, 125 (" Het

Mikado ")
1 Mirette," 176, 177
' Mock Turtles," 86
' Mountaineers, The," 218

* Mountebanks, The," 163, 166

' Mrs. Jarramie's Genie," 137,

142

' Nautch Girl," 163, 164
' Night Dancers, The," 162
' Palace of Truth," 100
1 Palais de Verity, Le," 100
' Patience," 17, 74, 75, 76, 79,

81, 85, 91, 165, 198, 199, 200,

212, 228

* Perola," 91

1 Pirates of Penzance, The," a,
37, 55, 58, 59, 62, 63, 66, 68,
70, 72, 73, 9i, 106, 138, 196,
198, 228

' Pretty Polly," 200

1 Prhna Donna," 180

' Princess Ida," 99, 100, iei,
102, 104, 105, 137, 228

237

OPERAS AND PLAYS — contd.

" Princess of Kensington, A,"

198, 206

" Princess, The," 99, 100
" Princess To to," 7, 16, *7» 18,

86

" Pygmalion and Galatea," 227
" Quid Pro Quo," 9
" Red Lamp," 140
" Robert the Devil," 7, 225
" Robin Hood," 162
" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern"

223

" Rose of Persia," 192, 193, 19°
" Ruddigore " (" Ruddygore "),

i, 125, 127, 128, 129, 137, 140,

150, 228

" Ruddy George," 134
" Sorcerer, The," 17, 25, «6i 31*

33, 33, 34, 48, 73, 106, 190,

191

" Stdtan of Mocha," 166
" Sweethearts," 44
"Tempest," 201
" Thespis," 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 100, 201
" Ticket of Leave Man," 26
" Trial by Jury," 7, 8, 9, 10, n,

13, 14, 15, 1 6, 17, i9> 22, 24,

26, 28, 32, 105, 106, 180, 190,

191, IQ3, 201, 223-

" Two Merry Monarchs, 220

" Two Orphans," 26

" Two Roses," 34

" Utopia Limited," 171, i73> i73>

174, i75> 176

" Vicar of Bray," 57, 164, 165
" Wedding March," 166
" Welsh Sunset, A," 214
" Wicked World," 218, 219
" Willow Pattern Plate," 205
" Winter's Tale," 145
" Who's Who," 206
" Wreck of H.M.S. Pinafore," 56
"Yeomen of the Guard, The,"
139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144,
146, 151, 182, 185, 186, 208,
209, 215, 217, 227, 228
" Young Mr. Yarde," 216

O.P. Club, 128

Oudin, Eugene, 161

Owen, Eirhirie, 169, 172, 177, *79>
181, 188, 190, 191, 192, 193

Palmay, Uka von, 179. *83j l86

Palhser, Esther, 153, 1^1

Parepa-Rosa, Madame, 13

Pany, C., 16

Past Times and Pastimes, 196

Passmore, Walter, 169, 170, 172,
174, 177, 178, 179, 181, 183, 184,
188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 195,
198, 199, 200, 209, 223

Patti, Adelma, 217

Paul, Howard, 325

Paul, Mrs. Howard, 26, 28, 31

Paxton, Sydney, 192

Penley, W. S., 8, 12, 13, 16, 164,

165

Pepper, R. B., 9
Percy, Edward, 73
" Periwinkle Girl, The," 89, 90
Perry, Beatrice, 178, i79> *88
Perry, Florence, 161, 169, 172, 177,

178, 179, 186, 187
Petrelli, Miss, 59
Phillips, Willie, 55
Pickering, Edward, 55 , 56
Pickering, William, 73
Pinder, Powis, 178, 193, 203, 2©6
Pinero, Sir Arthur, 189
Planch6, J. R., 182
Pledge, George de, 167
Poole, Annie, 17
Pounds, Courtice, 86, 142, 156, 164,

165, 167, 177, 178, 223
Pounds, Jessie, 188, 194
Pounds, Louie, 193, 198, 203, 204,

206
Power, Sir George, 40, 41, 65, 72,

137

Power, Harold, 230, 231
Power, Tyrone, 231
Poynter, Mrs,, 101
Pritchard, H. Carlyle, 200
Promenade Concerts, 42
Pryce, Minnie, 190
Punch) 165, 223, 230
Pyne and Harrison, 162

Queen Victoria, 22, 70* io<5, 149,
157

Ransome, Lewis, 183

Redmond, Tom, 209

Reece, Robert, 140

Reiiihardt, Mattie, 99, 101

Reitz, Juhus, 201

" Rejected Addresses," 69, 70

Ren6, Louie, 208, 209, 210, 213,

214, 215

Ridgwell, George, 193
Rignold, Harry, 169
Ripple, Pacie, 208, 209
Rita, Pauline, 12

Robertson, J. G., 137, 138, 139,

1 66

Robertson, Tom, 223, 224
" Robinson Crusoe," 223
Robin Dramatic Society, 2ro
Roll a, Kate, 177
Romano's, 20, 75
Rusa, Carl, 13, 14
Rose, Jessie, 179, 183, 188, 192,

193, 194, 208, 209, 210, 213, 214,

215, 219

Roosevelt, Blanche, 54, 62, 63
Ross, Adrian, 177, 183, 184, 192
Rossini, 20 j

23$

Rosslyn, Rose, 194

Rous, R., 203, 205

Royal Aquarium, 52

Royston, Amy, 215

Rowe, Louie, 164, 165

Roz<% Raymond, 206

Rudall, Carte & Co., 19

Ruff, J., 189

Russell, Leonard, 189, 191, 192

Russell, M., 138

Russell, J. Scott, 171, 172 177,

178, 183, 186
Ryley, Charles, 100
Ryley, J. H., 62

Sadler, Jessie, 101

Salmond, Norman, 161

Sandford and Merton, 165

Santley, Kate, 16, 17, 20, 23

Saumarez, Miss, 164

Savoy Opera, 2

Saxon, Avon, 161, 177

Schneider, Hortense, 187

Scott, Clement, 66, 148

Scott, Sir Walter, 160

Secrets of a Savoyard, The, 60, 104,

148, 149

Selby, Luard, 183
Seymour, W. H., 77
Shaw, Captain Eyre, 94
Shelton, George, 134
Shalders, Jose, 169
Sheffield, Leo, 210, 214, 215, 219,

229, 230

Shirley, W. R., 142
Simmonds, B., 12
Simpson, Maria, 100
Sims, G. R., 127
Sinclair, George, 230
Snelson, Master, 178
Snyder, Leonora, 164, 165
Society Clown, A, 27, 102, iio, 128
Soldene, Emily, 15, 1 6
Solomon, Edward, 30, 57, 104, 165
Somerville, Reginald, 218
SONGS AND BALLADS

* Absent Minded Beggar," 195

* Awful Little Scrub, An," 216
' Bunthorne's Song," 83

* Celestial Drudge, The " 3

* Climbing over Rocky Moun-
tains," 2

Colonel's Patter song from

Patience, 81

' Duke, of Seven Dials, The," 216
4 Enterprising Burglar, The," 70

* Every Day Young Man," 88

* Fairy Queen's Song, The," 93
' Happy Fatherland, The," 216

* I am the Captain of the Pina-
fore, " 43

* I am so Volatile," 216

* I have a Song to Sing, O ! " 143
1 J'll Sing thee Songs of Arafcy," i

" Is Life a Boon," 146
"I've Got a Little List,"ii5
" Jack's the Lad," 70
" Judge's Song, The," 14
" King Gama's Song," 103
" Lost Chord, The," 30, 31, 44
" Muddle Puddle Porter, The/'

216
" My Object All Sublime," 109,

116 '

" My Name is John Wellington

Wells," 33

" Pirate's Lair, The," 70
" Poor Wandering One," 69
" Professor Bunn's Song/' 204
" Robin Oakapple's Song," 131
" Ruler of the Queen's Navee,"

<S4e3e

ee Me Dance the Polka," 216
" Sentry's Song, The " [lolanthe],

" Sergeant's Song, The," 68

" Songs of the West," 144

" Sweethearts," 44

" Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes,"

156

" Thou Art Passing Hence," 30
"Three Little Maids," 116
" Time Was When Love/' 32
" Tommy Atkins," 196
" Topsail Sheets," 70
" Were I Thy Bride," 146
" When I Went to the Bar," 96

Sou tor, Robert, 4

Spain, Elsie, 214

Sporting Times, 140

Standard (Evening), 6

Stetson, Manager, 117 •

St. John, Florence, 177, 178, 187

Steel, Rose, 16

Stephens, Mrs., 223

Stephens, W. H., 161

Stevenson, R. L., 60

Stewart, Nellie, 60

Studholrne, Marie, 166

Sturgess, Julian, 160, 161

Sudlow, Bessie, 21

Sugimara, K., 211

Sullivan, Sir Arthur, 8, 9, 19, 23,
24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 41,
42, 44, 53, 54, 62, 72, 79, 86,
90, 91, 96, 98, 100, 101, 102, 107,
109, 116, 119, 122, 124, 125, 130,
140, 141, 142, 143, *54, I5S, 160,
163, 164, 167, 168, 170, 171, i75,
178, 179, iSo, 191, 193, 194, 195,

196, 198, 200, 2OI, 202, 203, 208,
2l6, 220, 221, 225, 226, 231, 232

Sullivan, Frederic, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11,

16, 29
Sullivan, Thomas, 200

Talbot, J., 40

Taylor, J. G., 4, 16, 17, 52

.239

Taylor, Tom, 145, 223

Tebbutt, Harry, 73

Temple, George, 6*5

Temple, Richard, 17, 26, 31, 33,

40, 41, 65, 68, 71, 79, 86, 90,

roi, 105, 106, in, 126, 137, *38»

139, 142, 147, 177, 178, 186, 193,

215, 217, 231
Terry, Ellen, 223
Teny, Kate, 223
Theatre Magazine, 17, 62, 66, 148,

160
THEATRES :

Adelphi, 70, 201, 231

Alhambra, 196

Britannia, 70

Coburg, 70

Court, 13, 95, 166, 219

Co vent Garden, 64, 201

Criterion, 166

Daly's, 6o; 181

Dniry Lane, 70, 223

Fifth Avenue, New York, 58,
63, H7

Folly, 48

Gaiety, 15, 60, 62, 84, 100, 127,
201, 207, 225, 231

Gallery of Illustration, i, 130

G.'tmck, 223

Globe (Newcastle Street, Strand),

86, 164, 165, 216
Grecian, 70

Haymarket, 9, 100, 218
Imperial, 52
Lyceum, 223

Lyric, 166

Olympic, 53, 99, 100, roi, 105
Opera Comique, 16, 17, 28, 31,
5i, 52, 53, 57, 65, 74, 79, 85,

87, 106, 165, 181, 190, 199,

222

Park CCamden Town), 16
Prince's, 227, 228, 229, 232
Prince's (Manchester), 149
Prince of Wales 's, 44, 161
Princess's, 179
Royal Bijou, Paiguton, 59
Royal English Opera House, 160,

162, 2r7

Royalty, 9, 10, IT, 13, 16
Savoy, 17, 36, 6 1, 73, 84, 87, 100,

165 (And all through the book)
St. George's Hall, i, 19
St. James's, 224
St. Martin's Hall, i
Standard, 53, 61
Strand, 7, 16
Soho, 8
Surrey, 70

Theatre Royal (Melbourne), 60
Theatre Royal (Nottingham), 16
Toole's, 138

Thirty Years' Experience (Rutland

Barrington's) 182
Thompson, Augusta, 100
Thome, George, 149
Thornton, Frank, 31, 33, 5O| 66, 76,

77, 79, 164, 218
Times, The, 2r6
Tinnie, Cora, 164, 165
Toole, J. L., 4, 5, 108
Tree, Sir Herbert, 20, 140
Tunks, Leicester, 210, 213, 214
Tremaine, Annie, 5

Ulmar, Geraldine, 137, 138, I39>
142, 143, 147, 148, 152, 153, *66

Vane, Dorothy, 167, 169
Vane, E., 17
Vanloo, 191

Venne, Lottie, 16, 17, 165
Vemer, Linda, 9, 12
Vesey, Clara, 16
Vicat, Alice, 73

Vincent, Ruth, 179, 183, 188, 190,
191, 192, 193, 223

Walbrook, H. M., 225
WalUs, Bella, 135
Walsh, Edward, 56
Warren, Eva, 73
Warwick, Giulia, 31
Weatherly, Fred E., 176, 177
Wellington, Duke of, 22
Western Morning News, 143
Wilbraham, Charles, 105, 126, 138,

142, 152

Wilde, Oscar, 74, 75, 80
Witteby, Charles, 30
Wilkinson, John, 138, 141, 142, 14?
Wilson, Ethel, 178, I79> 190
Wilson, Frank, 209
Wilson, Marie, 208, .209
Windsor Castle, 157
Workman, C. H., 179, 183, 185, i«ft,

209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, 2l8,
219, 22O

World, The, 22 ^

Wiight, Fred, junior, 192

Wyatt, Frank, 152, 153, 156, 164,

166

Wylde, Harold, 200
Wyndham, Sir Charles, 20, 22

Yardley, William, 140
Yates, Edmund, 223
Yaw, Ellen I teach, 193, 104
Young Men's Christian Associa-
tion, 29

Sell, Heir, 125

128229