Pauline Chase as The Little Japanese Girl

Pauline Chase (1885-1962), American actress, as she appeared in the title role of the 1 Act play, The Little Japanese Girl, adapted from the Japanese by Loie Fuller and first produced at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, on 26 August 1907.
(photo: Bassano, London, 1907).

Other members of the cast were Edward Sass as the Prince and Jane May as the Princess. The piece ran for 49 performances. Pauline Chase appeared again in The Little Japanese Girl at the London Coliseum in the summer of 1911.

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‘PAULINE CHASE AS A STAR.
‘She Makes a Great Success in London in a Play by Loie Fuller.
‘Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
LONDON. Aug. 26 [1907]. – Miss Pauline Chase made a brilliant success this evening in Loie Fuller’s one-act play, ”The Little Japanese Girl,” produced at the Duke of York’s Theatre under the management of Charles Frohman.
‘Among her most enthusiastic admirers were Oscar Lewisohn and his wife, (A HREF=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edna_May>Edna May,) who came to London from the country specially to witness the performance.’
(The New York Times, New York, 27 August 1907, p. 7)

‘Pauline Chase is now appearing in a one-act play by Loie Fuller, entitled ”The Little Japanese Girl.” Miss Chase has become so closely identified with the English stage that the British public has come to regard her as its own.’
(The Washington Times, Third Section, Woman’s Magazine, Washington DC, 8 September 1907, p. 8d)

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London, week beginning Monday, 24 July 1911
‘At the Coliseum this week Miss Pauline Chase will appear with three others in Miss Loie Fuller’s one-act play A Little Japanese Girl, with music by Mr. John Crook.’
(The Times, London, Monday, 24 July 1911, p. 10d)

London, 2 August 1911 ‘Pauline Chase came an awful cropper at the Coliseum, where she is appearing in a Japanese play previously done in pantomime by Hanako. It is called ”A Little Japanese Girl,” and it deals with the vanity of a little laundress who put on a Princess’s kimono and rouged her face. She was mistaken for the princess and killed by an outraged princely lover. When the curtain descended on the act at the opening afternoon, there was none insistent ”hand” and Pauline took a bow where she needn’t have troubled. It seems as though ”Peter Pan” will have to be revived.’ (Variety, New York, Saturday, 12 August 1911, p. 15b)

Grace Palotta and Gracie Leigh in Cinderella

Grace Palotta (1870?-1959), Austrian-born actress and singer, popular in England and Australia, as the Prince in the pantomime Cinderella, produced at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, Croydon, south London, Christmas, 1897, with (left) Gracie Leigh
(photo: The London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co Ltd, London, 1897/98)

‘Mr. George Edwardes is indeed to be congratulated on the success of his first pantomime, Cinderella, at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, Croydon. The words have been written by Mr. Horace Lennard, and he and Mr. Edward Sass have spared no pains or expense in the production of the piece. Some of the scenes are wonderfully effective, and those of the Royal Forest and the Baron’s Kitchen are most realistic. Mr. Lionel Rignold is amusing as Baron Klondyke, and Mr. Fred Wright jun., as Pedro, is admirable. Miss Maggie May makes a very fascinating Cinderella, and her pathetic rendering of ”Now de eyes I lubb’d am flown” always gets a well-deserved encore. Miss Grace Palotta, as the handsome Prince, looks stately and imposing, and is full of go and vivacity, especially in her song of a ”rollicking, frolicking man-about-town.” Mr. Welton Dale and Mr. George Antley, the Ugly Step-Sisters, sing a capital song, ”Not always.” Of the dances the ribbon dance in the first act and the autumnal dance in the second are as pretty as any dances we have ever seen. The costumes are gorgeous, and the whole pantomime is lavishly stages and dressed.’
(The Court Circular, London, Wednesday, 5 January 1898, p. 13a)