Maudi Darrell and George Graves in The Belle of Britanny

Maudi Darrell (1882-1920) as Toinette and George Graves (1876-1949) as the Marquis de St. Gautier in The Belle of Britanny, Queen’s Theatre, London, 24 October 1908
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, 1908)

This real photograph postcard, no. 7444B in the Rotary Photographic Series published in 19087 by the Rotary Photographic Co Ltd of London, shows Maudi Darrell as Toinette and George Graves as the Marquis de St. Gautier in the comic opera The Belle of Britanny, which was produced at the Queen’s Theatre, London, on 24 October 1908. The piece was written by Leedham Bantock and P.J. Barrow, with lyrics by Percy Greenbank and music by Howard Talbot and Marie Horne. Other members of the cast included Lawrence Rea, Davy Burnaby, E.W. Royce senior, Walter Passmore, Lily Iris (replaced during the run successively by May Hackney and Millie Legarde), Maud Boyd, Blanche Stocker, Minnie Baker, Gladys Saqui and Ruth Vincent. The production ran for 147 performances.

An American production of The Belle of Britanny opened at Daly’s Theatre, New York, on 8 November 1909, in which Toinette was played by Elsa Ryan and de St. Gautier by Frank Daniels.

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Florence Warde and Minnie Baker

Florence Warde and Minnie Baker (fl. early 20^th Century), English dancers, as they appeared during the run of The Spring Chicken, Gaiety Theatre, London, 1905-1906 (photo: Dover Street Studios, London, 1905/06)

This postcard, a mechanical print resembling a real photograph, was issued by the Aristophot Co of London, no. E 1066, during 1905 or 1906. Florence Warde and Minnie Baker, both dancers, appeared during the run of The Spring Chicken, a musical comedy starring George Grossmith jr, Edmund Payne, Connie Ediss and Gertie Millar, at the Gaiety Theatre, London, which ran for 374 performances from 30 May 1905 to 6 June 1906.