Isobel Elsom (1893-1981), English actress, as she appeared as Doris in After the Girl, a ‘revusical comedy’ by Paul Rubens and Percy Greenbank, which opened at the Gaiety Theatre, London, on 7 February 1914.
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, 1914; postcard published by The Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, in its Rotary Photographic Series, no. 6927A, London, 1914)
programme cover for Yvonne, Daly’s Theatre, London, 22 May 1926, with a portrait of the English actress and singer, Ivy Tresmand (1898-1980) in the title role
(from original artwork by Charles Buchel; printed by Wightman Mountain & Andrews Ltd, London, 1926)
Yvonne, ‘a new and original musical comedy’ in three acts (based on an original Austrian production) was written by Percy Greenbank, with music by Jean Gilbert (1879-1942) and Vernon Duke (1903-1969), and additional numbers by Arthur Wood, was produced at Daly’s, London, on 22 May 1926. The cast, headed by Ivy Tresmand in the title role, included Mark Lester, Henry Hallatt, Gene Gerrard, Neta Underwood, Arthur Pusey, Maria Minetti, Dennis Hoey and the dancers Hal Sherman and Nan Wild.
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.
colour lithograph cover (after original artwork by Richard Pannett) to the score of The Blue Moon, a musical play by Harold Ellis, revised by A.M. Thompson, with lyrics by Percy Greenbank and Paul A. Rubens and music by Howard Talbot and Paul A. Rubens, published by Chappell & Co Ltd, London, 1905, printed by H.G. Banks Ltd.
The Blue Moon, was first produced at the Opera House, Northampton, on 29 February 1904, before its London premier at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, on 28 August 1905. The principal parts on the opening night in London were played by Courtice Pounds, Fred Allandale, Walter Passmore, Willie Edouin, Eleanor Souray, Florence Smithson (a stylized portrait of whom is on the above score cover), Billie Burke and Carrie Moore.
Footlight Notes 