No 43 -- 1995 Edited by Michael Walters
by Michael Walters and George Low. The former takes responsibility for most of the below, the initials GL indicate substantial contributions from George.
This is a sloppily written book, which does not even have the virtue of wit, which Caryl Brahms' had.
p. 10. Harlequin Cock and Jenny Wren should be Harlequin Cock Robin and Jenny Wren.
Nanki-Poo was played as a principal boy in Germany, but not as far as I am aware, in America.
p. 12 Don Csar de Bazan (not Bezan) was not by Boucicault.
p. 13. "By 1885, Hollingshead had managed to clean up the shows". I am not aware that Hollingshead's methods ever altered.
p. 14/15. These are not playbills, but the small cards giving details of the operas to be performed at each venue. They are often called "heralds" ot "throwaways". [GL]
p. 17. Top: I'm not 100% certain, but I think it's a picture of the programme cover rather than of a playbill. [GL]
p. 18. Boucicault's play on which Benedict's opera The Lily of Killarney was based, did not have the same name. It was called The Colleen Bawn. The error about Don Csar is repeated. Sullivan was not accused of copying Maritana in The Yeomen of the Guard. Gilbert was!
p. 19. Orpheus in the Underground and Or taken from the Greek, were not productions of Offenbach's operettas Orpheus in the Underworld and La Belle Helene; they were burlesques based on them.
p. 22. Gilbert's middle name is mis-spelled. The author refers to William Gilbert senior's "profuse, moralistic and stilted literary outpourings". Clearly she has not read them; but this is a common error.
p. 24. Gilbert did not re-use his translation of the words of the Laughing Song in The Princess. He used different words to the same tune.
The subtitle of Dulcamara is The Little Duck and (not or) the Great Quack.
p. 25. The pictures are of Geraldine Ulmar and Rutland Barrington. They are from cabinet photographs, not picture postcards. Picture postcards did not exist in in 1889/90; they first came into use in 1894, we believe [GL & MPW]
The paragraph beginning "Gilbert's creativity increased ..." is a gross reduction of what happened.
Gilbert did not build Grim's Dyke.
p. 26. The lower picture is of Leonora Braham as Rose Maybud.
p. 27. There is no evidence that Sullivan's ill health was a result of his life style. And what does the author mean by following this statement (on p. 29) by saying that Sullivan's personal life was "extremely satisfactory".? [GL suggests that it is a coy way of saying he had a steady mistress]
p. 31. D'Oyly Carte was not, of course, christened Richard Doyle McCarthy, and did not have Irish blood. This bizarre error seems to have originated in Dunn's Dictionary. Where on earth did he dream it from? The remainder of the page seems to be equally fictitious.
p. 33. Much of the chapter "Towards the Savoy" is very suspect, with several rather wild statements typical of flambuoyant journalistic writing. 1976 is, of course, a misprint for 1876.
p. 36-37. [Finale to UTOPIA LTD] "even though the result was doggerel as he had feared". The author has not read Wolfson, who has refuted this statement.
p. 38. "... led to his printing of the libretto for the audience to follow". All theatres did that at that time.
There was no reason why a dramatist should have been knighted at the time Sullivan was. In fact, when Gilbert was eventually knighted, he was the first dramatist to be so.
p. 38/9. It is not an autograph book, but a sheet with facsimile signatures compiled in 1929 and distributed (to special people?) at the re-opening of the Savoy Theatre and/or on the last night of the 1929/30 London Season (Hence "Old Savoy"). [GL]
p. 42. Gilbert did not use his plays as material for the Savoy operas; he did use the Bab Ballads. But he did not transfer lyrics verbatim from the Bab Ballads. The author is confused by the fact that some later editions of the Bab Ballads also included lyrics from the operas.
Isidore Godfrey's name is mis-spelled.
p. 43. Why is cannibal in quotes?
Cranberry and Banbury are used in the plural in the opera, not the singular.
Fleta has nothing to sing. "Don't go" is sung by Celia and Leila. There is no excuse for this sort of carelessness.
"A steady and stolid[l]y, jolly bank holiday". No L.
Godfrey never conducted UTOPIA LTD, nor was he involved in any production of it.
p. 44. The dialogue of Gilbert's does not resemble the style of his plays.
p. 45. "the pirates' meek capitulation at the sight of the Union Jack". What sort of rubbish is this?
"the use of parody ... by parody" ???!!!
p. 46. Most of this page is nonsense.
p. 48. "Godfrey was noted for his clear beat and his ability to keep stage and pit together". What a fatuous statement. This is what every competent conductor is required to do.
Malcolm Sargent did not direct the D'Oyly Carte's first recordings.
Why is it "strange" that in his maturer years, Gilbert "surrounded himself with young girls".
p. 49. "Gilbert's method of work was invariable." This is unfounded.
FALLEN FAIRIES has nothing to do with the lozenge plot.
p. 50. The helmet in the picture must surely be from PATIENCE. It cannot be from IOLANTHE.
The problem with moustaches at the Savoy was not because gentlemen shaved them off, but because they refused to shave them off.
Giuseppe is mis-spelled.
p. 51. This picture is not from a recording of THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD, but of a record called "A Gilbert and Sullivan Spectacular". Apart from the person in the glass booth (don't know who he is) the persons are (left to right) Freddie Lloyd, Sargent, John Reed, James Walker, Bert Newby, Christene Palmer & Alan Styler.
Her comments on Sullivan's oratorios are risible.
p. 52. This picture is also from "A Gilbert and Sullivan Spectacular".
Who said Schubert was Sullivan's hero?
p. 53. What evidence that Sullivan had a love/hate relationship with Wagner?
p. 54. "... though often the original scoring is not used, due to the D'Oyly Carte company's retention of the full scores." When is the original scoring not used. The D'Oyly Carte does not retain the full scores.
Isidore Godfrey's name is again mis-spelled.
p. 63. The author must be confusing German with Solomon. German did not write for the Savoy until after Sullivan's death. [MPW]
Neither Cellier brother had a full-length work performed at the Savoy, only curtain raisers/afterpieces. Alfred's AFTER ALL was revived in 1895, Francois had three short pieces between 1891 and 1900. So her comment is at best misleading, at worst wrong. [GL]
p. 64. Nancy McIntosh's name is mis-spelled.
p. 65. This insert photo is of Peggy Ann Jones, not Linda Anne Hutchison, whose name is in any case misspelled Hutchinson.
p. 66. Hugo Rumbold was engaged to design the ladies' costumes for PATIENCE in the 20s, rather a lesser involvement than is implied.
Lytton's stage play with his inseparable monocle". He rarely used this on stage.
p. 67. I think the photo (top) was taken in 1926 (not 1922). It has been suggested that the gentleman beghind Lytton's left shoulder is Malcolm Sargent and that the lady in Fancourt's shadow is Blossom Gelsthorpe, neither of whom were involved in previous London seasons. [GL]
p. 69. December 1934, not 1935.
p. 70. The picture caption is referring to Lytton's last London performance, not his last performance with the company, which took place in Dublin. It is questionable if Fancourt really performed the Mikado 3,000 times.
p. 71. "Marjorie Eyre, who took over Jessie Bond's parts after the First World War". Well, it was in 1929. Green was Lytton's understudy from summer 1925 onwards, not 1926. The luncheon was to celebrate Lytton's knighthood, not 46 years. Much of the rest of this page is dodgy. [GL & MPW]
p. 72. Ann [not Anne] Drummond Grant was hardly married to Godfrey and Rands at the same time, as here implied! This unfortunate sentence also implies that Rands was joining the company at this time, when in fact he was leaving. More important is that Rands left in 1947, 4 years before Pratt became principal comedian!
Isidore Godfrey is again misspelled.
There was nothing versatile about John Reed.
p. 74. Sargent's recordings were made in the early 1930s, not the late 1920s. He was guest conductor again in 1951, not 1950.
p. 78. The set for YEOMEN pictured here is not the original 1939/40 design, but Goffin's reworking of his own set to adapt it to the "composite set". So it, too, should be dated 1957. [GL]
p. 81. Captions: Lancaster's designs for SORCERER date from 1971, not 1957. (The book is inconsistent, the date 1971 appears in the text, 1957 in the picture caption). L. Arrighi has no "n" in her name; Giuseppe (misspelled) did not eat spaghetti in Besch's production. [GL]
p. 83. THE COOL MIKADO did anything but leave Gilbert "intact". It bore but passing resemblance to Gilbert's text.
Tyrone Guthrie directed H.M.S. PINAFORE as well as THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Stratford, Ontario.
The bottom picture of the chorus of PINAFORE was taken in 1970 not 1971.
p. 84. The Queen visited THE GONDOLIERS in February 1976, not 1971.
p. 85. The Royal Command Performance of PINAFORE was in June 1977 (not 1987). [GL]
p. 86. (top right) The picture shows Mountararat (John Ayldon) all right, but I'm pretty sure the other peer is neither Shovelton nor Barry Clark (Tolloller & understudy). [GL]
p. 89. Darrell (not Darryll) Fancourt's laugh was used long before 1924. Try reading the correspondence in THE SAVOYARD madam. And listen to the 1918 recording, where Robert Radford laughs.
p. 91. The female chorus are making up for THE MIKADO, not THE GONDOLIERS.
p. 95. "Gilbert was already trying ..." He did not start this process.
It is untrue that THESPIS was not a success, and the rest of this paragraph is very doubtful. In any case it only refers to the first night. Evidently the author has never read Rees's book.
It is wrong that the band parts of THESPIS were never returned.
p. 99. THESPIS was not ill-fated.
John Reed played the Judge in the 1950s and in 1975, not during the 1960s and 1970s. He was the worst Judge I ever saw. In 1975 he had to take a copy of the libretto on stage in order to remember his lines.
p. 100-101. This picture dates from 1964-5.
p. 102. The picture represent (top to bottom) Philip Potter, Jennifer Toye and George Cook.
p. 103. The picture is dated June 1966. The Foreman is Jon Ellison, the Judge, Alfred Oldridge, the Counsel, Thomas Lawlor, the Plaintiff, Jennifer Marks and the Defendant, Philip Potter.
p. 108. The picture top left is of course Aline (Julia Goss) & Dr. Daly (Kenneth Sandford), not, as the caption seems to suggest - Constance and the Notary. [GL]
p. 110/11. Top right caption. The photo shows Mrs. Partlett, Constance, Dr. Daly & Sir Marmaduke during "Oh marvellous illusion" at the end of the Act 1 finale. [GL]
p. 114. Helen Everard should be Harriet Everard. [ditto on p. 121.]
p. 115. The picture is dated 1967-8. Pauline Wales is Hebe. Josephine is not on this picture, which was presumably taken during "Of life, alas his leave he's taking ..." or a bit earlier, during "Shall we submit?" [GL]
p. 118. She omits to say which of the three premiere casts is listed here. It is of course, New York.
p. 121. Again, it's a herald, not a programme.
p. 122. Portraits are George Cook, Phillip Potter and Donald Adams.
p. 123. Top picture is of Phillip Potter & Gillian Knight. The captions have been misaligned, and are wrong anyway. Frederic and Ruth are seen in their Act 1 duet; the lower photo is from "How beautifully blue ..." [GL]
p. 124. Top picture: Pat Leonard, John Ayldon, Meston Reid & Jon Ellison. Bottom: Pat Leonard. The big photo is an act 1 photo, her caption refers to Act 2. [GL]
p. 126. Top picture: John Ayldon & Jon Ellison. Lower picture: Carolyn Baker, Pat Leonard & Patricia Ann Bennett. The King and Samuel are seen during the "orphan boy" sequence in Act 1, not Act 2.
p. 127. Left picture: Julia Goss & Meston Reid. Right picture: John Ayldon, James Conroy-Ward & Jon Ellison.
p. 129. I doubt very much whether it's an original poster (i.e. 1881). The style is much more modern than that surely? [GL] I didn't believe it either [MPW]
p. 132. As understudy Green first played Bunthorne in 1928 (not 1934). [GL]
p. 133. The herald (not programme) from Leeds features a chorus lady from PIRATES, not Lady Jane. The costume is similar to the style of Mabel's but the colour is wrong. [GL]
p. 135. The change of name from PEROLA to IOLANTHE took place at least 10 days before the opening night. (see the SASS publication: Iolanthe Centenary Booklet).
p. 136. In fact, IOLANTHE received rather poor press.
Pictures represent Conroy-Ward as Lord Chancellor, Sandford as Willis & Pat Leonard as Fairy Queen.
p. 137. Sullivan's knighthood was for services to serious music, and had nothing to do with the G&S operas. There was absolutely no reason why Gilbert should have been offered a knighthood at that time.
p. 138-9. The picture on p. 138 (caption on p. 139) was of the 1972, not the 1977 production. The man is Michael Rayner. The lady was called Linda Anne Hutchison (not Hutchinson).
p. 141. What does the author mean by saying that the plot of Princess Ida was NEW?
John Reed never wore any other Gama costume than the one here depicted.
p. 142. I am not aware that many of Ida's references in her Act 2 (not Act 1) speech have been recently cut or altered. [MPW]
Its stretching things to call the fight in Act 3 a duel. The photo is from Act 2 "We may remark". [GL]
p. 151. The Katisha is Patricia Leonard.
p. 152. It is not the original publicity poster. The Ricketts' costume was introduced in 1926. I don't think it's Yum-Yum; in Act 2 she wears a white (wedding) costume. I think it's Pitti-Sing (perhaps Jane Metcalfe) but I don't recognise the pose. Perhaps it was specially posed for the photo. [GL]
p. 153. She should be consistent. Ruddigore at the top of the page, Ruddygore Castle at the bottom! [GL]
p. 154. RUDDIGORE is not "a version" of AGES AGO. The coming to life of the pictures is the only point of contact between the two. [MPW]
It's the Duke of Plaza Toro, not Sir Roderic on the poster! RG was revived in December 1920 in Glasgow, in October 1921 in London. [GL]
p. 155. Mad Margaret was never clothed as a half-naked gypsy. (Were gypsies ever half naked? In the pictures I've seen they seemed to be rather over-dressed if anything!) She must have got this from Alan Jefferson, but all the photos of Jessie Bond in the role show her fully clothed (see p. 65).
p. 162/3. Winifred Lawson did not play Elsie till after the end of the London season, when Helen Gilliland left. I don't know who is the Elsie in the photo [GL]. The lady is probably Lawson, and the man appears to be Charles Goulding (certainly not Derek Oldham or James Hay) which would date the photo no earlier than 1923. [MPW].
p. 164/5. I think the two photos have been exchanged. The one on p. 165 may be the original one for aught I know, but the one on p. 164 is the design Goffin produced in the mid-1950s to replace his original 1940 design. I see no Welsh accent anywhere! I suspect they couldn't get the photo of Eric Roberts that was originally intended to be included here. [GL]
p. 167. Green first played the Duke in 1928 (not 1934). [GL]
p. 168/9. This photo has been reproduced back to front! Look at the "B" on the throne and the scarlet sashes of Marco & Giuseppe, and compare with the photo on p. 172. [GL]
p. 171. This photo was taken in 1919 (not 1929) and the costumes are by Percy Anderson. Casilda has only one "s". [GL]
p. 172. The photo of John Reed, is of course, not on the set. [GL].
p. 174. The quotes from UTOPIA LTD., are misquoted.
p. 177. Viscount Mentone was played by Mr. Carleton (not Carlton).
p. 178. She quotes here from Wolfson, but without credit, and quotes Wolfson's error about Queen Victoria's German accent [MPW].
The spelling is Ilka (not Ilke) Palmay. It may be inferred from the comment that the author had no idea who Ilka Palmay was, nor anything about her [MPW].
CONTRABANDISTA was 27 years old when CHIEFTAIN was produced. [GL]
p. 179. You can't write two works together without collaborating, merely by co-existing. [GL]
This is not all that is wrong with the book. The perfunctory bibliography contains both good and bad sources, used apparently uncritically, and many of Alan Jefferson's errors are perpetuated. I have not included all the identifications of the actors in the pictures which the author has left unidentified, and a few I am not sure about.
As well as outright mistakes there are a number of journalistic exaggerations, which, while not precisely wrong, are misleading.
MPW.
Web page updated 11 Mar 2013