|
An Old Score
''An Old Score'' is an 1869 three-act comedy-drama written by English dramatist W. S. Gilbert based partly on his 1867 short story, ''Diamonds'', and partly on episodes in the lives of William Dargan, an Irish engineer and railway contractor, and John Sadleir, a banker who committed suicide. It was written before any of his Savoy Operas with Arthur Sullivan. Despite an encouraging review in ''The Times'', the piece was a failure. It was revived in 1872 and rewritten as ''Quits'', but it fared no better. Background Gilbert described ''An Old Score'' as "my first comedy".Crowther, Andrew. Introduction to script o"An Old Score" accessed 10 September 2010 He had previously written more than a dozen stage works, and although they were all intended to be funny, they were in the styles of burlesques, extravaganzas, pantomimes and one-act farces, not full-length, character-driven "comedies"; and so the play represents part of Gilbert's move from being a humorist to being a dramatist. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Hollingshead
John Hollingshead (9 September 1827 – 9 October 1904) was an English theatrical impresario, journalist and writer during the latter half of the 19th century. After a journalism career, Hollingshead managed the Alhambra Theatre and was later the first manager of the Gaiety Theatre, London. Hollingshead also wrote several books during his life. An innovative producer, Hollingshead brought Gilbert and Sullivan together in 1871 to produce their first joint work, a musical extravaganza called ''Thespis''. Among other theatrical works that he produced, he mounted a long series of popular Victorian burlesques at the Gaiety, engaging Meyer Lutz to compose original scores for them. He also produced operettas, plays and other works. These productions made stars of Nellie Farren and several others. At the Gaiety, in 1878, Hollingshead was the first theatre manager to light his auditorium with electric lights. Life and career Hollingshead was born in Hoxton, Greater London, the son of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Discounter
Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Places * Bill, Wyoming, an unincorporated community, United States * Billstown, Arkansas, an unincorporated community, United States * Billville, Indiana, an unincorporated community, United States People * Bill (given name) Bill is a masculine given name, generally a short form (hypocorism) of William. It can also be used as the adaptation into English of the popular Greek name Vasilis or Vasileios (Basil), especially amongst Greek immigrants in English-speaking countr ... * Bill (surname) * Bill (footballer, born 1978), ''Alessandro Faria'', Togolese football forward * Bill (footballer, born 1984), ''Rosimar Amâncio'', a Brazilian football forward * Bill (footballer, born 1999), ''Fabricio Rodrigues da Silva Ferreira'', a Brazilian forward ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Hailes Lacy
Thomas Hailes Lacy (1809 – 1 August 1873) was a British actor, playwright, theatrical manager, bookseller, and theatrical publisher. Life Lacy made his West End stage debut in 1828 but soon turned manager, a position he held from 1841 at The Theatre in Sheffield (destroyed by fire in 1935). On 25 January 1842, Lacy married actress Frances Dalton who was an actress known as Fanny Cooper. She was taking leading parts at Covent Garden and the Haymarket. The marriage probably took place at St Paul's church in Covent Garden, but maybe in Sheffield. He and his wife toured England together. Lacy's roles included Jacques ('' As You Like It'') and Banquo ('' Macbeth''). He would appear with his wife when she played Countess Wintersen in ''The Stranger'', Nerissa in ''The Merchant of Venice'', and Virginia in James Sheridan Knowles James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 – 30 November 1862) was an Irish dramatist and actor. Biography Knowles was born in Cork. His father was the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Samuel French Ltd
Samuel French, Inc. is an American company, founded by Samuel French and Thomas Hailes Lacy, who formed a partnership to combine their existing interests in London and New York City. It publishes plays, represents authors, and sells scripts from their Los Angeles, UK, and online bookstores. The firm has offices in New York City; London; and Hollywood, California. An office in Toronto, Canada, closed in 2007. The company's London subsidiary, Samuel French Ltd., publishes stage plays for the UK market, mostly acting editions, serves as licensing agent for performance rights, and runs a theatrical bookshop on its premises at Fitzrovia in central London, England. In December 2018, Concord Music acquired Samuel French to form Concord Theatricals. History Samuel French was born in Massachusetts shortly after the turn of the 19th century and began publishing ''French’s American Drama'' in the mid-1800s in New York. It soon became the most widely distributed catalogue of drama ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oxenford, John
John Oxenford (12 August 1812 – 21 February 1877) was an English dramatist, critic and translator. Life Oxenford was born in Camberwell, London, his father a prosperous merchant. Whilst he was privately educated, it is reported that he was mostly self-taught in Greek, Latin and modern languages. He began his literary career by writing on finance, though later became the author of many translations from German, notably of Goethe's ''Dichtung und Wahrheit'' (1846) and Eckermann's ''Conversations with Goethe'' (1850). Oxenford's primary interest was in the theatre and over sixty-eight plays are attributed to him. His first play was ''My Fellow Clerk'', produced at the Lyceum Theatre in 1835. This was followed by a long series of pieces, the most famous of which was perhaps the ''Porter's Knot'' (1858) and ''Twice Killed'' (1835). He also wrote many operatic libretti, including eight for George Alexander Macfarren, including ''Robin Hood'' (1860) and ''Helvellyn'' (1864). Oxenfor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. In 1956 it was acquired by and remains the home of the English Stage Company, which is known for its contributions to contemporary theatre and won the Europe Prize Theatrical Realities in 1999. History The first theatre The first theatre on Lower George Street, off Sloane Square, was the converted Nonconformist Ranelagh Chapel, opened as a theatre in 1870 under the name The New Chelsea Theatre. Marie Litton became its manager in 1871, hiring Walter Emden to remodel the interior, and it was renamed the Court Theatre. Several of W. S. Gilbert's early plays were staged here, including ''Randall's Thumb'', ''Creatures of Impulse'' (with music by Alberto Randegger), ''Great Expectations'' (adapted from the Dickens novel), and ''On Gu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfred Thompson (author)
Alfred Thompson may refer to: * Alfred Thompson (Yukon politician) (1869–1940), Canadian physician and politician in the Yukon * Alfred Burke Thompson (1862–1942), Ontario barrister and political figure * Alfred Thompson (footballer, died 1922) (1891–1922), English footballer (Grimsby Town) * Alfred Thompson (footballer, died 1969) (1891–1969), English footballer (Brentford FC) * Alfred Thompson (librettist) (1831–1895), British musical theatre librettist * Alfred B. Thompson (1916–1985), member of the Royal Canadian Air Force * Alfred Hill Thompson Alfred Hill Thompson, ARIBA (1839 – 19 May 1874) was an English architect in the Gothic Revival and Arts and Crafts styles, who specialised in small schools and chapels in the Yorkshire area. In partnership with Isaac Thomas Shutt he co-des ... (1839–1874), English architect * Alfred Wordsworth Thompson (1840–1896), American landscape and history painter * Stan Thompson (Alfred Stanley Thompson, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry Gartside Neville
Thomas Henry Gartside Neville (20 June 1837 – 19 June 1910) was an English actor, dramatist, teacher and theatre manager. He began his career playing dashing juvenile leads, later specialising in Shakespearean roles, modern comedy and melodrama. His most famous role was as Bob Brierley in Tom Taylor's '' The Ticket-of-Leave Man''. As the manager of the Olympic Theatre from 1873 to 1879, he presented numerous successful productions. In later years, he became a respected character actor. Biography Early years Neville was born in Manchester, England, son of John Garside Neville and his second wife Mary Anna, ''née'' Gartside (died 1895).Charles_Dickens.html" ;"title="No Thoroughfare'' (1868) by Charles Dickens">No Thoroughfare'' (1868) by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. Neville is third from left. From 1857 to 1860 Neville acted in the English provinces and Scotland. When the tragedian John Vandenhoff made his farewell performance in 1858 at the Theatre Royal, Liverpool, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert The Devil (Gilbert)
''Robert the Devil, or The Nun, the Dun, and the Son of a Gun'' is an operatic parody by W. S. Gilbert of Giacomo Meyerbeer's grand opera ''Robert le diable'', which was named after, but bears little resemblance to, the medieval French legend of the same name. Gilbert set new lyrics to tunes by Meyerbeer, Bellini, Offenbach and others. The piece premiered at the opening of the newly rebuilt Gaiety Theatre in London on 21 December 1868. An extravaganza played on a very large scale, it ran for over 120 performances and played continuously in the British provinces for three years thereafter. It also enjoyed several revivals. The original production starred Nellie Farren in the title role – she became the company's leading "principal boy". Several of the other male roles were played by women, as was common in burlesques of the day. History ''Robert the Devil'' was part of a series of five operatic burlesques written early in Gilbert's career. The first was ''Dulcamara, or the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gaiety Theatre, London
The Gaiety Theatre was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was first established as the Strand Musick Hall in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. In 1868, it became known as the Gaiety Theatre and was, at first, known for music hall and then for musical burlesque, pantomime and operetta performances. From 1868 to the 1890s, it had a major influence on the development of modern musical comedy. Under the management of John Hollingshead until 1886, the theatre had early success with ''Robert the Devil'', by W. S. Gilbert, followed by many other burlesques of operas and literary works. Many of the productions starred Nellie Farren. Hollingshead's last production at the theatre was the burlesque ''Little Jack Sheppard'' (1885–86), produced together with his successor, George Edwardes. Edwardes's first show, ''Dorothy'', became a long-running hit. In the 1880s and 90s, the theatre had further success with a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tom Taylor
Tom Taylor (19 October 1817 – 12 July 1880) was an English dramatist, critic, biographer, public servant, and editor of ''Punch'' magazine. Taylor had a brief academic career, holding the professorship of English literature and language at University College, London in the 1840s, after which he practised law and became a civil servant. At the same time he became a journalist, most prominently as a contributor to, and eventually editor of ''Punch''. In addition to these vocations, Taylor began a theatre career and became best known as a playwright, with up to 100 plays staged during his career. Many were adaptations of French plays, but these and his original works cover a range from farce to melodrama. Most fell into neglect after Taylor's death, but ''Our American Cousin'' (1858), which achieved great success in the 19th century, remains famous as the piece that was being performed in the presence of Abraham Lincoln when he was assassinated in 1865. Life and career Earl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
