Edward William Royce (11 August 1841 – 24 January 1926) was a British actor, singer and dancer noted for playing in

Victorian burlesque Victorian burlesque, sometimes known as travesty or extravaganza, is a genre of theatrical entertainment that was popular in Victorian era, Victorian England and in the New York theatre of the mid-19th century. It is a form of parody music, parod ...

at London's Gaiety Theatre, usually alongside Nelly Farren,

Edward O'Connor Terry Edward O'Connor Terry (10 March 1844 – 2 April 1912) was an English actor, who became one of the most influential actors and comedians of the Victorian era. Life and career Terry was born in London, allegedly the illegitimate son of Feargu ...

and

Kate Vaughan Kate Vaughan (1852 – 21 February 1903) was the stage name of Catherine Alice Candelin, a British dancer and actress. She was best known for developing the skirt dance and has been called the "greatest dancer of her time".St Johnston, pp. 170� ...

until 1882. His theatrical career spanned five decades, from 1860 to 1908.Stone, David
E. W. Royce
Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, accessed 27 November 2020

Early life and career

Royce was born as Edward William Reddall in

Eversholt Eversholt is a village and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book and is over 1000 years old. "Eversholt" comes from Anglo-Saxon meaning "wood of the wild boar". Overview For many years, most ...

, Bedfordshire, in 1841, the younger of two sons born to Charlotte ''née'' Ayres (born 1801) and James Reddall (born 1805), a commercial traveller. His acting career began in 1860 when he made his début at the

Theatre Royal, Covent Garden The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...

as a dancer in ''

Un ballo in maschera ''Un ballo in maschera'' ''(A Masked Ball)'' is an 1859 opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The text, by Antonio Somma, was based on Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's 1833 five act opera, '' Gustave III, ou Le bal masqué''. The ...

''. In 1870 at

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

he married Emily Watson (born 1850), and with her had a son, James William Royce Reddall (1870–1964), who later performed and choreographed as E. W. Royce, Jr. Emily presumably died in childbirth or soon afterwards, and in 1873, listed as a widower and a comedian, at

Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...

he married Marie Wood Smithers (1855–1932), an actress and singer and later a teacher of stage dancing. With her he had six more children: Marie Elizabeth (1874–1957); Louisa Caroline (1875–1953); Edward Alphonse (born 1878); Elizabeth Charlotte (born 1880); Albert Edward Ambrose (born 1885) and Florence Victoria (born 1887). His daughters Louisa, Elizabeth and Florence became stage dancers, using the stage name Royce. Among his many early parts was the title role in

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most f ...

's farcical comedy ''

Tom Cobb ''Tom Cobb or, Fortune's Toy'' is a farce in three-acts (styled "An Entirely Original Farcical Comedy") by W. S. Gilbert. The story concerns Tom, a young debtor who pretends to be a recently deceased man to avoid his debts. A family claims to in ...

'' at the

St James's Theatre The St James's Theatre was in King Street, St James's, London. It opened in 1835 and was demolished in 1957. The theatre was conceived by and built for a popular singer, John Braham; it lost money and after three seasons he retired. A succ ...

(1875). Joining the theatrical company of

Selina Dolaro Selina Simmons Belasco Dolaro (20 August 1849 – 23 January 1889) was an English singer, actress, theatre manager and writer of the late Victorian era. During her career in operetta and other forms of musical theatre, she managed several of ...

, then under the joint management of

Richard D'Oyly Carte Richard D'Oyly Carte (; 3 May 1844 – 3 April 1901) was an English talent agent, theatrical impresario, composer, and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian era. He built two of London's theatres and a hotel empire, while also establi ...

and George Dolby, he appeared as Ulric in ''The Duke's Daughter'' (1876) and was Job Wort in

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 a ...

's one-act

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...

''A Blighted Being'', variously at the

Royalty Theatre The Royalty Theatre was a small London theatre situated at 73 Dean Street, Soho. Established by the actress Frances Maria Kelly in 1840, it opened as Miss Kelly's Theatre and Dramatic School and finally closed to the public in 1938.

, the

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and gra ...

and the

Charing Cross Theatre The Charing Cross Theatre is a theatre under The Arches off Villiers Street below Charing Cross station. Founded in 1936, the venue occupied several premises in the West End of London before locating to its present site. The current site was o ...

(January–March 1876). E W Royce Don Juan 1893

'Teddy' Royce became a star at

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 th ...

's Gaiety Theatre in London along with

Nellie Farren Ellen "Nellie" Farren (16 April 1848 – 29 April 1904) was an English actress and singer best known for her roles as the "principal boy" in musical burlesques at the Gaiety Theatre. Born into a theatrical family, Farren began acting as a ch ...

and

at a time when the theatre was specialising in

. Here among other roles he played Don Jose in

Henry James Byron Henry James Byron (8 January 1835 – 11 April 1884) was a prolific English dramatist, as well as an editor, journalist, director, theatre manager, novelist and actor. After an abortive start at a medical career, Byron struggled as a provincial ...

's ''Little Don Cesar de Bazan'' (1876); Count Arnheim in ''

The Bohemian G-yurl and the Unapproachable Pole ''The Bohemian G-yurl and the Unapproachable Pole'' is a musical burlesque in two acts, with a score by Meyer Lutz to a libretto by Henry James Byron, which played under the management of John Hollingshead at the Gaiety Theatre in London in 1877 ...

'' (1877); Hassarac in ''The Forty Thieves'' (1880–81), and was part of the quartette in the Gaiety's burlesque

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

''Aladdin; or, the Sacred Lamp'' over Christmas 1881–82.

Later years

Owing to ill-health Royce ceased acting in 1882 but had recovered sufficiently by early 1886 to join

May Fortescue May Fortescue (9 February 1859 – 2 September 1950) was an actress, singer and actor-manager of the Victorian era and a protégée of playwright W. S. Gilbert. She was a member of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company from 1881 to 1883, when she left ...

's London company in a tour of W. S. Gilbert's ''

Gretchen Gretchen (, ; literal translation: "Little Grete" or "Little Greta") is a female given name of German origin that is mainly prevalent in the United States. Its popularity increased because a major character in Goethe's ''Faust'' (1808) has th ...

'', among other plays. Later in 1886 he went to Australia to play in comedies, burlesques, dramas and pantomime, taking his family with him and remaining there until 1892, touring with the Brough-

Boucicault Dionysius Lardner "Dion" Boucicault (né Boursiquot; 26 December 1820 – 18 September 1890) was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the ...

London Gaiety Company, under engagement to Williamson,

Garner Garner may refer to: Places United States * Garner, Arkansas * Garner, Iowa * Garner, Missouri * Garner, North Carolina Other uses * Garner (surname), a surname * Granary, a grain store * ''Tennessee v. Garner'', a United States Supreme Court cas ...

and Musgrove. The company, after visiting

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

and

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

first appeared in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

on 28 May 1886 at the Theatre Royal in the burlesque ''

Little Jack Sheppard ''Little Jack Sheppard'' is a Victorian burlesque, burlesque melodrama written by Henry Pottinger Stephens and William Yardley (cricketer), William Yardley, with music by Meyer Lutz, with songs contributed by Florian Pascal,Florian Pascal was a ps ...

'' in which his wife Marie Royce appeared as Blueskin.Death of Edward Royce
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (NSW: 1842–1954) Wednesday 27 January 1926, Page 13 On his return to England in 1892 he began to direct and choreograph, as well as continuing to act, playing Jabez Pasha in ''Don Juan'' (1893) at the Gaiety. He took part in the last night performance there in 1903, before its demolition, along with Gaiety stars past and present, including

Constance Loseby Constance Loseby (1842–13 October 1906) was a leading British actress and singer of the late Victorian era best remembered for performing in some early works of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, including ''Robert the Devil'' (1868) and ''T ...

Lionel Brough Lionel "Lal" Brough (10 March 1836 – 8 November 1909) was a British actor and comedian. After beginning a journalistic career and performing as an amateur, he became a professional actor, performing mostly in Liverpool during the mid-1860s. He ...

, Richard Temple and

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

. As the last-surviving member of the famous old Gaiety foursome, he stepped forward to acknowledge applause. In 1908 he created the role of Old Jacques in ''

The Belle of Brittany ''The Belle of Brittany'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts set in 'Daffodil Time' in rustic 18th-century Brittany. It premiered at the Sondheim Theatre, Queen's Theatre in London on 24 October 1908. The music is by Howard Talbot and Ma ...

'' at the Queen's Theatre. In the 1911 Census he is listed as "an actor, out of employment".1911 England Census for Edward William Royce
London, Lambeth, Stockwell: Ancestry.com Royce died in

Wandsworth Wandsworth Town () is a district of south London, within the London Borough of Wandsworth southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Gre ...

, London, in 1926 aged 84.England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007 for Edward W Reddall, 1926, Q1-Jan–Feb–Mar: Ancestry.com
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royce, E. W. 1841 births 1926 deaths English male stage actors 19th-century English male actors English male musical theatre actors English choreographers