Robert Brough (1857 – 21 April 1906) was born in England to a family prominent in literature and the theatre. He had a notable career as actor and manager in Australia.

History

Brough was born Lionel Barnabas Brough in England, son of

Robert Barnabas Brough Robert Barnabas Brough (10 April 1828 – 26 June 1860) was an English writer. He wrote poetry, novels and plays and was a contributor to many periodicals. Life and work Brough was born on 10 April 1828 in London, the son of Barnabas Brough (c. 1 ...

(1828–1860) journalist, poet and librettist, and Elizabeth Brough, nḗe Romer. Actress

Fanny Brough Frances "Fanny" Whiteside Brough (7 July 1852 – 30 November 1914) was a Paris-born British stage actress who came from a literary and dramatic family. She is remembered especially for her many comedy roles performed over a four decade-long c ...

was a sister. His parents had ambitions for him in the world of commerce, but he soon decided on a stage career, and

Edward Saker Edward Sloman Saker (30 September 1838 – 29 March 1883) was a British actor-manager. He was assisted in all things by his wife Emily Saker. Life Saker was born in Bethnal Green in London, son of William Saker, a well-known low comedian at Londo ...

found a part for him in his show '' Little Em'ly'', an adaptation of ''

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...

'', in Glasgow in 1870. Brough was introduced to Florence Trevelyan when he started working with the D'Oyley Carte No. 2 Company, and shortly after they married he was put on a three-year contract at the

Gaiety Gaiety or Gayety may refer to: * Gaiety (mood), the state of being happy * Gaiety Theatre (disambiguation) * ''USS Gayety (AM-239'', former name of the ship ''BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20)'' See also *Gaiety Girls Gaiety Girls were the chorus girl ...

. They moved to Australia under contract to J. C. Williamson, first appearing in Melbourne in the Australian première of ''

Iolanthe ''Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri'' () is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, first performed in 1882. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh of fourteen operatic collaborations by Gilbert ...

''. His first Sydney appearance was in July 1885 under contract to Williamson, Garner & Musgrove singing the comic part of innkeeper Taboureau (bass) in '' La petite Mademoiselle'' from an operetta by

Charles Lecocq Alexandre Charles Lecocq (3 June 183224 October 1918) was a French composer, known for his opérettes and opéra comique, opéras comiques. He became the most prominent successor to Jacques Offenbach in this sphere, and enjoyed considerable succ ...

, at the Theatre Royal. There was no part for Mrs Brough, so she accepted a part in ''

The Private Secretary ''The Private Secretary'' is an 1883 farce in three acts, by Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1858), Charles Hawtrey. The play, adapted from a German original, depicts the vicissitudes of a mild young clergyman, innocently caught up in the machinatio ...

'', being staged by

Frank Thornton Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 192116 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was known for playing Captain Peacock in ''Are You Being Served?'' and its sequel ''Grace & Favour'' (''Are You Being Served? ...

at the Gaiety Theatre. They next reprised their Melbourne successes as the Lord Chancellor and Queen of the Fairies in ''Iolanthe''. In 1886 Brough and

Dion Boucicault Jr. Dion Boucicault Jr. (born Darley George Boucicault; 23 May 1859 – 25 June 1929) was an actor and stage director. A son of the well-known playwright Dion Boucicault and actress Agnes Robertson, he followed his father into the theatrical prof ...

formed the Brough-Boucicault Comedy Company to play

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

s, then in 1888 began production of higher-class comedy, with G. S. Titheradge, who had also been playing with Williamson, Garner & Musgrove. The

Bijou Theatre, Melbourne The Victorian Academy of Music was a theatre in Bourke Street, Melbourne, built for Samuel Aarons in 1876. It was also advertised as the Bijou Theatre, as if to distinguish it from the larger Theatre Royal and Opera House, then in 1880 the "Acad ...

, had become their headquarters following the Majeroni's setbacks, but on 22 April 1889 the theatre was destroyed by fire with the loss of all their costumes, scenery, music and the rest, including much personal property which had been stowed there, none of it insured. Two volunteer firemen died fighting the blaze. They had been due to open with ''Betsy'' (

F. C. Burnand Sir Francis Cowley Burnand (29 November 1836 – 21 April 1917), usually known as F. C. Burnand, was an English comic writer and prolific playwright, best known today as the librettist of Arthur Sullivan's opera ''Cox and Box''. The son of ...

's reworking of '' Bébé'' and did their best at the Hibernian Hall, but the Melbourne audience proved fickle, and stayed away. The company, with its new members

Eille Norwood Eille Norwood (born Anthony Edward Brett; 11 October 1861 – 24 December 1948) was an English stage actor, director, and playwright best known today for playing Sherlock Holmes in a series of silent films. Early life He was born 11 October 1 ...

, Fanny Enson, Lilian Seccombe, and Percy Lyndal moved to the Criterion, Sydney for a year to recover. In 1894 Boucicault returned to London, where he picked up new plays and actors, including

Geraldine Cliffe Geraldine may refer to: People * Geraldine (name), the feminine form of the first name Gerald, with list of people thus named. * The Geraldines, Irish dynasty descended from the Anglo-Norman Gerald FitzWalter de Windsor * Geraldine of Albania, t ...

, Beryl Faber and Arthur Elwood. Boucicault left the partnership in 1896, and the Broughs pressed on, touring Australia, and later through China and India. They returned to Great Britain, where they picked up a new cast and returned to Melbourne, playing at the Bijou Theatre. When comedian George P. Carey, who had worked with Brough, assembled a small troupe to tour inland New South Wales, Brough lent him three titles which he had licensed:

Paulton Paulton () is a large village and civil parish, with a population of 5,302, located to the north of the Mendip Hills, very close to Norton Radstock in the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset (BANES), England. Paulton is a forme ...

's ''

Niobe In Greek mythology, Niobe (; grc-gre, Νιόβη ) was a daughter of Tantalus and of either Dione, the most frequently cited, or of Eurythemista or Euryanassa, the wife of Amphion and the sister of Pelops and Broteas. Her father was the ru ...

'', Grundy's '' A Village Priest'' and Pinero's ''

The Second Mrs Tanqueray ''The Second Mrs. Tanqueray'' is a problem play by Arthur Wing Pinero. It utilises the "Woman with a past" plot, popular in nineteenth century melodrama. The play was first produced in 1893 by the actor-manager George Alexander and despite cau ...

''. In 1900 he famously picked up

Gregan McMahon Gregan McMahon, CBE (2 March 1874 – 30 August 1941)Allan Ashbolt,McMahon, Gregan (1874–1941), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, MUP, 1986, pp 336–337. Retrieved 2 October 2009 was an Australian actor and theatrical director ...

, toured Australia and New Zealand, India and China again, then in 1902 disbanded. Among the plays produced was

Wilde Wilde is a surname. Notable people with the name include: In arts and entertainment In film, television, and theatre * ''Wilde'' a 1997 biographical film about Oscar Wilde * Andrew Wilde (actor), English actor * Barbie Wilde (born 1960), Canadi ...

's ''

An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...

'' in 1895, a bold move according to one historian, "at the height of his notoriety", though the author's trial for indecency was some months away. In 1905 Brough entered his last partnership, with Herbert Flemming, which they agreed would be for one year with the option of renewing, but that date coincided almost exactly with Brough's death. Professional theatre in the Colonies differed from that in England, where a "hit" show can run continuously for weeks or months, and actors can settle into their parts. Brough's companies had to be agile, continually rehearsing new shows in preparation for a drop in attendance, and when touring to have a three or four titles ready for production. Brough reckoned he and his wife had played over 250 characters each in less than 25 years. Three parts for which Brough was particularly remembered are: *Cayley Drummle in Pinero's ''

'' *Jean Torquenie in

Sydney Grundy Sydney Grundy (23 March 1848 – 4 July 1914) was an English dramatist. Most of his works were adaptations of European plays, and many became successful enough to tour throughout the English-speaking world. He is, however, perhaps best remembe ...

's '' A Village Priest'' *Captain Barley, in

W. W. Jacobs William Wymark Jacobs (8 September 1863 – 1 September 1943) was an English author of short fiction and drama. His best remembered story is "The Monkey's Paw". He was born in Wapping, London, on 8 September 1863, the son of William Gage Jacobs ...

' comedy '' Beauty and the Barge''

Death

When the Brough-Flemming company reached Perth on what was to be their final tour, he was compelled to miss the opening performances, but played in the first Sydney season and throughout the New Zealand tour. He made two appearances in

J. M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succe ...

's '' Quality Street'' during the return season in Sydney before taking another break. He made an appearance, his last, as the "Earl of Carlton" in the first Australian production of '' Little Mary'' (also by

Barrie Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay, the western arm of Lake Simcoe. Although physically in Simcoe County, Barrie is politically i ...

) before being hospitalised. Brough died of a heart disease in a private hospital on Darlinghurst Road, Sydney. It was not unexpected, as he had been ailing for a year. The funeral service was held in the mortuary chapel adjacent Christ Church,

George Street, Sydney George Street is a street in the central business district of Sydney. It was Sydney's original high street, and remains one of the busiest streets in the city centre. It connects a number of the city's most important buildings and precincts. ...

and his remains were interred at the

Waverley Cemetery The Waverley Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Opened in 1877 and built by R. Watkins (cemetery lodge, 1878) and P. Beddie (cemetery office, 1915 ...

, witnessed by his widow along with friends and admirers. His company was already on the train for Brisbane, and could not attend, but were represented by Alec. Mayne, a longtime associate. A cast iron three–tiered fountain was dedicated to Robert Brough by friends and Australasian theatre managers following his death. The fountain was announced in April 1907 and fabricated by the

Coalbrookdale Coalbrookdale is a village in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, England, containing a settlement of great significance in the history of iron ore smelting. It lies within the civil parish called the Gorge. This is where iron ore was first s ...

Iron Foundry, later unveiled by the Premier of NSW, Sir Charles Gregory Wade MLA on 18 November 1907. It is located inside the courtyard of the

Sydney Hospital Sydney Hospital is a major hospital in Australia, located on Macquarie Street in the Sydney central business district. It is the oldest hospital in Australia, dating back to 1788, and has been at its current location since 1811. It first rece ...

adjacent the Nightingale Wing and the North Block.

Appreciation

In an interview by

Beaumont Smith Frank Beaumont "Beau" Smith (15 August 1885 – 2 January 1950), was an Australian film director, producer and exhibitor, best known for making low-budget comedies. Smith made his first film in 1917, '' Our Friends, the Hayseeds''. He went on ...

for the Adelaide '' Gadfly'', Brough's late partner Herbert Flemming recounted how they first met some twenty years earlier, when Brough was playing for Williamson in ''

Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced ...

'' and about to join with

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 ...

in '' The Magistrate'' at the Bijou. Flemming noted that beside his stagecraft, which was of the highest order, he was impressed with his thoroughness and generosity — "he lived for two things, his wife and his art"; his consideration and patience, with never a thought for himself — when convalescing in the Blue Mountains he apologised to Flemming for the trouble he was causing. And his wife was of the same ilk; after his death she supported the idea of a hospital bed in her husband's name, but refused any kind of benefit for herself — she would sooner "work to her dying day."

Family

Barnabas Brough (c. 1795–1854) author notorious for testifying against Chartism, Chartist demonstrators *William Brough (writer) (1826–1870) married Ann Romer, sister of Elizaeth *

(1828–1860) married Elizabeth Romer, aka "Miss Emily Romer" (died 1901). :*Frances Whiteside Brough (7 July 1852 – 30 November 1914), aka

, actress :*Lionel Barnabas Brough (1857 – 21 April 1906), Robert Brough, subject of this article, married Florence Major (stage name "Florence Trevelyan") around 1884. His widow in 1909 married one George Bell Charles Bell or Cyril Bell, and as Mrs Brough-Bell, she died 7 January 1932. :The widowed Elizabeth Brough married again, to James Gibson; they had a daughter: :*Brenda Gibson ( – ) married John Jones-Hewson, a baritone from the

Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy Pala ...

, on 6 August 1898. He died from

consumption Consumption may refer to: *Resource consumption *Tuberculosis, an infectious disease, historically * Consumption (ecology), receipt of energy by consuming other organisms * Consumption (economics), the purchasing of newly produced goods for curren ...

in England four years later. They had a son while in Australia. * John Cargill Brough (1834–1872) science writer *

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 ...

(1836–1909) actor comedian; author and journalist :*

Mary Brough Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

(1863–1934), with

Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in th ...

:*Sydney "Bobby" Brough (1868–1911), actor :*Margaret "Daisy" Brough (1870–1901), actress :*Percy Brough (1872–1904) toured with the Brough-Boucicault Comedy Company

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brough, Robert 1857 births 1906 deaths Australian male stage actors Australian theatre managers and producers 19th-century Australian businesspeople

History

Death

Appreciation

Further reading

Family

Notes and references