Alexander M. Thompson

Alexander Mattock Thompson (9 May 1861 – 25 March 1948), sometimes credited as A. M. Thompson, was a German-born English journalist and dramatist. From the 1880s, Thompson wrote for socialist newspapers and journals, co-founding '' The Clarion'' in 1891. He became an important librettist of Edwardian musical comedies in the early 20th century.

Biography

Thompson was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, of English parents. When he was five years old, the family moved to Paris, where he was educated at the Lycée Saint-Louis."A. M. Thompson", ''The Manchester Guardian'', 27 May 1948, p. 6

Thompson began a career as a journalist in Manchester, England, writing for several papers in the 1880s and meeting the socialist writer Robert Blatchford, who would become his lifelong friend. In 1891, with capital of only £400, Thompson, Blatchford and others founded the socialist newspaper ''The Clarion'' in Manchester, which was important in promoting the Labour Party. The editors' views were much influenced by the writings of William Morris. In addition to writing on social topics, Thompson wrote theatre criticism, travel articles and on other subjects under the pseudonym 'Dangle'."Mr. A. M. Thompson", ''The Times'', 27 March 1948, p. 7, col. E ''The Clarion's'' life was always precarious, but among its successes was a series of articles by Blatchford, collected in a volume entitled ''Merrie England'', dedicated to Thompson. It was said that for every convert to socialism made by ''Das Kapital'' there were a hundred made by ''Merrie England''.

Thompson's first professional works for the stage in the late 1890s were scripts for pantomimes written for Robert Courtneidge, who was then the manager of the Prince's Theatre in Manchester. Thompson then collaborated with Courtneidge on many of his libretti.Alexander M. Thompson profile
at the British Musical Theatre site of The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive, 2004

Thompson then turned to Edwardian musical comedies, revising the libretto of Walter Ellis's '' The Blue Moon'' (1905) after Ellis's death. He next supplied the text for Courtneidge's '' The Dairymaids'' (1906 at the Apollo Theatre), which became internationally successful. In 1907, Thompson and Courtneidge adapted Henry Fielding's '' Tom Jones'' as a comic opera with music by Edward German, also at the Apollo. Two years later, at the Shaftesbury Theatre, he collaborated on the hit musical '' The Arcadians'', one of the most famous and enduring musicals of its era.

In 1911, Thompson wrote a book describing his travels in Germany, Russia, China, Spain and, especially, Japan, entitled ''Japan for a Week, Britain Forever'', published by J. Lane.Thompson, Alexander Mattoc
''Japan for a Week, Britain Forever''
J. Lane: London; New York (1911) ''The Manchester Guardian'' commented that the book "revealed his powers both as a stylist and as a keen observer."

Thompson returned to writing for the stage with an original book for a Japanese-set musical romance, ''The Mousmé'' (1911, Shaftesbury), but this flopped. Collaborating again with Courtneidge, he adapted the composer Leo Fall's operetta ''Der liebe Augustin'' as ''Princess Caprice'' (1912, Shaftesbury). Other works with Courtneidge followed, but none of these found an audience. In 1916, his revusical set in ancient Rome called ''Oh, Caesar!'' played with some success in Edinburgh, Scotland. ''The Rebel Maid'' in 1921, a return to light opera with Courtneidge, played 114 London performances at the Empire Theatre. A 1924 play was ''The Bohemians'' produced by Courtneidge.

During World War I and afterwards, Thompson wrote many articles for the '' Weekly Dispatch'' concerning the Labour movement, the condition of the poor and other social topics. He also wrote for the ''Daily Mail'' and later the ''News Chronicle'' and ''The Manchester Guardian''. In 1937, he published an autobiography, ''Here I Lie - The Memorial of an Old Journalist''.

Thompson died in London at the age of 86.

Notes

References

*Thompson, Alexander M. ''Here I Lie'', Routledge, London, 1937
*Gänzl, Kurt. ''The British Musical Theatre'', Oxford University Press, 1986

External links

Links to information about Thompson publications
''The New York Times'', 21 December 1914
Spartacus: The Clarion
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Alexander M.
English male journalists
English musical theatre librettists
English non-fiction writers
English socialists
1861 births
1948 deaths
Journalists from Manchester
Lycée Saint-Louis alumni
English male dramatists and playwrights