Thursday, 31 May 2012

Sepia Saturday 128: The Mikado

Sepia Saturday 128

This week's Sepia Saturday theme gives me an opportunity to show off another eBay purchase, one which would have had a lot more relevance to my great-grandfather Charles Vincent Payne (1868-1941) than to myself.

Image © and collection of Brett Payne

This silver gelatin print mounted on thick white card with an embossed rectangular frame was an unusual purchase for me, as I know nothing about operatic musicals and, to be honest, am not particularly partial to them either. However, I am intrigued by the late Victorian fascination with all things Oriental, including The Mikado written by Gilbert and Sullivan and first produced at the Savoy Theatre by the D'Oyly Carte Company in March 1885.

Image © and collection of Brett Payne

I believe this group of nine young ladies dressed to the oriental nines, bedecked with fans and a multitude of hair ornaments, must be participating in the chorus for a performance, possibly amateur rather than professional, of "The Mikado." The group portrait appears to have been taken by photographer Henry Spink of Brighton on a visit to the performance venue, since the background includes appropriately painted oriental scenes.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia
The Mikado, Three Little Maids from School
Publicity poster for New York production, 1885
Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Their costumes are very similar to those shown in a poster for one of the professional D'Oyly Carte productions, depicting the "Three Little Maids from School."

Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Three Little Maids, London 1885
Image courtesy of Wikipedia

The Three Little Maids - in this case, the actresses Sybil Grey, Leonora Braham and Jessie Bond - are also shown in this photograph from the first D'Oyly Carte performance at the Savoy Theatre. Whether the painted scene is a theatre prop from the actual performance or a specially prepared studio backdrop is unknown.

Image courtesy of The American Museum of Photography
Three Little Maids, c.1885
Tintype by unidentified U.S. photographer (5.7 x 8.4 mm)
Image courtesy of The American Museum of Photography

The instant success of the opera, even across the Atlantic, is demonstrated by this tintype from the mid- to late 1880s (courtesy of The American Museum of Photography), also showing the "Three Little Maids" in a pose which was widely emulated for advertising purposes. In this case, the painted backdrop seems to be a generic, rather then specifically oriental scene.

Image courtesy of The American Museum of Photography
Advertising Card for the Tricora Corset, c.1885
Chromolithograph, by unidentified artist
Image courtesy of The American Museum of Photography

A delightful card for The Tricora Corset is a typical example of the advertising produced with this theme.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Geraldine Ulmar as "Yum-Yum," The Mikado, 1886
Cabinet card by B.J. Falk of New York
Image courtesy of the New York Public Library

Photographers also made full use of the commercial possibilities, such is in this "paper moon" style of cabinet card portrait by celebrity hunter B.J. Falk picturing Geraldine Ulmar, one of the cast in the original 5th Avenue D'Oyly Carte production which ran from August 1885 to April 1886. She also appears as the central figure in the "Three Little Maids from School" poster.

Image © and collection of Brett Payne

David Simkin's thoroughly researched work on the Spink family of photographers from Brighton very usefully includes a dated list of studio addresses. This suggests that Henry Spink Junior operated from 109 Western Road, Brighton from 1896 to 1934, but that his portraits show the name "Henry Spink" - as opposed to "Henry Spink (junior)" or "Spink (Brighton) Limited" - only from 1911 to 1921. It seems likely to me that this group portrait is from the early, pre-War part of that period, say between 1911 and 1914.

Image © and courtesy of Alan Craxford
The Mikado 1904 by the Leicester Amateur Music & Dramatic Society
Image © and courtesy of Alan Craxford

By the turn of the century - perhaps even earlier - The Mikado was being performed by amateur dramatic societies. Alan Craxford has written about his grandfather's involvement with local amateur dramatic society in Leicester in the 1920s and early 1930s, and includes a programme for a performance of The Mikado in April 1904 which he surmises that his grandfather may have attended.

It seems likely that after the Second Savoy repertory season from April 1908 to March 1909, a revival of interest may have led to increased amateur performance of the opera throughout the United Kingdom. I haven't yet found documentation of such a performance in Brighton, but I'm sure that if there was one, the records will appear on the net eventually. In fact, Brighton hosted the first provincial production of The Mikado in July 1884, a little more than a year after its original debut.

Image © and collection of Brett Payne
Charles Vincent Payne in costume, c.1894
Cabinet card by Pollard Graham, Derby
Image © and collection of Brett Payne

My great-grandfather, shown here in what I assume was one of his theatrical get-ups, might have had quite a different life had he chosen to take up a reputed offer of a contract with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. As it was, he worked as a coach builder, a builder and a grocer, then was in business as an estate agent for much of his working life in Derby, but many of his leisure hours were taken up with amateur singing and dramatics (see Whistling Bird, the Arizona Cowboy and the Disappearing Lady).

Join Sophie Tucker with her "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love," and other such entertaining stories - head over to Sepia Saturday for this week's smorgasbord.

18 comments:

  1. As someone who has done more than my share of G&S productions, I LOVE the photo. While I was not one of the three little maids I was one of the girls in the chorus, where a "multitude of hair ornaments" is a required part of the uniform. ;)

    If I remember correctly I believe there are standard poses for G&S purist productions (D'Oyly Carte style) which would explain the similarity of the poses in the different images.

    The photo of your great-grandfather is totally awesome, BTW!

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  2. Thanks Cynthia. So where's that photo of you as a girl in the chorus? It would make a nice little postscript :-)

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  3. This is right up my musical street Brett. I love G&S and went down the aisle at my wedding to the march from Iolanthe. We saw a wonderful production here in Lanzarote last autumn, by the Charles Court Opera company from UK. My mum was in the Mikado at school, but there are no photos sadly.

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  4. I haven't seen a G&S show for years but this brings back memories of the G&S Society productions in Stamford in the 1950s.Great collection of photos.

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  5. Your fabulous post reminds me of two movies. One - Chariots of Fire where one of the runners falls in love with one of the little maids.
    The other is Topsy Turvy - a film about G&S. I have a copy from netflix right now but haven't watched it yet. Your post has inspired me to watch it tonite.
    Great photos - especially the one of your grandfather. That one's special.
    Nancy

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  6. Of the various interpretations of the 3 Little Maids, I'll take the one you found on Wikipedia -- I like that sweet little huggy pose.

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  7. Oh all these postcards are fabulous! What fun it would have been to actually see one of these productions live on stage!

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  8. A fascinating series of photographs, who would not want to dress up in the Mikado, no wonder it was a popular show. G&S seems to be ever popular with amateur groups. I usually listen to one G&S song and think oh this is not too bad and by the third want to tear my ears off:-)

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  9. Wow, Brett, your grandpa is so very handsome! I can see him as a movie star easily.

    I really enjoyed this post. I know nothing about operas and haven't heard of this one either, so thanks for the wonderful photos, postcards and history lessons. I'm going to check out some of the links you used too, thanks for listing them.

    Have a great weekend,

    Kathy M.

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  10. A nice assortment of Mikado images. I seem to remember Mikado being done in my high school's operetta.

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  11. Your great-grandfather was a handsome man. Imagine he would have gone places if he had accepted the contract. Enjoyed seeing all of the lovely photos too.

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  12. What a great bunch of cards you have there. I am partial to a bit of Glbert & Sullivan myself.
    Your great grandfather looks to have been a cool guy

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  13. Terrific research on a topic I know little about. Now I'll search for similar Japanese themes in my collection (and for new purchases) and better understand the context. And to wind up with that handsome picture of your great grandad is truly awesome.

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  14. I love that photo of your great grandfather. What a shame that he didn't continue with a career in the theater. He certainly could have made it on his looks alone.
    I really enjoyed this post.
    Barbara

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  15. Great photos, Brett! I hadn't thought of The Mikado in many years, but your post made me remember a production of that operetta that the ninth-graders staged when I was in seventh grade. Don't know where they got the kimonos, but I still remember how beautiful they were.

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  16. Your great grandpa looked very dashing in his costume. As soon as I saw your first pic, The Mikado came to mind, and by reading your post, I saw I was right. Now thanks to you,
    on this rainy Monday morning, I'll be going to work with the 3 little maids song in my head. No, I won't sing aloud, 'cause the cops next door might arrest me for public nuisance, due to my obvious lack of talent, even if I've got the pipes for it.
    ;)~
    HUGZ

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  17. What an interesting post on a number of levels. First the photos were all quite amazing - my grandmother had a fascination with anything oriental so I too find these photos of great interest. Secondly, having the photo of your great-grandfather must be of utmost sentimental value to you. And lastly I was struck by your photo taken by B. J. Falk as I just yesterday posted two photos taken by the same photographer on my site of the actress Edna Wallace Hopper - what a coincidence! Small world indeed!

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  18. Prezentujesz znakomite znaleziska.
    Zdjęcia w sepii znakomicie oddają ducha czasu.

    Pozdrawiam !

    ReplyDelete

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