''Cinder Ellen up too Late'' is a musical

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.

Frederick Hobson Leslie Frederick George Hobson, known as Fred Leslie (1 April 1855 – 7 December 1892), was an English actor, singer, comedian and dramatist. Beginning his career in operetta, Leslie became best known for starring in, and writing (under the pseudon ...

(writing under the pseudonym A. C. Torr) and W. T. Vincent, with music arranged by

Meyer Lutz Wilhelm Meyer Lutz (19 May 1829 – 31 January 1903) was a German-born British composer and conductor who is best known for light music, musical theatre and Victorian burlesque, burlesques of well-known works. Emigrating to the UK at the age of ...

from compositions by

Lionel Monckton Lionel John Alexander Monckton (18 December 1861 – 15 February 1924) was an English composer of musical theatre. He became Britain's most popular composer of Edwardian musical comedy in the early years of the 20th century. Life and career ...

, Sidney Jones,

Walter Slaughter Walter Alfred Slaughter (17 February 1860 – 2 March 1908) was an English conductor and composer of musical comedy, comic opera and children's shows. He was engaged in the West End as a composer and musical director from 1883 to 1904. Life a ...

Osmond Carr Frank Osmond Carr (23 April 1858 – 29 August 1916), known as F. Osmond Carr, was an English composer who wrote the music for several Victorian burlesques before turning to the new genre of Edwardian musical comedy, and also composing some comi ...

, Scott Gatti, Jacobi, Robertson, and

Leopold Wenzel Léopold de Wenzel (23 January 1847 – 21 August 1923), also known as Leopold Wenzel, was an Italian conductor and composer. Born in Naples, Wenzel spent most of his career working in London, with the exception of some years spent in Paris. Wenz ...

. Additional lyrics were written by

Basil Hood Basil Willett Charles Hood (5 April 1864 – 7 August 1917) was a British dramatist and lyricist, perhaps best known for writing the libretti of half a dozen Savoy Operas and for his English adaptations of operettas, including ''The Merry Wid ...

. The show was a burlesque of the well-known

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-speakin ...

and fairy tale, ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

''. The piece was first produced in

Melbourne, Australia 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 ...

at the Princess's Theatre on 22 August 1891 and then in Sydney, on 5 October at the Theatre Royal. It then debuted in London at the Gaiety Theatre in London and ran from 24 December 1891 until 9 July 1892, a total of 181 performances. It was revised and revived later in 1892. The production was directed by Walter Raynham, with choreography by Katti Lanner and

Willie Warde Willie Warde (1857 – 18 August 1943) was an English actor, dancer, singer and choreographer. The son of a dancer, his first theatre work was with a dance company. He was engaged to arrange dances for London productions and was later cast as a ...

and costumes by

Wilhelm Wilhelm may refer to: People and fictional characters * William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm" * Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname Other uses * Mount ...

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 ...

created the title role in Australia; in London the part was played by Kate James and then

Letty Lind Letitia Elizabeth Rudge (21 December 1861 – 27 August 1923), known professionally as Letty Lind, was an English actress, singer, dancer and acrobat, best known for her work in burlesque at the Gaiety Theatre, and in musical theatre at Daly's ...

. The piece was re-written during the run; some characters were dropped and new ones were introduced. The cast included

Sylvia Grey Sylvia Grey (1866–1958) was an English actress and dancer best remembered for her roles in burlesque productions in London during the Victorian era. Life and career Grey was born in London, England, partly of Swiss ancestry. She began her sta ...

as Linconzina and Florence Levey as Fettalana (the stepsisters),

E. J. Lonnen Edwin Jesse Lonnen (1860 – 31 October 1901), credited as "E. J." or "Teddy", was an English actor, comedian and singer known for his performances in musical burlesques, operettas and musical comedies, particularly at the Gaiety Theatre, Lo ...

as Prince Belgravia, Arthur Williams as Sir Ludgate Hill, and

Fred Leslie Frederick George Hobson, known as Fred Leslie (1 April 1855 – 7 December 1892), was an English actor, singer, comedian and dramatist. Beginning his career in operetta, Leslie became best known for starring in, and writing (under the pseudony ...

as "a servant". Adelaide Astor had the small role of Templina and later the larger one of Fettalana, and

Topsy Sinden Harriet Augusta Sinden (1877–1950), known professionally as Topsy Sinden, was an English dancer, actress and singer. She was best known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and pantomime, both in London and on tour. Sinden was an a ...

danced in the piece.''The Era'', 4 June 1898, p. 10

Lottie Collins Lottie Collins (16 August 1865 – 1 May 1910) was an English singer and dancer, most famous for introducing the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay!" in England. Early life She was born Charlotte Louisa Collins in the East End of London in 1865. Her ...

sang her sensationally popular song, "

Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay" is a vaudeville and music hall song. Its first known public performance was in Henry J. Sayers' 1891 revue ''Tuxedo'' in Boston, Massachusetts. The song became widely known in the version sung by Lottie Collins in London mu ...

" as an interpolation in the show every evening. The title was a "playful allusion" to the real first name, Ellen, of the Gaiety's famous star, Nellie Farren.Hollingshead, p. 63 After the company's return from Australia, and before the opening of ''Cinder Ellen'' in London, Farren experienced an attack of

rheumatic fever Rheumatic fever (RF) is an inflammation#Disorders, inflammatory disease that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The disease typically develops two to four weeks after a Streptococcal pharyngitis, streptococcal throat infection. Sign ...

which aggravated her spinal disease. She had to withdraw from the London production of ''Cinder Ellen''. Her illness progressively crippled her, and Farren rarely performed after this. Farren's withdrawal left Kate James to open in the title role in London.

Background

This type of

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.

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), ''Blue Beard'' (1882), ''Ariel'' (1883, by

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 ...

), ''

Galatea, or Pygmalion Reversed ''Galatea, or Pygmalion Re-Versed'' is a musical burlesque that parodies the Pygmalion legend, and specifically W. S. Gilbert's 1871 play '' Pygmalion and Galatea''. The libretto was written by Henry Pottinger Stephens and W. Webster. The sc ...

'' (1883), ''

Little Jack Sheppard ''Little Jack Sheppard'' is a burlesque melodrama written by Henry Pottinger Stephens and William Yardley, with music by Meyer Lutz, with songs contributed by Florian Pascal,Florian Pascal was a pseudonym for Joseph Williams, Jr. (1847-1923), a mu ...

'' (1885), ''

Monte Cristo Jr. ''Monte Cristo Jr.'' was a Victorian burlesque with a libretto written by Richard Henry, a pseudonym for the writers Richard Butler and Henry Chance Newton. The score was composed by Meyer Lutz, Ivan Caryll, Hamilton Clarke, Tito Mattei, G. ...

'' (1886), ''

Miss Esmeralda ''Miss Esmeralda'' is a Victorian burlesque, in two acts, with music by Meyer Lutz and Robert Martin and a libretto by Fred Leslie, under his pseudonym "A. C. Torr", and Horace Mills. It is based on Victor Hugo's ''Notre Dame de Paris''. The pie ...

'' (1887), ''

Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim ''Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim'' (sometimes called ''Frankenstein, or The Model Man'') is a musical burlesque written by Richard Henry (a pseudonym of Richard Butler and Henry Chance Newton). The music was composed by Meyer Lutz. The ...

'' (1887), ''Mazeppa'', ''

Faust up to Date ''Faust up to Date'' is a musical Victorian burlesque, burlesque with a score written by Meyer Lutz (a few songs by others were interpolated into the show). The libretto was written by G. R. Sims and Henry Pettitt. It is a spoof of Gounod's opera ...

'' (1888), ''

Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué ''Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué'' is a burlesque written by A. C. Torr and Herbert F. Clark with music by Meyer Lutz. It is based on the Victor Hugo drama ''Ruy Blas''. The piece was produced by George Edwardes. As with many of the Gaiety burle ...

'' (1888), ''

Carmen up to Data ''Carmen up to Data'' is a musical burlesque with a score written by Meyer Lutz. The piece was a spoof of Bizet's 1875 opera ''Carmen''. The libretto was written by G. R. Sims and Henry Pettitt. After a tryout in Liverpool in September 1890, ...

'' (1891) and ''Don Juan'' (1892, with lyrics by

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ...

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 t ...

had managed the Gaiety Theatre from 1868 to 1886 as a venue for variety, continental operetta, light comedy, and numerous musical burlesques composed or arranged by the theatre's music director,

Wilhelm Meyer Lutz Wilhelm Meyer Lutz (19 May 1829 – 31 January 1903) was a German-born British composer and conductor who is best known for light music, musical theatre and Victorian burlesque, burlesques of well-known works. Emigrating to the UK at the age of ...

. Hollingshead called himself a "licensed dealer in legs, short skirts, French adaptations,

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

, taste and musical glasses."Arthur Lloyd Music Hall site (on Gaiety) ''Cuttings''
accessed 1 Mar 2007 In 1886, Hollingshead ceded the management of the theatre to

George Edwardes George Joseph Edwardes (né Edwards; 8 October 1855 – 4 October 1915) was an English theatre manager and producer of Irish ancestry who brought a new era in musical theatre to the British stage and beyond. Edwardes started out in theatre ma ...

, whom he had hired in 1885. Edwardes expanded the burlesque format from mostly one-act to full-length pieces, generally with original music by Lutz instead of scores compiled from popular tunes.

starred as the "principal boy" at the Gaiety for over 20 years. She was joined in 1885 by

, who played comic characters and wrote many of its pieces under his pseudonym, "A. C. Torr". In the early 1890s, as Burlesque went out of fashion, Edwardes changed the focus of the theatre from musical burlesque to the new genre of

Edwardian musical comedy Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the Am ...

Characters and casts

The following list shows the names of the 1891 London cast, followed by the names of the 1892 cast: *Cinder-Ellen – Kate James;

*Linconzina –

; Katie Seymour *Fettalana – Florence Levey;

Adelaide Astor Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

*Mrs. Kensington Gore – Emily Miller; Miss Holmes *Lord Taplow – Maud Hodson; Florence Lloyd *Lord Eastbourne –

Blanche Massey Blanche Massey (c. 1878? – 1929) was a Gaiety Girls, Gaiety Girl and actress best known for her stage appearances in London and the United States in the 1890s. Among her appearances in many productions with the George Edwardes company, especiall ...

; Ethel Earle *Lord Soho – Hetty Hamer;

Louie Pounds Louisa Emma Amelia "Louie" Pounds (12 February 1872 – 6 September 1970) was an English singer and actress, known for her performances in musical comedies and in mezzo-soprano roles with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Originally intended for ...

*Mrs. Bayswater – Miss Kate Welwyn (1892 only) *Sir Peterborough Court – Violet Durkin;

Maud Boyd Maud Rachel Boyd (1 February 1867 – 23 February 1929) was an English actress and singer know for musical theatre pantomime principal boy roles. Life and career Boyd was born in 1867 at Chorlton-on-Medlock in Manchester, the daughter of Ja ...

*Lord Whitefriars – Miss Dunville; Miss Farrington (called Lord Blackfriars in 1892) *Sir Waterloo Bridge – Miss Norton; Lily Harold *Catherina – Lilian Price *Grazina – Maud Wilmot; Alice Gilbert *Furnivalzina – Violet Monckton *Griffina – Eva Greville; Bob Robina *Templina – Adelaide Astor; Miss Maud *Victorina – Lily McIntyre;

*Pages (1892 only) – Phoebe Carlo and Lilian Sedgewick *Prince Belgravia –

; Maggie Duggan *Sir Ludgate Hill – Arthur Williams;

Charles Danby Charles Clemson Percy Danby (1858 – 7 September 1906) was a British actor, singer and comedian of the late Victorian era who regularly appeared at the Gaiety Theatre in London. During his career he made 37 tours of the United States and th ...

*Lord Leatherhead (1892 only) – Fred Storey *Charles Hollywell (1892 only) –

Arthur Playfair Arthur Wyndham Playfair (20 October 1869 – 28 August 1918) was an English actor and singer. Beginning in Victorian burlesque and comic operas, Playfair became known for his roles in Edwardian musical comedy and, later, in musical revues. ...

*Peckham – Mr. Harris; Mr. Barry *Gnorwood – Mr. Walker; E. D. Wardespossibly a pseudonym for George Edwardes *Footman – Mr. Hill (both productions) *A Servant –

(both productions)

Notes

References

*Adams, William Davenport.
''A dictionary of the drama''
(1904) Chatto & Windus *Hollingshead, John. ''Good Old Gaiety: An Historiette & Remembrance'' (1903) London:Gaiety Theatre Co

External links

Information about Burlesque from the PeoplePlay UK websitePoster and further information from the PeoplePlay UK website
{{Cinderella Musicals by Meyer Lutz 1891 musicals West End musicals Musicals based on secular traditions