394:
518:
207:
314:
820:
240:, whom he had hired in 1885. Edwardes expanded the burlesque format from one act to full-length pieces with original music by Lutz, instead of scores compiled from popular tunes, as was the usual course before that. The theatre's choreographer and dance-master, under both Hollingshead and Edwardes, was
595:
reported that, entertaining though the new piece was, it had little by way of a plot, commenting: "And now the travestie, in losing some of its old attributes – a coherent plot, for instance, and other such details – has annexed so much from comic opera, so much from extravaganza, and so much from
533:
The Queen of Spain is not happy, and as soon as she is left alone she says so ("The Flower Song"). Ruy Blas and Don Caesar are introduced to the royal palace in the capacity of strolling players. Don
Salluste, a corrupt court official, has private reasons to wish to humiliate the Queen, and he
534:
persuades Ruy and Caesar to disguise themselves as women and apply for posts in the royal household. They are accepted, and
Salluste then accuses the Queen of smuggling men into her private apartments, disguised as women. Ruy and Caesar are arrested and jailed.
22:
553:
Ruy and Caesar attempt to burgle Don
Salluste's safe and find that he has got himself locked inside it. They release him, but he is immediately arrested because in his safe are found some of the Queen's jewels, which he has stolen.
252:, who wrote many of the Gaiety's most popular burlesques 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
101:, Blanche Massie, Alice Young, Charles Danby, Fred Storey and Ben Nathan. The piece toured in the British provinces and internationally, and was revised at least once during its run. It originally included a caricature of
271:
remarked not only on the new piece but on the redecoration of the theatre, which he found "deserving of the highest praise". The scenery and the costumes, as usual, were among the prominent attractions of a Gaiety show.
232:, light comedy, and numerous musical burlesques composed or arranged by the theatre's music director, Wilhelm Meyer Lutz. Hollingshead called himself a "licensed dealer in legs, short skirts, French adaptations,
301:. In addition to impersonating the four actors, Leslie and his colleagues were wearing petticoats, imitating the female stars who danced to the same tune in the earlier work. Reviewing the Birmingham premiere,
266:
of the hugely popular Gaiety company, led by Farren and Leslie, who had been on tour in the U.S. and
Australia. The early scenes of the libretto make many allusions to this return. In his review, the critic
562:
Ruy Blas wins the Queen's heart by various daring deeds, including bullfighting. He is proclaimed King, and Don Caesar is appointed to the post of Lord
Chamberlain vacated by the disgraced Salluste.
596:
the music halls, that it fills up the entire bill from dinner time till nearing midnight." The performances, the music and the staging on the other hand, were consistently praised.
578:, Clement Scott wrote, "As to the play on which the burlesque is supposed to be founded, save in the first act, where it is fairly closely followed, we hear but little of it."
570:
The critics generally viewed the libretto as a departure from the old traditions of burlesque, because its resemblance to the original work was tangential, and because Hugo's
798:
828:
868:
127:
305:
hinted broadly that this scene was vulgar and should be dropped, and the paper regretted in its review of the London first night that its hint had not been taken.
545:
Ruy and Caesar find that their imprisonment is extraordinarily luxurious, but despite its attractions they escape, with the connivance of the Queen.
169:
833:
157:
638:
716:
708:
248:, as the theatre's "principal boy", starred at the Gaiety for over 20 years, from 1868. Between 1885 and 1891, she co-starred with
878:
863:
848:
873:
145:
105:, in a scene in which some of the actors wore ballet girl costumes. Irving, never having seen the show, objected, and the
659:
858:
273:
253:
191:
298:
82:
853:
74:
586:"Probably the worst burlesque ever seen … for it does not give the faintest caricature of the original."
151:
591:
289:, in which Fred Leslie, Ben Nathan, Charles Danby and Fred Storey were made up to resemble Irving,
118:
37:
25:
632:
712:
704:
225:
185:
285:
263:
179:
106:
236:, taste and musical glasses." In 1886, Hollingshead ceded the management of the theatre to
663:
642:
237:
59:
241:
109:(Britain's theatrical censor, who also had not seen the show) prohibited the caricature.
21:
359:
290:
163:
279:
The scene to which Henry Irving took exception was a comic dance, performed to Lutz's
842:
469:
Pas de quatre, "Blanc et noir" – Ruy Blas, Donna Etto, Don Caesar and Court
Physician
369:
323:
268:
245:
228:
had managed the Gaiety
Theatre from 1868 to 1886 as a venue for variety, continental
218:
140:
122:
78:
517:
393:
353:
102:
98:
206:
521:
347:
335:
329:
294:
249:
233:
214:
210:
200:
94:
86:
49:
16:
Victorian burlesque by Fred Leslie and
Herbert F. Clark with music by Meyer Lutz
385:
Servants, Pages, Lords, Ladies, Algauzils, Nobles, Musicians, &c., &c.
574:
was not well enough known in
England to be a fruitful subject for parody. In
341:
262:
was written to mark the reopening of the Gaiety theatre and the return to the
90:
66:
45:
41:
677:
653:
313:
229:
54:
505:
Pas de quatre – Don Caesar, Don
Salluste, Major Domo and Court Physician
466:
Letty Lind Waltz (composed by C. Paston Cooper and danced by Letty Lind)
463:
Duet, "Johnny Jones and his Sister Sue" – Donna Etto and Don Salluste
829:
Information about Victorian burlesque from the PeoplePlay UK website
516:
392:
312:
205:
20:
711:; Hyman, Alan. "The Gaiety Years", London: Cassell (1975), p. 64
448:
Song and duet, "The Whistling Lullaby" – Don Caesar and Ruy Blas
694:(London) Spring 2003, London: The Gilbert and Sullivan Society.
62:. As with many of the Gaiety burlesques, the title is a pun.
834:
Poster and further information from the PeoplePlay UK website
433:
Duet and pas de deux, "Ma's Advice" – Ruy Blas and Don Caesar
424:
Trio, "Razzle Dazzle" – Ruy Blas, Don Caesar and Don Salluste
44:(pen name of Fred Leslie) and Herbert F. Clark with music by
703:
Ganzl, Kurt. "Musicals", London: Carlton (1995), p. 56
460:
Duet, "I've just had a Wire" – Ruy Blas and Don Caesar
457:
Song, "Stick to the Whisky you're used to – Don Caesar
690:
Stewart, Maurice. "The spark that lit the bonfire",
541:
Scene 1 – Cells of misdemeanants of the first class
121:, or "travesty", was popular in Britain during the
808:Good Old Gaiety: An Historiette & Remembrance
487:Pas de deux – Donna Christina and Court Physician
77:and ran for 289 performances. The cast included
128:The Bohemian G-yurl and the Unapproachable Pole
427:Pas seul, "Danse espagnole" – Donna Christina
418:Song, "The Song of my Heart" – Queen of Spain
73:opened in London on 21 September 1889 at the
8:
549:Scene 2 – Interior of Don Salluste's house
654:Arthur Lloyd Music Hall site (on Gaiety)
610:
608:
451:Song, "The Flower Song" – Queen of Spain
752:
750:
748:
746:
604:
496:Song, "Love's Message" – Queen of Spain
276:'s costumes were particularly admired.
869:Musicals based on works by Victor Hugo
675:"Theatrical Humour in the Seventies",
732:
730:
728:
726:
724:
499:Pas de deux – Ruy Blas and Donna Etto
170:Frankenstein, or The Vampire's Victim
7:
810:. (1903) London: Gaiety Theatre Co
529:Act I – Throne room in royal palace
493:Song, "What Price That?" – Ruy Blas
397:Programme for the Gaiety production
412:Song, "The Villain" – Don Salluste
372:(later replaced by Dalton Sommers)
14:
430:Eccentric dance – Court Physician
582:magazine went so far as to call
756:"Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué",
736:"Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué",
362:(miscredited as Blanche Massie)
69:beginning on 3 September 1889,
821:Photo of Farren and Leslie in
146:Galatea, or Pygmalion Reversed
1:
421:Chorus, "Private Theatricals"
378:Court Physician – Fred Storey
58:. The piece was produced by
803:. (1904) Chatto & Windus
472:Finale, "The Sweep's Chorus"
317:Linda Verner in the premiere
797:Adams, William Davenport.
415:Chorus, "Hail to our Queen"
125:. Other examples include
71:Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué
33:Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué
895:
772:, 14 September 1889, p. 10
436:Finale, "We're discovered"
381:Cerayonez – William Benson
352:Duchess Agio Uncertanti –
221:in the Birmingham premiere
800:A dictionary of the drama
692:Gilbert and Sullivan News
589:The theatrical newspaper
760:, 1 October 1889, p. 212
681:, 20 February 1914, p. 9
558:Act III – Palace gardens
365:An officer – Alice Young
254:Edwardian musical comedy
192:Cinder Ellen up too Late
879:Musicals set in palaces
864:Musicals based on plays
623:Hollingshead, pp. 57–58
375:Major Domo – Ben Nathan
849:Musicals by Meyer Lutz
740:7 September 1889, p. 8
525:
398:
358:Tarara, a trumpeter –
328:Don Caesar de Bazan –
318:
222:
199:(1892, with lyrics by
48:. It is based on the
28:
874:Musicals set in Spain
806:Hollingshead, John.
666:accessed 1 March 2007
520:
502:Pas seul – Don Caesar
396:
316:
209:
24:
785:, 3 May 1890, p. 207
454:Chorus, "Good Night"
152:Little Jack Sheppard
614:Hollingshead, p. 57
662:2008-01-04 at the
641:2008-12-10 at the
566:Critical reception
526:
399:
346:Donna Christina –
319:
223:
65:After a tryout in
29:
26:Souvenir programme
859:West End musicals
635:Carmen up to Data
334:Queen of Spain –
226:John Hollingshead
186:Carmen up to Data
886:
786:
779:
773:
767:
761:
754:
741:
734:
719:
701:
695:
688:
682:
673:
667:
651:
645:
630:
624:
621:
615:
612:
490:Dance, "Rigodon"
409:Chorus, "Bolero"
286:Faust up to Date
180:Faust up to Date
158:Monte Cristo Jr.
107:Lord Chamberlain
894:
893:
889:
888:
887:
885:
884:
883:
839:
838:
817:
794:
789:
780:
776:
768:
764:
755:
744:
735:
722:
702:
698:
689:
685:
674:
670:
664:Wayback Machine
652:
648:
643:Wayback Machine
631:
627:
622:
618:
613:
606:
602:
568:
524:in the premiere
515:
391:
389:Musical numbers
368:Don Salluste –
311:
238:George Edwardes
115:
60:George Edwardes
17:
12:
11:
5:
892:
890:
882:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
851:
841:
840:
837:
836:
831:
826:
816:
815:External links
813:
812:
811:
804:
793:
790:
788:
787:
774:
762:
742:
720:
696:
683:
668:
646:
633:Programme for
625:
616:
603:
601:
598:
567:
564:
560:
559:
551:
550:
543:
542:
539:
531:
530:
514:
511:
510:
509:
506:
503:
500:
497:
494:
491:
488:
485:
481:
480:
474:
473:
470:
467:
464:
461:
458:
455:
452:
449:
445:
444:
438:
437:
434:
431:
428:
425:
422:
419:
416:
413:
410:
406:
405:
390:
387:
383:
382:
379:
376:
373:
366:
363:
360:Blanche Massey
356:
350:
344:
338:
332:
326:
310:
307:
291:Wilson Barrett
274:Percy Anderson
164:Miss Esmeralda
114:
111:
75:Gaiety Theatre
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
891:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
854:1889 musicals
852:
850:
847:
846:
844:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
824:
819:
818:
814:
809:
805:
802:
801:
796:
795:
791:
784:
778:
775:
771:
766:
763:
759:
753:
751:
749:
747:
743:
739:
733:
731:
729:
727:
725:
721:
718:
717:0-304-29372-5
714:
710:
709:0-7475-2381-9
706:
700:
697:
693:
687:
684:
680:
679:
672:
669:
665:
661:
658:
657:
650:
647:
644:
640:
637:
636:
629:
626:
620:
617:
611:
609:
605:
599:
597:
594:
593:
587:
585:
581:
577:
573:
565:
563:
557:
556:
555:
548:
547:
546:
540:
537:
536:
535:
528:
527:
523:
519:
512:
507:
504:
501:
498:
495:
492:
489:
486:
483:
482:
479:
476:
475:
471:
468:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
447:
446:
443:
440:
439:
435:
432:
429:
426:
423:
420:
417:
414:
411:
408:
407:
404:
401:
400:
395:
388:
386:
380:
377:
374:
371:
370:Charles Danby
367:
364:
361:
357:
355:
351:
349:
345:
343:
340:Donna Elto –
339:
337:
333:
331:
327:
325:
324:Nellie Farren
321:
320:
315:
308:
306:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
287:
282:
281:pas de quatre
277:
275:
270:
269:Clement Scott
265:
261:
257:
255:
251:
247:
246:Nellie Farren
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
220:
219:Nellie Farren
216:
212:
208:
204:
202:
198:
194:
193:
188:
187:
182:
181:
176:
172:
171:
166:
165:
160:
159:
154:
153:
148:
147:
142:
141:F. C. Burnand
138:
134:
130:
129:
124:
123:Victorian era
120:
117:This type of
112:
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
79:Nellie Farren
76:
72:
68:
63:
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
34:
27:
23:
19:
822:
807:
799:
782:
781:"Ruy Blas",
777:
769:
765:
757:
737:
699:
691:
686:
676:
671:
655:
649:
634:
628:
619:
590:
588:
583:
579:
575:
571:
569:
561:
552:
544:
532:
477:
441:
402:
384:
354:Linda Verner
302:
299:Edward Terry
284:
280:
278:
259:
258:
242:John D'Auban
224:
196:
190:
184:
178:
174:
168:
162:
156:
150:
144:
136:
132:
126:
116:
103:Henry Irving
99:Linda Verner
70:
64:
53:
32:
31:
30:
18:
758:The Theatre
576:The Theatre
522:Sylvia Grey
348:Sylvia Grey
336:Marion Hood
330:Fred Leslie
322:Ruy Blas –
295:J. L. Toole
250:Fred Leslie
234:Shakespeare
215:Marion Hood
211:Fred Leslie
201:Adrian Ross
195:(1891) and
95:Sylvia Grey
87:Marion Hood
83:Fred Leslie
50:Victor Hugo
40:written by
843:Categories
792:References
484:Fan chorus
342:Letty Lind
139:(1883, by
133:Blue Beard
113:Background
91:Letty Lind
67:Birmingham
46:Meyer Lutz
42:A. C. Torr
783:Moonshine
678:The Times
580:Moonshine
119:burlesque
38:burlesque
823:Ruy Blas
738:The Era,
660:Archived
656:Cuttings
639:Archived
584:Ruy Blas
572:Ruy Blas
513:Synopsis
264:West End
260:Ruy Blas
230:operetta
197:Don Juan
189:(1890),
183:(1888),
173:(1887),
167:(1887),
161:(1886),
155:(1885),
149:(1883),
135:(1882),
131:(1877),
55:Ruy Blas
770:The Era
592:The Era
478:Act III
303:The Era
175:Mazeppa
715:
707:
538:Act II
508:Finale
442:Act II
52:drama
600:Notes
403:Act I
283:from
137:Ariel
36:is a
713:ISBN
705:ISBN
309:Cast
297:and
217:and
203:).
143:),
845::
745:^
723:^
607:^
293:,
256:.
244:.
213:,
177:,
97:,
93:,
89:,
85:,
81:,
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
