Luscombe Searelle

Luscombe Searelle (1860-1907) was an actor, singer, dramatist, composer, conductor and manager.

He first arrived in South Africa with his family in 1887. He toured the country with his productions and opened the Theatre Royal in Johannesburg, where he performed operas, as well as plays. He presented his wife Blanche Fenton, in the opera Maritana and followed this with his own operas Isidora, Bobadil and Estrella, productions also staged in Pretoria and Cape Town.

From 1891 he began to concentrate on plays rather than operas, doing serious plays (e.g. Macbeth, ) as well as lighter fare (Forget me not,).

In 1891-2 he brought out the world renowned American-born opera singer and actress Genevieve Ward to tour South Africa for nine months. They presented an astounding 26 plays, sixteen in Johannesburg alone. The tour encompassed all the major towns, but en route two of the company died and the tour was cut short. Another popular performer was W.Vernon.