James Welch

James Welch was a British comedian.

Also known as Jimmy Welch.

Biography

After a relatively low key beginning as a comedian, Welch made his breakthrough when he happened on a rehearsal of P.T. Grein's original production of G.B. Shaw's Widowers' Houses, and offered himself as an actor. His portrayal of "Lickcheese" apparently made his career.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He made his debut in South Africa at the Opera House, Cape Town, under the management of Sass and Nelson, on 4 January, 1903, with a performance of The New Clown (Paull). This 1903 season also included The Man in the Street (Parker).

Welch returned to Cape Town at the beginning of 1904 for another short season of plays at the Opera House, Cape Town, the repertoire including repeats of The New Clown and The Man in the Street, as well as Cousin Kate (Howard) and My Arful Valet (Mortimer).

Welch greatly impressed the Cape Town critic D.C. Boonzaier, who referred to him as an "incomparable comedian" and a lovable and sympathetic actor of both comedy and pathos whose performances were never "over-accentuated, forced or conventional". (See Bosman, 1980: p. 412.)

Sources

James Woodfield. 1984. English Theatre in Transition, 1881-1914, Rowman & Littlefield: p.47[1]

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 412-3, 417-8 Go to the ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities W

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page