Ada Bemister
Ada Bemister (1862-1918)[1] was a singer and stage performer.
Contents
Biography
Born Ada Amelia Bemister , the daughter of Frederick George Bemister and his wife Clara (née Murray). She had two sisters, Clara Louise Bemister and Adele Lucia Florence. The latter also became an actress, appearing under the names Lucy Bemister or Florence Bemister, inter alia singing with the D'Oyly Carte company in America in 1882.
Ada began her career as a member of Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "E" Company chorus from 1886 until March 1887, when she was cast as "Yum Yum" in The Mikado when they were in Llandudno. She next departed on the company's continental tour in 1887, , and from there played "Yum Yum" and "Patience" with Carte's Continental Company until February 1888.
In 1889-1890 she went to South Africa for Gilbert Tate and once back in England, she does not seem to have been that active on stage. Her name appears on occasion in variety productions (e.g. as "Dick Whittington" in Glasgow) and as a member of the chorus for the Savoy chorus for London revivals of The Mikado and The Yeomen of the Guard between 1895-1897.
Between 1895 and 1897 she was a member of the Savoy chorus for London revivals of The Mikado and The Yeomen of the Guard.
She was twice married, to Charles W. Tayleur (1896-1901) and to Alexander Thomas (1904-1918).
Ada died in 1918.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
While in South Africa she was a leading member of The Edgar Perkins Lyric Opera Company, when it first visited Cape Town in January, 1890, to perform various operas and musical pieces in the Exhibition Theatre.
Sources
Kurt of Gerolstein. Around the World in Twenty Years: Years One to Twelve. (Blog on Friday, April 24, 2020) [2]
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 1923. (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: p. 390
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