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| − | The name '''Gaiety Company''' was often used for theatre companies performing in South Africa during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
| + | #REDIRECT [[Gaiety]] |
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| − | See also '''[[Gaiety Theatre]]'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaiety_Theatre]
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| − | =The notion of "Gaiety" performances=
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| − | [[Gaiety]] (or in some cases "Gayety") may refer to:
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| − | [[Gaiety]] (mood), the state of being happy, light-hearted or cheerful
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| − | [[Gaiety]] (activity), lively celebration or festivities, performance activity, entertainments or amusements. Some sources refer to this as a dated use of the word.
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| − | From the latter comes the theatrical use of the term, especially in the late 19th century and early 20th century, to refer to a type of light, often [[vaudeville]] style, entertainment, the people/companies that engage in it or the venues used for such performances. Hence its use as the name given to [[Gaiety |Gaiety performances]], [[Gaiety|Gaiety Companies]], [[Gaiety|Gaiety Girls]], [[Gaiety|Gaiety Theatre]]s, etc. A number of such companies and theatres are still in existence today.
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| − | Several sources refer to the musical comedy '''''[[In Town]]''''' (Ross, Leader and Carr, 1892) as "the first Edwardian musical comedy" and even refer to it - along with '''''[[A Gaiety Girl]]''''' (Hall, 1893), which probably provided the name - as "the start of the [[Gaiety]] movement in theatre"[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwardian_musical_comedy].
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| − | =Gaiety companies in South Africa=
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| − | Impressarios such as [[Frank de Jong]] and in particular the [[Wheeler Theatre Company]] were very prominent in the promotion of [[Gaiety]] entertainment in South Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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| − | ==The "Original" Gaiety Company==
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| − | According to [[D.C. Boonzaier|Boonzaier]] (1923), the first [[Gaiety Company]] (he refers to it as the "original") made its appearance in Cape Town in 1894, setting a high standard for and beginning a popular trend in musical comedy that would become a feature of South African theatre at the start of the 20th century. He appears to be referring to a company led by [[Cairns James]] (and popularly referred to as the '''[[Cairns James Company]]'''), that appeared under the auspices of the [[Wheeler Theatre Company]]. The season predictably opened with a performance of ''[[In Town]]'' (Ross, Leader and Carr) on 9 June 1894, followed by ''[[Mam'zelle Nitouche]]'' (Meilhac and Millaud), ''[[Miss Decima]]'' (Burnand), ''[[A Gaiety Girl]]'' (Hall).
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| − | == Frank de Jongh's Gaiety companies ==
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| − | The name [[Gaiety Company]] was most notable in the case of theatrical companies brought to Cape Town by [[Frank de Jongh]], lessee of the [[Cape Town Opera House]] from 1896-1937. These companies consisted of well-known overseas performers and artistes, including [[Zena Dare]], [[Matheson Lang]], [[Sybil Thorndike]], [[Lewis Casson]], [[Irene Vanbrugh]] and [[Kate Vaughan]] in a variety of plays, operas and ballets.
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| − | ==The [[Edward Sass]] Gaiety Company==
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| − | On 1 June 1895 a new [[Gaiety Company]], led by [[Edward Sass]], performed a number of plays in the [[Opera House]], Cape Town, under the auspices of [[Ben and Frank Wheeler]]. Other company members included [[James Nelson]], [[J.H. Darnley]], [[J.B. Gordon]], [[Emma Glynne]] and [[Ada Logan]]. Their repertoire included ''[[The New Woman]]'' (Grundy), ''[[Doctor Bill]]'' (Carré /Aidé), ''[[The Case of Rebellious Susan]]'' (Jones), ''[[Liberty Hall]]'' (Dibdin), ''[[The Solicitor]]'' ([[J.H. Darnley|Darnley]]), ''[[The Masqueraders]]'' (Jones), ''[[The Second Mrs Tanqueray]]'' (Pinero) and ''[[The Bauble Shop]]'' (Jones). According to [[D.C. Boonzaier|Boonzaier]] (1923), Sass was an excellent manager and most punctilious about the ''mise-en-scène'' of his productions.
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| − | A '''Gaiety Company''' also used the [[Good Hope Theatre]] in Cape Town in 1902 to perform pieces such as ''[[The Geisha]]'' and ''[[Kitty Grey]]''. **
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| − | = Sources =
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| − | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaiety_Theatre
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| − | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaiety
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| − | = Return to =
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| − | Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Venues|South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc ]]
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| − | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
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| − | Return to [[Main Page]]
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