The Old Vic tour of Australia 1948- Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier

 The first week of the Old Vic in Sydney, 1948

The Old Vic tour of 1948 lingered long in the memories of Sydneysiders. The tour was notable for the stars, Sir Laurence and Lady Olivier, also known as Vivien Leigh. The man in the bookstore was one of many whose life was touched by contact with the magical pair.

On June 20^th 1948, Sir Laurence Olivier and his wife Vivien Leigh, had their first glimpse of Sydney. The Sydney Morning Herald memorialised this important event the next day. The couple were just passing through the city, yet the occasion was so momentous, it was front page news. Amidst the stories of murder, the red menace and continued turmoil in Germany was a picture of the Oliviers. Vivien’s, Scarlett smile was the dominant feature of the photograph. Three hundred people had gathered to greet the pair as they spent twenty minutes at the airport on their way to Brisbane. Vivien had time to compliment Australia.

The people have given us a splendid reception

Sir Laurence added

We are both exhausted after a busy time in Melbourne and Tasmania.

Then they continued their journey.

The next day the couple was front page news again. Nestled beneath the news that clothing and meat rationing had ended, was the headline. "Oliviers quit hotel to escape curious crowd." The pair had been forced to leave their Queensland hotel due to a large number of people trying to see them. Olivier, obviously desperate for some privacy, had told photographers,

We came here for privacy and we are entitled to it. When we are on the job

we put everything we have into it and we want to relax completely now.

The couple soon moved to a more private location. The Sydney Morning Herald was quick to inform its readers that their new home was furnished but had no linen.  By this time, no detail was too trivial for the newspapers.

Finally after a week in Queensland the couple returned to Sydney. On Sunday June 27^th they moved to a flat in Cremorne. Yet defeated by gas and electricity rationing caused by industrial unrest on the coalfields, they soon decamped to the Hotel Australia.

On Monday 28^th June , their arrival made front page news again. "Oliviers here, (not yet in limelight)" was the Sydney Morning Herald headline.

On June 29^th the paper published some public comments by Sir Laurence. He was obviously ‘on the job’ and made some remarkable statements about theatre in Australia.

Sir Laurence said that Australia could not expect to build a theatrical

tradition while it permitted its best actors to go overseas.

He then discussed the idea of having a national theatre in Australia.

A national theatre will give you fine theatre buildings, but not actors. They are

best developed by establishing theatre schools.

Olivier took his position as a knight of the theatre very seriously. He promoted theatre whilst in Australia and he and Vivien visited local productions. They saw a production by the Independent theatre and met Doris Fitton. They also viewed a performance by Peter Finch . Despite his insistence that Australia needed to keep her native actors, Olivier was not above luring Finch to England with the promise of a contract.

During this interview Olivier again emphasised the fact that he and Lady Olivier were exhausted. It was an attempt to escape the large number of social invitations the couple received.

In Melbourne, I was absent from the theatre because of illness for three nights, and my wife

for seven nights. It was a shocking state of affairs and must not happen again.

Sir Laurence was quoted extensively throughout the couple’s stay in Sydney. Vivien, probably more famous because of her film roles, was not prominent in these articles. The press were acknowledging Olivier’s role as the head of the Old Vic and reinforcing his traditional male role as head of the household.

The Old Vic opened their season with a performance of The School forScandal at Sydney’s Tivoli Theatre on June 29^th 1948. It was a gala occasion. The most well dressed first night crowd since 1939 attended. Women wore magnificent furs and hyacinths, roses and orchids decorated their elaborate evening gowns. Miss Jocelyn Rickard covered her shoulders with a beaded and sequined net shawl that shimmered as she walked.

The men were also dressed for the occasion. Mr John Bovill caused a sensation with his fur collared evening cloak. Three gentlemen wore top hats, an unusual accessory. They doffed the hats in courtly greeting as friends passed by.

Luminaries such as Chips Rafferty, Governor General McKell and the Sydney Lord Mayor attended. The excitement was so intense that the spectacular crowd was reluctant to leave the theatre entrance.

After the performance, a select group of fifty people were invited to meet Sir Laurence and Lady Olivier in the dress circle foyer. A picture of a beaming Vivien dressed in a light coloured frock, with a darkly garbed Olivier looming behind her, graced the pages of the Sydney Morning Herald.

The next day the couple attended a reception at the Sydney Town Hall. It was an indication that Sir Laurence and Lady Olivier were more than mere actors. They were ambassadors for England, representatives of the Old Vic, acting theorists, film stars and theatre actors. Their varied roles were illustrated by the variety of events they attended in Sydney. Sir Laurence gave a lecture at Sydney University, Vivien opened a flower show, they recorded their performances for ABC radio, they organised entertainment for the rest of the company, and they gave over sixty performances in the space of two months. It was a hectic, stressful and taxing tour for both of them.

One of the expected highlights of the tour was Olivier’s performance of Richard the Third. It was one of his most famous roles and highly anticipated in Sydney. Olivier had first played the Yorkist king in 1944. The performance had been hailed by critics as one of his greatest. Olivier based the character in part on real people, Hitler being one of them. The actor placed great emphasis on assembling the character from the outside in. He was particular about the external features and with Richard this was exemplified by the prominent false  nose.

The first night of Richard III in Sydney was July 2^nd. It was a more subdued event than the earlier opening of School for Scandal. The ladies wore long flowing gowns, orchids and fur coats. Yet the gentlemen had left the top hats at home. There were several family parties, the parents being anxious to introduce their children to Shakespeare. There was also a group of uniformed schoolgirls from Sydney Church of England Grammar School. It was an audience that was seeking an education rather than glamour.

Olivier’s Richard dominated the play from beginning to end. He played the king with a nasal tinge to his voice, a pendulous upper lip curled in a permanent snarl, a limp, and a withered arm, that he tried desperately to conceal. According to the Sydney Morning Herald critic, Olivier’s Richard sought power to compensate for his physical deformities. Olivier also played Richard as a man who saw murder as a joke. This interpretation caused some consternation. The reviewer thought that Olivier carried the flippancy a little too far. However, the review also acknowledged the superb achievement and power of Olivier’s performance. His charisma over the footlights must have been immense and awe inspiring. The audience was impressed. The play received a huge ovation from a very enthusiastic crowd.

Olivier made a brief speech after the sixth curtain call.

The body of Richard when it was taken from Bosworth field was so mangled

so as to be unrecognisable and it was finally thrown onto an ox cart. So you can

see that he was in no position or situation to make speeches. He and his author rise

from their graves to say thank you for your reception.

At the matinee the next day, Olivier injured his knee during the climactic battle scene. He continued the show regardless. On Monday night he incorporated a wooden T-shaped crutch into the performance. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, this addition altered the character of Richard greatly. Instead of the virile and active king of the first night, he became a twisted, bitter man who hated his infirmity. It was an accident that improved the performance. Olivier’s ability to innovate placed him in the realm of the great. His intimacy with the character allowed him to incorporate elements of his own personality and life into the fictional recreation.

On Tuesday July 6^th, the Old Vic presented the third play in its repertoire. Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of our Teeth. The play was a wild, zany romp through the history of mankind. It showcased Vivien as Sabina and she rose magnificently to the occasion.

As chambermaid or beauty queen she is the perpetual minx of history who back answers

or seduces in tones that are the distillation of applesauce.

The Sydney Morning Herald reviewer called it, ‘beautifully pointed acting.’

The general tone of the reviews was one of respect mingled with mild criticism. It was obvious that Sydney reviewers held Sir Laurence and Lady Olivier in awe, but the other members of the cast were considered disappointing. The Sydney Morning Herald thought that the supporting cast of Richard was lacking and suggested that they needed to loosen up for The Skin of our Teeth. Both Oliviers escaped major criticism. Their names alone ensured a sell out season at the Tivoli. To many Australians seeing the Oliviers either on stage or meeting them in person was a lifelong highlight. The glittering couple were the personification of wealth, fame and happiness . There was an aura of charisma and charm surrounding them. They caused excitement through Sydney and ensured that people began to speak of ‘the theatre’ again. Olivier’s comments on a national theatre caused a small ripple of discussion in theatrical circles. A ripple that took a decade to become a wave. The ability of the pair to maintain a polite and friendly facade despite the stresses of the tour was remarkable. Their visit to these shores will always be fondly remembered

The Tivoli Sydney

Until 1928 the Tivoli theatre in Sydney was located at 79-83A Castlereagh Street. This site is now occupied by the a shopping complex, next door to the Imperial Arcade. There is no indication that it was once the site of a grand old theatre.

The only site acknowledged as the Tivoli, is one on the corner of Hay and Campbell Streets, further south near Central Station. A green plaque marks this as once being the site of the Tivoli Theatre. This is true, but only from 1928 when the Adelphi theatre (1911) which stood on the site was renamed The Tivoli .

The 79 Castlereagh Street address had a long theatrical history, dating back to at least 1868. In that year it was opened as the Scandinavian Hall. It charged sixpence and three pence for entrance. The elite sixpenny patrons sat around tables, drinking and smoking and spitting into the provided spittoons. The others spat into the sawdust. Young ladies in white dresses with blonde plaits, sashayed between the patrons, serving the drinks. They were the reason the hall was named 'Scandinavian."

The Scandinavian was a typical music hall. It had all the features of this sort of establishment, including the slightly risqué performances and the primarily male, working class, clientele.

In 1874, the place was renamed Sullivan's Athletic Hall and became a boxing venue. It then became a clothing factory for a period of time. Then in 1878 a billiard saloon. The place changed names from Victoria Hall to The Academy of Music in the successive years.

In 1882 it was the site of a Home Rule for Ireland meeting, held by John Redmond and William Redmond. They could find no other place to have the meeting. There was fear that the large Irish population would riot. The meeting however defied expectations and was remarkably peaceful.

In 1890 the old building was demolished and The Garrick Theatre was built. Plays such as "The Middleman" and "The Idler." were produced there.

On Saturday February 18th 1893, Harry Rickards took up the lease of the Garrick and renamed it, The Tivoli Theatre. Rickard's wife Kate, had persuaded him to take up the lease and it proved a good investment. As the Tivoli, the theatre introduced the Sydney public to such acts as illusionist, Chung Ling Soo, and Little Tich. Harry Rickards' Tivoli Theatre, soon became a byword to the people of Sydney.

In early 1899, Rickards bought the freehold title of the site, but disaster struck soon afterwards. In September that year, the Tivoli Theatre burnt to the ground. It was an unmitigated disaster. The loss was estimated at 25, 000 pounds. Rickards did not have any insurance. One thing was rescued from the ashes. A lucky horseshoe which was placed upside down in the new Tivoli that was built on the site of the old.

The night after the fire, the Tivoli programme went ahead as scheduled. John Leete, Harry's brother had organised a lease on the Palace Theatre . In true, "the show must go on" tradition, G W Hunter, Spry and Austin, and Little Alma Grey performed that night. They had improvised props and wardrobe, but were warmly received by a large audience.

Rickards immediately proceeded to rebuild his theatre. It took eighteen weeks for architect Backhouse and Backhouse and builder Alexander Stuart to design and build. It cost 20,000 pounds.

The new theatre was an arched sandstone marvel. It was decorated in colours of turquoise, cream, gold, silver and light grey with terracotta tints. There were elaborate decorative schemes, including ornamental pilasters and specially commissioned paintings. The theatre was electrically lit by fixtures in the domed ceiling and the style was described as "French Renaissance" by the Building Engineering and Mining Journal of 1900. A hotel was associated with the theatre with the entrance towards Castlereagh Street.

According to Valentine Day who attended the opening of the new theatre on April 12 1900, it was a place of unobstructed views and unrestricted acoustics. It had a new capacity of 1200 people, about 200 more than the old theatre. This extravagant example of theatre design was closed as a live venue in 1928. It became a cinema, as did most of Sydney's live theatres. Many older Sydney residents may remember it as the Embassy Cinema. It was demolished in the 1960s.

Tom Dawson- Tivoli star

 

Tom Dawson

 In the early 1900s, Harry Rickards Tivoli Circuit featured a small number of regular players. They were an expected and much loved attraction of a Tivoli show. Amongst these regulars was Welsh born comedian Tom Dawson.
He was born Tom Besley in Wales in 1874. After a short time as a child labourer in mines and factories, he  moved with his family to Australia. His first job was with the Adelaide Advertiser, but newspaper work did not appeal to Tom’s happy go lucky nature so he left it to pursue photography. But this was too staid a profession for Tom who yearned for variety in his employment. It was not until the end of the 19^th century that he found his true vocation, stage comedian.
Tom began his career singing comic songs and doing sketches and dances with small touring companies. His talent was finally spotted in 1903 when he played the dame in the pantomime, Little Red Riding Hood. It was a lucky break for him, as he replaced the original performer in the part. Tivoli manager Harry Rickards, recognized Tom’s comic potential in the pantomime and almost immediately engaged him for the famous Tivoli circuit.
From 1904, Tom was a regular feature of Tivoli shows. He was an end man, a comedic singer and dancer, a performer in sketches and small plays. He wrote many of his own songs, but his most famous song was ‘I’d rather have a hardboiled egg.’ This song was one of the most popular of the early 20^th century. Wherever Tom played, the gallery gods would scream for it, and Tom, ever the obliging performer, would agree to their demand.
As a regular at the Tivoli, Tom supported Houdini in 1910 and Cinquevalli in both Australia and New Zealand.  Unlike many of his fellow theatricals he had a guaranteed job and a guaranteed wage, but this success did not change his good nature.
He was known as a generous and kind hearted man with a keen sense of duty and honour. On pay days at the Tivoli, a crowd of unfortunates would gather outside the office door waiting for Tom to distribute money to his regular pensioners. On another occasion, he paid for the burial of a young girl from an Adelaide bar he frequented. Despite only having a casual acquaintance with her, he ensured that she was interred next to her mother in Waverly cemetery in Sydney.
Tom was a source of laughter, mirth and good cheer for Tivoli patrons for a decade. After the outbreak of World War 1, he continued his merry ways. However, entertaining at home was not enough for Tom. The tales of Gallipoli and the excitement of war enticed and inspired him.
One October day in 1915, a huge recruiting rally was held at Martin Place in Sydney. Two hundred men marched in military formation to create a marshal atmosphere and the police band played patriotic songs. Two beautiful ladies sang the inspiring airs, ‘There’s a land’ and ‘Off to the front.’
The large crowd cheered three new recruits, but the recruiting officer, Sergeant Elliot leapt to the platform to castigate them,
‘Don’t cheer these men, if you admire their action, follow their example and enlist.’
And then to everybody’s surprise, 41 year old Tom Dawson walked onto the stage.
‘What is your occupation?” asked the Sergeant
‘Alleged comedian’ replied Tom to the laughter of the crowd. Tom had enlisted and the ‘patriotic comedian’ was asked to make a speech .
He protested that he would rather sing a comic song, however, he was soon speaking to the throng.
Tom explained that he had no children, but he had a wife, Emma. He had sent her a wire, telling her about his intention to enlist and asked her permission. ‘Will I stay or go?” She replied with one word, ‘Go’.
After enlistment, Tom was permitted to stay in Australia and performed at several charity benefits. The most notable of these was a large charity performance for a Gallipoli veteran, Private Hodgson, who was permanently disabled by war injuries. He was also allowed to continue to earn a living whilst waiting to ship out.
 That time eventually arrived and Tom was shipped to Egypt. Yet, the desert climate did not suit his constitution and he was sick upon arrival. But he recovered and was soon entertaining the troops at Red Cross performances and cheering his fellow recruits in camp.
Tom maintained a happy and optimistic outlook, but due to lack of manpower, he was sent to the front in France. The situation there was dire and the conditions were beyond horrific. Tom with his mates sat in the trenches anxiously awaiting the order to rush the German lines in front of them.
Finally one day the order came. The men around him shuffled nervously, and Tom was asked, ‘Well Tom, how is it now?” Tom replied , “I’d rather have a hardboiled egg.” His response was passed along the lines and relieved the unbearable tension. Then the moment came and the troops clambered over the trenches into no man’s land. Tom grimly grasped his weapon in the midst of intense machine gun fire, but he was tragically hit in the lower body and fell to the muddy ground. He lay in no man’s land, surrounded by the groaning wounded, for a night, the stretcher bearers eventually arrived, but it was too late. Tom Dawson, the laughing comedian was dead.
The news reached Australia in September 1916 and was soon confirmed by soldiers who had seen his last moments. Tom was hailed as a hero,’ an honor to the theatrical profession and to the land of his birth’.
In May 1917, almost every theatrical performer in Melbourne volunteered their services for a benefit for Mrs Emma Dawson. The theatre was crowded to overflowing and the programme was very long that night. A large amount of money was raised, but nothing could erase the spectre of another Australian soldier dying on a foreign battlefield

Minnie Tittell Brune

 Minnie Tittell Brune

Tittell Brune

Minnie Tittell Brune was the most popular actress on the Australian stage between the years 1904 and 1909. Whilst in the country she performed in drama, pantomime and Shakespeare, and she became a household name in Australia and in New Zealand.
She was born Minnie Tittle in San Francisco California in 1875. In the United States census of 1880 she was listed as living with her two elder sisters, Esther and Charlotte. Her mother, Minna, or Minnie, kept a lodging house. The house was located across the road from a San Francisco theatre.
By the time the census was taken Minnie had already appeared on stage. Her first appearance was when she was four and a half. She played Little Jim in Lights of London at the Californian theatre.
Her family was very conservative. Two great aunts were nuns in Montreal. The Tittle family did not approve of theatrical ambitions, so it was ironic that all three daughters pursued a theatrical career.
After her childhood appearances on stage, Minnie went to school at a convent for about a year. However the theatre was calling, and she went on tour with Charles Frohman. She appeared in New York in ‘The Girl I left Behind’ and toured the United States with actors such as Frederick Ward and Junius Brutus Booth.
JC Williamson spotted Minnie whilst she was holidaying in Europe in the early 1900s. It is possible that she was on her honeymoon. What is certain is that Williamson engaged her for a long tour of Australia to commence in 1904. By that time she had married Clarence Brune and was billing herself as Minnie Tittell Brune.
Minnie’s arrival in Australia was inauspicious. The ship on which she and her husband travelled, The Australia, ran aground in Port Phillip Bay in June 1904. Minnie was unhurt, but she took a philosophical view of such incidents. She later told an interviewer that;‘I was not alarmed about the wreck, though I fully realised the danger of it. If it was to have been that I should be drowned-well, that’s all about it. I t would have happened so. As it was ordained otherwise, here I am.’
Minnie’s first appearance in Sydney was on Saturday September 21^st 1904. The play was Sunday, ‘a story of western life’ and the place was Her Majesty’s Theatre. Minnie played Sunday, ‘the whole hearted lovable girl at a miners camp.’ She was supported by Roy Redgrave and Gaston Mervale. The performance was an astounding critical success.
Sunday continued until October when the same cast presented the play L’Aiglon, the eaglet. It concerned the trials of Napoleon’s son, the Duke of Reichstadt who was played by Minnie Tittell Brune. The role was a strenuous one. She had to memorise over one hundred and thirty type written pages of script and sustain an intense emotional pitch throughout the five act play. The Referee said ‘Miss Brune’s triumph was so remarkable that all the other performances sank into comparative insignificance…her dramatic intensity fairly astounded the audience her success was little short of sensational.’
The performance was enthusiastically acknowledged by an appreciative crowd which included leaders of Sydney’s social set. She was cheered loudly and long and had to respond to several curtain calls.
L’Aiglon was followed in November by Romeo and Juliet. Minnie played Juliet and A E Greenaway played Romeo. The first night was witnessed by another fashionable crowd, which included former leading lady, Essie Jenyns. Minnie’s work as Juliet was praised by all.
At this time, Minnie was twenty nine years old. She had long dark hair and huge dark eyes. A long patrician nose graced her oblong face. She liked a quiet domestic life and was particularly fond of animals. In fact she had a bird and a dog with her on the Australia when it was shipwrecked. She was a non smoker and non drinker and was quite religious. She often quoted the bible in interviews and was not afraid to admit to religious feelings.
By May 1905 she was being called a ‘genius’. That month she performed Sunday at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne. The programme notes reinforced her reputation as one of the greatest actresses to visit Australia.
After this Melbourne season Minnie took a short holiday in Queensland. She commented favourably on the weather and the atmosphere in a letter to a friend.The contents of the letter were leaked to the press and further enhanced Minnie’s popular appeal.
In October 1905 Minnie played Camille for the first time in Sydney. The Referee compared her favorably with Sarah Bernhardt. It concluded that her portrayal was not ‘likely to be excelled for some time.’ Unlike her contemporaries, Minnie refused to smoke in Camille. She did not blame other actresses for smoking in the part, but acted on her own feelings in the matter ‘It is just as one feels on these points and I feel it is not necessary. I do not like to see women smoking in private life.’
In this case Minnie’s private opinions affected her work. It did not detract from her performance but showed how strongly she held her beliefs.
The season was a long one and lasted until the end of the year. She revived Sunday, and was now calling it, her favourite play. L’Aiglon was also repeated for Sydney audiences that year.
Minnie’s love of sunshine and animals was well known to theatregoers and often they gave her pets as tokens of appreciation. Minnie had three dogs and they became the bane of hotel managers around Australia and New Zealand. She insisted on their having the best of everything and the canines were very spoilt. This caused much angst wherever she lodged.
In 1906 Minnie added La Tosca to her repertoire. La Tosca was not one of her most successful roles. Critics however, blamed the play rather than the actress for the lack of success. Minnie played La Tosca in Melbourne in February and followed it with Leah Kleschna. The latter play caused great interest amongst Melbourne theatre lovers. Full houses met every performance . Minnie’s excellence was an established fact by this time and reviewers took her talent as a given.
Leah Kleschna was followed by L’Aiglon, Romeo and Juliet, Camille and Dorothy Vernon. Minnie mixed the old established favourites with new material and scored success with each role.
In October, Minnie travelled to New Zealand where she was rapturously welcomed. Theatre managers in that country were eager to capitalise on her reputation. One enthusiastic manager was persecuted by the municipal authorities for overcrowding during Minnie’s appearance at his theatre.
Enthusiastic crowds followed her all over New Zealand. At the Wanganui Opera House the company was ‘vociferously applauded and cheered.’ At the Palmerston North Opera House, ‘Miss Brune and her colleagues gazed upon the biggest audience that has assembled in the country town.’ A striking feature of the crowds was the preponderance of women. This tour of New Zealand broke box office records in each place she visited, she was as famous there as she was in Australia.
Her Majesty’s Theatre in Sydney was heavily booked in advance for Minnie’s 1906 Christmas season. A packed house witnessed every play in which she performed.
In January 1907 Minnie with Thomas Kingston played in Parsifal. Minnie played Kundry, the woman who attempted to seduce the guileless Parsifal and after being rejected became a penitent. The season lasted until March 1907. That month she was voted by readers of Theatre Magazine as the most popular actress on the Australian stage.
She travelled to Hobart for a brief season after the conclusion of the Sydney run. Amongst the plays performed in Tasmania were Leah Kleschna, Dorothy Vernon, Merely Mary Ann and Sunday. The company then travelled to Melbourne.
Minnie’s reappearance in Melbourne was an occasion for ‘enthusiastic demonstrations of personal friendship and professional admiration.’ She opened in Parsifal at His Majestys in Melbourne. It was witnessed by an overcrowded house and received with standing ovations, loud cheers and several floral tributes. The reviewers suspended all criticism, assuming correctly that the season would be a critical and popular success.
Parsifal’s religious themes probably appealed to Minnie’s religious upbringing. She took her Roman Catholic faith seriously and was often conflicted about her roles as Catholic and actress. The role of Kundry, a fallen woman who sought redemption probably found some resonance in her own character. Minnie spelt out her conflict in an interview conducted around this time.
I’m an actress…but I’m also religious; I can’t help it. I can justify my actress self
to my religious self: but I can’t justify the things that you can’t separate from the
actress, the publicity, the feeling of being considered public property even off the stage.
I hate that. I don’t like when I walk down the street, to have men looking at me and
speculating about me. I hate to hear them say, "That’s Tittell Brune" and I feel
their eyes boring into my back when I’m past. It makes me feel common and I
loathe it. If I can’t disguise myself I’ve got to put up with it. But that kind of
publicity revolts me. It really does, because I am religious-I’m half a nun."
An actress as popular as Minnie would always suffer the vicissitudes of fame, yet she appreciated the Australian audiences. She found them more responsive than those in London. They had an ability to laugh and cry in the theatre that stimulated the actress
Minnie stayed in Melbourne until May 1907. In June she appeared in Parsifal in Adelaide, and she proceeded to Brisbane in July. In Brisbane the company performed revivals of Sunday and Leah Kleschna and played Dorothy Vernon.
Minnie continued her triumphs through the year and into 1908. In September that year she gave a major interview to Sydney’s Theatre Magazine. In it she was portrayed as a conservative, sensitive, religious and spiritual woman. She admitted to writing several poems, and having a love of Tennyson, Shelley and Byron. Her hobby was fresh air, and as she was staying in Sydney at the time, she was indulging that hobby with a morning swim.
She was playing in Peter Pan that month. It was a piece that mixed drama, comedy and pantomime and was produced with the usual lavish care and attention of JC Williamson. As Peter, Minnie acted with ‘a vivaciousness that was necessary to the piece and her mischievous though human childish pranks were charming.’
The production was greeted with the ‘greatest fervour’ and plans were made for a benefit. The benefit went ahead a week after opening night on a Saturday afternoon. The poor children of Sydney were invited and enjoyed an amazing experience with Australia’s pre-eminent actress.
Minnie enjoyed the role of Pan. Like many actresses she liked the freedom of performing in breeches. She said that the main advantage of being a ‘boy’ on stage was the fact that she did not have to trouble with dresses. Many actresses of the day preferred the ‘boy’ roles because of the convenience of the clothing.
After Peter Pan, Minnie played Diana, in Diana of Dobsons. The story concerned a spirited shopgirl who inherited three hundred pounds. The romantic interest was an ex army captain who the girl condemned for his wastrel life. Diana and the Captain lived happily ever after and Minnie Tittell Brune had another hit . As Diana, Minnie had found a part that allowed her to show rebelliousness and pathos. It was a fine addition to her repertoire. Diana of Dobsons was quickly followed by another revival of Sunday and in November by The Girl of the Golden West.By March 1909 Minnie had returned to Melbourne and was preparing for her final months in Australia. In May she returned to Sydney for her last performances.
Her last show was Sunday at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. At the fall of the curtain a young girl from the stalls stood up and gave a five minute speech. Speaking on behalf of Minnie’s fans in Australia, the girl wished the actress the best of luck in London. The young woman was one of many female admirers of the actress. Her name was Miss Eagleheart and she asked the theatre manager for an introduction to her idol. The manager obliged and the young admirer spoke to Minnie in her dressing room for a considerable time. It was a gracious gesture from an actress who no longer needed the good will of the Australian press.
Minnie Tittell Brune’s five year sojourn in Australia was over. She left the colony to try her luck in London. She met with limited success in that competitive environment.
In April 1910 she played in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with HB Irving at the Queens Theatre in London. She also played Shakespeare that year, playing the chorus in Henry V. She continued to be steadily employed with a role as the female lead in a play called The Eternal Question at the Garrick Theatre.
Minnie had few London appearances in 1911. Her major role being in a play called The Woman on the Case at the Coronet theatre. The next year she returned to New York and made a brief appearance at the Manhattan Opera House in An Aztec Romance. She probably played other cities in the United States in that year. By 1913 she was back in London and in 1917 she was singing at the Coliseum in that city.
There are very few records of Minnie after this date. Her fame had peaked in Australia. She lived a very long life and experienced success. As she grew older the ‘nun half’ of her became more prominent.
Minnie lived to the age of 99 and died in Los Angeles in her home state of California in September 1974. She was living as a member of the Order of St Francis and was laid to rest with a Catholic service. Minnie had the good fortune to indulge the two sides of her character She enjoyed immense success as an actress and appeared to have found peace in a convent. Although little known in her own country, she was a major figure in the history of the Australian stage.  

Maggie Dickinson- Dancer

 Maggie Dickinson

Maggie Dickinson

Australia has produced many great and legendary dancers, for example, Cyril Ritchard, Madge Elliot and Robert Helpmann. One dancer who delighted audiences through the dark years of the First World War was Victorian born Maggie Dickinson.
Margaret Esme Dickinson was born in Flemington in 1894. As was typical of the time, she began her theatrical career at an early age.

In 1910, aged 16, she appeared in The Arcadians at the Theatre Royal in Melbourne. The Arcadians was a musical starring The New English Comic Opera Company. The company consisted of imported stars mixed with local talent. One star of the show was Australian born soprano, Maie Sydney. Maggie Dickinson was credited as Aleto (an Arcadian) and billed second last, just above 'Dreamland', a horse.
Maggie appeared in the JC Williamson pantomime, Puss in Boots for the Christmas 1912 season. She danced a comic number called "Everybody’s doing it now." She continued in this production until Easter 1913.

Perhaps the most influential event in Maggie’s life was the tour of Adeline Genee in August 1913. Genee was the most famous dancer of the era, known for her technical ability and personal charm. Maggie was included in the cast of Genee’s tour. Later accounts suggested that Genee thought that Maggie had a great deal of potential and prophesised a great future for her.

After receiving good notices from the Genee tour, Maggie soon rose to become a principal dancer. She was in great demand for pantomimes. They would soon become the focus of her career.
At Christmas 1913, Maggie appeared in "The Forty Thieves", the annual JC Williamson company pantomime. Maggie played "the spirit of mischief" and also appeared in the Black and White ballet. She showed good technique, particularly in terms of rhythm.

In May 1914, Maggie showed herself capable of improvisation, when her dancing partner, Mr Lauschmann, injured an ankle. Maggie expected him on stage, but he did not appear. She immediately improvised a series of pirouettes and an oblivious audience applauded wildly.
Theatre Magazine published a major article about Maggie in June that year. The article praised Maggie for her technical skills, but criticised her for ‘a touch of exaggeration’.

The writer suggested that Maggie was imitating Genee, which was a natural course for a young dancer to take. Furthermore the article stated that she should concentrate on developing her individuality as a dancer, implying that the imitation was limiting Maggie’s growth.

The fact that this article was written suggested that by 1914 Maggie was being recognised as a major dancing talent. She soon proved this through a succession of highly regarded performances in pantomime.

Pantomime was highly popular in Australia during World War 1. J C Williamson, a major theatrical company was the keeper of the pantomime tradition. Every Christmas it would produce an extravagant, expensive and gigantic pantomime. It would be staged in one of their large theatres in Melbourne for the Christmas period and then travel to Sydney for Easter. After that it would be taken to New Zealand for a long tour. The casts were enormous, the ballets exquisite and the jokes outrageous. Traditional pantomimes such as Dick Whittington or Cinderella were altered to include topical references. The pantos made stars and created household names. Performers such as Arthur Stigant, and Florence Young appeared in J C Williamson pantomimes. They became an important means of stirring patriotism and lightening spirits during the First World War.

Maggie became a familiar face to pantomime audiences. For many years she was a featured dancer in the pantos. Her career peaked during the years of World War 1.

Maggie appeared in Cinderella in 1914. Cinderella mixed patriotic themes such as The march of the Allies with comedy routines, topical songs such as ‘As we stroll down Swanston Street’ and beautiful ballets. It opened in Melbourne at Her Majesty’s theatre in December.

The principal dancer in The Wildflowers ballet was Maggie Dickinson. The ballet had sunshine, rain and rainbow effects. She featured as ‘a red poppy’. Maggie also appeared in a unique tableau where the heads of singers became notes on a music sheet. Minnie Everett, the famous JC Williamson ballet mistress choreographed the ballets. Maggie travelled with Cinderella from Melbourne to Sydney and then to New Zealand.

Maggie’s next pantomime was Mother Goose in 1915.By that time, her appearances in pantomime were an expected highlight for Australian audiences. A picture in Theatre Magazine at the time of Mother Goose, showed her from the waist down. She was wearing high heel ballet shoes and an above the knee skirt. The photo focussed on the dancer’s legs.

As the war continued, JC Williamson continued to produce the annual pantomime. Maggie had become a major part of the tradition. For the 1916 Christmas season, Maggie danced in The House that Jack Built. By August the show had visited Melbourne and Sydney and continued to New Zealand.
The last Christmas pantomime of the war was Dick Whittington. It starred Vera Pearce as principal boy and was peopled ‘with a world of beautiful girls gorgeously frocked, fairy land palaces, quaint characters in weird costumes who caper and tumble and crack jokes to the huge delight of childish hearts.’

Minnie Everett was again ballet mistress and choreographer. The most striking ballet staged was The War ballet. In it Maggie played peace, her dance partner, Sydney Yates played civilisation and Ruby Grainger played war. All the nations involved in the war were represented. War, ‘a grim, swift and black garbed figure’ swayed the countries and thrusted peace and civilisation aside, thus setting all the nations against each other ‘in the terrible clash and slaughter of battle.’

It was a dramatic ballet which caused much comment amongst critics and audiences. Forceful and harsh it was a potent reminder of the horror of war.
Maggie featured in another, more light hearted ballet. The Vogue ballet, had Maggie and Sydney Yates dressed in Georgian costumes dancing with six girls representing Vogue covers. Maggie was described as ‘graceful and elusive as floating tufts of thistle down.’

In the March 1918 edition of Theatre magazine, Maggie appeared in a large advertisement for ‘Dr Sheldon’s magnetic liniment." She cheekily posed on her ballet shoes and peaked over her shoulder at the reader. She was described as "Miss Maggie Dickinson, the delightful dancer."
Her 1918-1919 pantomime outing was in Goody Two Shoes. Maggie was billed as "Australia’s own brilliant young dancer." Her first appearance was in scene seven singing, "Bubbles". This was followed by a solo dance in ‘ The ballet of the fortune tellers.’ She appeared as the French Doll in the Children’s toy ballet and in a dance duet with Sydney Yates.

Maggie was greeted with great enthusiasm by the crowds who flocked to see Goody Two Shoes in Sydney.
 The 1920 pantomime offering was Sleeping Beauty. It featured Maggie dancing a specialty with Sydney Yates. It was called "The Fox and the Pheasant." In July 1920 the pantomime toured New Zealand, perhaps Maggie’s Kiwi admirer saw her again.
In 1921 it was announced in The Sydney Mail that Maggie Dickinson was to marry Sydney Culver, also known as Sydney Yates, a fellow dancer. The two married in Melbourne that year. The official record names the groom as Sydney Culverhouse.

The newly married pair travelled to England where they intended to stay for six months. They probably mixed their honeymoon with theatrical appearances. The couple was due to return to Australia for the next Williamson pantomime, Babes in the Wood.

Pantomime was fading in popularity. It was being supplanted by moving pictures and other forms of entertainment. Maggie did not appear as regularly during the mid to late 1920s as she had during World War 1. In 1924 it was noted that she and husband Sydney were developing a ‘revuette’ called ‘The Sauce Box.’, in London.

By 1932 Maggie was back in Melbourne acting as ballet mistress for JC Williamson. She choreographed the dances for a production of Bitter Sweet.

Maggie Dickinson, one of Australia’s most popular performers died in Elwood Victoria in 1949. She was 54 years old. In her 54 years she had delighted thousands of people during a dark stage of human history. Her large eyes and cheeky grin preserved in pictures, gives some idea of how this slight young Australian mesmerised a generation

Irving Sayles

 Irving Sayles with the Chasers (below)

In the early 20^th century, Tivoli Theatre bills consisted of a minstrel first half and a variety/vaudeville second part. For example in 1906, Harry Rickards, Tivoli owner, produced a show called, ‘The Romany’. The first part of the show consisted of a group of regular performers sitting in a semi circle on stage. The featured performers were Bob Bell, on bones and Irving Sayles on tambos. They performed in traditional minstrel style until the interval, after which a series of vaudeville turns were presented.
By 1906 Irving Sayles had worked for Harry Rickards for twelve years. He had started his career in American minstrel shows as a young man. His subsequent career in Australia was very successful and he was a well loved figure on the Australian stage until his death in 1914.
Irving was born in Quincy, Illinois, United States of America. His date of birth as given by himself was 1872. Quincy was situated just across the Mississippi River from Missouri, a slave state. Historically slavery was a major issue in the town. In 1858 Lincoln and Douglas had debated the issue in front of a large crowd in Quincy. The town was also a stop on the Underground Railroad route for escaped slaves on their way to Chicago.
In light of this, the issue of slavery probably played a large part in the family’s life. It’s possible that Irving’s parents Josephus and Melinda (nee Wilson), or perhaps his grandparents, were slaves. Irving in the one major interview he gave in Australia never mentioned the issue
At an early age, Irving became involved with one of the largest minstrel companies in the mid western United States, Haverly’s minstrels. Haverly was a white entrepreneur who ran a large African American company of minstrels. His troupes had large casts, were mostly segregated and travelled extensively. His minstrel shows usually centred on sentimental songs about plantation times. Songs such as ‘Carry me back to Ole Virgina’ or ‘De Old Planation’ were standards of a Haverly program. They relied on stereotypical presentations of African American culture. The standard character was a slave yearning for the good times of plantation life. Irving appeared in these shows as one of the Hottentots. They were a singing, dancing and tumbling act. He must have spent much of his youth in the Haverly show
In 1888, aged a mere sixteen, Irving came to Australia with the Hicks Sawyer minstrel group. Hicks was an African American entrepreneur who had found competition with white managed minstrel groups almost impossible. Theatre owners in the United States preferred to deal with white managers rather than African American managers. Hicks found no such problem in Australia.
Unlike the groups run by people such as Haverly, the Hicks’ programmes concentrated on post slavery images of African Americans. These images were of urban life, and featured songs which reflected this. Instead of the deferential plantation slave, Hicks presented a non deferential, sometimes threatening stereotype. He also incorporated elements of vaudeville into the programmes. He had acrobats, clog dancers and comedy sketches. In many ways Hicks’ programme foreshadowed the later programmes presented by Harry Rickards at the Tivoli.
In September 1888, the minstrels played the Opera House in Sydney. The show was one of the best of its kind ever seen in the city. The bill included tenor William King singing "When mother puts the little one to bed" and Will Johnson singing "Hundred fathoms deep" Irving was on tambourines and also had a solo number. The Referee newspaper stated at the time that every item in the bill is a gold mounted pearl of minstrelsy.
The Opera House was filled every night. Crowds also flocked to the show in other Australian cities. In Brisbane, up to five thousand people squeezed into the theatre. In Hobart, disappointed minstrel fans were turned away from the door.
One of the unusual diversions during the tour was a game of baseball in Victoria. The Hicks Sawyer minstrel group took on the Victorian baseball club, lead by famous theatrical personality JC Williamson. The minstrels won the first game 15-13. The second game was watched with interest by hundreds of school children who had been given a holiday for the occasion. The locals lived up to expectations and trounced the American visitors 25-13.
In 1890 the troupe played Uncle Tom’s Cabin in Sydney. Shortly thereafter, in Irving’s words, the Hicks Sawyer group ‘went to pieces.’ Irving then went to work for Frank Clark in Melbourne. It was there that he teamed with long term partner Charlie Pope. The partnership lasted for fifteen years with Sayles as the comedian and Pope as the straight man. In 1891 Pope and Sayles began working for Harry Rickards. The pair soon became a fixture on the Tivoli circuit as the most popular corner men in the business. Irving later stated that ‘No employer ever treated me better, more considerately or more generously than Mr Rickards’
Conditions for African Americans in Australia were undoubtedly better than in the United States. Although racism was rampant in Australia, it was not directed towards African Americans as it was in America. In Australia, those of Asian and Aboriginal background bore the brunt of racist rhetoric. One simple example of the differences between the two countries was in their attitude towards theatre. In the United States it was unthinkable for a white woman to share the stage with black men. In Australia, Pope and Sayles shared the stage with many white showgirls without a protest being heard.
Sayles once said that, ‘I am as good as a white man here’. Yet he added ‘and if I leave they might block me coming back’. No doubt Irving was referring to the White Australia Policy and the infamous dictation test. His arrival in the country had predated the White Australia Policy. He therefore was not subjected to the test. The dictation test could be given to any prospective migrant in any European language. It was used as a tool to enforce a race based immigration policy. Irving was obviously aware of it and its possible consequences.
In an interview with Theatre Magazine Irving said that ‘I know of no complaint against me – except it is that I happen to be born black.’ This implied that he had suffered from racism whilst in Australia. That was not unexpected due to the temper of the times.
Despite the trials of living in a racist society, Irving was determined to stay in Australia. ‘I love Australia and I intend to remain here for the rest of my life.’
Another reason for his intention to stay could have been his wife. In 1897, twenty five year old Irving married English born Edith Carter. Edith often travelled with her husband on the Tivoli circuit. In typical style, Irving once joked that he did not like to admit that he was married. ‘Spare my days! You are now selling me altogether with the girls.’
Observers of Irving’s act at the Tivoli thought him ‘unequalled as a corner man.’ Many touring companies attempted to lure him back to the United States, but he refused their offers. His act at the Tivoli relied upon singing and comedic skills. The songs were ones that centred on the urban stereotype introduced to Australia by the Hicks Sawyer minstrels. He also sang traditional songs such as ‘Hot time in the old town tonight.’
Irving’s comedy sketches centred on self deprecating remarks about his race and nationality. He had a routine where he joked about an imaginary wife from the Aboriginal settlement of La Perouse in Sydney. Irving was a naturally funny man who bubbled with laughter that was infectious. According to one reviewer, ‘his cheerful allusions to his colour and nationality tickle the collective funny bone of the audience.’
Outside the theatre, Irving wore fine clothes and jewellery. He liked a cigar and a punt. He was fond of the races, and often bet on other sports such as boxing. He also had many friends who he entertained with anecdotes when he met them on the street. He was a man who laughed a lot, and seemed to enjoy his life in the theatre
In 1911 Irving was being described as ‘an Australian institution delighting in the course of a year hundreds of thousands of people throughout the different states and delighting them with an ability possessed by very few other men black or white, living or dead’
He was obviously highly regarded as a performer and as a person. That year a major interview with him appeared in Sydney’s Theatre Magazine, the premier stage publication. Irving had been working for Harry Rickards for seventeen years. The fact that his face graced the cover of the magazine suggested his wide ranging fame and acceptance in the community. By 1914, Sayles had left the Tivoli. Rickards had died in 1911. Irving was working for another vaudeville company, Fullers, in New Zealand. One day whilst in Christchurch he was joking with friends on the street. He was struck by a heart attack and died on 8^th February. He was forty two years old.

Saharet- Burlesque Dancer

 

The origins of dancer, Saharet are shrouded in mystery. Although claiming to be born in Melbourne there is no record of her in Victorian birth records. What is known of her early life was told in anecdotes and press releases. The veracity of this information is questionable.According to a hand written note on the back of a postcard, Saharet was born in 1879. Her real name was Clarissa Campbell or Clarice Campbell, and her birthplace was Ballarat. She was one of two sisters and her mother was a circus performer whilst her father was a Scottish sailor.Very little is known of her early life in Australia. In a 1909 interview Saharet revealed some details. ‘People, who came to our home in Melbourne Australia where I was born, told me that I was beautiful and should go on stage. First Musgrove placed me in a pantomime in Australia and then brought me to London, and for five years I did nothing but dance’.In 1914, Clarissa’s first husband, Ike Rose, told a different story. According to Rose, Saharet made some appearances in pantomime in Australia, but after the death of her sister, the family moved to San Francisco. The year was 1893 and Clarissa was 14 years old.

After her arrival in the United States, Clarissa began to dance in sideshows and burlesques. When a leading burlesque dancer took ill, Clarissa replaced her at San Francisco’s Bush Street Theatre. Shortly afterwards, she was engaged by MB Leavitt and taken to New York, where she earned 5 pounds a week. Whilst in New York, Clarissa at 16, met and married Ike Rose, a theatrical agent. The pair met at the Miner Bowery theatre in New York. They soon had a daughter and Clarissa retired from the stage. Her retirement was of short duration. Three months after the birth of her daughter, Clarissa received an offer from Koster and Bial. The offer was for twelve pounds a week and the 17 year old Australian thought that she had finally made the big time. Her husband did not agree and arranged a short two week engagement with the company.

Saharet’s turn at Koster and Bial was a fourteen minute acrobatic, high kicking ,dance. She would suddenly appear on stage and grabbed the audience’s attention by whirling her bare legs whilst her body was hidden by the stage curtain. The highlight of her turn was the splits. Her vivacity and audacity charmed the audience and soon she was acknowledged as one of the greatest high kickers in vaudeville. Saharet’s turn was pure burlesque and included a daring and risqué element. According to Ike ‘For years and years she never made the least pretence at doing anything of a delicate, artistic character ’Soon Saharet had reduced her fast moving turn to a mere seven minutes. She was so successful that Koster and Bial engaged her for three months and her wages escalated to thirty pounds per week. This engagement was the beginning of a lucrative and colourful career.

After a sensational season with Koster and Bial, Saharet travelled to London. The year was 1897 and she appeared at the Palace Theatre. Her performance caused a sensation that echoed all the way back to Australia. The Sydney Referee newspaper asked readers ‘Where can this artist of whom so much has been heard of late, have appeared in Australia?’. The readers had no answer. Saharet’s Palace engagement was extended from four to eight weeks. Her high kicking style and charismatic stage presence lead to further engagements in Europe. From London she went to Paris and then to Berlin. In Germany she was tremendously popular. She was earning 150 pound per week and topped the bill at the Wintergarden. Her fame was such that a German artist, Von Lenbach painted her portrait and paid one hundred pounds for the privilege. Von Lenbach called her ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’ Artist Von Stuck painted another portrait. As the century progressed and photography emerged, she became ‘the most photographed dancer in Europe.’ Saharet’s beauty captivated European audiences and European critics saluted her dancing talent.

Husband Ike Rose estimated that between the years 1896 and 1909 Saharet signed contracts worth over 65 thousand pounds. It was an enormous amount of money for the time. She spent it lavishly and enjoyed fine clothes and jewellery. Clarissa was particularly fond of diamonds and once her husband saw her spend 1000 pounds on a pair of diamond earrings. She was generous with her wealth much of it being given to family and friends. In 1909 an American newspaper described the famous dancer ‘Her face is a perfect oval, her mouth is red and well shaped, her nose set high, the cheeks finely modelled and the eyes, large expressive and almond shaped with long curling lashes. She is not more than 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds.’ In pictures she appeared to be stockily built with powerful stubby legs. In interviews she emerged as an honest character who on occasions could be vacuous. She had a quick nervous manner, but possessed extraordinary charisma.

Times were changing in 1909 and vaudeville theatre was changing with it. Burlesque was fading and family friendly routines were popular. Saharet was wise enough to alter her dance routine to fit into this environment. Yet she was also audacious enough to include some of her more risqué trademarks. That year she appeared at Oswald Stoll’s Coliseum theatre in London. She had added a male dancer to her act, Signor Plauton. The pair danced a minuet and a tango. London critics regarded her attempt at the minuet as unsuccessful. They admitted that she was graceful, but thought that the stately nature of the dance did not suit her temperament. Her tango with Signor Plauton was more successful and applauded by critics. During this season, her fame spread to her native land. Theatre Magazine described Saharet in glowing terms.’her southern face is a sparkle with languorous vivacity. The very poise of her head is grace, The length of limbs, the exquisite shoulders and bust, the little feet like pinions combine to make her in appearance as well as in reality an ideal dancer.’

For the next two years Saharet continued her nonstop tours of Europe and the United States. By 1911 she had returned to the Coliseum. Signor Plauton again accompanied her. The pair danced the minuet and the tango and audiences were astounded by her trademark exit. Saharet would throw one leg right over her head and hold the ankle with her hand, whirling the leg at the audience, she would disappear with a saucy wink. That season at the Coliseum was also notable for dramatic events off stage. Clarissa’s marriage to Ike Rose was falling apart. According to the dancer she received information about her husband’s ‘mode of living’ which was incriminatory. The principal evidence in the subsequent divorce was an entry in a hotel visitor’s book. Clarissa stated that her husband had been cruel and ignored her. In 1914 Rose was blaming certain ‘Spanish gentlemen’ for the split. Regardless of cause, it was clear that by 1911 the marriage was over.

It soon became clearer that American millionaire, Fritz von Frantzius had become infatuated with the dancer. Some years before, Fritz and his wife had been in Pittsburgh where they had seen Von Stuck’s painting of Saharet. Fritz immediately bought it and began a long obsession with the sitter. Ironically Saharet considered the portrait ugly. Fritz disagreed. He divorced his wife and followed the dancer around the world. In November 1912, when Saharet’s divorce became final, she was dancing in Moscow. Von Frantzius was there too. When she became free he began a long and persistent courtship .In June 1913, Von Frantzius issued an ultimatum to his wandering love. Marry me immediately and give up the stage. Saharet dithered for a day and then agreed to sign a contract stating that she would never again dance publicly. On June 23^rd the stage was set for the culmination of Fritz’s dream. Saharet, dressed in champagne coloured tight skirt, white plumed hat and satin slippers with four diamond buckles on each shoe, walked into the marriage bureau clutching a large bunch of roses. After vows were exchanged she told reporters. ‘I am happy, but if you take my advice, don’t do it. I’ve been there before and I know. My dear, dear, Fritz, he has been so persistent and he is going to be so kind to me.’ She seemed to be in strange mood that day as she trilled a scale and reputedly sang. ‘I’ll be true to monkey doodle do way down in jungle land.’ She stayed true a mere four days, ripped up the contract and flew to Europe to fulfill dancing engagements. The shocked bridegroom was optimistic about her return. He told reporters that July,’she has gone to Europe, yes, but she will return in September. We love each other and always will.’ The Von Frantzius home in Chicago was festooned with portraits of his wife, Her pictures covered every wall in the house. The building was a shrine to the brown eyed, dark haired, rosy cheeked Australian . Fritz was hopeful when September arrived. Saharet did indeed return to Chicago but had a nasty surprise for her husband. She was performing in the city with her new dance partner, Signor Florido. Fritz heard rumours that the pair had been embracing outside the Bismarck hotel. He engaged lawyers and detectives to investigate and Saharet and her partner were caught in a very compromising position. The couple ensured detection by leaving the key in the lock of their rented hotel room. During the subsequent divorce hearings, Von Frantzius was described as speaking weakly and without composure. Two years later he died a broken and bankrupt man.
Clarissa and Signor Florido announced their intention to marry. However, Florido had complex marital problems to untangle. Meanwhile the pair continued to tour. In 1913 they toured the United States. Their first appearance in Los Angles gained rapturous reviews. Saharet and Florido never married but their dance partnership lasted for some time. In 1915 Clarissa appeared alone at the London Coliseum. Yet the next year, she appeared with Florido. The two performed a polka, and several Spanish dances. After that date performances became rare and unnoticed. A short article in the Chicago Tribune of 1917 seemed to be the final note of Saharet’s career. On June 2^nd 1917 Clarissa Campbell Saharet Rose Von Frantzius married Maxim P Lowe, a theatrical agent of Chicago. The marriage took place in New York. The bride remained in that city whilst the groom returned to Chicago.

 
Saharet was undoubtedly a woman of strong character, a beautiful lady who bewitched painters, millionaires and worldwide audiences. She was a graceful, nimble and audacious dancer, diamond lover, and above all a devotee of the dance. Her image remains in Edwardian postcards and forever associated with posters of the Moulin Rouge. In these images there is a glimpse of the cheeky, mischievous, young woman who conquered the world with her feet.