Gentleman Joe
Encyclopedia
Gentleman Joe, The Hansom Cabbie is a farcical musical comedy
with music by Walter Slaughter
and a libretto by Basil Hood
.
It opened at that Prince of Wales Theatre
on 2 March 1895 and ran for a very successful 391 performances. The show was written as a vehicle for the comedian Arthur Roberts. A short burlesque entitled A Trilby Triflet was introduced as part of Gentleman Joe a week after Looking for Trilby opened at the Haymarket Theatre
. The Times
newspaper praised Roberts for his imitation of Herbert Beerbohm Tree
. The cast of Gentleman Joe also included Kitty Loftus as Emma and W. H. Denny
as Pilkington Jones. There was soon a Newark, New Jersey
production in late 1895 at Miner's Theatre and then at the Fifth Avenue Theatre
in New York City
in 1896.
Gentleman Joe was Hood's first full-scale musical comedy, and its success prompted Hood to leave the military to concentrate on his writing. Hood and Slaughter went on to write several more comedies together, including The French Maid
in 1896 and another successful vehicle for Roberts, Dandy Dan, the Lifeguardsman in 1897.
The American production of Gentleman Joe opened at the Bijou Theatre
in early 1896 featuring James T. Powers, Clara Wieland, and Flora Irwin. Songs interpolated include "He Wanted Something to Play With" (sung by Powers) and "Honey does you love yer man?" sung by Flora Irwin in blackface. A few notices of the show indicate that new songs were interpolated with frequency.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with music by Walter Slaughter
Walter Slaughter
Walter Alfred Slaughter was an English conductor and composer of musical comedy, comic opera and children's shows. He was engaged in the West End as a composer and musical director from 1883 to 1904.-Life and career:...
and a libretto by Basil Hood
Basil Hood
Basil Willett Charles Hood was a British librettist and lyricist, perhaps best known for writing the libretti of half a dozen Savoy Operas and for his English adaptations of operettas, including The Merry Widow. He embarked on a career in the British army, writing theatrical pieces in his spare...
.
It opened at that Prince of Wales Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner...
on 2 March 1895 and ran for a very successful 391 performances. The show was written as a vehicle for the comedian Arthur Roberts. A short burlesque entitled A Trilby Triflet was introduced as part of Gentleman Joe a week after Looking for Trilby opened at the Haymarket Theatre
Haymarket Theatre
The Theatre Royal Haymarket is a West End theatre in the Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use...
. The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper praised Roberts for his imitation of Herbert Beerbohm Tree
Herbert Beerbohm Tree
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree was an English actor and theatre manager.Tree began performing in the 1870s. By 1887, he was managing the Haymarket Theatre, winning praise for adventurous programming and lavish productions, and starring in many of its productions. In 1899, he helped fund the...
. The cast of Gentleman Joe also included Kitty Loftus as Emma and W. H. Denny
W. H. Denny
W. H. Denny was an English singer and actor best remembered for his portrayal of baritone roles in the Savoy Operas.-Early years:...
as Pilkington Jones. There was soon a Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
production in late 1895 at Miner's Theatre and then at the Fifth Avenue Theatre
Fifth Avenue Theatre
Fifth Avenue Theatre was a Broadway theatre in New York City in the United States located at 31 West 28th Street and Broadway. It was demolished in 1939....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1896.
Gentleman Joe was Hood's first full-scale musical comedy, and its success prompted Hood to leave the military to concentrate on his writing. Hood and Slaughter went on to write several more comedies together, including The French Maid
The French Maid
The French Maid is a musical comedy in two acts by Basil Hood, with music by Walter Slaughter, first produced at the Theatre Royal, Bath, England, under the management of Milton Bode on the 4 April 1896. It then opened London's Terry's Theatre under the management of W. H...
in 1896 and another successful vehicle for Roberts, Dandy Dan, the Lifeguardsman in 1897.
The American production of Gentleman Joe opened at the Bijou Theatre
Bijou Theatre
Two Broadway theatres have been named the Bijou Theatre.The first was converted into a theatre in 1878 and rebuilt in 1883. It was often called the Bijou Opera House and was located at 1239 Broadway. It was also sometimes called The Brighton Theatre. It became a popular venue for operettas in...
in early 1896 featuring James T. Powers, Clara Wieland, and Flora Irwin. Songs interpolated include "He Wanted Something to Play With" (sung by Powers) and "Honey does you love yer man?" sung by Flora Irwin in blackface. A few notices of the show indicate that new songs were interpolated with frequency.