Discover the life of one of Edwardian England's most celebrated and revered musical comedy stars, Lily Elsie. From her childhood days in the music-halls of Salford and her rise to fame as the child singing star 'Little Elsie' to her arrival in London and association with the most powerful theatre impresario of the time, George Edwardes. Her rise to fame as Sonia in Lehar's operetta The Merry Widow in 1907, produced by Edwardes at Daly's Theatre, was achieved in spite of her lack of confidence and overwhelming stage fright that would leave her sick with nervous exhaustion. Her final years were spent in isolation, supported by a few close friends like Cecil Beaton, her personality eroded by mental health problems. She died alone in 1962, a tragic end to a life which had promised so much. In fact her life had been anything but merry from the very beginning.
This special hardback edition was created to celebrate the blue plaque that was finally placed on Lily Elsie's former London home at Stanhope Place, Hyde Park, in August 2019. The plaque was unveiled by West End actress and singer Rosemary Ashe accompanied by Roy Hudd OBE on what would turn out to be one of his last public engagements. It was a joyous day also attended by Victoria Willis, whose mother and grandmother were great friends of Lily Elsie. Her mother, Mrs. Sonia Berry, I was privileged to meet and she helped me to understand elements of Lily Elsie's life for this book and kindly wrote a foreword. This edition is dedicated to her memory.
The book was originally published under the title Anything But Merry! The Life & Times of Lily Elsie but we changed the title for a subsequent paperback edition at the suggestion of my agent Robert Smith and for this new hardback edition to update the information since the blue plaque was unveiled.
Recenzijos
"David Slattery-Christy has researched his work diligently. He tells Lily Elsie's story clearly and dispassionately...his book is an important contribution to our understanding of Edwardes and the Gaiety Girls, one of the most glittering periods of London's theatre history."
Richard Anthony Baker - The Stage
"This is not a formal footnoted biography...Lily Elsie's life is written like a very well researched novel for the reader...it shines a light on a lady whose postcards from the height of her fame fascinate even now..."
K Maxwell - Sydney, Australia.
"A fascinating read. It was so sad to discover what happened to her."
Alan Titchmarsh
Chapter:
1886
Love or Marriage?
New Beginnings
Little Elsie
Destiny & The Guv'nor
A Chinese Honeymoon
Slings & Arrows!
Franz Lehar & Reconciliation
What Price Success?
A Reluctant Widow and Her Prince
Mrs. Bullough
The Last Edwardian Waltz
Comeback and the 1920s
The Last Act: Room 34
Tempus Fugit Semper Amici
Reference Section
Biographies
Theatres
Productions
Index
David was born in Oxford, England, in 1959. He graduated from London's City University with a B.A. (Hons) Degree in Journalism. In addition he has a teaching PGCE from Lancaster University and an M.A. Arts (Dist) in Scriptwriting from the University of Central Lancashire. He continues his professional development by undertaking Post Graduate research and history courses at the University of Oxford. He has written several plays, including critically acclaimed Naturally Insane! The Life of Dan Leno, about the famous Victorian music hall comedian, presented at the Criterion Theatre in London's West End and on national tour. He has also written theatre history books and novels, screenplays, and works as a theatre producer, director and consultant. He was the Ivor Novello Consultant on the Oscar and BAFTA winning film Gosford Park, Directed by Robert Altman, and the script consultant and guest of the week for the BBC Radio 3 special Composer of the Week dedicated to Ivor Novello with presenter Donald McCloud.
