Musical comedy was invented by George Edwardes, manager of
the Gaiety Theatre and later Daly’s Theatre in the 1890s
and early 1900s. From it developed the musicals that we know
today. Edwardes’ musical comedies introduced new and formulaic
stories. He dressed his characters in the height of fashion,
and accompanied the performance with tuneful undemanding music,
romantic lyrics and pretty dancing.
The musical plays included lots of ‘girl’ titles
– The Shop Girl, The Circus Girl, The
Girl in the Taxi, The Runaway Girl, The Cherry
Girl, The Girl behind the Counter and The
Pearl Girl . The heroines were independent and often earned
their own livings. The stories followed a familiar plot line
- a chorus girl breaks into high society, a shop girl makes
a good marriage. There was always a misunderstanding during
act one and an engagement at the end. In the words of a contemporary
review Edwardes’ musicals were ‘Light, Bright and
enjoyable’. But the real attraction of Edwardes’
musicals were the Gaiety Girls.
Other managements seeing Edwardes’ success began presenting
musicals like the hit Floradora with its song ‘Tell
me Pretty Maiden’. Today the best-remembered of the
musical comedies are probably The Merry Widow and The
Arcadians.
Great musical comedy performers included Ellaline Terriss and
her husband Seymour Hicks, Marie Tempest, Gertie Millar, Phyllis
Dare, Ada Reeve and C Hayden Coffin.
Ballad Operas
D’Oyly Carte Collaboration
