Not currently on display at the V&A

Caricature

September 1904 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This caricature is of the actor William Stephens at the Theatre Royal, Hanley, during the week of 19 September 1904. He was appearing as Jim Cheese, a dog trainer, in The Earl and the Girl by Seymour Hicks, with music by Ivan Caryll. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley. He compiled them in a series of albums.

The musical concerned the missing heir to the Earldom of Stole and how Dick Wargrave, the missing heir, gets Jim Cheese to impersonate him at a grand ball at Stole Hall. The musical was a great success when it opened in London at the Adelphi Theatre in December 1903. Although continuing its run in London throughout 1904, another company was formed to take it to regional theatres. This had a large orchestra, a full chorus, and scenery and costumes that were praised by a local reviewer as ‘superb’.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink and wash on paper
Brief description
Caricature of the actor William Stephens as Jim Cheese in the musical comedy The Earl and the Girl, from an album of caricatures drawn by George Cooke. September 1904.
Physical description
Pen, ink and wash caricature on pink paper of William Stephens, full-length, wearing a brown bowler hat, beige jacket, white tights, blue and yellow tie and red acrobat's trunks. He has a pipe in his mouth and a black poodle on a lead.
Marks and inscriptions
  • JIM CHEESE Earl and the Girl No.1 Company. (Hand written; Pen and ink)
  • Yours to a "Cheese" Wm Stephens 21/9/04 (Signature; Hand written; Pen and ink)
Object history
This caricature is of the actor William Stephens who was appearing with the number one tyouring company of the musical comedy 'The Earl and the Girl'. The caricature comes from the first of several albums compiled by the graphic artist George Cooke, featuring performers working in music hall in the early 20th century. The album is dated 1903-4-5.
Summary
This caricature is of the actor William Stephens at the Theatre Royal, Hanley, during the week of 19 September 1904. He was appearing as Jim Cheese, a dog trainer, in The Earl and the Girl by Seymour Hicks, with music by Ivan Caryll. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley. He compiled them in a series of albums.

The musical concerned the missing heir to the Earldom of Stole and how Dick Wargrave, the missing heir, gets Jim Cheese to impersonate him at a grand ball at Stole Hall. The musical was a great success when it opened in London at the Adelphi Theatre in December 1903. Although continuing its run in London throughout 1904, another company was formed to take it to regional theatres. This had a large orchestra, a full chorus, and scenery and costumes that were praised by a local reviewer as ‘superb’.
Collection
Accession number
S.392:16-2002

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Record createdNovember 26, 2003
Record URL
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