Caricature
09/1907 (drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature is of Tom Motramo when he was performing at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 23 September 1907. He and Marie Motramo were billed as ‘musical and comedy artistes’. 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. He compiled them in a series of albums.
When the act appeared at Hanley in September 1904, it was billed as Algie and Marie Motramo. A local review described the duo as ‘eccentric musicians, but pre-eminently humorous dialoguists’. Whenever they performed the act at Hanley, it was with ‘Do You Reverse?’. This was a comedy musical act, possibly about a couple of dancers. Tom Motramo is seen here as a rather gormless ‘toff’, presumably his stage character for the act. He added the inscription ‘Do you reverse?’ to the caricature, along with his signature and date.
When the act appeared at Hanley in September 1904, it was billed as Algie and Marie Motramo. A local review described the duo as ‘eccentric musicians, but pre-eminently humorous dialoguists’. Whenever they performed the act at Hanley, it was with ‘Do You Reverse?’. This was a comedy musical act, possibly about a couple of dancers. Tom Motramo is seen here as a rather gormless ‘toff’, presumably his stage character for the act. He added the inscription ‘Do you reverse?’ to the caricature, along with his signature and date.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Caricature of the music hall performer, the comedian Tom Matramo, from an album of caricatures drawn by George Cooke. September 1907. |
| Physical description | Pen, ink and wash caricature on pink paper of Tom Motramo, full-length, standing with one hand in his pocket, wearing evening dress with a black tail-coat, high white collar and tie and a white waistcoat. He has fair hair, parted at the centre, and wears a monocle in his right eye. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Do you reverse? Best wishes Tom Motramo 29.9.07 (Signature; Hand written; Pen and ink) |
| Object history | This caricature is of the music hall performer and comedian Tom Motramo who appeared with Marie Motramo at The Grand Theatre of Varieties Hanley during the week of the 23rd September 1907, billed as 'comedy musical artistes.' He signs it with the phrase 'Do you reverse', relating to the sketch of the same name that The Motramos performermed at Collins' Hippodrome, Stoke on Trent, September 1904, when the act consisted of Algie and Marie Motramo, and at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, July 1906. The caricature comes from the second album of caricatures in a collection of albums owned by the Theatre Museum compiled by the graphic artist George Cooke. It is labelled by the artist 'Geo Cooke HYS BOOKE' and features music hall performers working in the early 20th century. |
| Summary | This caricature is of Tom Motramo when he was performing at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 23 September 1907. He and Marie Motramo were billed as ‘musical and comedy artistes’. 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. He compiled them in a series of albums. When the act appeared at Hanley in September 1904, it was billed as Algie and Marie Motramo. A local review described the duo as ‘eccentric musicians, but pre-eminently humorous dialoguists’. Whenever they performed the act at Hanley, it was with ‘Do You Reverse?’. This was a comedy musical act, possibly about a couple of dancers. Tom Motramo is seen here as a rather gormless ‘toff’, presumably his stage character for the act. He added the inscription ‘Do you reverse?’ to the caricature, along with his signature and date. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.393:54-2002 |
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| Record created | December 11, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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