The conductor Leonard Morris conducting Jubilee Girl thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

The conductor Leonard Morris conducting Jubilee Girl

Caricature
24 March 1956 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This caricature shows Leonard Morris conducting a performance of Jubilee Girl at the Oxford New Theatre on 24 March 1956. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn't needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Jubilee Girl, the musical by Robin Fordyce and David Rogers with music by Alexander Kevin, opened at the Victoria Palace in London in June 1956 with orchestrations by Leonard Morris and the orchestra which he conducted. The week in March at the Oxford New Theatre was part of the try-out tour. The cast included Lizbeth Webb, Marie Lohr, Irene Handl, George Benson and Fenella Fielding.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe conductor Leonard Morris conducting <font -i>Jubilee Girl</font -i> (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil on cream cartridge paper
Brief description
Pencil caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of the conductor Leonard Morris conducting Jubilee Girl at the Oxford New Theatre, dated 24 March 1956
Physical description
Pencil caricature of the conductor Leonard Morris conducting Jubilee Girl, dated 24 March 1956, part of an artist's hard-backed sketch book manufactured by George Rowney & Co., called 'The Euston Sketch Book'. The pencilled sketch is drawn directly onto the page (cream cartridge paper). Titled and dated by the artist and signed by the subject.
Dimensions
  • Height: 14.0cm
  • Width: 9.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • JUBILEE GIRL 24.3.56 (Pencil inscription by Gilbert Sommerlad)
  • Best wishes Leonard Morris (Pencil signature by Leonard Morris)
Credit line
Given by Michael Sommerlad
Object history
The artist of these caricatures, Gilbert Sommerlad, was by profession a musician who was born into a family that had a long tradition of professional musicians. In 1936 he moved to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist.

Gilbert was an exceptionally good and popular rehearsal pianist, and visiting companies and individual performers used to make sure that he would be available. He became well-known in the profession and his ability as a caricaturist became common knowledge. The volume that includes this drawing contains sketches mostly of musical directors and conductors working at the Oxford New Theatre with Gilbert Sommerlad.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This caricature shows Leonard Morris conducting a performance of Jubilee Girl at the Oxford New Theatre on 24 March 1956. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn't needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Jubilee Girl, the musical by Robin Fordyce and David Rogers with music by Alexander Kevin, opened at the Victoria Palace in London in June 1956 with orchestrations by Leonard Morris and the orchestra which he conducted. The week in March at the Oxford New Theatre was part of the try-out tour. The cast included Lizbeth Webb, Marie Lohr, Irene Handl, George Benson and Fenella Fielding.
Collection
Accession number
S.130:36-2002

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Record createdDecember 15, 2003
Record URL
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