Not currently on display at the V&A

Cartoon commenting on the D'Oyly Carte's redressed production of The Mikado, 1926

Drawing
22/09/1926 (published)

The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company's new production of Gilbert and Sullivan's popular comic opera The Mikado at the Princes Theatre on Monday 20th September 1926 generated a huge amount of interest. Speculation about the new costumes designed by Charles Ricketts (1866-1931) generated a lot of press interest and speculation; tickets for the first night sold out months in advance, and the production was broadcast on the night on the radio live from the theatre by the BBC.

This cartoon shows the characters looking at their new costumes, Petti-Sing shocked, Katisha stone-faced, the Mikado angry, Pooh-Bah distainful, refusing to know the new version, and Nanki-Poo seemingly unconcerned. Aileen Davies played Petti-Sing, Bertha Lewis played Katisha, Darrell Fancourt played the Mikado, Leo Sheffield played Pooh-Bah, and Charles Goulding played Nanki-Poo.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCartoon commenting on the D'Oyly Carte's redressed production of The Mikado, 1926 (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink
Brief description
Cartoon commenting on the new costumes for the D'Oyly Carte Company's production of The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan at the Princes Theatre, 20th September 1926, designed by Charles Ricketts (1866-1931). Pen and ink published in The Bystander,22nd September 1926
Physical description
Pen and ink cartoon depicting the characters Petti-Sing, Katisha, the Mikado, Poo-Bah and Nanki-Poo dressed in their traditional costumes designed by C. Wilhelm, looking askance at their counterparts dressed in the new costumes designed by Charles Ricketts
Dimensions
  • Height: 54.4cm
  • Width: 40.0cm
Marks and inscriptions
'FROM THE BYSTANDER, 22ND SEPTEMBER 1926'/'A SHOCK FOR PETTI SING'/'KATISHA'/'THE OLD AND NEW MIKADO/''THE OLD POO-BAH REFUSES TO KNOW THE NEW'/'NANKI POO'
Credit line
Bequeathed by Peter Parker
Object history
This drawing was inherited by Peter Parker, who bequeathed it to the museum, from his father Stanley H. Parker (d.1960) who was employed by the Savoy Hotel as a junior clerk in May 1909, straight from school. From that job, on the death of Helen D'Oyly Carte in 1913, he was appointed by Rupert D'Oyly Carte to understudy George A. Richardson who managed the theatre from November 1911 to February 1915.

In 1913 Stanley H. Parker became Rupert and (later) Bridget D'Oyly Carte's private secretary, also secretary of both the Savoy Theatre Ltd., and the Opera Company. He worked for the company for 51 years, until his death in 1960.
Summary
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company's new production of Gilbert and Sullivan's popular comic opera The Mikado at the Princes Theatre on Monday 20th September 1926 generated a huge amount of interest. Speculation about the new costumes designed by Charles Ricketts (1866-1931) generated a lot of press interest and speculation; tickets for the first night sold out months in advance, and the production was broadcast on the night on the radio live from the theatre by the BBC.

This cartoon shows the characters looking at their new costumes, Petti-Sing shocked, Katisha stone-faced, the Mikado angry, Pooh-Bah distainful, refusing to know the new version, and Nanki-Poo seemingly unconcerned. Aileen Davies played Petti-Sing, Bertha Lewis played Katisha, Darrell Fancourt played the Mikado, Leo Sheffield played Pooh-Bah, and Charles Goulding played Nanki-Poo.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.1049-2021

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Record createdSeptember 6, 2021
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