Beatrice Lillie in Auntie Mame
Caricature
29 August 1958 (dated)
29 August 1958 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Beatrice Lillie (1894-1989) in the title role of Auntie Mame by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee at the Oxford New Theatre in August 1958. 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.
Beatrice Lillie, billed as ‘the funniest woman in the world’, grew up in Toronto and made her West End debut in 1914. She appeared in revue, on radio, and in television, films, and one-woman shows, and won an international reputation for her vivacity, wit, and use of parody.
Beatrice Lillie, billed as ‘the funniest woman in the world’, grew up in Toronto and made her West End debut in 1914. She appeared in revue, on radio, and in television, films, and one-woman shows, and won an international reputation for her vivacity, wit, and use of parody.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Beatrice Lillie in <i>Auntie Mame</i> (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Pencil, pen and ink and wash caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad of Beatrice Lillie in Auntie Mame at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated 29 August 1958. |
| Physical description | Pencil, pen and ink and wash caricature of Beatrice Lillie in Auntie Mame at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated 29 August 1958. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Michael Sommerlad |
| Object history | This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert J.Sommerlad (1904-1976) between October 1957 and October 1965 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Beatrice Lillie (1894-1989) in the title role of Auntie Mame by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee at the Oxford New Theatre in August 1958. 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. Beatrice Lillie, billed as ‘the funniest woman in the world’, grew up in Toronto and made her West End debut in 1914. She appeared in revue, on radio, and in television, films, and one-woman shows, and won an international reputation for her vivacity, wit, and use of parody. |
| Associated object | S.435-1995 (Object) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.133:13-2002 |
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| Record created | December 1, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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