Established in June 1895, immediately after James Bell and his adoptive sister Ada Delroy completed their Australian engagements with
Harry Rickards, the Ada Delroy Co made its debut in Singleton, NSW. The company, generally comprising 12 artistes initially included Alroy, James Bell (eccentric comedian), Lillian Standbridge (soprano), Teddy Ford (comedian), P. C. Josephs (singer), Henry Burton (pianist/accompanist), Bert Phillips (musician), Marie Alston (soprano) and Madame Bell (visionary/telepathist billed as the "White Mahatma"). Bell acted as manager, with James Morgan engaged as advance rep.
After touring Australia and New Zealand through until late 1897, Delroy and Bell took the troupe on its first world tour - with the itinerary including South Africa, India, Hong Kong and the Philippines. By then the entertainment also included the film screenings and featured Delroy's famous 'Fire Dance,' inspired by the character Ayesha from H. Rider Haggard's classic novel
She (1886). Delroy and her troupe (aka the Delroy-Bell Company) returned to the Antipodes in July 1900 and continued touring both Australia and New Zealand through until around 1909, with occasional tours elsewhere (including Manila in 1904).
Other known members of the company include: Tom Hall and Bob Zeno, Lavinia Tyson, James Opie, Gertie McLeod, Alice Simmons, T. Bergin, Maud Lita, Lizzie Leslie, and mesmerist Dr Richard Rowe. In addition to Bell the company also engaged other managers, mostly for overseas tours - with these including William White (New Zealand) and Benno Scherek (South Africa). By 1900 the troupe's advance rep was James Bell Jnr.
[Source:
Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
