y separately published work icon The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy single work   musical theatre   opera   humour  
Issue Details: First known date: 1905... 1905 The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Gilbert Cameron (a baritone) is in love with the indifferent Nanette (a soprano). In a fit of despair he joins the Suicide Club, and is selected to die at his very first ballot, but changes his mind and flies to Colombo. He (and for diverse reasons several others in the company), is pursued by the Suicide Club who seek his death. Eventually captured Gilbert is about to be put to death when the intercession of Lady Bloomsbury gains his reprieve by her suggested alteration of the Club's rules from 'and he on whom the Fates decide, within three months time must suicide' to 'must take a bride.'

Notes

  • Based on a libretto by W. J. Curtis, a young amateur actor and member of the junior bar, with additional material by journalist/essayist John I. Hunt, this was the first of two comic operas composed by W. Arundel Orchard in collaboration with Curtis - the other being The Emperor (1906). The pair also produced the cantata, Uller the Bowman (1913) and the opera, Dorian Gray (completed in 1916 but never staged as a while work).
  • Finding much to praise with the production, the Sydney Morning Herald theatre critic nevertheless noted how difficult it was for Australian works to compete against the imported show:

    The Coquette, as it stands would represent the kind of comic opera which runs for about fifty nights in London, which is tantamount to admitting that it is not equal to the only standard with which Australian playgoers are acquainted. That is to say [it] would be quite favourably reviewed by the London critics… but it would never reach Australia. The only pieces with which our audiences are acquainted are those which have made gigantic successes in London" ('Palace Theatre,' 29 August 1905, p.8).

    The Theatre Magazine critic, who was similarly impressed with the collaborators' first up effort, went so far as to describe the production as an event of almost national importance:

    Despite the belief to the contrary, a local product suffers in no way by comparison with the imported article, in fact, placed beside some recent alleged comic operas which have been foisted on Australian audiences, the new work is miles above them, both from a musical and literary standpoint. The book… displays a certain amount of originality though lacking somewhat in comedy… Mr W. Arundell Orchard's music is tuneful, bright and original, and what is most gratifying, appropriate, the music seemingly suggests the surroundings and words. His choruses are a regular musical feast of harmony, though at times extremely complicated (1 September 1912, p.12).

    Australian Town and Country Journal also found much to like about The Coquette:

    As to the piece itself, the various situations are cleverly managed, the development of an original plot, though run on conventional lines, is ingenious and humorous, while Mr. Curtis has written some good lyrics, and he and Mr. Hunt have evolved some distinctly amusing dialogues and witticisms. Mr. Orchard's important share in the opera shows much musical taste, particularly with regard to the orchestration of the work given to the band, the accompaniment to the dances and choruses being rich and taking, but there is rather a want of melodies of the "catchy" order, for with the exception of the 'Colombo' refrain there are few airs that suggest that they will shortly be whistled about the streets, the surest touchstone of popular favour ('New Comic Opera.' 30 Aug. 1905, p.10).

  • Perhaps the most negative review came from Sydney's Daily Telegraph with the paper's critic writing:

    Whatever success comes of the new opera is derived mainly from its music… [the composer] displays a gift of melody and harmony which finds expression, for example, in such tuneful ballad music as the solo for soprano in the first act, 'Love and Duty,' or the sparkling trifle, 'If I Were You,' a quintette in graceful dance measure or the rousing toast song in the last act… Mr Orchard has dealt lightly with his orchestra, so that the voices are never overweighted."

    The same critic reports that the 'libretto is distinctly the weak part of the work. The lyrics possess no overwhelming literary merit and their metre is halting here and there' (qtd in 'Musical and Dramatic Notes,' West Australian 19 September 1905, p.9).

Production Details

  • 1905: Palace Theatre, Sydney; 28 Aug. - 2 Sept. [6 nights and a matinee]

    • Conductor W. Arundel Orchard; Choreographer Minnie Hooper.
    • Cast incl. Minnie Regan (Nanette), Mary Allen (Lady Bloomsbury), W. J. Curtis (Jeremy Pymble), S. A. Gorden (Gilbert), Cuthbert Sancroft, H. Blandford Wright, J. C. McKeown (Percival Pryington), W. D. Loughlin, Clare Lyttleton (Vivienne Vanburgh).
    • The entire cast numbered some 100 performers, including a chorus of some fifty amateurs.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Works about this Work

y separately published work icon The Distant View W. Arundel Orchard , Sydney : Currawong , 1943 Z1288445 1943 single work autobiography

W. Arundel Orchard was a British-born Australian organist, pianist, composer, conductor and music educator.

Palace Theatre - 'The Coquette' 1905 single work review
— Appears in: Sydney Morning Herald , 29 August 1905; (p. 8)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Review of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

A New Comic Opera 1905 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian Town and Country Journal , 30 August vol. 71 no. 1856 1905; (p. 10)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Review of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

'The Coquette Or, A Suicidal Policy' 1905 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser , 30 August vol. 80 no. 2286 1905; (p. 571)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Review of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

'The Coquette' at the Palace Theatre 1905 single work review
— Appears in: Evening News , 29 August 1905; (p. 7)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Review of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

Amusements : The Coquette 1905 single work review
— Appears in: Freeman's Journal , 26 August 1905; (p. 26)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Preview of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

An Australian-made Opera : 'The Coquette' 1905 single work review
— Appears in: World's News , 26 August 1905; (p. 11)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Preview of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

'The Coquette' 1905 single work review
— Appears in: The Theatre Magazine , 15 August 1905; (p. 14)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre
'The Coquette' 1905 single work review
— Appears in: The Theatre Magazine , 1 September 1905; (p. 12)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Review of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

'The Coquette' at the Palace Theatre 1905 single work review
— Appears in: Evening News , 29 August 1905; (p. 7)

— Review of The Coquette ; Or, A Suicidal Policy W. J. Curtis , John Ignatius Hunt , 1905 single work musical theatre

Review of the 1905 Sydney production of The Coquette (Palace Theatre; 28 August - 2 September).

y separately published work icon The Distant View W. Arundel Orchard , Sydney : Currawong , 1943 Z1288445 1943 single work autobiography

W. Arundel Orchard was a British-born Australian organist, pianist, composer, conductor and music educator.

PeriodicalNewspaper Details

Note:
This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive
Last amended 3 Aug 2016 09:06:07
Newspapers:
    Powered by Trove
    X