Author Topic: Theatre selection  (Read 75350 times)

Offline monocle

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Theatre selection
« on: November 06, 2014, 07:27:29 PM »
A pretty recent acquisition and one of the few American posters I have in my collection. I love Victorian melodrama and I think this is pretty well as good as it gets. The image comes from the show 'Blue Jeans' and it shows the celebrated scene in which the villain (curiously clean-shaven) ties our hero (amazingly moustache-laden) to the buzz-saw. This is the show that started all the buzz saw parodies that were to follow in decades to come, so you can see why I was so pleased to stumble across it!

Nick
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Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2014, 07:41:54 PM »
A later Victorian version of a celebrated play entitled 'The Octoroon'. This first appeared on the American stage in 1859 and toured for some years. The storyline features a mixed race couple and it caused a lot of unrest in the days leading up to the civil war. The USA version apparently ended with a tragic split but in the UK and elsewhere the couple were happily reunited at the end of the play.

Nick
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2014, 07:45:57 PM »
Very nice pieces, monocle.  thumbsup.gif

What are the dimensions of each of those posters?



-Jeff

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2014, 07:59:17 PM »
Believe it or not Jeff, I haven't the foggiest! It's not something I always make a note of. The British ones are a pretty standard size for a UK theatre single sheet poster I think? About 30 inches by 20 inches?

Oh, and here's another. 'A Brace of Partridges' dating from 1897. Who cares whether it was any good or not when you've got such a grand interpretation of what it's like to be soaked to the skin!


Nick
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Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2014, 08:39:26 PM »
A rather curious poster for a production (1890s?) of W S Gilbert's play 'Pygmalion and Galatea'. The curious thing about this one is that the poster artist has consciously decided to lampoon the art style of Aubrey Beardsley - even to the point of using the fake satirical and mocking signature 'Weirdsly Daubery'.

Nick
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Offline Ari

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2014, 11:55:26 PM »
check out Jess Francos BLOODY MOON for the final word in Circular Saw Mahem ;)

nice posters.
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Offline CSM

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2014, 12:25:00 AM »
Great posters
Chris

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2014, 04:40:55 AM »
Following your suggestion Ari, I've just Googled 'Bloody Moon'. As I was in the process of having breakfast, I rather wish I hadn't. And I have a funny feeling that their buzz saw scene doesn't include an heroic rescue.
Nick
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Offline Ari

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2014, 05:07:10 AM »
oops. sorry. remember that before and after reading pretty much anything I say ;)
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Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2014, 12:01:22 PM »
Thanks for the warning Ari. I think we can safely say that mine are a little more, 'er how shall I put it, slightly more gentrified in design? Perhaps just a tad more elegant with a noticeable shortage of gore and limb-loss?



Thanks to all for the nice comments by the way!
« Last Edit: November 07, 2014, 12:02:16 PM by monocle »
Nick
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Offline CSM

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2014, 12:08:32 PM »
"Farcical"

That's a word I need to start using more
Chris

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2014, 12:20:49 PM »
My dear wife uses it all the time Chris...

I really don't have anything horrific to hand...once one discounts the children. And my own nature prevents me from watching any horror film released after the 1960s. Revolving stages I understand. Revolving heads I avoid. Even so, I still wouldn't like to wake up in the middle of the night with this poster in clear view. One of my items to 'move on' methinks...
Nick
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Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2014, 03:23:20 PM »
This 'Circus Girl' was an successful Monckton and Caryll musical comedy dating from the 1890s. No discernible artist (although I do need new glasses) unless of course it's the clown peering in from the top right. It was a very successful show indeed, earning additional 'publicity' when the celebrated actor William Terriss, who was on his way to see the show, was stabbed outside the Adelphi theatre by a deranged fellow thespian. This poster is I think for the tour that followed.

Nice to see the character of the Italian ring master Albertoni dead centre, although I am sorry that if doesn't feature the splendidly named 'Drivelli' (the owner of the circus) or the villainous wrestler 'Toothick Pasha the Terrible Turk' who has to fight an American bartender to stop him getting the heroine. Great stuff!

Nick
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2014, 03:30:49 PM »
My dear wife uses it all the time Chris...

I really don't have anything horrific to hand...once one discounts the children. And my own nature prevents me from watching any horror film released after the 1960s. Revolving stages I understand. Revolving heads I avoid. Even so, I still wouldn't like to wake up in the middle of the night with this poster in clear view. One of my items to 'move on' methinks...


Very nice on this one, monocle. Me likes!

 clap clap clap

 prayer.gif


-Jeff

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2014, 03:49:15 PM »
Actually Jeff there is a movie link here. This poster was produced for the 1895 play 'The Sign of the Cross' written by the celebrated actor, manager and dramatist Wilson Barrett. Apparently it was a bit of a Quo Vadis religious melodrama - somewhere I have another version showing a Roman punch up. Anyway, the fact that it features a character going by the name of 'Marcus Superbus' makes it a winner in my book. Now for the bit you probably already know. In 1932 this play was made into a film produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille! Extraordinary...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sign_of_the_Cross_(film)
« Last Edit: November 09, 2014, 06:17:42 PM by monocle »
Nick
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2014, 03:53:26 PM »
Indeed...

And a perfect kind of vehicle for DeMille to have made, too.  thumbsup.gif



-Jeff

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2014, 03:55:59 PM »
I wonder if there are DeMille collectors on the forum who know more about it?

Nick
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #17 on: November 09, 2014, 04:05:18 PM »
Ive never seen the film, but want to check it out, especially since it has been fully restored to its original, feature length.



-Jeff

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #18 on: November 09, 2014, 06:14:45 PM »
You mean it's available now? Good lord! Well as if that wasn't enough, here comes the creepy lady again in a scene somewhat reminiscent of later vampire flicks...


« Last Edit: November 09, 2014, 06:16:23 PM by monocle »
Nick
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #19 on: November 09, 2014, 06:27:54 PM »
You mean it's available now? Good lord! Well as if that wasn't enough, here comes the creepy lady again in a scene somewhat reminiscent of later vampire flicks...




The film was fully restored back to its full 125 min running time, back in 1993 by the UCLA Film and Television Archive with the help of the DeMille estate and Universal Pictures. (as noted, too, in the wiki link above).  ;)


-Jeff

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #20 on: November 09, 2014, 06:37:39 PM »
I assume Jeff that this means it's available for researchers and scholars to view by appointment? Surely they haven't released it on DVD?!
Nick
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Offline erik1925

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #21 on: November 09, 2014, 06:45:26 PM »
I assume Jeff that this means it's available for researchers and scholars to view by appointment? Surely they haven't released it on DVD?!

It is available (the full, unedited 125 min version) on DVD:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sign-Cross-Fredric-March/dp/B004KZH5LI

Or-- you may wish to watch the 1914, Frederick Thomson-directed version.  ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suoZrmT1crA



« Last Edit: November 09, 2014, 06:49:05 PM by erik1925 »


-Jeff

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #22 on: November 09, 2014, 07:06:37 PM »
Will wonders never cease? That is extraordinary. Now the world can judge just how Superbus Marcus is...
Nick
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Offline paul waines

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #23 on: May 24, 2015, 11:55:29 AM »
How come I missed this section, jollynice stuff Monocle.

Have you ever seen anything from this troop....

It's more than a Hobby...

Offline monocle

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Re: Theatre selection
« Reply #24 on: May 24, 2015, 12:18:08 PM »
Thanks Paul!

At first I thought this was quite American in style but I believe the chap actually hailed from Lancashire. I love the positioning of his 'drag' character so powerfully to the front right of the poster. Apparently Charlie Chaplin spent a year his troupe...

http://www.peterboroughimages.co.uk/blog/will-murrays-caseys-court-1906/
Nick
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