Royalty Theatre and Later Years
On 31 March 1866, she became manageress of the New Royalty Theatre and opened with a revival of The Ticket-of-Leave Man, and Robert Reece's burlesque, Ulf the Minstrel. In a clever and successful piece by H. T. Craven, entitled Meg's Diversion, later that year, she acted the title part, the author played Jasper Pidgeon, and F. Dewar played Roland. On 29 November 1866 she put on the stage F. C. Burnand's burlesque, The Latest Edition of Black-eyed Susan, or, the Little Bill that was taken up. The piece, although it failed to please the critics, had an unprecedented run, and on its performance at the Royalty on 23 September 1868, it was said that Miss Oliver had repeated the song Pretty See-usan, don't say no, no less than 1775 times. During the run of this burlesque she produced as a first piece Andrew Halliday's drama, Daddy Gray, February 1868, and, later that year, a serio-comic drama by the same author, entitled The Loving Cup. Among other pieces, W. S. Gilbert's one-act farce, Highly Improbable played in 1867, and his burlesque, The Merry Zingara, played in 1869.
The last night of Miss Oliver's lesseeship was 30 April 1870, when a revival of Black-eyed Susan was given for the 490th time. The Era reported that, soon thereafter, Oliver was in New York with Lydia Thompson's troupe, along with Marie Wilton. After this period, however, she was seldom seen on the stage. She was a very pleasing actress and singer, and a general favourite with the public. The Era described the "refined vivacity and sparkling brightness" of her portrayals, her kindness, and her popularity among members of the theatrical profession. She generously advised young, and supported aged and unfortunate, actors. Oliver married, by license at the registry office, Marylebone, on 26 December 1876, William Charles Phillips, auctioneer, aged 31, son of William Phillips, auctioneer, of Bond Street, London.
Oliver died of cancer at St. John's Wood, London, in 1880, aged 46.
Read more about this topic: Martha Cranmer Oliver
Famous quotes containing the words royalty, theatre and/or years:
“Powerful, yes, that is the word that I constantly rolled on my tongue, I dreamed of absolute power, the kind that forces others to kneel, that forces the enemy to capitulate, finally converting him, and the more the enemy is blind, cruel, sure of himself, buried in his conviction, the more his admission proclaims the royalty of he who has brought on his defeat.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)
“As in a theatre the eyes of men,
After a well-graced actor leaves the stage,
Are idly bent on him that enters next,
Thinking his prattle to be tedious,
Even so, or with much more contempt, men’s eyes
Did scowl on gentle Richard.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)