photo:
London Stereoscopic Co, London, mid 1890s
Jenny Dawson was an Englis actress and vocaluis. She made her début at
the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, in
a minor part, and shortly afterwards gained her first success as
Pousette in
the pantomime of Cinderella at the Prince’s Theatre, Manchester.
In
1886 she
came to London, and appeared as Jeames in Oliver Grumble at the Novelty
Theatre
[25 March 1886], under the management of Mr. Willie Edouin.
An Autumn
tour with
Mr. G.P. Hawtrey, to play in The Pickpocket, was followed by her
charming
impersonation of Allan-a-Dale in the successful pantomime of The Babes
in the
Wood at the Prince of Wales’ Theatre, Liverpool.
She remained in the
provinces
for a year, undertaking juvenile and leading parts, and principal
burlesque.
In
September, 1887, she accepted an offer to join the Drury Lane Company,
where
she played Mrs. Egerton in Pleasure, and made an adorable Cupid in the
pantomime of Puss in Boots.
Mr. George Edwardes next engaged Miss
Dawson for
his provincial tour of Miss Esmeralda, and she then crossed the
Atlantic solely
to understudy Miss Nelly Farren in America, which brought her but
barren
honours. Returning to England in June, 1888, she appeared in Faust up
to Date
at the Gaiety during Mr. Van Bienne’s short autumnal season, to the
success of
which she very materially conduced. A pantomime engagement took her to
Edinburgh for the winter, and in the spring of 1890 she was cast for
Millie in
The Bungalow at Toole’s [7 October 1889]. When Carmen up to Data was
produced
[Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool, 22 September 1890, transferred to the
Gaiety,
London, 4 October 1890], Miss Dawson created the rôle of Escamillo, but
not
liking the part, resigned it after the first week. Liverpool again
claimed her
for the winter pantomime, and in the spring of 1891 she was engaged by
Mr.
Thomas Thorne for Lady Franklin in the revival of Money, alternating
the part
with Miss Kate Phillips, after which she joined Mr. Charles Hawtrey’s
Company
at the Comedy, and besides creating the part of Rosabel in Houp La with
unqualified success, filled the leading part in Husband and Wife with
equal
verve during Miss Lottie Venne’s absence.’
(Erskine
Reid and Herbert Compton, The Dramatic Peerage, Raithby, Lawrence
& Co Ltd,
London, 1892, pp.67 and 68)
Jenny
Dawson, whose husband was Robert E. Sharlach, was the mother of the
actress,
singer and mimic, Marie Dainton (1880-1938).
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