GILBERT AND SULLIVAN

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17994, 12 April 1930, Page 17 (Supplement)

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN

JESSIE BOND’S REIVIINISCENCES. NO-GOSSIP RULE FOR ACTORS. How as a young girl she was abducted by her singing master at the door of a church in which she was about to sing, driven away in a cab, and forced by threats into marriage, is told of "Darling Jessie Bond,” the idol for 20 years of the public which went wild with rapture over the original Gilbert and Sullivan operas.The story appears in her captivating autobiography, “The Life and Reminiscences of Jessie Bond,” as told by herself to Ethel Mac George, which has just been published. Before her baby was born she left her husband, and after some years obtained a divorce.

Then D’Oyley Carte engaged her at a salary of £3 a week t 6 play Ilebe in “H.M.S. Pinafore.” She bad sung in oratorio, but she had no stage experience, and the part, originally the chief

one, was heavily cut for her, the opera being considerably shortened as a result.

That was at the old Opera Comique. Then the company removed to the Savoy, and for 20 years she remained a Savoyard. Gilbert wrote the part of lolanthe for her and gave her the part of Phoebe in “The Yeomen of the Guard,”'with the remark: “Here you are, Jessie; you needn’t act this; it’s you.”

Exasperated by demands for bigger ’’salaries, Gilbert wrote “The Gondoliers,” in which there were no leading parts.

But Jessie still asked for a rise, and got it. “Gilbert was furious with me. All the time we were rehearsing he never spoke to me, and only acknowledged my existence by sometimes saying sneeringly: ‘Make way for the highsalaried artist 1’ ’’

No theatre discipline could be stricter than enforced by Gilbert and Sullivan. No gossiping was allowed, and the actors and actresses were severely segregated. Over Miss Bond Gilbert watched like a dragon. The famous triumvirate was in fact a little despotic—- “ They were kindness itself in many ways, but they certainly treated us more as soldiers to be commanded, or even as neophytes under a vow, than as human entities.” King Edward’s Cigar. The Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII., showed her much kindness. Once he entered the green room at the Savoy, where with some of the company she was sitting sewing. He was smoking a cigar. “No ‘May I, ladies?’ or ‘By your leave,’ you observe. This behaviour annoyed me very much.. I looked at my Sovereign none too meekly, and sat down.” Later the Prince asked her what she was doing. “ ‘i’m turning a sheet sides to middle, Sir,.' I replied. '“‘Can’t I help you?’ “ Tin afraid you’d do more harm than good, Sir,” was my uncourlierlike response. He laughed, and in a few minutes left the green room.”

She left the stage in 1395, after a revival of “The Mikado,” which marked the reconciliation of Gilbert and Sullivan following their famous quarrel.

She married Mr Lewis Ransomc, an engineer, and did not see Gilbert again until a few months before his death, lie had been strongly opposed to her r element. *• ‘Haven’t you ever forgiven me for getting married, Sir William?' I asked. ‘Married?’ he said. ‘Are you married?’ ‘Of course I’m married,’ I retorted sharply. 'You know I am. I've been married for fifteen years.’ “He shrugged his shoulders. ‘Let me see,’ he said. ‘I never sent you a wedding present, did I? I must do that now.’ ” And he did. And Still She Danced. Jessie Bond, now 77, living at Worthing, and left a widow some years ago, reveals that at the outset of her stage career an injury left her ankle permanently stiff. The public which watched her light-heartedly dancing little realised the effoit it caused her.