Eleanor Evans (1893 – 20 December 1969) was a Welsh actress, singer and stage director. She performed in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas for over a span of more than 20 years with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. In 1949, she was appointed as the company's Stage Director and Director of Productions, continuing in those positions until 1953, but she proved to be unpopular with actors whom she directed because of her inflexibility and strict devotion to the traditional staging and comic business that had been used by the company for decades.
Evans was born in Henllan, Denbighshire, the middle daughter of John Evans, a veterinarian who specialised in gelding horses. She had four brothers and two sisters. Her elder sister was the opera singer Laura Evans-Williams.[1] Evans studied at the Royal Academy of Music, as did her future husband, the bass-baritone Darrell Fancourt, with whom she sang at a Royal Academy concert in May 1914.[2] They married in January 1917.[3]
Fancourt joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as a principal in 1920, and Evans followed him into the company as a chorister in 1921. Evans, who acquired the nickname "Snookie", first played the role of the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury later that year. According to fellow D'Oyly Carte performer Derek Oldham, "Oh, she was so beautiful, was Snookie! We all fell for her, and we gave Darrell a busy time keeping us 'off'."[4] Evans continued singing in the chorus until 1923 and also was given the small role of Ada in Princess Ida. She again sang the Plaintiff during 1924, and also played the larger role of Lady Psyche in Princess Ida. Occasionally, she also filled in as Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore. She continued to play the Plaintiff and Psyche in the 1925–26 season. After that, she returned to the chorus but on occasion she filled in as Psyche and as Gianetta in The Gondoliers during the next season. From 1927 to 1937, she sang only in the chorus. She left the company in July 1937, but returned from 1941 to 1945, again singing in the chorus.[5]
Stage directoredit
Soon after Bridget D'Oyly Carte inherited the company, in 1949, she appointed Evans as Stage Director and Director of Productions to replace Anna Bethell (Mrs. Sydney Granville).[5] The choice of the temperamental Snookie, the wife of a leading principal with the company, was a highly unpopular one and contributed to a wave of defections from the company culminating in 1951. One of the most important stars to leave the company was principal comedian Martyn Green. He wrote in his 1952 memoir:
I had heard there was some possibility of [the selection of Evans] happening and ... told Miss Carte that I thought she was making a great psychological error. During Anna Bethell's regime (Mrs. Sydney Granville), there had been growing signs of discontent and suggestions of favouritism being shown to some of the members of the chorus in respect to passing over existing understudies, selections for small parts, and so on.... But to appoint not only a woman who had for fifteen years worked in the chorus alongside several who were now principals, but the wife of one of the main principals, seemed to me to be a psychological error of the first magnitude. I felt that ... she would, rightly or wrongly, be accused of that very same favouritism. My views made no impression on Miss Carte, but time was to prove that I was right. Discontent grew, changes were constantly taking place, and criticism became rampant. Nor did it stop at the methods of production; it went so far as to suggest a complete lack of knowledge, evidenced ... by constant self-contradiction. There were other accusations levelled against her, of a more serious nature.... [Those] in control ... apparently assumed in the first place that the performers are little more than automatons and are completely devoid of brains or the ability to think for themselves. Production is done to a plan that takes no consideration of the individual, his personality or his histrionic ability – a stereotyped plan that results in a clockwork performance devoid of spontaneity.[6]
Historian Tony Joseph writes: "But Green was not the only member of the Company to leave.... Ella Halman left too. So did Richard Watson ... Margaret Mitchell ... Radley Flynn and no fewer than twenty-two other small part players and choristers. It was the largest single exodus of performers in D'Oyly Carte history, and that was why the sense of sadness that hovered over the season was so marked.... August 1951 was the end of an era."[7] Cynthia Morey, who joined the Company just before the mass exodus writes: "I have never found out precisely why this great exodus took place.... We were always under the impression that we should feel honoured to be in the employ of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company; it was patently obvious that the management held firmly to the policy that nobody is indispensable".[8] Morey also writes:
[Snookie]'s career in the company commenced as a chorister in the 1920/21 season [and she then played several roles with the company]. In 1927 she was apparently demoted to the chorus, and there she remained for [fifteen years]. Then, in 1949, under the grand name of Stage Director we find the name: Eleanor Evans. I should not have thought these qualifications sufficient for such an important post; to spend all those years as a chorister seems to signify a lack of ambition or achievement. But I suppose a 'Director of productions' in those days merely needed to know every move and every gesture, and exactly when they occurred, for no departure from the set production was ever permitted.[9]
Soprano Shirley Hall said: "All she did was just show you the moves – you never had any real direction ... you just got told to do what everybody had done for years ... carbon copy performances. ... [T]he inflections and everything had to be exactly as prescribed."[10]Richard Walker and others also criticised Evans's temperament and methods. She retired as stage director in 1953, the year that her husband retired and died, but she coached new D'Oyly Carte principals in their roles for some years thereafter.[5] One of these was Kenneth Sandford, who wrote, "It took me about two years to get rid of the shackles of [her direction]".[11] She was replaced as Director of Productions by Robert Gibson.[12]
^Berger, Leon. "Obituaries: Shirley Hall", The Gilbert and Sullivan News, Vol. V, No.2, Summer 2013, pp. 16–17
^Watt, John. "The Ones that I Like", Interview with Sandford, c. 1972, at the Memories of the D'Oyly Carte website
^Stone, David. "Robert Gibson", 1 October 2009 at the Wayback MachineWho Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, 26 August 2007, accessed 26 November 2009
Referencesedit
Green, Martyn (1952). Here's a How-de-do. New York: W. W. Norton & Co. American Edition (contains information not found in the British edition).
Joseph, Tony (1994). D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, 1875–1982: An Unofficial History. London: Bunthorne Books. ISBN0-9507992-1-1
Morey, Cynthia. Inclined to Dance and Sing (Chichester: Prospero Books, 1998)
Rollins, C. and R. J. Witts, eds. The D'Oyly Carte Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas (1962)
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
eleanor, evans, 1893, december, 1969, welsh, actress, singer, stage, director, performed, gilbert, sullivan, operas, over, span, more, than, years, with, oyly, carte, opera, company, 1949, appointed, company, stage, director, director, productions, continuing,. Eleanor Evans 1893 20 December 1969 was a Welsh actress singer and stage director She performed in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas for over a span of more than 20 years with the D Oyly Carte Opera Company In 1949 she was appointed as the company s Stage Director and Director of Productions continuing in those positions until 1953 but she proved to be unpopular with actors whom she directed because of her inflexibility and strict devotion to the traditional staging and comic business that had been used by the company for decades Eleanor Evans in about 1950 Contents 1 Early years 2 Stage director 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksEarly years editEvans was born in Henllan Denbighshire the middle daughter of John Evans a veterinarian who specialised in gelding horses She had four brothers and two sisters Her elder sister was the opera singer Laura Evans Williams 1 Evans studied at the Royal Academy of Music as did her future husband the bass baritone Darrell Fancourt with whom she sang at a Royal Academy concert in May 1914 2 They married in January 1917 3 Fancourt joined the D Oyly Carte Opera Company as a principal in 1920 and Evans followed him into the company as a chorister in 1921 Evans who acquired the nickname Snookie first played the role of the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury later that year According to fellow D Oyly Carte performer Derek Oldham Oh she was so beautiful was Snookie We all fell for her and we gave Darrell a busy time keeping us off 4 Evans continued singing in the chorus until 1923 and also was given the small role of Ada in Princess Ida She again sang the Plaintiff during 1924 and also played the larger role of Lady Psyche in Princess Ida Occasionally she also filled in as Josephine in H M S Pinafore She continued to play the Plaintiff and Psyche in the 1925 26 season After that she returned to the chorus but on occasion she filled in as Psyche and as Gianetta in The Gondoliers during the next season From 1927 to 1937 she sang only in the chorus She left the company in July 1937 but returned from 1941 to 1945 again singing in the chorus 5 Stage director editSoon after Bridget D Oyly Carte inherited the company in 1949 she appointed Evans as Stage Director and Director of Productions to replace Anna Bethell Mrs Sydney Granville 5 The choice of the temperamental Snookie the wife of a leading principal with the company was a highly unpopular one and contributed to a wave of defections from the company culminating in 1951 One of the most important stars to leave the company was principal comedian Martyn Green He wrote in his 1952 memoir I had heard there was some possibility of the selection of Evans happening and told Miss Carte that I thought she was making a great psychological error During Anna Bethell s regime Mrs Sydney Granville there had been growing signs of discontent and suggestions of favouritism being shown to some of the members of the chorus in respect to passing over existing understudies selections for small parts and so on But to appoint not only a woman who had for fifteen years worked in the chorus alongside several who were now principals but the wife of one of the main principals seemed to me to be a psychological error of the first magnitude I felt that she would rightly or wrongly be accused of that very same favouritism My views made no impression on Miss Carte but time was to prove that I was right Discontent grew changes were constantly taking place and criticism became rampant Nor did it stop at the methods of production it went so far as to suggest a complete lack of knowledge evidenced by constant self contradiction There were other accusations levelled against her of a more serious nature Those in control apparently assumed in the first place that the performers are little more than automatons and are completely devoid of brains or the ability to think for themselves Production is done to a plan that takes no consideration of the individual his personality or his histrionic ability a stereotyped plan that results in a clockwork performance devoid of spontaneity 6 Historian Tony Joseph writes But Green was not the only member of the Company to leave Ella Halman left too So did Richard Watson Margaret Mitchell Radley Flynn and no fewer than twenty two other small part players and choristers It was the largest single exodus of performers in D Oyly Carte history and that was why the sense of sadness that hovered over the season was so marked August 1951 was the end of an era 7 Cynthia Morey who joined the Company just before the mass exodus writes I have never found out precisely why this great exodus took place We were always under the impression that we should feel honoured to be in the employ of the D Oyly Carte Opera Company it was patently obvious that the management held firmly to the policy that nobody is indispensable 8 Morey also writes Snookie s career in the company commenced as a chorister in the 1920 21 season and she then played several roles with the company In 1927 she was apparently demoted to the chorus and there she remained for fifteen years Then in 1949 under the grand name of Stage Director we find the name Eleanor Evans I should not have thought these qualifications sufficient for such an important post to spend all those years as a chorister seems to signify a lack of ambition or achievement But I suppose a Director of productions in those days merely needed to know every move and every gesture and exactly when they occurred for no departure from the set production was ever permitted 9 Soprano Shirley Hall said All she did was just show you the moves you never had any real direction you just got told to do what everybody had done for years carbon copy performances T he inflections and everything had to be exactly as prescribed 10 Richard Walker and others also criticised Evans s temperament and methods She retired as stage director in 1953 the year that her husband retired and died but she coached new D Oyly Carte principals in their roles for some years thereafter 5 One of these was Kenneth Sandford who wrote It took me about two years to get rid of the shackles of her direction 11 She was replaced as Director of Productions by Robert Gibson 12 She died in Colwyn Bay Wales in 1969 aged 76 Notes edit Census records The Musical Times July 1914 p 469 The Times 24 July 1913 p 12 and London England Marriages and Banns 1754 1921 accessed 25 July 2010 subscription required Derek Oldham Remembers at the Memories of the D Oyly Carte website a b c Stone David Eleanor Evans Who Was Who in the D Oyly Carte Opera Company 24 June 2002 accessed 26 November 2009 Green pp 236 37 Joseph p 272 Morey pp 51 52 Morey pp 81 82 Berger Leon Obituaries Shirley Hall The Gilbert and Sullivan News Vol V No 2 Summer 2013 pp 16 17 Watt John The Ones that I Like Interview with Sandford c 1972 at the Memories of the D Oyly Carte website Stone David Robert Gibson Archived 1 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine Who Was Who in the D Oyly Carte Opera Company 26 August 2007 accessed 26 November 2009References editGreen Martyn 1952 Here s a How de do New York W W Norton amp Co American Edition contains information not found in the British edition Joseph Tony 1994 D Oyly Carte Opera Company 1875 1982 An Unofficial History London Bunthorne Books ISBN 0 9507992 1 1 Morey Cynthia Inclined to Dance and Sing Chichester Prospero Books 1998 Rollins C and R J Witts eds The D Oyly Carte Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas 1962 External links editPostcard photos of Evans Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eleanor Evans amp oldid 1150526086, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
