A decidedly minor work by the still inexperienced pairing of Solomon and Stephens, Claude Duval's tour looks distinctly odd, with, it seems, just four stops, in the four Scottish cities. It had opened in Glasgow on Boxing Day, with several matinees added to the schedule for the holidays. Several aspects of the work struck critics as derivative, and the Dundee Courier thought Sir Whiffle Whaffle and Blood-red Bill very reminiscent of Sir Joseph Porter and Dick Deadeye in Pinafore.
The cast contained several notable names. George Thorne, in particular, would be second only to George Grossmith himself as a performer of the comic roles of Gilbert and Sullivan - launching several of them in New York as well as leading the provincial tours for many years. George Traverner, Laura Clement and W T Hemsley were also prominent in the early days of G & S.
Four week gap in centre of schedule to be accounted for - probably two weeks in Edinburgh.
Sources include the Dundee Courier, Dundee Advertiser, Glasgow Herald, and Aberdeen Journal, as well as Wikipedia.
H Cooper Cliffe (Edi)
Harry Pont (Dundee)
Royalty, Glasgow | Glasgow
2 Jan, 19.30 3 Jan, 19.30 4 Jan, 19.30 5 Jan, 14.00 5 Jan, 19.30 6 Jan, 19.30 7 Jan, 14.00 7 Jan, 19.30
Her Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen | Aberdeen
6 Feb, 19.30 7 Feb, 19.30 8 Feb, 19.30 9 Feb, 19.30 10 Feb, 19.30 11 Feb, 19.30
Her Majesty's Theatre, Dundee | Dundee
13 Feb, 19.30 14 Feb, 19.30 15 Feb, 19.30 16 Feb, 19.30 17 Feb, 19.30 18 Feb, 19.00
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