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Bent and Bachelder’s Anglo-American Christy Minstrels Bent and Bachelder’s Anglo-American Christy Minstrels i(7938892 works by) (Organisation) assertion
Born: Established: 1881 ; Died: Ceased: 1882
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BiographyHistory

W. Horace Bent had previously toured with R. G. Bachelder Colossean Pantoscope Mammoth Combination (1873). By the early 1880s his reputation as Australia’s most popular comic demanded that his name be included either in a company’s name or as the headline act. The Bent and Bachelder troupe was formed for a tour of New Zealand beginning September 1881 and featured Bent, C. S. Fredericks, William Ball, Beaumont Read, Charles and William Hugo, E. Rowley, and Amy Rowe. The Australian debut in Sydney in February 1882 included Sam Keenan and Alf Moynham. Seasons in Melbourne and Adelaide followed. After Bent departed mid-year, Bachelder toured the company under his own name until late 1883.

Principal troupe members incl. William Ball, W. Horace Bent, T. Farrell, C. S. Fredericks, G. Glider, J. F. Heywood, Charles Hugo, William Hugo, Sam Keenan, Herr Kophs, R. Langdown, W. Leake, R. McSherry, J. Parkes, Beaumont Read, Amy Rowe, Edwin Rowley, F. Vassey, Mr H. A. Williamson.

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • Among the burlesque's known to have been staged by the company during its time together and which are believed to have been written or adapted by Horace Bent are: Bohemian Girl (after Michael Balfe's opera), and H.M.S. Pin-A-4 in Black, possibly adapted from his 1880 burlesque of his simply titled H.M.S. Pin-A-4. During this time, too, he staged possibly for the first time one of his most popular-ever musical farces, the old 'Negro sketch' Un Coup De Razoir (4 March 1882).

  • This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive

Last amended 26 Mar 2015 13:20:33
See Also
W. Horace Bent
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