Born and raised in London, Madeline Rossiter was the daughter of a
well-known concert artist. As a child she learned the violin and was
later taught composition and singing. In 1903 she joined
Sydney James
and G. W. Desmond, as The Strolling Players, a trio which toured
throughout the British Isles before expanding into a costume comedy
company, known from 1911 as The Royal Strollers.
After touring South Africa (4 times) and the USA The Strollers came to
Australia in 1914, remaining in the Antipodes until after the war. When
James died while touring India in 1919 Rossiter came back to Australia
where she was later associated with
John N. McCallum (
Town Topics,
Brisbane),
Pat Hanna (
Famous Diggers), the
Tivoli circuit (Tivoli
Topics) and the English Pierrots. A number of her songs were also
published in Australia during the 1920s. In addition to her
accomplishments as a musician, singer and composer with the companies
she appeared with, Rossiter was also acknowledged as a dancer of
exceptional merit.
Rossiter left Australia for the East in September 1925 several local
artists who were to be joined in Calcutta by English performers to form a
musical comedy company.
[Source:
Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
