Melodrama Collection (#3)

Singing a Pathetic Song, 1881. Creator: Thomas Eakins
Singing a Pathetic Song, 1881

Scene from the new comedy of "Old Heads and Young Hearts"
Scene from the new comedy of " Old Heads and Young Hearts", at the Haymarket Theatre, 1844. London stage production of a comedy of manners by Dion Boucicault

Scene from Balfes new opera of "The Daughter of St
Scene from Balfes new opera of " The Daughter of St. Mark", at Drury Lane Theatre, 1844. London stage production, showing...the first scene of the second act of Mr

Mr. Macready, as Hamlet, at the Princesss Theatre, 1845. Creator: Unknown
Mr. Macready, as Hamlet, at the Princesss Theatre, 1845. William Macready on the London stage in Shakespeares " Hamlet" :the appearance of Mr

The Friend in Need, from "Illustrated London News", April 23, 1859
The Friend in Need, from " Illustrated London News", April 23, 1859

The Dying Greek, ca. 1830. Creator: Asher Brown Durand
The Dying Greek, ca. 1830

She Never Told Her Love, 1857. Creator: Henry Peach Robinson
She Never Told Her Love, 1857

Cartoon, New drama by Reade and Pettitt
Cartoon, New drama by Charles Reade and Henry Pettitt -- Star actors sometimes get very dainty. Their melodrama, Love and Money, was in production at the Adelphi Theatre, London

The Passing of Arthur, 1874. Creator: Julia Margaret Cameron
The Passing of Arthur, 1874

The effect of melodrama (L effet du melodrame), c. 1830. Creator: Boilly, Louis-Leopold
The effect of melodrama (L effet du melodrame), c. 1830. Found in the Collection of Musee Lambinet

Scene from Spohrs Faust, at the Royal Italian Opera, 1852. Creator: Unknown
Scene from Spohrs " Faust", at the Royal Italian Opera, 1852. Count Hugo challenges Faust to a duel. Faust kills Hugo and flees

Woman and Wine by Arthur Shirley and Ben Landeck
Promotional postcard for Woman and Wine by Arthur Shirley and Ben Landeck. First produced at the Pavilion Theatre, 11th October 1897

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR, 1896. The Cuban Melodrama. American cartoon by C. Jay Taylor, 1896, casting Uncle Sam as the hero, Spain as the villain, and Cuba as the damsel in distress

Claudian by Henry Herman & W. G. Wills
Claudian by Henry Herman (1832 - 1894) and W.G. (William Gorman) Wills (28 January 1828 13 December 1891). First produced at the Princesss Theatre in London on 6th December 1883

The Bells, by Leopold Lewis, starring Henry Irving
The Bells, by Leopold Lewis, first produced at the Lyceum Theatre, London, November 1871. Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905) was identified with the role of Mathias in this play more than with any other

Interference by Roland Pertwee and Harold Dearden
Promotional postcard for Interference by Roland Pertwee and Harold Dearden. First produced at the St. Jamess Theatre, 29th January 1927

The Hypocrites by Henry Arthur Jones. First produced in in England at the Hicks Theatre, 27th August 1907. The image shows Leonard Wilmore kisses Rachel Neve

The Worst Woman in London by Walter Melville. First produced at the Standard Theatre, 23rd October 1899. One of the many melodramas written by one or other of the Melville brothers. Date: circa 1899

The Lights O London by George R Sims
Promotional postcard for The Lights O London by George R. Sims. First produced Princesss Theatre, 10th September 1881. Centre pages of a four-page American flyer for H. R. Jacobs Company

EDNA THE PRETTY TYPEWRITER. Poster for the melodrama play, Edna, The Pretty Typewriter, c1907

THE PERILS OF PAULINE. The Fires of Fate. Lithograph poster for an episode of the silent serial film, The Perils of Pauline, 1914

The Deposition from the Cross, 1443-1445. Artist: Agnolo Bronzino
The Deposition from the Cross, 1443-1445. The Virgin Mary, surrounded by supporters, cradles the body of Christ in her lap. The crown of thorns has fallen from his head and lies on the ground (left)

Louis XIV Presenting Peace to Europe, early 18th century. Artist: Francois Lemoyne
Louis XIV Presenting Peace to Europe, early 18th century. Louis XIV (1638-1715), King of France from 1643, known as The Sun King (Le Roi Soleil)

The Three Maries ( The Dead Christ Mourned ), c1604. Artist: Annibale Carracci
The Three Maries ( The Dead Christ Mourned ), c1604. The Virgin Mary, lamenting, holds the body of the dead Christ in her lap

Alexander Cuts the Gordian Knot, late 18th / early 19th century. Artist: Jean Simon Berthelemy
Alexander Cuts the Gordian Knot, late 18th/early 19th century. From the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris

The Death of Sapphira, 1652. Artist: Nicolas Poussin
The Death of Sapphira, 1652. From the Musee du Louvre, Paris

The arrival of the Carmelite nuns from Brussels, mid 18th century. Artist: Charles Guillot
The arrival of the Carmelite nuns from Brussels (L arrivee des Carmelites de Bruxelles), mid 18th century. From the Musee d Art et d Histoire, St Denis, France

For His King and the Girl He Loved by Fred Maxwell
Promotional postcard of a poster for For His King and the Girl He Loved by Fred Maxwell. A wedding between hero and heroine was a common melodrama ending

Mr Osbaldiston in the role of Andreas Hofer, the patriotic innkeeper of a Tyrolean village at the time of an invasion by Napoleon and his army, in a play entitled Hofer, The Tell of Tyrol

The Coastguards Daughter by J. A. Campbell. Second and third pages of flyer for the Junction Theatre in Manchester, so a return visit of a popular melodrama

Cheer, Boys! Cheer by Augustus Harris, Raleigh and Hamilton
Cheer, Boys! Cheer by Sir Augustus Harris (18 March 1852 22 June 1896), Cecil Raleigh (27 January 1856 10 November 1914) and Henry Hamilton (c. 1853 4 September 1918)

The Bells, by Leopold Lewis, starring H B Irving
The Bells, by Leopold Lewis, first produced at the Lyceum Theatre, London, November 1871. Pictured here is Harry Brodribb Irving (1870-1919) in the role of Mathias

At War With Women, by Frank Bateman, first produced at the Metropolitan Theatre, Manchester, July 1902, then at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London, June 1903

The Angel of His Dreams by George A Degray, first produced Castleford, April 1909, then The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, London, October 1910

Sir Henry Irving in The Bells
Sir Henry Irving in the role of Mathias in The Bells, a melodrama by Leopold Lewis. circa 1870s

Lady Mornford separating from her children, as she believes she is going to die -- illustration to a story entitled Family Secrets by Mrs Ellis (Miss Stickney). circa 1840s

Scene from The Colleen Bawn by Dion Boucicault
Scene from The Colleen Bawn, a melodrama by the Irish dramatist Dion Boucicault, in which the hero, Myles na Coppaleen (sometimes played by Boucicault himself), rescues the heroine, Eily O Connor

Caricature of Charlotte Saunders, actress
Caricature of Charlotte Saunders (1825-1899), actress, seen here in the role of Deborah Barton, in a melodrama by Frank Harvey, Woman Against Woman. 1881

Caricature of Augustus Harris and Henry Pettitt
Caricature of Augustus Harris (1852-1896), British actor, dramatist and impresario, and Henry Alfred Pettitt (1848-1893), British actor and dramatist -- Never mind, Pettitt

Caricature of Wilson Barrett, actor, manager and playwright
Caricature of Wilson Barrett (William Henry Barrett; 1846-1904), actor, theatre manager and playwright. One of the " Lights of London"

The Whip by Cecil Raleigh and Henry Hamilton
Promotional postcard for The Whip by Cecil Raleigh and Henry Hamilton. First produced at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 9th September 1909

Tiger Rose by Willard Mack
Promotional postcard for Tiger Rose by Willard Mack. First produced in England, Bournemouth, 6th October and the Savoy Theatre, 16th October 1919. For the Savoy

Nell Gwynne, The Kings Favourite by A Shirley & B Landeck
Promotional postcard for Nell Gwynne, The Kings Favourite by Arthur Shirley and Ben Landeck. First produced at the Lyceum Theatre, 9th February 1913

In Holy (!) Russia by Lilian Clare Cassidy (Mrs. J. Rice Cassidy). First produced at the Princes Theatre, Preston, 29th May 1905

King Amongst Men
Promotional postcard for King Amongst Men The British consul to Japan, Richard Trueworth, is tended on the ground after being knocked down by Oswald

Kick-In by Willard Mack
Promotional postcard for Kick-In by William Mack. First produced in England at the Vaudeville Theatre, 28th August 1915. Date: 1915

An Indian Girls Devotion by F N Brownmann
Promotional postcard for An Indian Girls Devotion by F. N. Brownmann. First produced in England at the Holloway Empire 26th January 1914, according to The Stage Year Book 1915

In the Night Watch by Michael Morton
Promotional postcard for In The Night Watch by Michael Morton, adapted from La Veillee dArmes by C. Farrere & L. Nepoty (1917). First produced Oxford Theatre, London, 2/12/1918

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"Melodrama: A Theatrical Journey through Time and Emotion" Step into the world of melodrama, where passion and intensity collide on stage. From handbills advertising Shakespearean tragedies to film posters of thrilling serials, this genre has captivated audiences for centuries. In the 19th century, Mrs. Patrick Campbell's powerful performances at Astleys Amphitheatre left spectators in awe. Her ability to evoke raw emotions made her a legend in the realm of melodrama. Across borders, Spanish engineer Jose Echegaray y Eizaguirre brought his unique perspective to this dramatic art form. His contributions enriched German melodrama with new dimensions and storytelling techniques. However, not all aspects were noble. In America, it was used as a tool to demonize certain communities. "King of the Opium Ring, " a controversial novel from 1890, perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Chinese immigrants. Yet amidst these complexities, there were moments that showcased the true essence of melodrama. Harry Brodribb Irving's portrayal of Mathias in "The Bells" sent shivers down spines while Arthur Shirley and Ben Landeck's play "Woman and Wine" explored love's intoxicating power. Victorian theatre witnessed unforgettable performances by Julie Opp and Robert Loraine who transported audiences back in time with their mesmerizing acts. Through works like Claudian by Henry Herman & W. G. Wills, melodrama continued to evolve as an art form that pushed boundaries and challenged societal norms. From tragedy to triumph, laughter to tears - melodrama has always been a reflection of human emotion at its most heightened state, and is an enduring testament to our insatiable desire for stories that stir our souls and leave us breathless.