"LOOKING FOR TRILBY" by MaxTyler

One of the greatest theatrical successes of the nineteenth century was the dramatic play Trilby, based upon Gerald Du Maurier's book of the same name. It opened at the Haymarket Theatre on 30th October, 1895, enjoyed a long run, many tours and constant revivals. It earned actor manager Beerbohm Tree sufficient money to enable him to build Her Majesty's Theatre, just across the road from the Haymarket.

The play was adapted from the book by American Paul Potter. It was first performed, on its pre-New York tour, in Philadelphia. Beerbohm Tree who was touring the States happened to he in Philadelphia at the same time. He asked his half brother, Max Beerbohm to go and see the play and report on its possibilities. He did and described the play as 'utter nonsense'. Fortunately, Tree, having a free evening before he moved on, decided to go and see the play for himself. When the curtain fell on the second act he immediately sought out Potter and secured the British rights.

The plot of Trilby was of the stuff that Victorian playgoers loved. A young Englishman, Little Billy, falls in love with Trilby but is forbidden by his mother to marry her. There is the wicked old mesmerist Svengali who has Trilby under his power. Finally when Svengali has died, Billy again asks Trilby to marry him. It is Christmas time and Trilby is undoing her presents. One is a package which has been left for her by a stranger. The package contained a portrait of Svengali in all his hideousness. The shock of seeing his face again brings about the sudden demise of' Trilby in the arms of Little Billy. Fall of curtain to ecstatic applause.

There were three unusual characteristics about Trilby. Firstly she went everywhere barefooted, secondly she was a heavy smoker of cigarettes, and thirdly she had a natty little piece of headgear. With the advent of the play, smoking became the done thing for ladies in society though of course only within the confines of their homes. The fops and dandies were always looking for new styles of dress and fashion. One enterprising men's hatter started to produce, for his customers, replicas of Trilby's headgear. Thus was born the trilby hat.

All London went mad about the play. The name Trilby was on everybody's lips. Toulouse Lautrec named his yacht Trilby. The shops were full of Trilby gifts and trinkets, and of course the song writers and composers had to get on the bandwagon. It was a heaven sent opportunity to compose songs with a Trilby theme. The music hall song writers and topical nature. The words were considered all important, but no composer was going to waste a good melody on a song which, because of its topicality, would enjoy only a short life. There are few topical music hall songs with a 'good tune'.

As would be expected, the two leading song writers of the time, J.P. Harrington and George Le Brunn, soon produced two Trilby songs, one for Marie Lloyd, 'Tricky Little Trilby', and for Vesta Tilley 'I'm Looking for Trilby'.
"I'm looking for Trilby, Looking for Trilby dear,
Trilby the sweet, Dear little feet
Fix'd up in sandals remarkably neat."

In 'Tricky Little Trilby', the singer is an actress asked to play Trilby and as Marie says in the song:
They said Trilby modest ought to be,
Modest Trilby, what a part for me.
Quite and prim, me? Eh, no jolly fear,
So I made Trilby Quite a new idea.

The song writers seemed to think that Trilby's bare feet were going to cause the most amusement. Joe Tabrar produced a ditty for Fred Earle called 'Trilby's Revival'. This was a dame characterisation.
"Trilby won't be all the rage, I’m going on the stage.
And when I first come in view Won't there be a 'hullaballoo'.
I've got a beautiful Trilby voice and look at my 'daisy roots'.
Oh shan't I paralyze them when I take off my boots."

Other songs with this theme were, 'My Gal's Got Trilby Feet', by Ed Rogers, and 'Wot Cher Trilby' written by Cart Howard. This song had Harry Freeman dressed in female attire and telling his audience what the rude boy, in the neighbourhood shouted after him as he walked along.
"Wot cher Trilby, Where did you get your feet?
The pavement isn't enough when you go down the street.
Strike a light, They're all right. Very hard to beat.
Won't the beetles run when they see your plates of meat."

Not content with that song Harry had another written by Albert E. Ellis and composed by Alan Macey.
"My missis thinks she's Trilby.
At home she'll never still be.
But minus shoes and stockings
She goes trotting down the street.
With cramp she'll very ill be.
Run in I swear she will be,
For showing all the bunions on her big Fat Feet

Singer Arthur Rigby came up with , 'Oh Trilby What Have You Done for Me', whilst G.W. Hunter had, 'Trilby on the Brain'. R.G. Knowles had, 'Since Trilby Came to Town'. This had a chorus which listed all the possible items that you could buy in the shops with a Trilby decoration. The song is made up by a monotonous repetitive chant and runs to 82 line quoting 138 different articles.

The hero of the play had a song written about him and published in America. By sending 10 cents you could purchase a copy of 'Oh Little Billy', and of course there had to be a song about the villain. George Beauchamp came up with, 'Svengali', written by Murray and Leigh.

'Svengali, Svengati, that's what the people cry,
Svengali, Svengali, oh what a saucy eye.
You mesmerize 'em, Hypnotize 'em, Paralyze 'em, Pulverize 'em
Oh, don't you surprise 'em Mister Beerbohm Tree.'

Richard Morton took the tuneful ballad, 'The Blind Irish Girl', kept the melody but wrote new words, and served it up as a parody, 'Trilby, the French-Irish Girl'.

Leslie Stuart wrote a song for Maurice Farkoa 'Trilby Will Be True', and had it introduced into the successful musical comedy, ‘An Artists Model.’

A short burlesque entitled A Trilby Triflet was introduced into the musical comedy, Gentleman Joe just one week after Trilby opened at the Haymarket. The Times newspaper praised Arthur Roberts for his wonderful imitation of Beerbohm Tree.

At the Opera Comique, Nellie Farren introduced a far fetched piece of nonsense called A Model Trilby with music by Meyer Lutz.
Trilby was to be found on the dance floor as well.
Herminie Stewart wrote a Trilby Waltz, as did Ida Hampden, and Ezra Read.
A Trilby Barn Dance by Theo Bonheur, also by the same composer A Trilby Waltz.
Alfred Lee came up with The Trilby Lancers, as did another composer Geo. W. Byng.
Frank Adam penned The Trilby Intermezzo.
Not to be outdone Otto Roeder came up with La Svengali Waltz.

Gradually the Trilby craze subsided and composers looked around for a new topical theme. However, they would always be grateful to the 'young lady' who, in a very short time, earned them a great deal of money.