| Summary: |
Chapter 1. Mr. George Lewis, gymnast, ring master and equestrian -- Chapter 2. The Edouins in England -- Chapter 3. On tour in Australia -- Chapter 4. George in Asia -- Chapter 5. The Edouins return to Melbourne -- Chapter 6. Lewis moves from circus to stage -- Chapter 7. Lewis's grand dramatic burlesque and ballet company in India -- Chapter 8. Melbourne and India -- Chapter 9. India and China -- Chapter 10. Employing the Williamsons, 1875-1876 -- Chapter 11. The Victorian Academy of Music, 1876-1879 -- Chapter 12. The Lewises at the Bijou Theatre, 1880-1885 -- Chapter 13. Retirement and back to England, 1885-1893 -- Chapter 14. Return to Australia and 'poverty', 1894-1907 -- Chapter 15. Rose home in England -- Bibliography -- Index.
Rose Edouin (nee Bryer) and her husband, entrepreneur and circus performer George Benjamin William Lewis, have received little attention in the history of Australian theatre, and certainly few now would be aware of the achievements of this couple. Fame is ephemeral. For more than half a century, from the 1850s, Edouin and Lewis forged high-profile careers that encompassed circus, the popular stage and theatre management in Europe, Australia, China, India and New Zealand.
Actress Rose started as a child star in London, toured the gold towns of Victoria and acted in and directed popular theatre in India and China before opening the Academy of Music/Bijou Theatre in Bourke Street, Melbourne. George brought the equestrian/horse circus to Melbourne, opened the building that became the Princess Theatre, built theatres in Calcutta, was an early employer of JC Williamson, and for a decade, in the late 1800s, managed the Academy of Music/Bijou Theatre. |
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