Florence Perry

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Biography

Florence Julia Perry was born in London in 1869. Her first professional appearance was in 1887 as Phyllis Tuppitt in "Dorothy" at the Prince of Wales's Theatre. She then toured in "The Red Hussar" and "Doris". Shortly after her return to London, she was hired by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Perry toured with the company from 1890 to 1893, appearing as Yum-Yum in "The Mikado", Gianetta in "The Gondoliers", Phyllis in "Iolanthe", Winifred in "The Vicar of Bray" and Phoebe Fairleigh in "Billee Taylor". Her elder sister, Beatrice (1865-1944), also performed with the company beginning in 1892. [ [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/whowaswho/P-Q/PerryBeatrice.htm Biography of Beatrice Perry] ]

Perry then joined the London company in 1893 to create the role of Milly (later taking over the role of Bab) in "Jane Annie" at the Savoy Theatre. She continued performing at the Savoy for the next two years, creating the role of Princess Kalyba in "Utopia Limited" (1893-94), Bianca in "Mirette" (1894) and Dolly Grigg in "The Chieftain" (1894-95). Perry left the D'Oyly Carte organisation in 1895 to appear as Clementine in "Baron Golosh" at the Trafalgar Square Theatre. That same year, she returned to D'Oyly Carte on tour as Josephine in "H.M.S. Pinafore", Yum-Yum in "The Mikado" and both Dolly Grigg and Rita in "The Chieftain". Returning to London, she took over for Marie Tempest as Adele in "An Artist's Model" at the Lyric Theatre during the summer of 1895.

Perry returned to the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in London in 1895 and stayed for the next three years. During this time, she appeared as Yum Yum in a revival of "The Mikado", she created the role of Lisa in "The Grand Duke" (1896), also singing the role of Julia Jellicoe at some performances, and created the role of Princess Lucilla Chloris in "His Majesty" (1897). Later that year, she played Phoebe Meryll in the first revival of "The Yeomen of the Guard" and portrayed Wanda in "The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein".

In 1898, Perry appeared as The Plaintiff in the Nellie Farren Benefit performance of "Trial by Jury". At the end of that year and into 1899, Perry traveled to Australia, playing "Iolanthe" in Sydney, among other roles on tour. She made her final London stage appearances in 1901 in "The Thirty Thieves" at Terry's Theatre and "H.M.S. Irresponsible" at the Globe Theatre.

Perry died in Durban, South Africa at the age of 80.

Notes

References

*cite book|last=Joseph|first=Tony|year=2005|title=Emmie Owen and Florence Perry: Maidenly Perfection (D'Oyly Carte Personalities)|location=London|publisher=Bunthorne Books ISBN 0-950-79927-0
*cite book|last=Ayre|first=Leslie|year=1972|title=The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion|location=London|publisher=W.H. Allen & Co Ltd Introduction by Martyn Green.
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/P-Q/PerryFlorence.htm Florence Perry at Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte]

External links

* [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/f-perry-p.html photos of Perry]
* [http://www.savoyoperas.org.uk/duke/gd1.html Reviews of "The Grand Duke"]
* [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/other_sullivan/html/chieftain_review.html Review of "The Chieftain"]
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/gallery/perry.html Perry list of roles]