Topsy Sinden
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File:TopsySinden1902.jpg, 1902]]
Harriet Augusta Sinden (1877–1950), known professionally as Topsy Sinden, was an English dancer, actress and singer. She was best known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and pantomime, both in London and on tour. Sinden was an accomplished tap dancer and skirt dancer.
Life and career
Sinden was born and raised in London. According to the 1901 census, her parents were Augustus Sinden, a musician, and his wife Harriet. Her brother was the actor and dancer Bert Sinden (1879–1911).These dates are based upon London census records. Her nickname was "Topsy" from an early age. She was a distant cousin of the actor Sir Donald Sinden.Sinden, Donald. Laughter in the Second Act, Hodder & Stoughton (1985), p. 9
=Early career=
Sinden began to perform as a small child in entertainments at St. James's Hall and made her professional debut at age six, in 1884, as a little dancer in a fairy play at the Royalty Theatre, followed shortly by a pantomime of Dick Whittington at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and by engagements at other West End theatres.The Era, 4 June 1898, p. 10 She studied dance with M. Leprez, an Italian dancing master, and then the Viennese dancer Katti Lanner.Culme, John. [http://www.gabrielleray.150m.com/ArchiveTextS/TopsySinden.html "Topsy Sinden"]. Footlight Notes, 6 March 2004, accessed 5 August 2010{{cite news |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/celebrity-clipping-aug-31-1907-1342639/ |title=In the Days of My youth – Chapters of Autobiography – CCCCLXXXI |work=Mainly About People |date=31 August 1907 |page=14 |accessdate=4 September 2019 |via=NewspaperArchive.com}} She was given early roles including as principal dancer at age 10 in a revival of Pepita at Toole's Theatre and The Old Guard, both in 1888.[https://books.google.com/books?id=ilIuAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22On+and+Off%22+%22Topsey+Sinden%22&pg=PA36 "Topsey Sinden" [sic
She also joined the company of George Edwardes where, in the early 1890s, she appeared in the burlesques Cinder Ellen up too Late and Don Juan.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9805E2D7103BEF33A25750C0A9679D94629ED7CF "An Objectionable Sultan; Play of Don Juan Expurgated to Please the Turkish minister"]. The New York Times, 3 November 1893, p. 9 Also at the Gaiety, Edwards cast her in In Town (1892), and, in 1894, still aged 16, she danced in A Gaiety Girl at Daly's Theatre and then played the role of Violet Deveney in Edwardes's hit Edwardian musical comedy, The Shop Girl, at the Gaiety.Macqueen-Pope, W. [https://www.gsarchive.net/british/shopgirl/pope.html "Enter Musical Comedy"] at the British Musical Theatre site, accessed 5 August 2010 At the invitation of Harris, Sinden then danced in grand operas at Covent Garden until his death in 1896. In 1897, she was principal dancer in The Yashmak at Shaftesbury Theatre and was also dancing at the Avenue Theatre opposite Lottie Venne."Avenue Theatre", The Times, 4 October 1897, p. 8 In 1899, with Edwardes's company at Daly's Theatre, she played Trixie in San Toy, in which she "contributes a graceful dance"."Daly's Theatre", The Times, 23 October 1899; p. 5 She also performed in music hall and pantomime (usually as "principal girl") during these years, including at the Britannia Theatre, the Metropole Theatre in Camberwell, and elsewhere."The Britannia Music Hall", The Times, 21 March 1934, p. 12"The Queen of Hoxton", The Times, 16 December 1952, p. 11
=Later years=
In the new century, Sinden was Miss Carruthers in A Country Girl at Daly's in 1902, was principal dancer in The Cingalee in 1904–05,"Daly's Theatre", The Times, 11 November 1904, p. 4 played the princess in The Princess and the Troubador (with music by Walter Slaughter) at the London Coliseum in 1905"The Public Health". The Times, 11 May 1905, p. 15 and created the role of Jane in The Beauty of Bath at the Aldwych Theatre, 1906.Gillan, Don. [http://www.stagebeauty.net/produce/bbath/th-bbath.html "The Beauty of Bath"]. StageBeauty.net, accessed 5 August 2010 In 1907–08 she became the première danseuse for the ballets at the Empire Theatre, appearing first as Stella Dare in a revised version of C. Wilhelm's ballet divertissement, The Belle of the Ball, in the role created by the departing Adeline Genée. The Times found her promising."Empire Theatre", The Times, 31 December 1907, p. 8 Describing her performance in this role, one of her contemporaries wrote that Sinden "excelled in a light and easy kind of tap-dancing ... and in skirt dancing, which was very popular in the musical comedies of the period."Bedells, Phyllis. My Dancing Days, Phoenix House Ltd., London, 1954, p. 27
In 1910, Sinden was performing in variety at the Palladium Theatre. The Times called her "a dream of colour and grace"."Boxing Day Entertainments", The Times, 27 December 1910, p. 7 In 1912, she was a featured dancer in the comic opera The Grass Widows at the Apollo Theatre."The Apollo Theatre. The Grass Widows." The Times, 9 September 1912, p. 9 By 1914, Sinden was in financial distress, and a fund was being raised for her after she suffered an injury on stage in Liverpool, to which Adeline Genée donated the money raised for her own farewell season."Cinematograph Records by Aeroplane", The Times, 28 April 1914, p. 16https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp82186/topsy-sinden In 1927, after some years away from the stage, she appeared in a production of Dick Whittington at the Elephant and Castle Theatre, south London. She continued working until at least 1930.
Notes
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External links
- [http://www.its-behind-you.com/gallery605.html Photos of Sinden] in Aladdin, 1908
- [https://collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?page=1&page_size=15&q=%22topsy+sinden%22 Images of Sinden held by the Victoria and Albert Museum]
- [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp82186/topsy-sinden Photos of Sinden held by the National Portrait Gallery]
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