Vesta Tilley (Pioneers), Maitland, Sara Paperback Book
11 Jul, 2016
Vesta Tilley & early Victorian Musical Hall
Interesting read , full of detail covering late 1870 to 1920 history of theatre & of one of the most famous of them all Vesta Tilley , The early male impersonator . It covers her early life in a large family whom she bravely supported with her earnings , through to her eventual marriage to a soon to become m.p. Vesta bought about an enormous change in perception of women on the stage with her inspired close attention to her male attire . From poverty through to being presented at court to the King & Queen , & early Royal Variety Show . Her songs were sung in the trenches in W. W. 1 by her large gro
up of male fans , & made Musical Hall " respectable " .
Attention was given to the feminist point of view , which did not interest me personally, but published by Virago , perhaps I should have expected that.
We Will Not Fight...
07 Jan, 2017
COWARDS?
Until you read this book you have no concept of how conscientious objectors suffer at the hands of their torturers. Obviously there were exceptions who were cowards , but a few , & these are really what this book is about , were as principaled as those who fought .
Quakers are just one example who believed that to take a life was against Gods law in any circumstances . I f jailed , these men were regularly beaten , placed on bread & water for days kept without pen , paper or books of any kind , & in solitary confinement .
They were principaled exceptional heros enduring unspeakable deprivations , for there
Beliefs especially in WW 1 .