Globalization of Theatre 1870-19302019
The Theatrical Networks of Maurice E. Bandmann
by Christopher B. Balme
"When the Anglo-American theatre manager and actor, Maurice E. Bandmann, died of enteric fever at the Colonial Hospital in Gibraltar on 9 March 1922 shortly before his fiftieth birthday, the event was reported across the English-speaking world from Madras to Singapore, and from Cairo to Hong Kong, with many newspapers carrying lengthy obituaries: The Times of India called him 'the pioneer of musical comedy in this part of the world' having 'brought to the East some forty or fifty companies. The Straits Times in Singapore claimed that 'he inaugurated the system that will remain as a monument to his memory in theatrical circles. The Era, London's theatrical trade paper, emphasized 'the fine plays and well-equipped companies he presented (which) became famous in all parts of the world, many...