Furneaux Cook

Furneaux Cook (1839 – 19 January 1903), born John Furneaux Cook, was an English opera singer and actor best known for baritone roles in the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan and Alfred Cellier on the London stage. Cook appeared on stage for over 30 years in London, the British provinces and America.

Life and career

Cook was the brother of opera singer T. Aynsley Cook (1832 – 1894) and fellow Savoyard Alice Aynsley Cook (1849 – 1938).

Early career and D'Oyly Carte

One of Cook's earliest professional engagements was in the obscure Michael Balfe opera, "Letty the Basketmaker", produced by John Hollingshead at the Gaiety Theatre in London in 1868. This was played as part of the same programme with W. S. Gilbert's burlesque "Robert the Devil". Cook also played Peter the Watchman in the burlesque "Cinderella the Younger" (by Alfred Thompson, composed by E. Jonas) at the Gaiety in 1871, [cite web | url = http://www.theatrehistory.com/misc/cinderella.html | title = Plays about Cinderella | publisher = TheatreHistory.com | accessdate = 2008-07-11] and the title character in "The Sultan of Mocha", by Alfred Cellier, in Manchester in 1874-75.cite web | url = http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/C/CookFurneaux.htm | title = Furneaux Cook | work = Who Was Who in The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company (1875–1982)| publisher = David Stone | accessdate = 2008-07-11]

Cook then joined one of Richard D'Oyly Carte's touring companies in 1878 in Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Sorcerer", playing the vicar, Doctor Daly, [Ainger, p. 152] and also Old Matthew in the curtain-raiser "Breaking the Spell", by H. B. Farnie, based on Jacques Offenbach’s "Le Violoneau". [cite web | url = http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/companions/curtain.doc | title = Information about D'Oyly Carte curtain raisers | work = The D'Oyly Carte Opera company | publisher = David Stone | format = Document | accessdate = 2008-07-11] From 1879 to 1880, he travelled to America with Gilbert, Sullivan and the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company to present the authorised version of "H.M.S. Pinafore", in which he played Dick Deadeye, and "The Pirates of Penzance", in which he created the role of Samuel first in New York and then in Philadelphia, where he moved up to the larger roles of Sergeant of Police in "Pirates" and Captain Corcoran in "Pinafore". He also played Dr. Daly on this tour. [Ainger, p. 176] On April 23, 1880, the company gave a benefit for Cook consisting of "Pinafore" and the second act "Pirates", in which Cook played Deadeye, Corcoran (apparently one in each act), and the Sergeant.

Cook left the company upon his return to England, appearing later in 1880 and 1881 in "The King's Dragoons"in Manchester and Liverpool, and in then in "La Belle Normande" and "The Grand Mogul" in London. Re-joining the D'Oyly Carte organisation at the end of 1881, he played Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre in "The Sorcerer" and Corcoran in "Pinafore". In 1883, Cook joined Kate Santley's company at the Royalty Theatre in "The Merry Duchess" by George R. Sims and Frederic Clay in the role of Farmer Bowman. In 1884-86, he was back with D'Oyly Carte, touring as Dick Deadeye in "Pinafore", the Sergeant in "Pirates", Archibald Grosvenor in "Patience" (in 1884 only), the Earl of Mountararat in "Iolanthe" (in 1885 only) and Pooh-Bah in "The Mikado" (in 1885-86). In 1884, he also played Cox in a series of matinees of "Cox and Box" at the Royal Court Theatre with Richard Temple and Arthur Cecil. [cite web | url = http://www.c20th.com/GSearly.htm Programme from an 1884 | title = Part 1: Early Memorabilia | work = Gilbert & Sullivan | publisher = C20th | accessdate = 2008-07-11] He then retired from the D'Oyly Carte company.

Later career

After this, Cook created the role of Squire Bantam in the hit comic opera, "Dorothy", by Cellier and librettist B. C. Stephenson in September 1886. In the show, he was assigned the song 'Here's a welcome to all at Chanticleer Hall.' [Coffin, C. H. "Hayden Coffin's Book - Packed with Acts and Facts" (Alston Rivers, London 1930), pp. 71, 247.] This show enjoyed a record-setting two-year run. Next, he appeared as Alderman Shelton in Cellier and Stephenson's Doris in 1898.

After this, Cook continued to act in London for another ten years. In 1892, he appeared in Gilbert and Cellier's "The Mountebanks" (Cellier's last opera) as innkeeper Elvino di Pasta. [cite book
title=W S Gilbert His Life and Letters
author=Sidney&Grey Dark, Rowland, Sidney Dark, Rowland Grey
year=1923
publisher=Ayer Publishing
isbn=0405084307
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=BpCMTsYMjy0C&pg=PA137&lpg=PA137&dq=%22furneaux+cook%22&source=web&ots=HhZq283T8C&sig=F8JaBlcyVl2RZPwrw6qfcc4_o58] In 1893, he played in "Little Christopher Columbus", a very successful musical burlesque with music by Ivan Caryll and Gustave Kerker and a libretto by George R. Sims and Cecil Raleigh. In 1894, Cook was in "The House of Lords" by Harry Greenbank with music by George Byng (who conducted some of the 1920s recordings of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas) and Ernest Ford. [ [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/newsletters/gossip/no43/gg43_03.html Description of 1894 stage works] ]

Cook was the recipient of a benefit matinee performance of "Dorothy" at the Gaiety Theatre in June 1897, reviving his role as the Squire. His old co-stars Marie Tempest, Hayden Coffin, Florence Perry, Arthur Williams and John Le Hay reprised their roles, and Seymour Hicks, Mabel Love, Arthur Roberts and Charles Kenningham, among others, participated. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B06E4D81638E733A25757C0A9619C94669ED7CF NY Times article about the 1897 benefit] ] His last appearance in London was as a juryman in "Trial by Jury", at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1898 as a performance for the benefit of Nellie Farren. [cite book
title=Gilbert and Sullivan and Their Operas
author=François Cellier, Cunningham Bridgeman
year=1914
publisher=Sir Isaac Pitman & sons, ltd
isbn=
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Ho85AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA75&lpg=PA75&dq=%22Furneaux+Cook%22+Cellier+Carte&source=web&ots=VOhRRFufRa&sig=X_HFVYeYt99LNjHCjxcJ5JgCIR4#PPA28,M1]

Cook died in West Kensington, London and is buried in the West Norwood Cemetery.

Notes

References

* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/C/CookFurneaux.htm Furneaux Cook] at Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte
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