Principal Boys

The tradition of women dressing up as men on stage started in the 18th century. Male roles played by women were known as 'breeches parts'. With the increase in popularity of the ballerina in Romantic Ballet male dancers went out of fashion and women would often perform the male role. In the theatre Madame Vestris made her name playing the roles of boys and men in burlesques and operas. This was a period when women dressed modestly covering their legs with long dresses. To see a woman in short trousers and tights was considered particularly risqué and Madame Vestris was the sex symbol of the 1830s.

  • Miss Maud Boyd as Robin Hood



    Miss Maud Boyd as Robin Hood
    The Sketch Magazine, 27th December, 1893
    Black and white photolithograph
    Museum no. 131655
    © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

  • Miss Addie Conyers as Robin Hood



    Miss Addie Conyers as Robin Hood
    The Sketch Magazine, 27th December, 1893
    Black and white photolithograph
    Museum no. 131655
    © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

  • Harriet Vernon as Little Red Riding Hood



    Harriet Vernon as Little Red Riding Hood
    The Sketch Magazine, 27th December, 1893
    Black and white photolithograph
    Museum no. 131655
    © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

  • Miss Rosie St. George as Boy Blue in Little Bo Peep



    Miss Rosie St. George as Boy Blue in Little Bo Peep
    The Sketch Magazine, 27th December, 1893
    Black and white photolithograph
    Museum no. 131655
    © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

  • Vesta Tilley as Principal Boy



    Vesta Tilley as Principal Boy
    Late 19th century
    Sepia photograph
    © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

    Vesta Tilley, known as 'The Great Little Tilley' was a music hall star, and also a regular in pantomime in the provinces. She always played the principal boy Prince Charming, Aladdin and so on. Despite her fame, she only played once at Drury Lane, the most popular venue for pantomime, due to an argument with its manager Augustus Harris. She was contracted in 1890 to play Dick Whittington, but then the play was changed to Beauty and the Beast and Tilley was expected to spend almost the entire show wearing the huge mask of the beast. She refused to play those scenes and a stand-in performed them while she nipped next door to do a turn at the Variety theatre. She and Harris never forgave each other.

  • Dorothy Ward as Principal Boy



    Dorothy Ward as Principal Boy
    Early 20th century
    Black and white photograph
    © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

    Dorothy Ward was one of the most famous principal boys of the 20th century, who made the role far more feminine than it had been before. She first appeared in a pantomime in 1905 and she first appeared as a boy in 1910. She was still playing the role 47 years later. Her husband, Shaun Glenville, was also a performer and the couple were often in the same pantomime with Shaun playing the Dame. Dorothy Ward's last appearance as Principal Boy was at the Prince of Wales' Theatre, Liverpool, in 1957. Dorothy Ward also worked on the Variety stage singing popular songs such as 'Take me back to Dear Old Blighty', and 'The Sheik of Araby' and she performed with a group of children known as 'Dorothy's Dots'. During the war, she worked with ENSA who organised entertainment for the troops.

  • Ada Blanche as Robinson Crusoe



    Ada Blanche as Robinson Crusoe
    The Sketch Magazine, 27th December, 1893
    Black and white photolithograph
    Museum no. 131655
    © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

    Ada Blanche was a music hall and pantomime performer, the daughter of singer who first appeared in pantomime at the age of 13. She was a huge hit and within a few years was playing principal boys and girls at Drury Lane and elsewhere. She held the record for being offered the most consecutive seasons as principal boy at Drury Lane: seven years from 1892- 98. Unlike music hall stars such as Vesta Tilley, Ada Blanche did not make a career out of playing men. She also played female parts in the theatre, and performed in women's clothes for her music hall act. She admitted in a newspaper interview that she preferred skirts.

Tags: