Willie Edouin

Willie Edouin (1 January 1846 – 14 April 1908), born William Frederick Bryer, was an English comedian, actor, dancer, singer, writer, director and theatre manager.

After performing as a child in England, Australia and elsewhere, Edouin moved to America, where he joined Lydia Thompson's burlesque troupe, performing with this company both in the US and Britain. He returned to America in 1877, where, by 1880, he managed his own company. For over a decade, starting in 1884, Edouin managed theatres in London, particularly the Strand Theatre, producing and starring in comedies, farces and burlesques. From the 1890s, he appeared as the comic lead in several hit Edwardian musical comedies, including Florodora.

Early years Edouin was born in Brighton under the name William Frederick Bryer, the youngest of five children of John Edwin Bryer, an English dance instructor, and his wife Sarah Elizabeth (née May). He and his siblings played together in children's shows in London and Brighton. By 1849, the children were appearing as "The Living Marionettes" in London in farces, ballets d'action, and extravaganzas. In 1852 and 1854, the Edouin family children played in pantomimes at the Strand Theatre. In 1857, Edouin's parents took the family on a six-year tour of Australia, India, China and Japan. In 1863, Edouin and his sister Rose Edouin played in Fawcett's stock company at the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne, in burlesque. He earned particular praise in Robinson Crusoe, for his acrobatics and clowning as Friday, and in Bluebeard, for his portrayal of Chinaman Washee-Washee. He returned to England with Thompson in 1874 and repeated the latter role in London that year. Edouin continued to perform with the troupe both in London and on tour in Britain for three seasons.

Later years

Edouin returned to England in 1884, partnering with Lionel Brough, to produce the successful burlesque The Babes, or, Whines from the Wood, by Harry Paulton. The play was performed at Toole's Theatre and starred Edouin and his wife. In August 1886, Edouin played Carraway Bones with much success in the farce Turned Up by Mark Melford. From 1888 he mostly starred under his own management at the Strand Theatre in London. He appeared in a revival of H. J. Byron's Victorian burlesque Aladdin, or the Wonderful Scamp, in 1888 as Widow Twankay, There he produced Katti, the Family Help, starring himself and his wife. In 1889, however, he managed Our Flat at the Opera Comique, in which he was popular as Nathaniel Glover. The play ran for nearly 600 nights. At the Strand in the early 1890s, he continued to manage and appear in comedies. In 1894, he had another success as Jeremiah Grubb in The Jerry Builder, by Melford, in which his daughter May débuted.

Family Edouin married Alice Atherton; they had two daughters, Daisy and May, who each became actresses.