No 5 -- June 1976 Edited by Michael Walters
JOHN LE HAY. [As a result of a query about this performer (in whom no-one ever really seems to have expressed much interest), I consulted a few sources and came up with some facts about him, which I reproduce here as they may be of some interest to readers. Sources:- Rollins & Witts: "The D'Oyly Carte O. C. in G & S Operas." W.Macqueen Pope: "Gaiety, Theatre of Enchantment."]
The first mention I can find of him is with the "2nd PINAFORE COMPANY" in 1879 (touring) and he played James in the Paignton production of Pirates. In 1881 he was promoted (the Company had by now become the "A" Company) and he played Mr. Wells, Sir Joseph & Major General Stanley in the three operas which were being toured. For one month he dropped Sir. Joseph and played Ralph Rackstraw instead. In 1882 & 1883 the Company were touring only Pinafore & Pirates with Le Hay as Sir J. and Maj. Gen. The Company was then disbanded and we hear no more of Le Hay till 1886 when he created the small role of Tom Strutt in Dorothy at the Gaiety (this opened 25 Sept. 1886, but I have no information as to how long Le Hay stayed in the cast). In 1891 he was back with D'Oyly Carte touring in The Nautch Girl but it is not stated if he had a role. He then took part in Messager's La Basoche at the Royal English Opera (this was the second, and last production there, following Ivanhoe). It ran from 3 November 1891 to 16 Jan but Le Hay apparently left, or was removed, halfway through the run, since from December he was singing in the chorus of the "B" touring company which was then doing Yeomen & Gondoliers. He continued touring till March 1892 with these operas. After that he next appears at the Savoy, creating the role of Phantis in Utopia Ltd. in October 1893. On 13 July 1896 he was back at the Gaiety playing the role of Amexander McGregor (yes, that is how Macqueen Pope spells the name!) in My Girl by J. T. Tanner, Adrian Ross & Osmond Carr. This piece was apparently a flop, but Le Hay made "a big hit". The last reference I have found so far to him is that he did a ventriloquist act at the Nellie Farren benefit at the Gaiety on 17 March 1898. All in all a curious career.
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