The Whirl of the Town? - 1897

Caroline Siedle designed quite a few costumes in simple black & white. The graphic quality of these outfits would have had a striking appearance on stage, as a contrast to other more colorful elements. 

This particular costume design by Mrs. Siedle bears no useful information for placing it within a show, but as it was acquired together with the two Whirl of the Town designs previously shown, I have classed it with that production. I haven't been able to locate any contemporary information to make it definite that this is the case, but I'll keep looking. I may find it was intended for something else altogether!

One of the reasons I consider it might be for this show is this postcard of Madge Lessing wearing a costume of very similar appearance. The caption on the card reads: 

"Mother Goose" 
Madge Lessing as Jill

Lessing did appear as Jill in a production of Mother Goose in London, but I can find no record of Siedle designing for that show. That particular production took place in 1902; but although this photo is labeled as Mother Goose it isn’t positive proof that the photo was taken from that show. It’s not uncommon to find earlier publicity photos of stars being used to promote their latest endeavor. This particular photo could easily be from The Whirl of the Town.

In spite of the lack of identifying features, there is a great deal of information on the back of the design. This is sometimes the case, with instructions concerning materials and construction of the costume:

 

The jacket is of black satin with white satin reverse & edged with swansdown. High flaring (illegible) collar.
Buttons tapering in at waist are of rhinestone. Strip to sling muff on is black velvet ribbon, backed with white satin showing edge on each side of black. 

Rhinestone buckle to regulate length. White satin ruffle at each end of muff & an owl on top.

The skirt is of transparent goods machine pleated.
Up the pleats are sewn silver hanging spangles, suspended with a few silver small beads.

The tights have flesh tops, woven to represent black stockings and flesh above.
Black silk fitted trunks. Show as much flesh as is possible. Skirt is open both sides.
Garter of satin & stone buckle

Outside of umbrella applique represents an owl on a branch with moon & stars. The stick comes out at top of owl’s beak. Edge umbrella cover with swansdown & ball of same at points.

Hat black satin outside. White inside edged in down. A good white plume. Bow knot of stones.

 

Siedle has done a faint sketch showing the design of an owl on a branch with moon & stars, which was the design intended for the umbrellas. There's also an explanatory sketch for the tights, showing how the effect of bare skin would be achieved.   

 

A final note, written sideways on the right of the drawing reads:

8 clowns
White & orange

 

 Perhaps these were to be a backup up chorus for this costume! 

The Whirl of the Town/Otero - 1897

Madge Lessing made a hit in The Whirl of the Town, but another actress also scored a success. Gertrude Zella had a turn in which she performed a parody of La Belle Otero, a popular Spanish style dancer of the day. 

 Otero was known as much for the excess of diamonds and jewelry worn on her costume as she was for her performance. The dancer had been touring the country and performing in 1897, so she was a timely choice for lampooning. She had detractors as well as admirers, as can be seen in these selections from a bit of writing in the Los Angeles Herald, February 7th 1897 - 

...There stood Otero. There were no diamonds on her face. Her nose was clear. So were her lips. Every other portion of her entity blazed. The display was not vulgar; it was ludicrous. There isn't a window in Union Square that could compare for a moment with Otero's bediamoned bust....

...Her bodice was decollete, but she could have gone out in in a blizzard without catching cold, thanks to the huge diamond poultice that covered her chest. It was a mighty and colossal affair... 

...Alas! Poor Otero! She sang a couple of songs in a harsh, shrill voice that caused my friend Huneker to wish himself back at "Siegfried" or "Tristan". These songs called for coyness, chic and "spice". Otero's interpretation is by elephantine methods...

...After this Otero tried to be saucy and lifted up her dress a la Cissy Fitzgerald, to show a misty wealth of yellow chiffon. She did it all so awkwardly, so coldly, so brazenly, that you asked yourself how it was that so strikingly handsome a woman could be so bereft of all grace. 

Admittedly, other reviewers were high in their praise for the dancer, who starred at the Folies Bergere in Paris and was notorious for her many royal lovers. 

 This drawing by Caroline Siedle is labelled “Miss Zella as Otero”, and shows a gaudy dress in bright yellow and orange. Glitter has been used to represent the many spangles and rhinestones that would be used in the costume. The dress is designed to replicate the outfit worn by the dancer when performing at that time. There’s no additional information on the back of the drawing.

The pose chosen by the artist is quite similar to this photo postcard, showing the dancer in a typical skirt-raising stance. The striking necklace that nearly doubles as a breastplate on the costume design reproduces the one worn by Otero. It's easy to imagine that Siedle might have had this image at hand when designing this particular costume. It appears correct in its essentials, down to the "misty wealth of yellow chiffon" under the skirt!

Miss Zella’s performance certainly captured praise from this reviewer in the New York Journal, May 26th, 1897. After describing some business performed in the show by actor Dan Daly, he provides a description of her turn as the Spanish dancer -  

...It is while Daly is still in that upper box that one of the most effective novelties of the piece is introduced. The scene is the Metropolitan Music Hall stage and "Otero comes forth to "dance with her voice and sing with her feet". Daly is no longer blase. He is enraptured. But Otero (she is Gertrude Zella, and she is not to be despised, I can assure you) sings at a callow youth in an aisle seat in the front row. She beguiles him with many a languorous gesture; she makes melting eyes at him, and calls him "bebe". The callow youth shuffles about in his seat. Daly glares at him, and he turns red and tries to appear unconscious. The more unconscious he appears the more utterly he fails and the more the audience is enraptured. And not until at the climax of Miss Zella's endearing invitations does he get up and leave the theatre in deep indignation, and not until then does the audience realize that Daly in his box is not the only actor in the audience.