THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Duncan Fleet (1890-91)

[Born Penge, Surrey 21 Nov 1859]

Duncan James Fleet was the younger brother of D'Oyly Carte principal Rutland Barrington. Fleet appeared at the St. James's Theatre in November 1888, when the theatre was under his brother's management, as Alaric Redmayne in W. S. Gilbert's Brantinghame Hall. The play was an abject failure.

Fleet was engaged by D'Oyly Carte to appear (under the name Duncan Barrington) on January 7, 1890, as Giuseppe in the first American production of The Gondoliers at the Park Theatre, New York. The production was a popular, critical, and financial disaster. It closed in February, and when it was remounted at Palmer's Theatre later that month Fleet was no longer in the cast. He returned to England, where he toured as the Giuseppe with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "C" from March to December 1890, filled in briefly for his brother as Giuseppe at the Savoy in December 1890, then resumed touring with Company "C" as Giuseppe, Pish-Tush in The Mikado, and, beginning in January 1891, as the Lieutenant of the Tower in The Yeomen of the Guard. He left the D'Oyly Carte organization in May 1891.

Duncan Fleet later appeared at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, in several plays: Our Boys (September 1892-January 1893), The Martyr (November 1892-March 1893), The Guv'nor (January-March 1893), and Uncle John and The Landlady (April 1893).

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