THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Buchanan Wake (1894-1902)

[Born Withington 19 Dec 1864, died Burnham-on-sea 11 Jan 1940]

Vincent Buchanan Wake appeared as Mr. Blushington with D'Oyly Carte's American Utopia Limited Company from March to June 1894 and with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "A" from July to December of that year. He joined D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "D" in December 1894, and played Phantis in Utopia Limited with that Company until April 1895. When The Chieftain was added to the Company "D" repertoire in February 1895, Wake took the part of Blazzo in the Burnand & Sullivan opera. The Chieftain toured until August 1895 and Wake may have retained the role for the duration of the run.

His next part was Ben Hashbaz, the costumier, in The Grand Duke with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "E," beginning in March 1896. Wake would remain a chorister and small part player with Company "E" until May 1902, appearing as Ben Hashbaz (March 1896-April 1897), Antonio in The Gondoliers (June-July 1897), Pennyfather in the companion piece After All (1897-99), Kedas in The Lucky Star (April-November 1899), Nicodemus Knock-knee in Haddon Hall (October-November 1899), Major Murgatroyd in Patience (December 1900-June 1901), the Grand Vizier in The Rose of Persia (January-February 1901), and Mickie O'Hara in The Emerald Isle (July 1901-May 1902).

Wake continued to perform until well into his 70s. His infrequent London roles (none of them musical) were the Minister in Buddha (Little, April 1912), Baptiste Dupont in the comedy Falling His Crest (Wyndham's, August-September 1912), The Muezzin in Kismet (New Oxford, April 1925), James Lorrimer in Playground (Royalty, November 1932), and the Clerk of the Court in Laughter in Court (Shaftesbury, September-December 1936).

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