Kitty Loftus

A leading soubrette of the 1890s and 1900s in comedies, burlesque, pantomime and musical plays, at the height of her career she performed with her Kitty Loftus Company.

[4] She became a regular in the annual pantomime at The Crystal Palace, appearing in December 1891 as Aladdin and playing Jack Daw in The Babes in the Wood and Bold Robin Hood (1892).

Of her performance in the latter, the critic of The Sketch wrote of her: This very talented and very charming actress ... once more … makes a distinctive mark and secures a bewitching triumph.

Ambition may lurk beneath those careless curls, and the young lady, perhaps, secretly longs to ... turn from the dainty deliciousness of sparkling burlesque to gracious and coquettish comedy.

[1]In 1893 Loftus created the title role of Phyllis in the touring production of the most successful of the early variety musical comedies, The Lady Slavey,[2][3] and in 1894 she was Eric in the pantomime Santa Claus at the Lyceum Theatre.

[5] Loftus appeared as Emma opposite Arthur Roberts in Gentleman Joe at the Prince of Wales Theatre (1895),[6] Janet in Biarritz (1896) and Mrs. Bailey in The White Silk Dress (1896).

[17] She went to court to make a legal challenge against her old partner Arthur Roberts when he dropped her as co-star for his West End season of HMS Irresponsible (1900) after the pre-London tour in favour of Kate Cutler; on losing the case she played in Shakespeare with Frank Benson, and appeared as Maude Sportington in a revival of Morocco Bound (1901) and in the title role of the musical comedy Bébé (1901).

[22][23] The latter part of her career was spent in variety, with Loftus appearing in music halls such as the Holborn Empire in 1908,[24] at the London Coliseum and touring the provinces.