Following In Father's Footsteps,
sung by Miss Vesta Tilley
In 1899 Vesta Tilley laid the foundation stone for the Camberwell Palace of Varieties, which stood at 23–31 Denmark Hill. At the time, Camberwell boasted around half a dozen theatres and cinemas. On the day she laid the foundation stone, she is reported to have said that she would be “delighted to sing the first song in the new Palace of Varieties”.
This film was created for Camberwell Arts Festival 2016 as part of the Metamorphosis project. It features music by music hall star Vesta Tilley, one of the most prominent performers of her era. She began her male impersonation act at the age of five, and her work became strongly associated with transformation, performance and shifting identity.
Vesta Tilley can be seen as an early figure of metamorphosis in performance, an enduring icon whose influence can still be felt today.
Vesta Tilley, quoted in The Era, 8 July 1899.
Supported by Camberwell Arts Festival (11–19 June 2016).
