Gus Elen

Elen was born at 103 Pulford Street, Pimlico, London. His father was Edwin Elen, a viewer of cloth in a military store, and Mercy Elen, née Letherbarrow.[1] Elen started his career as a solo performer and briefly worked at the Old Marylebone Theatre in a 'blackface' comedy double act with a man named Daniels, who died in a boating accident a few years after the partnership was formed.[2] After the death of Daniels, he returned to being a solo performer and bought the rights to "Never introduce your donah to a pal" from the song's writer A.E Durandeau, (donah was cockney slang meaning girlfriend). The song was performed on stage on 4 June 1891, at Harewood's varieties in Hoxton.[2] Elen performed songs and sketches as the character of an old east end costermonger and became known as a 'coster' comedian. Elen drew inspiration from his experiences of growing up around people, similar to that of his persona on stage.[1] Elen's performances were often misinterpreted as being a self caricature, but were performed in a realistic and simplistic manner, one that made him popular with his audiences.

The sheet music of If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between

In an interview, given after he had become a star, he said:

Years before I entered the ranks of music hall performers proper, I used to contribute to the programmes of the weekly sing songs held at such places as 'Poppy Lords' in Lisson Grove; the 'Magpie and Stump', Battersea; or the 'George Street Recital Hall'. At the last named hall, the salaries ranged from a shilling to three and sixpence a night with a cup of coffee and a bun thrown in by way of refreshment. In those days I often filled in a season on the 'waxeys' (on the seaside) at Margate and Ramsgate in a Negro minstrel troupe.

Elen's songs were often compared to those of Albert Chevalier, a contemporary to Elen and a major performer on the halls.[1] There were many other coster performers on the Victorian music hall circuit, but throughout his career Elen maintained a particularly friendly rivalry with Chevalier.[1]

The Coster's Mansion, 1899 sheet music

The movements for each of Elen's songs were carefully rehearsed so that the performances themselves were clean and precise. Each gesture was powerfully distinct and could be seen from the back of the largest theatre.

Many of Elen's songs spoke of the living conditions of ordinary workers and about the cramped housing conditions of the East End. Commenting on the overcrowded poor parts of London, in one of his songs, he takes on the persona of a proud tenant boasting about the dismal place he lives in, and in particular the view from his 'garden':

Wiv a ladder and some glasses
You could see to 'Ackney marshes
If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between

— "If it Wasn't for the 'Ouses in Between"

The lyrics to "If It Wasn't for the 'Ouses In Between" were written by Edgar Bateman, who later wrote two more of Elen's songs: "She's Too Good to Live Is Mrs. Carter" and "The Postman's 'Oliday." The music to the songs was written by George Le Brunn, who wrote a vast number of music-hall songs and accompaniments for Marie Lloyd and Dan Leno, and also for Gus Elen's "It's a Great Big Shame". Chance Newton, a friend of Elen, spoke of his habit of leaving scores he was working on at the various pubs he visited en route to the particular hall he was travelling to.[1]

"If It Wasn't for the 'Ouses In Between" is perhaps Elen's most recognisable song and is about the little backyards of London houses which are hemmed in by row upon row of other houses in all of the other streets in the neighbourhood. It is set in a typical working day of an east end costermonger.[3]

His songs were bitter and realistic and rooted in the poverty and life of the East Enders who were his audience.[1] The appeal to his audience, many of whom were poor, proved to be a relief to the working classes of society within London.[1] His act would encourage his audience to laugh at the difficulties of working class life, and to celebrate one's capacity for survival. Some songs would go further and openly reject establishment values of hard work and moral rectitude. His song "Wait until the work comes round" was specifically written for the unemployed people of Victorian London.[1]

Put your 'ead back on the pillow
And read your Daily Mirror[4]
And wait until the work comes round

— "Wait until the work comes round"

In 1907, William Morris, a respected vaudeville performer in America, was sent to London by the czar of the American legitimate theatre, Abe Erlanger, who had formed "The Advanced Vaudeville".[2] It was created to act as direct competition for the newly established Vaudeville Hegemony, which was operating in the eastern half of the USA.[2] Whilst in London, Morris saw a performance of Elen's at the Hackney Empire and signed him to take part in the new company.[2] Elen was offered $1,500 to work in the US.[5] He accepted the offer and appeared on the same bill as Harry Lauder and Will Evans[5] at The New York Theatre where he performed his repertoire of cockney songs to the delight of American audiences.[6] The New York Times described his act as being "...strange, raucous, quavering voice with its queer breaks into the treble, the shambling gait and the sudden jerky gestures of a coster, with all the little mannerisms that serve to make him what he is".[6]

The New York Dramatic News cited; "While his act is, in a sense, similar to that of Albert Chevalier, it is also radically different. Mr. Elen portrays the coster as if he actually exists in his native element".[2] The box-office sales indicated that Chevalier, who was also appearing in America, was more popular with American audiences than Elen and so he returned to the UK and performed for a further seven years as a top attraction in music halls across London, before his retirement.[2]

Elen took early retirement in 1914 after 33 years of performing.[1] He returned in the 1930s, albeit briefly, where he appeared in a film and in the 1935 Royal Command Performance.[2]