Toronto's Style Store

I have to say that this warehouse cum labyrinth provided the oddest shopping experience I have ever had.

The company that is presenting "Priscilla" here in Toronto was founded by famous entrepreneur and restauranteur Ed Mirvish. His famous restaurants in King St are long gone but the emporium he founded on Bloor is alive and kicking.

It is pretty chaotic and full of the oddest things.

The play pictured wasn't labelled. Sheldon was elsewhere engrossed.

There's a Calvary of relics made in China

 

These were right opposite the cheese biscuits 

 

The rape of a sabine can be contemplated while choosing a polyester shirt.

Every available space is plastered with photos of celebrities and theatre posters

Here is the grand lady of British musical film and stage, Dame Anna Neagle, bestowing favour on Miss Eliza Dolittle while flogging potting mix at five bucks a bag

Canada's own Mr Goulet who walked into an audition for the original  Camelot ( 1960) just when Moss Hart had given up hope of finding a Lancelot. The rest is history

                                                                                

miaow

You know how to whistle,Ed

Of the Redgrave dynasty

Ready for her close up

Legend hath it that Miss Anderson, playing Medea had requested via a note delivered by the stage manager

that Miss Reed (playing Medea's Nurse) refrain from a piece of displeasing stage business.

As she was waiting in the wings for her ultimate entrance which leads up to the the slaughter of her children, Dame Judith asked the nervous stage manager if there had been any response from Miss Reed. He was very reluctant to speak until she insisted he tell her. So just before her cue to take the stage he whispered Miss Reed's answer,  "Tell Miss Anderson she can go and fuck herself!

  Miss Anderson's line as she stepped on stage was, "DEATH!   DEATH!"  They say they heard it in the theatre across the road. 

Elaine Barrie and John Barrymore who played at the Royal Alexandra. The play was probably "My Dear Public" which marked the end of his illustrious career. His often pickled attempts to inject some sort of life into the turgid piece were greeted with  appalled shock by critics and genuine theatere lovers. The great unwashed thought he was a hoot.

Mr Rooney who at time of clacking is still going strong...... in cabaret with his 1000th wife.

all made in China

Ed's biography poster. Sheldon bought the book.

Sir John watches over the cream of screen gems

A classic poster of the 80's  touring company of the Sondheim/Prince  "Sweeney".  Miss June Havoc was Mrs L.

I did, Ed!  I bought Sheldon some black socks,  I bought a blue cotton shirt for the opening night (it'll probably fall to bits in the first wash but it matches me bowler) and a stick- on-the- window santa face for Christmas.

When I first walked in and saw all the celebrity  photos ...Sinatra, Dean Martin, Olivier et al. I thought this was where they came to get their undies and colanders . But it turns out the photos were personally signed to Ed while they were performing in his theatres or noshing in his eateries.

And now...have saved the best for the last.  Look at this orgasm of Kings. I wonder if he is hiding out amongst these gorgeous replici.

So here below  is a visual appendix  to my first trip here.  Just some more pics and posters from the vast collection instore. Apparently there is an inner sanctum crammed with more memorabilia which we hope to be invited to see at a later date. It's fun to zoom them and try and guess a few.

Hose,eh?  It's actually Jose

This one is especially for Mr Frank Lazarus should he find this page. He is on the left, as Chico Marx, in a musical madness he co-created and played all over  North America ... "A Day in Hollywood. A Night in the Ukraine"