Life, 1911-06-22 · page 17 of 44
Life — June 22, 1911 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Britain's coronation ceremony as theatrical spectacle. "George and Mary Wettin" refers to King George V and Queen Mary (the Wettin was their German royal house name). The cartoon presents the coronation as a burlesque performance at a theater called "London Theatre" run by "John Bull" (personification of Britain itself). The satire mocks the elaborate pageantry by listing the "cast" as a mix of nobility and common people ("Pickpockets, 'Arrys and 'Arriets, Bounders"), suggesting the event encompasses all British social classes. The accompanying farce "Trimming the Tourist" and tragedy "The Cost" indicate the satirist views the coronation as both comedic spectacle and economically burdensome. The final note that this may be "the last performance" likely expresses concerns about Britain's stability or the monarchy's future—possibly referencing pre-WWI anxieties or the German royal connections.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LONDON THEATRE JOHN BULL, Lessee and Proprietor Attraction Extraordinary! ‘The management presents for one performance only this theatre, the Eminent English Actors George and Mary Wettin in the grand, glorious, gorgeously glittering, spectacular burlesque entitled **The Coronation!’’ Supported Ly a notable cast of Princes, Princesses, Earls, Dukes, Lords and Lasties in Waiting, Honorabies and Dishonorables, For- eign Potentates, Bishops, Flunkies. Cads, Tourists, Thugs, Pick- pockets, ‘Arrys ‘and ‘Arriets, Bounders, Beefeaters, Nerve, and The Full Military Equipment of London Town! ‘The buriesque to be preceded by the side-splitting farce ‘* Trimming the Tourist’’ and followed by the magnificent ballet divertissement ‘“*En Féte”’ and the heart-rending tragedy ‘* The Cost’’ With a cast made up of the entire British public As this will perhaps be the last performance of The Coronation” ever given in England, the desire to see it will be very great, and seats should be secured early in order to avoid the rush at the box office on the day of the performance. comicbooks.com