John Stange(r) Heiss Oscar Asche (24 January 1871 â€" 23 March 1936),
better known as Oscar Asche, was an Australian actor, director, and
writer, best known for having written, directed, and acted in the
record-breaking musical Chu Chin Chow, both on stage and film, and for
acting in, directing, or producing many Shakespeare plays and
successful musicals.After studying acting in Norway and London, Asche
made his London stage debut in 1893 and soon joined the F R Benson
Company, where he remained for eight years, playing more than a
hundred roles including important Shakespearean parts. He married the
actress Lily Brayton in 1898, and the two were often paired onstage
for many years. He played Maldonado in Arthur Wing Pinero's Iris in
the West End in 1901, his first important part in modern comedy. He
repeated the role on Broadway the following year, and then joined
Herbert Beerbohm Tree's theatre company in London in 1902, playing
more Shakespearean roles over the next few years.Asche and his wife
became managers of the Adelphi Theatre in 1904 and His Majesty's
Theatre in 1907; he made his first tour of Australia in 1909â€"10, and
was much moved by his reception in his native land. In 1911 Edward
Knoblock wrote the play Kismet for him; Asche revised and shortened
it, and the production enjoyed great success in London and on tour
with Asche in the leading role of Hajj.
better known as Oscar Asche, was an Australian actor, director, and
writer, best known for having written, directed, and acted in the
record-breaking musical Chu Chin Chow, both on stage and film, and for
acting in, directing, or producing many Shakespeare plays and
successful musicals.After studying acting in Norway and London, Asche
made his London stage debut in 1893 and soon joined the F R Benson
Company, where he remained for eight years, playing more than a
hundred roles including important Shakespearean parts. He married the
actress Lily Brayton in 1898, and the two were often paired onstage
for many years. He played Maldonado in Arthur Wing Pinero's Iris in
the West End in 1901, his first important part in modern comedy. He
repeated the role on Broadway the following year, and then joined
Herbert Beerbohm Tree's theatre company in London in 1902, playing
more Shakespearean roles over the next few years.Asche and his wife
became managers of the Adelphi Theatre in 1904 and His Majesty's
Theatre in 1907; he made his first tour of Australia in 1909â€"10, and
was much moved by his reception in his native land. In 1911 Edward
Knoblock wrote the play Kismet for him; Asche revised and shortened
it, and the production enjoyed great success in London and on tour
with Asche in the leading role of Hajj.
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