ABSTRACT
Oscar Asche, the show’s writer, director and star, proved that there was a lot of money to be made from public’s fascination with Orientalism. The combination of exoticism, socio-political meanings and familiar musical styles combined to make Chu Chin Chow one of the greatest successes in history of popular musical theatre. The immediate popularity of Chu Chin Chow rested firmly on its fanciful visual elements — the sets, costumes and stage effects. Motivating the entire show, however, was cultural construct of Orientalism. When director Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree left His Majesty’s Theatre to tour America in 1916, Asche stepped in and presented an original Orientalist work on theatre’s stage, following on success of Kismet. Prior to the First World War, Orientalism provided a safe haven for musical theatre creators to offer thinly veiled depictions of Englishness, a tradition continued in Chu Chin Chow. Asche was well aware of the show’s success and the inherent commercial potential for Orientalist musical theatre.
