Bella Goodall (10 August 1851 – 2 February 1884) was an English soubrette of the Victorian theatre, noted for her work in burlesque and comic plays on both the Liverpool and London stages.
Early life
Isabella Goodall was born in Liverpool, England. By her early teens she had begun performing professionally, achieving local fame at the city's Theatre Royal, Williamson Square.
Career
- Liverpool debut (c. 1865): At the age of 13, Goodall was granted a benefit performance in February 1865, in which she acted and sang, including a role in Dion Boucicault’s burletta A Lover by Proxy.
- London debut (April 1865): She appeared at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre in J. P. Wooler’s The Winning Hazard, receiving favorable reviews from The Era and The Daily News.
- Subsequent London work: Goodall quickly became a regular presence in West End productions, performing in a variety of burlesques and comic pieces. Notable roles included:
- A comic Lancastrian housemaid in The Mudborough Election (July 1865).
- A schoolgirl in H. J. Byron’s One Hundred Thousand Pounds (1866).
- Parts in Byron’s Pandora’s Box, Magic Toys (with Marie Wilton), W. S. Gilbert’s La Vivandière, and the farces Mr and Mrs White and The Rendezvous.
- A travesti role as Lord Woodbie in Boucicault’s The Flying Scud (Holborn Theatre, 1867) and as the valet Max in Gilbert’s burlesque The Merry Zingara.
- Strand Theatre (1868–1872): Joining the Strand company, Goodall appeared in the burlesque The Field of the Cloth of Gold and toured with the troupe. In 1870 she played “a spirited St Patrick” in F. C. Burnand’s Sir George and a Dragon, where her dancing was praised for its vigor.
- Teaching: Contemporary reports indicate that Goodall also taught performing arts; a pupil named Ada Arnold debuted successfully at the Holborn Theatre in 1868 under Goodall’s mentorship.
Later life and death
Goodall continued performing into the early 1870s, though detailed records of her later career are limited. She died on 2 February 1884 in Pentonville Road, London, and was interred at West Norwood Cemetery.
Legacy
During her lifetime, Goodall was remembered as a leading soubrette of the Victorian stage, admired for her vocal ability, comedic timing, and versatility in both female and male (travesti) roles. Contemporary accounts, such as those of journalist William H. Rideing, recall her as a memorable presence in Liverpool’s theatrical scene.
References
- “Bella Goodall.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- Contemporary newspaper reviews (e.g., The Era, The Daily News).
- Rideing, William H. Many Celebrities (1912).
No further verifiable information beyond the documented theatrical career and biographical details is currently available.