Margery Sharp’s wordless novel, Mélisande, is a tongue-in-cheek memoir of a dog becoming a famous opera star – all inspired by the true story of Julie Andrews’ poodle, Shy, accompanying Andrews as she did scales.
Clara Margery Melita Sharp – an English writer of 25 novels for adults, 14 children’s novels, four plays, two mysteries, and numerous short stories. She has one known wordless novel – Mélisande
Mélisande
“A wordless pictorial memoir of a most uncommon dog, which becomes a famous opera singer and the darling of music society.”
Conceived by Margery Sharp.
Illustrated by Roy McKie (usually spelled McKié; 1921 –2015) an American writer and illustrator of children’s books.
Published 1960 in a USA and a UK version.
Made up of black and white drawings that are printed as a two page spread, verso and recto.
The apparent inspiration as per the back dust jacket flap of the UK version: During the opening run of My Fair Lady, when Julie Andrews rehearsed the part of Eliza Doolittle she would hear a peculiar accompaniment and discovered it was her poodle, Shy, doing scales. The back DJ flap of the UK edition has a photo of Andrews and Shy.
- The USA edition has a tongue-in-cheek forward that ends with thanks to various fictitious and real parties including, “Miss Julie Andrews and Shy (actually a distant connection of Mélisande)”.
- Andrews played Eliza Doolittle in the NY premier beginning Feb 15, 1956 until Feb 1958.
- Andrews then went on to the UK premier on April 30, 1958 and left the production in August 1959.
PLOT: Consistent with it’s inspiration, as in My Fair Lady, Mélisande starts out as a flower girl but at some point she is discovered and becomes a star. She later retires to more modest activities.
Little Brown & Co, USA 1960 edition
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