The Real Japanese

In which we tell the story of the second generation Japanese performer Nellie Valentine, singer of the Honeysuckle and the Bee and The Girl From Japan as well as debunk the idea that Dutch interpreter Fredrik Bleckman was actually the Scouse bigamist, army deserter and impresario Tannaker Buhicrosan, try to work out who the Japanese acrobats were in a recently discovered photo of the Great Dragon Troupe and uncover what became of the beautiful and mysterious Omoto, taking in opium, adultery and prostitution along the way.

Otake was born around 1850 in Nagasaki and left Japan with her husband Tannaker Buhicrosan's troupe of acrobats at the age of 16. She performed as a dancer in Britain in the 1870s and 1880s and may well have been the inspiration for Yum Yum in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. This podcast talks about her life, achievements, children and views, as well as the ups and downs, prejudices and scandals she had to deal with as a Japanese woman living in Britain, coping with a bigamist, army deserter, bankrupt, drug addict, impresario husband.