Great War Theatre

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

This is a revue of the topical sort, relying on jokes and current illusions more than sumptuousness. Much of it is reasonably amusing, and there is hardly anything to object to. The first act is in a Garden City with little houses representing places taken over by the Government. "Eve' of the Tatler, Mr. Chatters, who represents the prevailing paragraphist, the "Girl from Ciro's", and so on, with Robinson Crusoe as commentator, joke about current matters. Then pg.15 a wounded soldier comes on and is bored by offers to take him to the Tower, to classical music and so on, and by a child who insists reading to him. I do not like the taste of bringing on a wounded soldier at all, but it is done in all the comic papers, and the incidents will be popular with real wounded soldiers who have suffered in the same way. One of the incidents however, is very dubious. P.18 "The Lady in the Case" comes on and talks about stroking his forehead and so forth. This allusion to the notorious Cornwallis West case is a pity. I hesitate to advise its cutting out altogether, because it is only a question of taste and the stage must be allowed to refer to what is in the newspapers if the reference is not indecent. But certainly there must be no making-up as Mrs. Cornwallis West. After this is an amusing scene in dumb show which looks first like a wicked seduction scene but turns out to be an attempt to engage a servant, the "Wicked Old Woman" being only a register office woman: this comic end saves it from an offensiveness. The second act begins with the familiar wealthy munitions makers and impoverishes aristocracy. (I have marked a couple of real names on P 13 but am sure no-one would mind - it is only a casual use of them) Then we have burlesques on Potash and Perlmutter, American "comics", etc. and the last scene is a burlesque of popular sensational fiction. The songs are all given. With the exception of "The Lady in the Case" I see nothing to interfere with [...]

Researcher's Summary:

The revue Cheerio (book by C. H. Bovill, music by Kennedy Russell) ran at the London Pavilion from 21 February to 4 August 1917, although for the last four weeks only a selection of scenes and songs from it were combined with similar items from an earlier revue, Pick-a-Dilly, and with various variety acts, to support an engagement by the singer Alice O’Brien. The Era (28 February 1917), The Stage (1 March 1917) and The Bystander (4 July 1917) described the items that made up the revue, some of which had Great War-related elements. The Wounded Soldier sketch mentioned by the Censor was praised by reviewers (although none mentioned a link with the scandal involving Mrs. “Patsy” Cornwallis-West and a young shell-shocked soldier, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patsy_Cornwallis-West). Fun was poked at the war-time restrictions placed on daily life which made a homecoming Robinson Crusoe prefer his desert island. High war-time taxation and the money that could be made by munitions workers was pointed up. One song had the title ‘The Chorus Boy to the War Has Gone’. New scenes were added in May, including one showing how, at home, a plumber is more indispensable than an officer on leave, and one about attempts to reduce food consumption in fashionable restaurants. A character named Cuthbert was shown in his ‘Whitehall funk-hole’, while his father and grandfather did the fighting. No evidence has been found to show that Cheerio was toured after it closed at the London Pavilion (a revue entitled Cheer-o, sometimes Cheerio, that was touring later in 1917 was written by Scot Watson and had been staged the year before).

Licensed On: 13 Feb 1917

License Number: 793

Author(s):

Genre(s):

British Library Reference: LCP1917/4

British Library Classmark: Add MS 66159 C

Performances

Date Theatre Type
21 Feb 1917 Pavilion, London Unknown Licensed Performance
21 Feb 1917 Pavilion Theatre, London Professional
Read Narrative
‘“Cheerio,” the fourth of the series of revues at [the London Pavilion] was produced last night before an enthusiastic audience, and in no way does it fall short of its predecessors. “Cheerio” is aptly named. It is one of those bright, merry little productions which we now associate with the London Pavilion. Plot, of course, is absent, but the very incoherence of this medley is perhaps its greatest attraction' (Pall Mall Gazette, 22 February 1917). '‘“Cheerio,” the new revue produced at the London Pavilion last night, could not have a better name than this, which means nothing, and means everything. Just so, the revue makes pretence at form, or serious significance, but it is jolly good fun. There is not a vestige of a story. It is impossible to repeat the old gibe that here, we have just a series of music-hall turns on a string, for that is not so. “Cheerio” is just “Cheerio,” and, as the Americans say, that is “all there is to it.” A large audience was almost as industrious in applause, almost as spontaneous in its mirth as the company was vivacious, and “bubbly” with fun ... The note is struck by the arrival of Miss Avice Kelham, in the character of Robinson Crusoe, disposed for a good time after his long seclusion. One restriction after another induced the remark that his island was the better place' (The Globe, 22 February 1917). 'Once more the Pavilion has “struck lucky,” and “Cheerio!” seen for the first time last Wednesday evening, proved to be just one of those happily irresponsible, between-you-and-me sort of entertainments that have become the special genre of the Piccadilly Music Hall (Sporting Times, 24 February 1917). '‘The now production [“Cheerio” at the London Pavilion] was quite equal to its title, and even on the opening night there were very few dull moments. Not too original is the scheme, but quite original enough ... First came a wounded soldier, who is pestered, all sorts of cranks who try to force anything but congenial entertainment upon him ... Possibly one of the most quaint numbers was “The Chorus Boy to the War Has Gone,” in which three middle-aged gentlemen posed in the general theatrical manner. A merry-and-bright show of the real “Begone, dull care” order, and it should enjoy a successful run for some time to come’ (The People, 25 February 1917). 'The management of the London Pavilion have secured an undoubted success in “Cheerio!” a merry and bright entertainment, with some particularly witty dialogue – a pot-pourri of amusing skits on topical events, and delightful songs and dances; music that is always tuneful, and futuristic backgrounds by Georges de Feurre, and striking colour schemes in the dresses ... Robinson Crusoe, home from the Desert Island, discovers that London, owing to may restrictions, can no longer supply him with the good time anticipated. A Soldier’s Lot, one of the funniest things in the revue, shows us a wounded Tommy pestered by well-meaning people to spend an afternoon in various ways, none of which offers any attraction for the patient and genial hero ... Here come Lady Lavender and Lord Plantagenet, impoverished owing to taxation, to be patronised by the now affluent and uppish munition worker and coal vendor (The Era, 28 February 1917). 'The latest London Pavilion revue, which is obviously destined to fill the bill for some considerable time to come, had a cordial welcome at its first presentation ... nearly all [Bovill's] scenes have some humorous or satirical reference to current events of the day ... such fruitful revue subjects ... as a wounded soldier being worried to death by persons who wish to entertain him' (The Stage, 1 March 1917). ‘The bright little revue “Cheerio” at the London Pavilion has now passed its 100th performance. Several new scenes and songs are being introduced of an extremely topical nature. One episode will show how life is, nowadays, made more attractive for an indispensable plumber than for one of our much “restricted” heroes home on leave from the front. Another scene in course of rehearsal will depict a device of the Food Controller to reduce food consumption in fashionable restaurants’ (Pall Mall Gazette, 12 May 1917). ‘It is still “Cheerio!” at the London Pavilion. I thoroughly enjoyed the second edition of that really witty revue on Wednesday night. The new numbers are “Home On Leave,” in which a war-time policewoman plays the Old Harry with a Major in mufti and his lady ... “Cuthbert,” in which the central is an asinine specimen of the Whitehall slacker' (Sporting Times, 19 May 1917). ‘Wise men build houses capable of revision and enlargement; and the Pavilion revue, “Cheerio,” was constructed on this system. Its elasticity is quite remarkable ... there is “Cuthbert," [who] is depicted in his Whitehall funk-hole, while his father and grandfather do the fighting. “Home on Leave” is a third new feature of “Cheerio.” Thanks to this constant process of revision and to an excellent company, “Cheerio” should comfortably complete the second hundred performances it is now piling up, and bravely make for the third. There is no better show of its kind in town’ (The Globe, 21 May 1917). ‘Harry de Bray, who takes the part of “Cuthbert,” the slacker, in “Cheerio,” at the London Pavilion, is very much exercised in his mind for fear that his performance may be considered too realistic. He tells that he is a Cuban subject, and that he offered his services as interpreter, but was refused. He still has hopes of serving in the Army in any capacity’ (Sporting Times, 26 May 1917). ‘Cheerio! gets cheerier than ever. It is certainly the “it” of revues - if “it” stands for clean humour, cheerfulness, and good spirits kept at a high pitch from beginning to end ... for sheer jolliness, real good humour, and liveliness it is second to no show of its light, irresponsible kind in all London. Perhaps the new items lack the snap they will have after a few performances, but even on the first night they showed some really amusing ideas. The one of the plumber who, because he is the only plumber in the district, becomes much more important than the famous major (whose wife is discovered on the plumber’s knee, simply because he is the only man about who can plumb and the water is running out of the bath), is quite ridiculously funny. The song about Cuthbert - the “Poy” Cuthbert of “The Evening News” ... is quite amusing even if its fun is somewhat obvious ... taking it as a whole, Cheerio! possesses a “snap” and sparkle which are not the property of very many revues. It is as good an entertainment for a jolly evening as any to be found anywhere around' (The Tatler, 30 May 1917). '‘“Cheerio!” is a soldiers’ word, and at the London Pavilion it is interpreted as conveying the best wishes for good luck and a safe return, and so say all of us! ... The topsy-turvy effects of the war are dealt with very brightly here. At quite an early stage of the proceedings we find no less distinguished a personage than Lord Plantagenet earning his daily bread as a hardworking coster-monger, and debating with his donah, Lady Lavender, as to whether they will be justified in going to the expense of a winkle supper. In the days to come it may be that such functions will be regarded as orgies of extravagance. A little later on we have a purse-proud young lady (she is “in munitions”) haughtily protesting with her young man, who is “in coal,” because he is lowering himself by speaking to Lad Sangazur, who, being merely a titled personage, is now a resident in Petticoat Lane ... The officer home on leave has always been an object of solicitude, and it was natural, therefore, that he should find a place in this revue. Mr. James Godden, as the prosperous plumber hereinbefore referred to, is strolling down the street, when he is stopped by an aristocratic lady who appeals to him to come at once and give his professional attention to a burst water-pipe in her house. The plumber, however, loftily declines to do anything of the kind. He has been exempted from the Army on the ground that he is indispensable, and the compliment seems to have flown to his head. In the direness of her need the lady kneels to him for his help, and it is just at that moment that the Major, her fiancé, arrives on the scene. The Major has at first a short way with plumbers; but then he doesn’t know what has been happening at home while he has been at the war. He learns the cruel truth by degrees. The elaborate dinner he has dreamed of for months in the trenches remains a dream; and the little supper with a dance afterwards is, he is told, still more impossible. The climax comes with the arrival of a lady policeman, who informs him coldly that she is going to keep him in sight in order to make sure that he doesn’t annoy the young lady by following her about. London must certainly have its surprises for the soldier on very occasional leave. Indeed, Robinson Crusoe, who has managed to escape from his lonely island in order to appear in this revue, is so affected by the changes in London life brought about by the war that he decides to return to the wilderness ... The Wounded Soldier, who is bored to death by well-meaning people who offer him just the kind of entertainment he is not looking for, has an amusing scene to himself; and since no self-respecting revue could nowadays omit a reference to the work of women on the land, that pleasing novelty is duly travestied here' (The Bystander, 4 July 1917). ‘At the London Pavilion to-morrow important changes are announced. Alice O’Brien, the celebrated Prima Donna from the Opera Comique, Paris, will begin an exclusive four weeks’ engagement. The best and brightest items from “Cheerio,” and last year’s “Pav.” success, “Pick a-Dilly,” will be combined into a non-stop revue of one and a half hours, and in addition Scott and Whaley, Footgers, Gintaro, Fitz Allen, and other variety turns will appear’ (The People, Sunday 8 July 1917). ‘“Cheerio” and “Pick-a-Dilly” are excellent revues, and when you get the best of them combined you get something very good indeed. That is what they are doing at the London Pavilion now ... I was glad that the Cuthbert sketch was retained' (Daily Mirror, 11 July 1917). ‘After over two years of uninterrupted revue, the London Pavilion will, on Monday next, revert to pure variety. There will a “star” programme, presenting such well-known favourites as Marie Lloyd, the Two Bobs, Bransby Williams, Vernon Watson, Gondin and Dhery, and Arthur Roberts’ (Pall Mall Gazette, Saturday 4 August 1917).