Opkins On Fatigue
Examiner of Plays' Summary:
A skit on the employment of women carpenters behind our lines in France. Corporal Hopkins is disgusted when first a ‘flapper’ and then an elderly spinster turn up to assist him in his carpentry. The flapper pretends to be hopelessly useless, but it happens that she was only chaffing him and has done work on the land, and the other is also a real worker. Finally a robust woman arrives who turns out to be Mrs Hopkins. It is broad chaff, but not offensive. Some people might think that the subject is unsuitable for chaff at all, but I do not suppose that women who have grit enough to go to work in France would be thin-skinned enough to mind chaff and it is clear that they are not meant to be really inefficient. All these public concerns are fair game for chaff, in my opinion, provided it is not offensive recommended for license. G. S. Street
Licensed On: 3 May 1917
License Number: 934
Genre(s):
Keyword(s):
British Library Reference: LCP1917/9
British Library Classmark: Add MS 66164 U
Performances
| Date | Theatre | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 1917 | Palace, Bath | Unknown | Licensed Performance |
| 7 May 1917 | Palace, Bath | Professional | |
| 21 May 1917 | Hippodrome, Gloucester | Professional |
Read Narrative
"The outstanding events the the Hippodrome this week is the sketch '''Opkins on Fatigue," described as the funniest episode of the war. It is presented by Billy Danvers, the original Bairnfather "Alf" from the Comedy Theatre, London, who is supported by Winnifred Roma and Co. As to its being funny there can be no two opinions, for the whole is conceived on the lines of broad farce, and there is a real Bairnsfather touch about it. 'Opkins might have stepped forth from one of the inimitable and familiar postcards. The sketch is well acted and catches on at once with the skit on camp life on Salisbury Plain." Gloucester Journal, 26 May 1917.
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| 17 Jun 1917 | Empire Theatre, Shepherds Bush, London | Professional | |
| 25 Jun 1917 | Hippodrome, Boscombe | Professional | |
| 9 Jul 1917 | Grand Theatre, Mansfield | Professional | |
| 16 Jul 1917 | Hippodrome, Manchester | Professional | |
| 23 Jul 1917 | Granville Theatre, Walham Green | Professional | |
| 6 Aug 1917 | Empire, Chiswick | Professional | |
| 3 Sep 1917 | Empire Theatre, Ardwick, Manchester | Professional | |
| 10 Sep 1917 | Hippodrome, Bristol | Professional | |
| 17 Sep 1917 | Hippodrome, Devonport | Professional | |
| 24 Sep 1917 | Hippodrome, Rochdale | Professional | |
| 1 Oct 1917 | Hippodrome, Birkenhead | Professional | |
| 15 Oct 1917 | Hippodrome, Sheffield | Professional | |
| 19 Nov 1917 | Metropole Theatre, Manchester | Professional | |
| 24 Dec 1917 | Empire Theatre, Grantham | Professional | |
| 7 Jan 1918 | Hippodrome, Preston | Professional | |
| 14 Jan 1918 | Pavilion, Liverpool | Professional | |
| 23 Jan 1918 | Grand Theatre, Mansfield | Other |
Read Narrative
"The Duchess of Portland has promised to be present at the Grand Theatre, on Wednesday next, at a charity matinee, in aid of Ellerslie House, her Grace's home for paralysed soldiers, in Nottinghamshire. Second Lieut. Norman Payne of the 4th Battalion M.G.C., is in charge of the arrangements, and a first-class programme will be presented, principally by members of this Corps." Mansfield Report 18 January 1918.
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| 28 Jan 1918 | Theatre Royal, Loughborough | Professional |