When Our Lads Come Marching Home

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

A war melodrama, as its title denotes. The villain is a sham pacifist, really a profiteer. He persuades the hero that his girl has been false with an officer. In reality she and the officer had befriended the girl’s sister, but she has sworn not to tell. So the hero goes to France vowing to kill the officer, but saves his life instead. Then, after the villain has falsely said that he was shot for cowardice he returns with distinction and everything is explained. There are several scenes in the trenches, the usual medley of comic business and heroism. To me this way of exploiting the war is distasteful, but it has been done in numerous plays, and it is to be said in favour of this play that it is well meant and the tone of it throughout, patriotic. Recommended for Licence. Ernest A. Bendall