The Lancashire Rambler
Examiner of Plays' Summary:
This is a hotchpotch of rude chaff and rough burlesque of the proceedings of Lancashire lads, on the outbreak of the war. To begin with the principal comedian irrelevantly discusses the manner in which a 'revue' is to be made out of the theme, and he is interrupted by his wife who is jealous of his 'flapper associate''. Then comes - quite incoherently - a skit upon a recruit's medical examination: and this is followed by the comedian's attempt to disguise himself when his wife finds him in a public house. The typical conscientious objector comes in for some rough handling and sings his familiar 'lament'! There is a comic court martial, and there is great deal of pattern and prompting before the fun ends at Blackpool the dialogue is all of the 'cross-talk ' order and very common. But hotter is no real harm in it, nor in its bustling aimless business: though care must be taken that the bathing machine scene with which the nonsense winds up is treated with decency. The proposed songs must be forwarded. Recommended for License. Ernest A. Bendall. 25 March 1918, Songs stated to be all harmless published ones, except 'I raised my hat' which is passed. Ernest Bendall
Researcher's Summary:
This was a revue performed, with some local support, under the title 'A Lancashire Rambler', by officers and men of the 4th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers who were stationed at the Buttrills Camp in Barry, Glamorgan, to raise funds for the Regiment's Prisoner of War Fund and Barry War Charities. It was staged at the Theatre Royal, Barry on the evening of Tuesday 26 March 1918 but a review in the Barry Dock News, 29 March 1918, indicated that it had previously been put on at Buttrills Camp. The author(s) of the various sketches that made up the revue is/are not reported in the newspapers and they were probably written by men from the Battalion.
Licensed On: 25 Mar 1918
License Number: 1485
Genre(s):
Keyword(s):
British Library Reference: LCP1918/6
British Library Classmark: Add MS 66188 L
Performances
| Date | Theatre | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 1918 | Theatre Royal, Barry, Glamorgan | Unknown | Licensed Performance |
| 26 Mar 1918 | Theatre Royal, Barry, Glamorgan | Amateur |
Read Narrative
'At the Theatre Royal, Barry, on Tuesday evening next, the 4th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers will present their revue, “A Lancashire Rambler,” in aid of the Regimental Compassionate Fund and Barry War Charities. To ticket-holders doors open at 7, the revue to commence at 7.45. Tickets 3/- (reserved), 2/-, and 1/-’. A separate advertisement stated that tickets could be obtained from the Theatre Royal or Buttrills Camp, Barry. Barry Dock News, Friday 22 March 1918. The Barry Herald and Vale of Glamorgan Times, Friday 29 March 1918, reported, under the headlines ‘A Lancashire Night. Great Treat for Barryites. Full Evening’s Programme’, on the performance by officers and men of the Lancashire Regiment [sic] of a revue entitled ‘The Lancashire Rambler’ before a crowded house at the Theatre Royal, Barry on the evening of Tuesday 26 March. ‘It is eloquent testimony to the unflagging enjoyment by its audience that although it occupied nearly 3½ hours there was scarcely a dull moment from start to finish. Quip and crank, song and patter, dance and dialogue were before the audience in rapid succession, and the rifts of laughter and rapture of applause were things to recall with pride as being thoroughly deserved by everyone who contributed to the programme’. Various individuals are congratulated on their offstage and onstage contributions. ‘The barrack room scene and the Company office burlesque were exquisite parodies on the up-to-date army, and Lieut. Loseby as the conscientious objector, and his dummy show in the bogus ventriloquial turn was cleverly conceived and brilliantly carried out’. ‘At an interval Major Smith, the oldest quartermaster in the British Army, appeared before the footlights with Mr. William Graham J.P., and both appealed for a bumper collection. The result was £22 7s., and £5 afterwards realised by the sale of Pte. Howard’s hat [‘the funny man of the whole show’], all towards the Prisoners of War Fund of the Regiment. The whole performance was under the aegis of the Barry War Charities Committee, who carried out the arrangements. Colonel J. Aspinall Turner was also present and congratulated the performers’. ‘“A Lancashire Rambler.” Revue At The Theatre Royal. In Aid Of The Compassionate Fund And Local War Charities. Major Blencowe, the officers, and men of the Lancashire Fusiliers, are to be congratulated on the production of their revue, “A Lancashire Rambler,” at the Theatre Royal, Barry, on Tuesday evening last, especially as one of the objects was to help the Barry War Charities. The staging at the Buttrills was excellent, but the brilliance and wit of the author was revealed on the Theatre Royal stage in the succession of scenes that abounded with up-to-date and topical allusions. The opening scene, “A Street Scene in Oldham,” was typical of the time of declaration of war, and introduced the leading characters … One of the hits of the evening was Lieut. G. Loseby, who, by his simplicity as a conscientious objector, put the hallmark of “actor” on his name. He is more than an amateur … During the interval Colonel Aspinall Turner, Major Smith, and Mr. W. Graham, J.P., spoke of the excellent work done by the Barry Prisoners of War Committee’. Barry Dock News, Friday 29 March 1918.
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