A Cuddlesome Ghost

The Era, 26 June 1918, reviewed ‘“A Cuddlesome Ghost”. Sketch, in One Scene, by Frederick H. U. Bowman. Produced at the Park Royal Theatre, Liverpool, on Monday, June 24’. The cast was: Cuthbert Stone, Frederick H. U. Bowman; Jimmy Jellyface, Andy Wilson; Mabel Melrose, Theresa Foote. ‘This sketch, produced by the author’s own company, is a skit on the methods of bogus spiritualists. The villain, Cuthbert Stone, hires a ridiculously garbed ruffian named Jimmy Jellyface, to pose as a millionaire and induce a girl, Mabel Melrose, to invest her fortune in a syndicate which has no existence. When the young lady declines to put her faith in the enterprise, the spiritualist produces the ghost of her Aunt Matilda, who left her the money, and the ghost tells her to obey the clairvoyant’s commands. This supposed ghost, however, becomes rather amorously inclined towards the young heiress, who discovers that it is Jimmy in disguise. She begs him to save her from Stone, and he accordingly strikes down his confederate, enabling the girl to escape. Several songs are introduced, one of them being composed by the author, who is also the composer of the incidental music. Mr. Bowman, who makes a typical melodramatic villain as Cuthbert Stone, has staged the piece with care; and Mr. Andy Wilson makes the most of his comical opportunities as Jimmy. Mabel Melrose is played by Miss Theresa Foote, who is an accomplished singer, and who has just returned from entertaining soldiers at the Front’ (The Era, 26 June 1918). The Stage, 27 June 1918, reviewed A Cuddlesome Ghost: ‘On Monday, June 24, 1918, was produced at the Park Royal, Liverpool, a sketch, by Frederick H. U. Bowman, entitled:- A Cuddlesome Ghost’. The cast was as in The Era, 26 June 1918. ‘The theme of this twenty-minute burlesque on spiritualism is a plot between a deadly serious villain of the typically melodramatic type and a ridiculous accomplice who cannot be serious for two minutes together, to appropriate a girl’s fortune by inducing her to invest the money in a bogus company. Cuthbert Stone poses as a spiritualist, and when the heiress, Mabel Melrose, doubts his supernatural manifestations, he bribes his confederate to impersonate the ghost of her late Aunt Matilda. When the bogus wraith begins to make overtures of affection to the young lady, however, her suspicions are aroused. In a chivalrous moment, Jimmy enable her to escape by stabbing his own companion in crime. The burden of fun-making rests entirely on the shoulders of Mr. Andy Wilson as Jellyface. Mr. Bowman plays the villain on accepted lines, and Miss Theresa Foote, an experienced vocalist, appears as Mabel Melrose’ (The Stage, 27 June 1918). Noted in the Kinematograph Weekly, 27 June 1918.

‘Mr. Frederick H. U. Bowman, who is appearing this week as heavy lead in his own sketch company with “A Cuddlesome Ghost” at the Prince’s Theatre, Bootle, is the author of the new four-act drama, “Divorce or Dishonour,” which will be produced at the Grand Theatre, Plymouth, by Messrs. King and Parry on Aug. 19’. The Era, 14 August 1918.

'Tomorrow evening at the Westminster Music Hall, Liverpool, Mr. Frederick H.-U. Bowman will produce his new burlesque sketch, “Private Pinker on Leave.” It will occupy the bill for the remainder of the week there, Monday, Tuesday, and tonight being devoted to a revival of Mr. Bowman’s other sketch, “A Cuddlesome Ghost" ... Mr. Bowman is supported by Mr. Andy Wilson, and he has engaged Miss Cecelia Crawford as his leading lady’ (The Era, 11 December 1918). ‘Frederick H. U. Bowman, who has been presenting his own sketch company in A Cuddlesome Ghost this week at the Westminster, Liverpool, will produce there his latest burlesque, Private Pinker on Leave, playing the lead himself, and supported by Andy Wilson and Cecilia Crawford. His new revue, Good Old Times, was produced on Monday at the Pavilion, Northwich, by the Provincial Revue Syndicate’ (The Stage, 12 December 1918).