The Pacifist
Examiner of Plays' Summary:
A short war melodrama. The pacifist in question is one Brunner, who uses his position in the port of London authority to give information to the Germans about transports and to facilitate air raids by signalling. He has also, apparently, blown up a transport himself by putting a bomb on it. His object in these activities is to compel England to make peace. Brunner is the fiancé of a lady doctor. She detects him signalling and communicating with a German spy. He refuses to kill himself and she puts poison in his drink which does the job. Thus saving him from being shot. In the circumstances she was justified, I suppose. Brunner is impossible, I hope, and the play seems unfair to the pacifists. But I see nothing to object to from the point of view of the office. Recommended for licence. G. S. Street.
Licensed On: 22 Oct 1918
License Number: 1824
Genre(s):
Keyword(s):
British Library Reference: LCP1918/18
British Library Classmark: Add MS 66200 M
Performances
| Date | Theatre | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Oct 1918 | Empress, Brixton | Professional |
Licensed Performance
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Performed by: George Pickett (Richard Brunner), Dorothy Wilmer (Dr Madge Verrinder), Phyllis Manners (Mrs Garritt), Edith Madelle (A Poor Woman), Harry Gilbey (Sergeant Mardon): 'from the title, one might reasonably presume Mr Brandon's latest contribution to be a treatise founded upon the pacifist "question." The piece, which came in for a fair share of favour on Monday evening, is, however, yet another addition to the long list of spy plays already before the public ... The finale is distinctly good, but the author should have something more convincing to lead up to it. Several of the situations are rather threadbare and stand in need of strengthening' (The Stage, 31 October 1918). Other acts on the same bill were: Lockhart's Elephants, Will Lacey, Caron Troupe, Laura Novea, Irene May, Divina, Foot-Gers.
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| 11 Nov 1918 | Palace, East Ham | Professional |
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Advertised in the West Ham and South Essex Mail, 8 November 1918: ‘Geo. Pickett and Co. [next week] present “The Pacifist”’.
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| 18 Nov 1918 | Metropolitan Music Hall, London | Professional |
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The Harrow Observer, 15 November 1918, advertised for the following week ‘George Pickett and Co., including Willie Rolls, Dorothy Wilmer in “The Pacifist”’.
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| 25 Nov 1918 | Hippodrome, Birmingham | Professional |
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‘The outstanding feature [of the programme] is a new one-act playlet with the title of “The Pacifist.” As presented by George Pickett and Co., with himself and Miss Dorothy Wilmer in the leading part, it proved to have a very large measure of dramatic interest. How a man posing as a pacifist was discovered to be playing the part of an enemy to his country and gets checkmated in time makes a story with the requisite number of thrills to keep interest at a high pitch’. Birmingham Daily Post, 26 November 1918.
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| 30 Dec 1918 | Metropole Theatre, Gateshead | Professional |
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‘George Pickett and company present a well-written one-act play, The Pacifist. Dorothy Wilmer gives a praiseworthy delineation of Dr. Madge Verrinder. Other parts are capably done’. The Stage, 2 January 1919.
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