England Expects - A Recruiting Play

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

This is a spirited music hall argument in favour of recruiting. Its first scene shows how, in a fashionable London grill-room, the 'nuts' who are 'slacking' are spurred into action by the action of the 'noisettes' who, headed by lady Mary Winthorpe and her lover, the Hon. Eustace Baring, remonstrate to such good effort that then the next day they become amateur assistants to the Recruiting Sergeant at Wellington Barracks they help him to a huge success. Subsequent tableaux illustrate the march in Belgium and work in the trenches. References to German 'swine' and to 'Cur Hardie' are in doubtful taste; but their subjects may perhaps be allowed the benefit of the doubt. For the hero a name less connected with the peerage than the Hon. Eustace Baring should be chose. The song, if new, to be sung in Act 11, page 10, should be forwarded for approval. Recommended for license. Ernest A. Bendall. Songs forwarded and approved 16/9

Researcher's Summary:

England Expects was performed for three weeks, with three performances each day (2.30 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm). The performance ran for around one hour and prices were far lower than standard, with the gallery being entirely free, and the most expensive seats being the boxes at 2s,6d. Knoblauch, Hicks, Cochran (the producer) and many of the company and cast took no fee for their work. The author Edward Knoblauch, who was born in New York, changed his surname to Knoblock in 1916 when he became a naturalised British subject (The Era, 6 September 1916).