Doing His Little Bit

‘Written specially to fit the needs of the moment “Doing their Bit” - an excellent recruiting sketch by Mr. Charles H. Longden – is the outstanding feature of the programme at the Theatre this week. And it cannot be- too highly eulogised. Patriotic in spirit, it gives prominence to the desire and the ability of the man of middle age to serve his country in a military capacity. The sketch is well written, and there is a naturalness and a touch of sentiment about the plot that awakens sympathy as well as patriotism. There are four characters, each well defined, and each was ably portrayed by the actors respectively responsible. Dr. Griffen [sic - Griffen], a recruiting medical officer, returns at the end of a busy day to his study, where he finds his adopted daughter, Edith (Miss Amy F. Millar), waiting to say good-bye before leaving to take up the duties of a Red Cross nurse. Noggs, the doctor’s butler, an ex-soldier, has been expressing his opinion of the work being done by women at the present moment, and says how he too would like to join the Forces. Dr. Griffen [sic] complains that men are not coming in fast enough. “ Why,” he asks, “does not the Government take the bull by the horns and have conscription, or national service, or compulsory service - call it what you will?” Before leaving, Edith tells him that she is not an orphan, as he supposed, and that her father, Gordon Strange (Mr. C. H. Longden), an ex-officer. had been dismissed from the Army for striking a superior officer. Sinking lower when he leaves the Army he got sentenced seven years’ penal servitude for manslaughter, and she had learned that he had just been released. At that moment a man calls to see the doctor. Some years beyond the military age, he wants to enlist to redeem the past. It is soon apparent that the man is Edith’s father, and an affecting scene takes place when they meet. The doctor passes him, for he realises that experienced men are wanted, and he sees no reason why a man whose hair is “a bit thin on the top” should be debarred from war service. Himself beyond the age-limit, he nevertheless feels physically fit and, as Kitchener wants men, “M-E-N,” he decides to enlist. Noggs does not see the force of remaining behind, moreover he also considers it his duty to serve his country, and so the curtain on falls the patriotic quartette going off to do “their little bit.” Thoroughly up-to-date, this little play should make a “hit.” It cannot fail to be well received anywhere. It is in the right key, and echoes the sentiments of every man worth calling himself a man ... The audience - which one would have liked to be larger - gave it an enthusiastic reception (Leamington Spa Courier, 11 June 1915). ‘The principal item of a thoroughly entertaining programme this week [at the Theatre Royal, Leamington] is the new recruiting sketch, “Doing Their Bit,” by Mr. Charles H Longden. It is fully up to the average “product of the hour,” and on Monday night met with the hearty approval of the audience, which, however, was none too large The action, such as it is, takes place in the study of a medical recruiting officer, Dr. Griffin, a part comfortably pourtrayed by the popular manager of the theatre, Mr. John Halifax; and here assemble the Red Cross nurse (Miss Amy Millar), Gordon Strange (Mr. Chas. H. Longden), the doctor (Mr. John Halifax), and Noggs (Mr. James Wilkinson), “who ought to make a good soldier.” As a sort of bye-plot Gordon Strange turns out to be the disreputable father of the Red Cross nurse, and an affecting reconciliation takes place between them. Thus the plot, and the acting was fully equal to demands' (Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser, 12 June 1915).