The Coward

Horace Hunter and company are listed in Calls for Monday 12 October at the Hammersmith Palace in The Stage, 8 October 1914. And Reynold’s Newspaper, 11 October 1914, advertised Horace Hunter & Co. twice nightly at the Hammersmith Palace.

The Liverpool Daily Post, 20 October 1914, advertised ‘Horace Hunter & Co. in a New Patriotic Sketch, “The Coward”' at the Olympia. Also: ‘Horace Hunter and Co., in a war sketch, and Val A. Walker, the navy wizard, … win favour’ (Liverpool Echo, 20 October 1914). And: ‘Horace Hunter and Co,’s clever sketch, “The Coward,” is well received’ (Birkenhead News, 21 October 1914).

'At the Empire this week there is a programme submitted calculated to please all palates. Perhaps the most attractive item is the patriotic sketch entitled "The Coward," presented by the author, Mr Horace Hunter, and company, including Miss Lily Hammersley. The point the sketch is intended to drive home is that at this time particularly spies may be found everywhere. The scene is the private office of Sir John Shelton, of the Alien Investigation Department in London, where Sir John is seen upbraiding his son Dick for not answering his country' s call. The son explains that he has a reason for not so far having done his duty. Sir John's private secretary and interpreter, who passes himself off as a Russian, is suspected by Dick of being' a German spy. That such is really the. case is eventually proved when Dick, disguised as a German, "draws" the secretary. The latter's attempt to escape is neatly frustrated by Dick's newly-made wife, who levels a revolver at the spy, and he is safely secured. Then the son explains to his gratified father that he has been married that morning, joined the Army in the afternoon, and that this is his first capture. "The Coward" is quite a bright playlet, and well worth seeing. There is no "gush" about it, but just sufficient of the sentiment of the moment to please. The enactment is clever, Mr Horace Hunter in the title role giving us a fine sample of the great histrionic ability of which he is possessed; while Miss Lily Hammersley does her little bit with piquancy and charm. Her interlude with the spy, when he makes advances to her, is very good. Messrs Harry Hardy, Henry Latimer, and A. Weston also perform their parts with complete satisfaction. The night of my visit the sketch was heartily applauded by a goodly-sized audience' (Scottish Referee, 30 October 1914). Also: ‘It may be mentioned here that Mr Hunter, like many other people, considers the five miles limit for aliens absurd, and he believes there is a lot of correspondence passed that never goes through the post. He considers the only way to trap German spies is for a person, if clever enough, to become a “German” for the time being’ (Scottish Referee, 30 October 1914).

‘The new patriotic sketch, entitled “The Coward,” forms the star attraction at the Paisley Hippodrome, where the bill presented for the current week is rich in talent. The sketch named is produced by Horace Hunter and Company, with Miss Lily Hammersley in a leading role. “The Coward” has already achieved considerable success, and during the week at Paisley the production is bound to be an immense draw’. Scottish Referee, 2 November 1914.

‘The star turn is an exceedingly ambitious one, and is presented by Horace Hunter and Company, which includes Miss Lily Hammersley. They contribute a new and up-to-date sketch, “The Coward.” It deals with the work of an Alien Investigation Department, where the private secretary is a German spy, the frustration of whose nefarious schemes is brought about in clever and sensational fashion. The sketch strikes a patriotic note that is not lost upon the audience in these dark days of war’. Hamilton Advertiser, 14 November 1914.

The Scotsman, 19 November 1914, advertised at the Empire Palace Theatre a bill that included 'Horace Hunter & Co., New Sketch, "The Coward"'. Also: ‘A cleverly-written sketch entitled “The Coward” is presented with much success by Horace Hunter. & Co. The story deals with the vindication of a misjudged son in the bringing to book of a German spy in influential quarters. The patriotic feature of the production was well brought out. In the piece were Miss Lily Hammersley, Mr- Horace Hunter, and Mr Henry Latimer’ (The Scotsman, 17 November 1914). ‘Horace Hunter has a capital new sketch in The Coward, which deals the unmasking of a German spy. He is well supported by Lily Hammersley, Harry Hardy, and Henry Latimer’ (The Stage, 19 November 1914).

‘In these days of feverish anxiety anything pertaining to the war is a sure attraction with the public. Quite in keeping with present sentiment is the new patriotic sketch, “The Coward,” which Horace Hunter and company, including Miss Lily Hammersley, are this week presenting at the Finsbury Park Empire. The story, briefly told, is that of the machinations of a German spy who occupies a position of trust in the Alien Investigation Department, of which Sir John Shelton is the chief. James Hilton, as private secretary and interpreter to Sir John, has many facilities for obtaining information of a confidential nature calculated to be of the greatest value to the enemy, and he is not at all backward in availing himself of all the opportunities which present themselves for carrying on his nefarious work. Dick Shelton, a son of Sir John, is regarded by his father as a wastrel. Unlike his brother Jack, he has failed to respond to the call to arms, and at the outset of the sketch he is the target of much parental criticism. But in the end Dick proves himself a man. By clever disguise he not only unmasks the villain Hilton, disclosing him in his real colours, but in doing so does his country yeoman service in effectively putting an end to the career of at least one unscrupulous spy. In this task he is assisted in no small measure by his newly-made bride, Evelyn Carville. From this bare outline of the sketch it will be appreciated that it belongs to that category particularly appropriate at the present time. The characters are all admirably portrayed. Mr. Horace Hunter himself plays the part of Dick Shelton, while the rôle of Sir John, his father, is entrusted to the capable hands of Mr. Harry Hardy. Mr Henry Latimer ably fulfils the requirements of his task as the spy, while a word of praise is also die to Miss Lily Hammersley for her very effective acting as Evelyn Carville. The cast also includes Mr. A. Weston in the part of Rodney’. The Era, 2 December 1914.

Horace Hunter and Co. are listed in Calls for Monday 7 December at the Salford Regent in The Era, 2 December 1914. Performing 'The Coward'?

The Yorkshire Evening Post, 2 January 1915, noted that next week Evie Greene, Horace Hunter and Lily Hammersley would appear in 'Naturalised' at the Bradford Empire. And The Stage, 7 January 1915, noted that Horace Hunter and company were performing ‘that patriotic sketch’ Naturalised.

‘[An] item of special interest in the programme this week is the patriotic sketch, “Naturalised," by Horace Hunter and Co., which is very cleverly acted and thoroughly up-to-date. James Hilton is the private secretary and interpreter to Sir John Shelton of the Alien Investigation Department, and although speaking with a foreign accent, he has been in the service so long and naturalised so many years that any suspicion against him is ignored. But Sir John's son, who has displeased the old official by refusing to enlist, is by no means a duffer, and the story develops with very interesting results. As Dick Shelton, Horace Hunter scores a great success, and the interpreter is cleverly impersonated by Henry Latimer, while Miss Lily Hammersley as the future Mrs Shelton is quite entertaining’. Western Daily Press, 19 January 1915.

Advertised in the Derbyshire Courier, 23 January 1915: performing Under Suspicion and Naturalized.

‘A striking sketch, suggested by the war, takes the leading place at the Hull Palace this week. It is entitled "Naturalised," and is presented by Mr Horace Hunter and his company. Mr Hunter takes the leading role of the spy, in which his ability as an actor comes to the front, and the cast includes Miss Lily Hammersley. Mr Hunter is the author of the sketch, which holds attention all the more because its plot comes well within the realms of possibility. Under the guise of private secretary the spy, though naturalised, is found in an important office plotting against Great Britain. The telephone plays an important part, and there are several tense moments in which revolvers are produced - but not used. Incidentally there is a scene which a father denounces his son for not enlisting, but this son defeats the workings of the arch spy and his co-workers, and makes further amends and also a record by marrying in the morning and enlisting in the afternoon’. Hull Daily Mail, 9 February 1915.

‘The new patriotic sketch, “Naturalised,” by Messrs Horace Hunter and Coy., was a great success. If the applause were any criterion the sketch was very highly appreciated’. Shields Daily News, 16 February 1915.

Advertised in the Hartlepool Daily Mail, 22 February 1915 as ‘an entirely new Patriotic Sketch, entitled “Naturalised?”’. Noted in The Stage, 25 February 1915.

Horace Hunter is listed in Calls for Monday 22 March at the New Cross Empire in The Stage, 18 March 1915. Advertised in The People, 21 March 1915. Probably performing 'Naturalised'.

‘One of the best sketches owing its origin to the war is “Naturalised?” as presented by Horace Hunter and his company. The play possesses the quality of probability and is acted in a way that renders convincing the not easily managed intricacies of detection and disguise. It is the work of Mr. Horace Hunter, who himself plays the leading part with strength. Our old familiar friend, the German spy, is an important figure in the playlet, but is given unusual reality of appearance and character by Mr. Henry Latimer, whose performance is also noteworthy’. East End News and London Shipping Chronicle, 30 March 1915 - no doubt quoting a 'puff' provided by Horace Hunter's company since it is almost identical to a piece in the Hull Daily Mail, 5 February 1915.