Great War Theatre

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

A recruiting sketch, quite good in its simple way. A man and his wife argue about his enlisting, she trying to dissuade him; she gives way when she hears that their son, a boy scout had asked his father when he was going out, and it then appears that the man had already joined. Recommended for License, G. S. Street

Researcher's Summary:

As early as 16 December 1914 The Era reported that 'Shirley and Ransome, who have been playing Chas. D. Hickman’s sketch, “The Separation Order”, for a considerable time, have scored a great success at Merthyr and Cardiff with a new recruiting duologue by the same author entitled “One o’ Kitchener’s”’. The sketch may have ceased to be performed because ‘In January 1916 the Military Service Act was passed. This imposed conscription on all single men aged between 18 and 41, but exempted the medically unfit, clergymen, teachers and certain classes of industrial worker. Conscientious objectors – men who objected to fighting on moral grounds – were also exempted, and were in most cases given civilian jobs or non-fighting roles at the front. A second Act passed in May 1916 extended conscription to married men’. (Source: http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/private-lives/yourcountry/overview/conscription)

Licensed On: 2 Sep 1915

License Number: 3697

Author(s):

Genre(s):

Keyword(s):

British Library Reference: LCP1915/23

British Library Classmark: Add MS 66109 T

Performances

Date Theatre Type
1 Feb 1915 Palace Theatre, Reading Professional
Read Narrative
Reading Mercury, Saturday 30 January 1915: Palace Theatre, Reading. Advertisement ‘Monday Next, February 1st’ twice nightly at 6.55 and 9 … ‘Shirley & Ransome present their latest sketch: One o’ Kitchener’s’.
5 Apr 1915 Empire, Bristol Professional
Read Narrative
Western Daily Press, Tuesday 6 April 1915: at The Empire, [Bristol?], ‘Shirley and Ransome presented “The Cockney Episode” one o’ Kitchener’s’.
21 Jun 1915 Empire Theatre, Edinburgh Professional
Read Narrative
Daily Record, Lanarkshire, Scotland Tuesday 22 June 1915: at The Empire, ‘Shirley and Ransome produce “One of Kitchener’s”, a touching Cockney episode’.
5 Jul 1915 Palace Theatre, Hull Professional
Read Narrative
Hull Daily Mail Friday 2 July 1915: at The Palace, Hull, turns next week will include ‘Shirley and Ransome, presenting a Cockney episode, entitled “One of Kitchener’s”.
12 Jul 1915 Argyle Theatre, Birkenhead Professional
Read Narrative
Liverpool Echo Tuesday 13 July: at the Argyle Theatre 'Shirley and Ransome depict Cockney life in their sketch “One of the Kitcheners”’.
6 Sep 1915 Empire, York Unknown Licensed Performance
6 Sep 1915 Empire, York Professional
Read Narrative
At the Opera House and Empire Theatre, York: ‘Cockney life will be deputed (sic) by Shirley and Ransome in the amusing episode, “One o’ Kitchener’s”’ (Yorkshire Herald, Saturday 4 September); ‘Shirley and Ransome … will portray the comedy and pathos of Cockney life in “One of Kitchener’s”’ (Yorkshire Gazette, Saturday 4 September); ‘Shirley and Ransome … present a sketch introducing an episode in which is visualised the comedy and pathos of Cockney life’ (Yorkshire Herald, Tuesday 7 September).
27 Sep 1915 Hippodrome, Warrington Professional
Read Narrative
The Stage Thursday, September 30, 1915: at the Hippodrome, Warrington, ‘Shirley and Ransome also do well in a recruiting sketch, One of Kitchener’s’. Nantwich Guardian Friday 1 October 1915: at the Hippodrome and Palace, Warrington, the bill includes ‘Shirley & Ransome, in a Cockney Episode, “One o’ Kitchener’s”’‘.
11 Oct 1915 Temperance Hall, Merthyr Tydfil Professional
Read Narrative
The Stage Thursday, October 14, 1915: at the Temperance Hall, Merthyr Tydfil, ‘This week’s programme includes … Shirley and Ransome, in One o’ Kitchener’s’.6 October by Shirley and Ransome.
18 Oct 1915 Granville Theatre, Walham Green Professional
Read Narrative
The Stage Thursday, October 21, 1915: at The Granville, Walham Green, ‘The variety portion of the current programme is contributed to by among others ... Harry Shirley and May Ransome who are presenting One o’ Kitchener’s’.
15 Nov 1915 Palace Theatre, Bradford Professional
Read Narrative
The Stage Thursday, November 18, 1915: at the Palace, Bradford, ‘A capital recruiting sketch, One o’ Kitchener’s, is presented by Shirley and Ransome’.
29 Nov 1915 Palace, Carlisle Professional
Read Narrative
The Stage Thursday, December 2, 1915: at the Palace, Carlisle, ‘Shirley and Ransome in One o’ Kitchener’s’ are one of the acts that ‘make up an interesting bill’.
21 Feb 1916 Palace and Hippodrome, Burnley Professional
Read Narrative
'A most touching little sketch, which is a powerful recruiting appeal, is presented by Harry Shirley and May Ransome. Shirley has himself been rejected, and had a son serving in a Lancashire regiment. The playlet must be typical of hundreds of thousands of homes, and the sadness of the husband who feels he must go and fears to break the news that he has enlisted to his wife is one of the most natural as well as the most human little scenes seen on the stage. It was most effectively given, and the audience were deeply impressed by the homeliness of it all’. Burnley Express, 23 February 1916.