Pals

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

The 'pals' are Micky, a brave young Irish soldier, and Sheila, who have many troubles brought upon them by the jealous animosity of the male and female villains of the piece, Philip and Caroline, who are respectively the English lover and the unworthy sister-in-law of Sheila. For very complicated motives Sheila goes to France after the outbreak of the war to take over to the Marquis of Valois the child of her dead brother, who, it seems, saved the marquis's life in battle, and who is to be posthumously rewarded by help given to this widow and orphan baby. With the best intentions Sheila poses as this widow - the worthless Caroline - and wins the love of the marquis, for whom matters are complicated by the appearance on the scene of the real widow, bent on blackmailing with the aid of the rascal Philip. The muddle is further increased by Sheila’s attempt to shield - for the sake of her French lover - his uncle, a German spy; and also by the self-sacricing effort of her Irish 'pal' to help her out of her maze of misery. The bewildering plot suggests the inexpert dramatization of a sensational novel: but, if it is often inconsequent, it is never objectionable, and is accordingly recommended for license. Ernest A. Bendall.

Licensed On: 15 Dec 1915

License Number: 3915

British Library Reference: LCP1915/33

British Library Classmark: Add MS 66119 Q

Performances

Date	Theatre	Type
20 Dec 1915	Grand Theatre, Luton	Unknown	Licensed Performance
3 Jan 1916	Theatre Royal, Lincoln	Professional	Read Narrative 'The story is out of the beaten track and is cleverly told.' Twice nightly. ('Lincolnshire Echo', 4 January 1916, p. 4)
10 Jan 1916	Theatre Royal, Stratford	Professional	Read Narrative 'Eva Elwes, who is responsible for Pals, has constructed a play that is never lacking in movement and often grips the imagination. The interest is well sustained, and the author has been at pains not to handicap the play with a superabundance of those comic scenes that so often militate against the success of Irish melodrama. The dialogue is good and the characterisation well above the average.' ('The Stage', 13 January 1916, p. 23)
17 Jan 1916	Pavilion, Northwich	Professional
24 Jan 1916	Public Hall, Runcorn	Professional
7 Feb 1916	Grand, Brighton	Professional
14 Feb 1916	Variety, Eastleigh	Professional
21 Feb 1916	Junction Theatre, Manchester	Professional	Read Narrative Twice nightly
6 Mar 1916	Rotunda, Liverpool	Professional
20 Mar 1916	Grand Theatre, Stockton	Professional	Read Narrative Twice nightly
3 Apr 1916	Theatre Royal, Jarrow	Professional
15 Apr 1916	Theatre Royal, Sheffield	Professional
17 Apr 1916	Empire Theatre, Longton	Professional
24 Apr 1916	Queen's Theatre, Leeds	Professional
1 May 1916	Opera House, St Helen's	Professional	Read Narrative '... a drama of absorbing interest ... Many incidents are introduced in connection with the present war.' ('The Stage', 4 May 1916, p. 8)
8 May 1916	Theatre Royal, Barnsley	Professional
15 May 1916	Grand Theatre, Halifax	Professional
22 May 1916	Hippodrome, Huddersfield	Professional
29 May 1916	Palace Theatre, Rochdale	Professional
5 Jun 1916	Royal Court Theatre, Warrington	Professional
12 Jun 1916	Grand, Accrington	Professional
19 Jun 1916	Hippodrome, Wigan	Professional
26 Jun 1916	Hippodrome, Leigh	Professional
26 Jul 1916	Hippodrome, Leigh	Professional	Read Narrative 'Mrs M.E. Ward, who plays the part of Sheila Desmond in the Irish play, "Pals", was unable to appear at the Leigh Hippodrome on Wednesday owing to the shock caused by the news of the death of her son, who was a Second Lieutenant in the Army. An understudy is playing the role for the present.' ('The Era', 2 August 1916, p. 8)
4 Sep 1916	Theatre Royal, Dewsbury	Professional
11 Sep 1916	Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham	Professional	Read Narrative 'When the lapse of time has provided a proper perspective, the war will doubtless provide material for novel and drama only a little less gripping on the imagination than the event itself. In the meantime purveyors of fiction and minor drama are seizing their opportunity while the guns roar, and thus at the Alexandra Theatre this week we have in "Pals" a play with the war as a definite background. Miss Eva Elwes, the author, has softened the tenour of the play, however, by introducing at an early stage a charming Irish atmosphere, and this is perhaps the best feature of the production.' (Birmingham Daily Post', 12 September 1916, p. 7)
18 Sep 1916	Empire Theatre, Cradley Heath	Professional
25 Sep 1916	New Theatre Royal, Castleford	Professional
1 Oct 1916	Alexandra Theatre, Hull	Professional	Read Narrative 'That a good part of this play has as its background the fighting areas of France must counted to it for merit in the eyes of those to whom it is addressed. It is melodrama, but also tonic. This is its first visit to the city, where it seems to have had a cordial welcome.' ('Hull Daily Mail', 3 October 1916, p. 3)
30 Oct 1916	Empire, Garston	Professional	Read Narrative Twice nightly
13 Nov 1916	Theatre Royal, North Shields	Professional	Read Narrative T. Edward Ward's company in "Pals" and "Her Luck in London". ('The Era', 15 November 1916, p. 9)

Pals

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

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Performances