Repertory Theatre, Birmingham

The Birmingham Mail, Saturday 12 September 1914, advertised at the Repertory Theatre that night The End of the World by Lascelles Abercrombie for ‘the first time on any stage’ and Samuel Foote’s comedy The Liar. The Birmingham Daily Gazette, Monday 14 September 1914 advertised the plays ‘for one week’ (hence the suggested closing date of Saturday the 19th). ‘There some real mind-stuff and soul-stuff in Mr. Lascelles Abercrombie’s new poetic drama, “The End of the World,” produced with acceptance for the first time at the Birmingham Repertory on Saturday by Mr. John Drinkwater, The play will be welcome to all who value the drama of poetry and character, distinct from the drama of well-contrived incident and mere traits of character. Mr. Abercrombie allows a mysterious stranger to send a little village community into a frantic panic about the end of world, and by this simple device - a by means improbable one - he makes a group of typical country folk reveal their fundamental selves in the stress of what they believe to be an elemental catastrophe. The masks are taken off. There is the strong evangelical farmer who curses his wife to perdition for running off with a labourer, and yet who wishes he had not starved himself of passion when he had had the chance. The labourer, with his soul in peril, discards the woman, and the theory that “love is all” by which he lured her away. She, in turn, scorns them both as the scales fall off, and dances away A whimpering publican finds his only consolation in the fact that he will be able to tell his dead dragon of a wife such a tale as will silence even her. Then there is a blacksmith, half philosopher, and a wainwright who cannot drink even free cider in such a cataclysm; he blends sudden fury and gentle fear. The touch of rational humour never lacking among the most superstitious is brought by a molecatcher, admirably played by Mr. Dodd, who tells them all that instead of a destroying star they have been watching the farmer’s rick on fire. The chief fault of the play is that these village folk do not merely slip into poetry, as most village folk do in the great tides of emotion, but talk the poetry of Mr. Lascelles Abercrombie; they are too self-consciously literary; not direct enough. Not so is the fresh spring of wit and fancy in Synge’s “Play Boy,” nor the rich Biblical idiom of Masefield’s “Nan.” But when the players have got a surer hold of the play the power and depth of it will grip even those to whom it is strange and remote; for “The End of the World” is not far from being a great play touched with genius’ (Birmingham Daily Gazette, 14 September 1914). ‘Mr. Lascelles Abercrombie is to be complimented upon much really clever work in his new play, “The End of the World,” which had a most favourable reception at the Repertory Theatre on Saturday evening, and when some of the players get a little better grasp of their roles this poetic drama should have a successful run. A mysterious and gloomy stranger makes his appearance in a village inn, and predicts the near approach of the crack of doom. The village is thrown into a panic In the inn are the wiseacres of the village, and a good variety of characters in a farmer, a wainwright, a smith, a labourer, and a publican. In this dread hour we see the souls of these men bared. There is both humour and pathos. The chief regret of the publican seems to be that his wife is not alive to see the sight. The ending the play is humorous, a molecatcher bringing relief to these stricken and credulous people with the news that the mysterious light taken to be the all-destroying star is nothing more serious than a rick on fire. Mr. Felix Aylmer and Mr. Joseph Dodd deserve chief congratulation upon their acting’ (Evening Despatch, 14 September 1914).

'a social comedy, which is only spoiled by a slightly excessive length' (Stage, 17 September 1914)

'As the playlet was written in October 1913, any conscious war flavour is discounted', "Birmingham Daily Gazette", 16 March 1915.

Performed alongside "The Sweeps of 98" by John Masefield and "The Inca of Perusalem" for the week by Joseph A. Dodd (actor), W. Brunton (actor), William J. Rea (actor), William Armstrong (actor), Felix Aylmer (actor), Frank Moore (actor), Frank Clewlow (actor), Noel Shammon (actor) Arthur J. Gaskin (sets and costume). "It is the most dramatic play Mr. Drinkwater has written, and shows development of the theatrical knowledge gained by the author while in charge of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre' (Pall Mall Gazette, 9 October 1916) "a moving and beautiful lyrical drama, a little difficult to follow at the first hearing" (Birmingham Daily Post, 9 October 1916)

The Inca of Perusalem was given seven performances at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre under Barry Jackson from 7 October 1916. The cast was: Joseph A. Dodd (Archdeacon), Gertrude Kingston [from 4 November, during a revival, Isabel Thornton] (Ermyntrude), Noel Shammon (hotel manager), Cathleen Orford (the princess), William Armstrong (waiter), Felix Aylmer (the Inca); also John Drinkwater (producer) and Arthur J. Gaskin (designer) (Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, 'Theatrical Companion to Shaw’ (London: Rockliff, 1954), p. 174). ‘Who Is He? The Repertory Theatre will spring a surprise upon its audience next Saturday night. Three new one-act plays are to be produced, the last of the trio, The Inca of Perusalem, being a new comedy by “one our leading dramatists” whose name is not to be disclosed until after the performance. This seems to offer a splendid opportunity for another Repertory innovation. Why not hold a guessing competition among the audience, each one present being permitted to guess the name of the author before the momentous announcement is made! ... Miss Gertrude Kingston will appear in the anonymous author’s comedy’ (Evening Despatch, Thursday 5 October 1916). 'Since the beginning of the European war the English theatre has failed utterly to represent the spirit of English life; even more than before it has offered either idle diversion and frivolity, or the exposition of affairs and social conditions which have altered these two years … Therefore, without declaring an agreement with the philosophies of the three short plays produced at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre for the first time on any stage, it must be recognised that each in its own way is a sincere criticism and interpretation of the life of the hour. The Sweeps of Ninety-eight, John Masefield; The God of Quiet, by John Drinkwater; and The Inca of Perusalem, are three contributions of importance - of relative importance - to the English theatre. Only one man in England could have written the “almost historical comedietta” called The Inca of Perusalem, but it is part of the game that the anonymity of this ultra modest “member of the Royal Society” should respected. It is a very witty and amusing satire upon the arrogant person whom Barrie exposed so heavily and so gloomily in Der Tag, but it is also a satire upon more rulers than one and more peoples than one. Its chief situation is an interview between the Highest of All and lady - a negotiation and personal inspection in view of an alliance by marriage between two royal houses. The lady is the daughter of an English archdeacon and widow of an American millionaire. She engages herself as lady’s maid to a certain princess - a foolish, fluffy, fluttering woman - and impersonates her mistress throughout an interview with the Inca who visits an hotel incognito as Captain Duval. This Highest Person of all discourses with ineffable grandeur of his miraculous and universal genius, of his overwhelming greatness, of his efforts to introduce culture, of the present; war, of the inefficiency and decadence of his two sons. The lady plays with him very cleverly, criticises a most abominable piece of jewellery he has designed, and finally counters his confession that he is none other than the All Highest by her own confession that she is a lady’s maid to the princess, not, however, before he has expressed his wish to marry her, though his Empress is still living, by turning Mohammedan (which will allow him four wives) “to please the Turk”. It is very fantastic and flippant, and full of fireworks and gibes at the folly of royalty and the folly of humanity. Miss Gertrude Kingston, a brilliant actress, acted the lady’s maid with the witty style and assurance required; and Mr. Felix Aylmer, who made great play with his moustache, lived to the laughable caricature of the All Highest. Miss Orford, too, deserves praise for her silly, gentle “niceness” of the princess. If Englishmen have breadth of mind to laugh at themselves as well as at the Kaiser, in his most Napoleonic attitude, the play will enjoy a vogue’ (Birmingham Daily Post, 9 October 1916). 'The Inca of Perusalem, the authorship which was not disclosed ... is a humorous satire upon people and things in the Fatherland. It opens well, but later prosiness develops' (Birmingham Mail, 9 October 1916). 'The anonymous Inca of Perusalem is an inconsequent and variably amusing farcical satire on Kaiserism, which opens better that it finishes ... “Shaw and water” is the nearest short definition we can give of the dialogue – from moustaches to war-making – in this flippant trifle which is not quite brilliant’ (Birmingham Daily Gazette, 9 October 1916).

Performers: Mr Drinkwater (Producer), Mr William Armstrong (Pierrot) Mr Felix Aylmar (actor), Mr Armstrong (actor), Miss Pinchard Other acts on bill: Tolstoy's "The First Distiller", Tchekoff's "The Proposal"

Performed for the week alongside "The Sweeps of 98" by John Masefield and "The Inca of Perusalem" "Mr Drinkwater's play becomes at the last an exercise for fancy, instead of an invocation to imagination" (Birmingham Daily Post, 6 November 1916)

The last date of the run is not known. The Birmingham Daily Post, 6 November 1916, reported: ‘The triple bills of the Repertory Theatre have given a new dignity, a new importance, a new popularity, to the short play. The revival of the three recent plays, The Sweeps of Ninety-eight, by John Masefield; The God of Quiet, by John Drinkwater; and The Inca of Perusalem, by the anonymous dramatist (whose obvious identity is not yet declared), was well attended and well-applauded. As The Inca of Perusalem, with Miss Isabel Thornton replacing Miss Gertrude Kingston, as the only change in cast, there is little to be added to the impressions from the first performance. Miss Thornton has the requisite vitality and vivacity for the millionaire’s widow turned Royal lady’s maid, whose personality makes the ingenious satire on the Kaiser enjoyable and entertaining. The dialogue of The Inca has too heavy and serious a turn at the close to make its flippancy anything but forced and farcical, but otherwise it is an able and witty caricature’.