Theatre Royal, Manchester

‘“The Man who Stayed at Home,” a spy play which was given with much success at the Prince’s Theatre in February last, will be given at the Royal next week by Messrs. Vedrenne and Eadie’s Company. There is much that is appropriate at the present time in “The Man who Stayed at Home,” though it must not be supposed that he was necessarily wanting in courage to face his country’s enemies. The value of his reason must be left with the audience to judge. The play offers a proof that useful work can be done by the physically unfit as well as those able to join the ranks. In the play the spy peril is brought home by actual illustration ... It will be presented by a strong company, including George Tully, Frank Woolfe, Haviland Burke, J. Augustus Keogh, George Hewetson, Esty Marsh, Eugenic Vernie, Laurie Flockton, Christine Jensen, Gladys Hamilton, Valerie Richards’ (Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, 4 September 1915). ‘“The Man Who Stayed at Home,” which is paying its return visit to Manchester this week, attracted a large audience to the Theatre Royal last night. It is a play which is appropriate for the times, and exposes to the full the dangers of the German spy system in England, and how ingenious are the methods adopted to conceal a wireless apparatus. It also shows in a marked degree that useful service can be rendered to the country by those men who are physically unfit to join the forces, although it must be admitted that few such opportunities are presented [to] “the man who stays at home” in these days. The company is of all-round excellence, and interest is maintained from the rise to the fall of the curtain' (Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, 7 September 1915).

' "The Little Man" is a delicate satire, through which the beauty of the love of a man for a baby, of which he suddenly finds himself in possession through the mother missing the train in which he is travelling, runs like a thread of gold on a grey background.' "Manchester Courier", 17 September 1915.

‘“Kultur at Home,” as its title indicates, is an attempt to portray the German military mind in the domestic side of life. The author has only achieved a moderate success, and the play, apart from a very fine conclusion, is conspicuously thin. Dealing with the uppermost subject of the day, the melodrama - for it is little else - finds a sympathetic audience that in other times would be less tolerant of its obvious defects. “Kultur at Home” has the advantage of being extremely well played, Miss Beatrice Smith, Mr. Charles B. Vaughan, and Mr. Otho Stuart making the most of the opportunities afforded them’. Manchester Evening News, 12 September 1916.

The Sporting Times, 26 August 1916, reported that A Kiss for Cinderella would be at Manchester for two weeks, but did not say when or at which theatre. The Era, 8 November 1916, listed A Kiss for Cinderella as On The Road at the Theatre Royal, Manchester from 13 November. The Manchester Evening News, 14 November 1916, published a review of the production. An advertisement in the Manchester Evening News, 16 November 1916, made it clear that the production would be at the Theatre Royal until 25 November.

Presented by Robert Courtneidge, and performed for the week by a cast including Julian Royce (actor) and Diana North (actress). "'The Invisible Foe' attracted a big audience last night, but the play itself lacks the dramatic grip necessary for success. [The actors] struggle hard and successfully, but the end is too obvious to give the talented company full scope for their abilities" (Manchester Evening News, 2 April 1918)

Advertised as produced by E. Taylor Platt and on its fifth visit to Manchester in the Manchester Evening News, 25 April 1918.

Advertised in the Manchester Evening News, 9 November 1918.

‘Yet another spy play dealing with exciting war-time incidents is “The Live Wire,” which comes to the Royal bearing the hall-mark of a big London success. Andre Charlot is the producer, and there is a promise of an evening’s full enjoyment with a rousing racy play and a plot of gripping interest’. Manchester Evening News, 30 November 1918.

Performed as part of a series of plays.