Worthing Theatre, Worthing

The Stage, 22 and 29 July 1915, listed Searchlights as On Tour: ‘July 26, Worthing (3), Bognor (3)’. That style of announcement would usually mean that Searchlights would be performed at Worthing on Monday-Wednesday, 26-28 July, and at Bognor on Thursday-Saturday, 29-31 July. However, the Bognor Regis Observer and the Worthing Gazette each advertised on Wednesday 21 July that Searchlights would be performed by Alick Chumley and A. Russell-Davis’s company at their local theatre (the Kursaal, Bognor, and The Theatre, Worthing) on the following Monday-Wednesday. Moreover, each newspaper advertised different plays for Thursday-Saturday. The Bognor Regis Observer advertised on 21 July that a play called Ann from the Criterion would be performed at the Kursaal on Thursday-Saturday, 29-31 July; and similarly The Worthing Gazette, 28 July, advertised the musical comedy The Dancing Mistress at the Worthing Theatre on Thursday-Saturday of that week. To add to the confusion, the Bognor Regis Observer and the Worthing Gazette each published on Wednesday 28 July reviews of the performance of Searchlights at their local theatre the previous Monday. Also The Stage, 29 July, noted both that ‘Messrs. Alick Chumley and A. Russell-Davis are here [the Kursaal, Bognor] this week with Searchlights’ and that ‘Searchlights was presented here [the Royal, Worthing] on Monday by Messrs. Alick Chumley and A. Russell-Davis’s company’. As Bognor Regis and Worthing are only sixteen miles apart it would have been possible for the company to give a matinée performance in one town and an evening performance in the other. However, only evening performances seem to have been given at each theatre. The Bognor Regis Observer on 21 July reported that the performances at the Kursaal would be on ‘the three nights commencing next Monday’ and it advertised on 28 July that the final performance would be at 8 that night; while the Worthing Gazette advertised on 21 July that Searchlights would be performed there ‘twice nightly, at 6.45 and 9 (no Matinee)’, and in the same issue reported that Searchlights would be performed at the Theatre ‘on the first three nights of the coming week, twice nightly’, and also referred in its review on 28 July to the reactions of the audience at ‘the first of several performances on Monday evening’. Another theoretical possibility, that the company could muster enough performers for different casts to appear at the two theatres at the same time, is supported by the fact that the local newspaper reviews name different actors in the parts of Mr and Mrs Blaine: R. M. Dulzeli [sic - Dalzell] and Rosemary Rees at Bognor; A. Russell-Davis and Deborah Norton at Worthing. But it is undermined by the fact that they name the same actors in the parts of Harry Blaine and Adalbert Schmaltz: Paul Hansell in the former role at both theatres; while the Claude Camforth who is named in the latter role at Bognor is presumably the same person as the Claude Carnforth who is named in the role at Worthing. A notice in The Stage, 29 July, also identifies in the cast at Worthing ‘Mr. Russell-Davis as Robert Blaine, Mr. Claude Carnforth as Sir Adalbert Schmaltz … and Mr. Paul Hansell as Harry Blaine’ (plus Mary Griffiths as Lady Schmaltz and Edith Pither as Phoebe). For the ‘two cast’ scenario to be a possible explanation it would mean that (a) one of the newspapers made a mistake in the names of the actors playing Harry Blaine and Adalbert Schmaltz; and (b) the touring company had enough people able to go on stage to mount two performances simultaneously at different theatres (for which there is no evidence at any other time).

‘Mr. Oswald Cray ... is presenting a drama in six scenes entitled The Unmarried Mother, and on Monday evening the piece received a rousing reception from a large house. Some commotion was caused during the week-end by appeals being made to the authorities as to the staging of the play, and we understand that on Monday morning the Mayor (Alderman James White) had an interview with Mr. Cray, when his Worship was assured that there was nothing objectionable in the drama. The drama, which was written by C. Vernon Proctor, is cleverly constructed, and its object is vividly to portray the fact that some people are more sinned against than sinning. The company which had been engaged for its presentation is one that Mr. Cray has well selected, and, like the other which he has under its control, has been used to playing to crowded houses. It is of exceptional ability, a fact which was quickly recognised by the audience at the initial performance'. Worthing Gazette, 23 February 1916.

The Worthing Gazette, Wednesday 11 April 1917, advertised that at the Worthing Theatre the following week ‘Miss Winifred Maude’s company will present the popular Drama Somewhere A Heart Is Breaking’ twice nightly from Monday to Thursday inclusive and on Saturday. The Mormon and The Maid would be performed on the Friday only. ‘Two dramas of the domestic type are being presented by Miss Winifred Maude (under the direction of Mr. Victor Du Cane) at the Theatre this week, and each is from the pen of a soldier playwright - Private Ivan Patrick Gore. For five out of the six evenings over which the engagement extends the piece selected for presentation is Somewhere a Heart is Breaking; whilst the two performances on Friday night are to consist of The Mormon and the Maid. The first of these, which was introduced to the notice of local audiences on Monday eight, is officially labelled as “an anti-depression play:” whilst a supplementary explanation tells us that it has been “ written by a soldier for the women who wait at home.” The piece was well received at the introductory performance, pit and gallery loudly applauding the patriotic sentiments to which several of the characters gave utterance; whilst they obviously derived much entertainment from the comedy with which the play is generously endowed. The drama, which does not lack the essential quality of popular interest, is very creditably presented, the chief honours of the representation easily falling to the lady members of the cast. Miss Winifred Mande herself gives a winsome portrayal of the young wife, Ruth Stavely [sic – Staveley], who drifts into journalism and passes through troublous times in her domestic experience; Miss Agnes Cagan is most horrible as the unprincipled Dolores Wilbur; whilst Miss Winnie Crichton is very entertaining as the assertive wife of a police inspector. Mr. Victor Du Cane reveals to us a very unconventional member of the force in Inspector Timothy Trim, in which he contributes largely to the amusement of the audience; and the remaining parts are filled by Mr. Will White (General Sir Philip Moore), Mr. Edward Maxwell (“the man who was afraid,” but who, after being disgraced as an officer for cowardice, enters the ranks and retrieves his reputation), *Mr. Fred Monckton (whose effectual presentation of the out and out villain, Gaynor Carton, was somewhat discounted on Monday night by a lack of familiarity with his lines), and Mr. Hall Wellfox (Sergeant Simon Breeve)’ (Worthing Gazette, 18 April 1917). * Fred Monckton was new to the part following John Cook Hogg's detention at Nottingham a few weeks previously.

The Stage, 20 September 1917, listed The Man Who Stayed at Home (Red Co.) as On Tour from 20 September at Worthing (3 days). ‘The prevalent spirit found amusing expression at the Theatre on Thursday night, on the occasion of the first of a series of four representations of that stirring spy play, The Man Who Stayed at Home. An incidental observation by one of the characters was to the effect that "The Kaiser's not here yet," and a most emphatic "Hear, hear!” from a member of the audience was greeted with hearty laughter. A succeeding remark the stage, “And you've got to catch him first before you make a prisoner of him!" was followed by a correspondingly assertive "Hear, hear!" and the laughter was renewed’ (Worthing Gazette, 26 September 1917). ‘It is unwise to class every robust man who is absent from the War zone as a shirker. Zealous young women presented Christopher Brent with the white feather, but the triumph was his when it was presently discovered that his special mission was to track some dangerous German spies. The Man Who Stayed at Home, seen here last week for the second time, is an agreeable compound of thrills and laughter, and the piece was well played by Mr. E. Platt Taylor's Company' (Worthing Gazette, 26 September 1917).

The Worthing Gazette, Wednesday 25 September 1918, advertised E. Taylor Platt’s company in The Man Who Stayed at Home at the Worthing Theatre on Thursday-Saturday, 26-28 September (another play having been performed that week until Wednesday evening). The Worthing Gazette, Wednesday 2 October 1918, advertised E. Taylor Platt’s company in The Man Who Stayed at Home at the Worthing Theatre, the last performance being that evening (another play being performed for the rest of the week). The Era, 3 October 1918, reported that ‘the Taylor Platt company have been paying a return visit here [the Royal, Worthing] with The Man Who Stayed at Home with Luke Lawlor as Christopher Brent’; another company would be there in ‘the latter part of the week’.

Performed every night by the Taylor Platt Company.

Performed Thursday to Saturday at 8pm with matinee at 2.30 Saturday by Miss Inez Howard's company.

Performed Monday-Wednesday at 8, with matinee at 2.30 Wednesday.

Performed Monday-Wednesday with matinee Wednesday