Great War Theatre

Performances at this Theatre

Date Script Type
15 Apr 1915 The Gates Of Mercy Unknown
19 Jul 1915 The Love Child Professional
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‘“The Love Child” is impressively played at the Osborne by Ernest R. Abbott’s company, and the telling scenes are exceedingly well presented, Miss Ada Abbott being a prominent figure’. Manchester Evening News, 20 July 1915.
27 Sep 1915 The Unmarried Mother Professional
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‘“The Unmarried Mother” illustrates a story only too often told in real life. It is from the pen of C. Vernon Proctor, and is well acted at the Osborne. Laurie Adair, in the title role, is the most prominent member of Oswald Cray’s company’ (Manchester Evening News, 28 September 1915). ‘Mr Oswald Cray presents here this week an effective contribution to one of the burning social questions of the war, “The Unmarried Mother,” a pithy and sympathetic drama by C. Vernon Proctor' (The Era, 29 September 1915). ‘We are having a first visit from Oswald Cray’s company, with The Unmarried Mother, which won the sympathies of Monday’s audience. Laurie Adair appears in the title-rôle with pathos and womanly tact, scoring a success, and able support comes from a well-balanced company’ (The Stage, 30 September 1915). Oswald Cray advertised in The Stage, 7 October 1915, that ‘Hundreds [were] Turned Away Last Saturday Night at the Osborne Theatre, Manchester, with my North Company of “The Unmarried Mother”’.
8 Nov 1915 The Little Grey Home In The West Professional
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The Era, 10 November 1915, listed The Little Grey Home in the West (North) as On The Road from 8 November at the Osborne, Manchester. Also The Stage, 11 November 1915. Noted separately in The Stage, 11 November 1915.
3 Dec 1915 The Girl Who Stayed At Home Unknown
20 Dec 1915 In the Hands of the Hun [In the Hands of the Huns] Professional
26 Feb 1916 The Sunshine of Paradise Alley Unknown
3 Apr 1916 A Soldier's Honour Unknown
3 Apr 1916 The Story of the Angelus Professional
30 Oct 1916 The Black Sheep Of The Family Professional
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‘“The Black Sheep of the Family” makes a good entertainment at the Osborne’. Manchester Evening News, 31 October 1916, which carried a separate advertisement for ‘Arthur Hinton, Ltd., presents a New and Up-to-date Drama, The Black Sheep of the Family’ at the Royal Osborne Theatre. Also, ‘Arthur Hinton, Ltd., presents here [the Royal Osborne Theatre, Manchester] this week Gladys Hastings Walton’s drama, “The Black Sheep of the Family,” with a strong cast, including Mr. Arthur Hinton as Ralph Sylvester (the title-rôle), Miss Ethel Monton as Loyale Dare, Mr. J. Knox-Orde as Lionel Sylvester, and Miss Walton, the authoress, in the part of Mary Leigh’ (The Era, 1 November 1916).
26 Feb 1917 The Fishermaid of Old St Malo Professional
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Twice nightly
5 Nov 1917 Stop Press Professional
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The Manchester Evening News, 5 November 1917, advertised ‘Magini & Major present their Special Edition of Stop-Press Revue, Featuring Miss Kitty Major’ at the Royal Osborne Theatre. Also, ‘“The Special Edition” of the “Stop Press” revue continues to do well at the Broadhead theatres, and it is now making a hit at the Osborne’. Manchester Evening News, 6 November 1917.
18 Feb 1918 Girl Mother Professional
8 Apr 1918 For Sweethearts and Wives Professional
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‘The naval play, “For Sweethearts and Wives,” is one of the best things of its class, and should suit the tastes of the Osborne patrons’. Manchester Evening News, 9 April 1918.
5 Apr 1920 Inside the Lines Professional
12 Mar 1923 Seven Days Leave Professional
19 Mar 1923 The Love Child Professional
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The Stage, 22 March 1923, noted that The Passions, Wife In Name Only and Neither Wife Nor Maid were being performed that week at the Osborne Theatre, Manchester.
13 Oct 1924 His Last Leave Professional
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‘The stirring drama, “His Last Leave,” is effectively staged in nine scenes. In the rôle of Dick Maxwell, Paul Neville acquits himself well. Ethel Bracewell wins sympathy as Maxwell’s wife. Others prominent are Amy Hardcastle, Edith Gregory, Amy Rudd, Wm. Clayton, Lincoln Calthrope, Stanley Marsh, Millar Wilson, Terry Davies, Lonnen Meadows, and J. Forbes Knowles. Lodge Percy produced the drama’. The Stage, 16 October 1924.
10 Nov 1924 The Black Sheep Of The Family Professional
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‘The Broadhead dramatic company stage the drama “The Black Sheep of the Family” [at the Osborne, Manchester]. Lodge Percy has produced the melodrama’. The Stage, 13 November 1924. The author of the play is not named, so there is no certainty that it was Gladys Hastings Walton, but no other play with the same title was licensed by the Lord Chamberlain’s Office.