Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool

Performers:Cecile Barclay, Rupert Lister

‘the Shakespeare Theatre is to be the scene of a very important first-time-on-any-stage production. namely, an English version of the celebrated play by the distinguished Belgian dramatist, Jean Francois Fonson, “The Kommandatur.” The translation has been made by Miss Celia Storm and Miss Iné Cameron ... The action takes place in Brussels during the German occupation. M. Fonson’s play has been described “the first play on the present war which seems real and is able to touch the emotions It is the knowledge of Brussels - its loathing, its despair, its courage, and its gaiety - that M. Fonson has expressed in his own lavish spreading, full-blooded, unconcentrating way”’ (Liverpool Daily Post, Friday 5 March 1915). ‘At the Shakespeare Theatre this week appears “The Kommandatur,” a play in three acts by M. Jean Francois Fonson (translation by Celia Storm and Ine Cameron), compact, skilfully woven, finely written, and destitute of the ordinary melodramatic thrills but with, we think, a quite legitimately thrilling, tragic climax’ (Liverpool Echo, Tuesday 9 March 1915). ‘After its successful run at the Criterion, in French, Jean François Fonson’s play, The Kommandatur, made its first bow on Monday [at the Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool] in English. One cannot help thinking that it has lost much in its translation. The translators, Celia Storm and Ine Cameron, must be held responsible for the piece as it now stands, and unhappily they have turned out a diffuse and ineffective play. Its one “shock” – the slaying of Siegfried Weiger [sic] by Catherine Jadot – comes so late and so suddenly that it is soon done and over, and the play along with it. Simple Continental domesticity is really its base ... neither the artistic depth nor the fine colouring which Mr. J. D. Beveridge, in the richness of his art, could apply to Antoine Jadot, nor the grace of expression and intellectuality of Miss Miriam Lewes’s admired and searching beauty of playing could more than fitfully galvanise interest in the ineffectual doings of this version' (The Stage, 11 March 1915).

‘In “Le Moulin Rouge” we have a revue entirely new to Liverpool. It is styled as a French revue in English, but it would be more correctly characterised as Anglo-French, with a distinct leaning towards the latter. As the production progressed last night the audience, despite a fairly general inability to master our Allies’ tongue, nevertheless appreciated the excellent vocal efforts of the various artistes. The setting and general staging of the revue is excellent. Jacques Lerner, Frank Attree, M. Cayto, and Nelli Corti fill their respective roles successfully’ (Liverpool Echo, 23 November 1915). ‘Full measures are invariably better than half measures. That is how “Le Moulin Rouge” is likely to impress at the Shakespeare Theatre this week. If it had been all French it would have been much more comprehensible than in its present state of half French and half English. To those content with a knowledge of their own tongue only, such a production necessarily lacks continuity. Especially is this so in revues, where at all times incidents and movement are strung together somewhat hotch-potch fashion. This want of cohesion is the chief reason why “Le Moulin Rouge” revue cannot be said to be a great production - in fact, why it is almost an uninteresting production. The mixture of French and English is certainly deftly welded in one humorous scene where a kilted soldier is struggling to overcome linguistic difficulties with a winsome French maid. But apart from this incident the revue is singularly devoid of wit, or even farce. The patriotic vein is allowed to run to a point when it becomes little else but insipid sentiment. What the revue lacks in construction, however, it makes up in attractive stage settings and general staging, and it is well cast, Jaques Lerner, Frank Attree, M. Cayto, Leo Daly, Mdlle. Dora Harvey, and Mdlle. Nelli Corti filling their respective roles successfully’ (Liverpool Daily Post, 24 November 1915). ‘Le Moulin Rouge is a little out of the present run of revues, if it were only for the number of its scenes, there being no fewer than ten taken to unfold its course, though one-half of these would be sufficient, in view of how little takes place in some of them. Doubtless curtailment has taken a great deal of body out of it, for it is rather attenuated as seen here' (The Stage, 25 November 1915). ‘The light humour of the French has not been altogether “gathered” at the Shakespeare Theatre this week. There has been an abundance of patriotism and not sufficient of that amusing comedian, Frank Attree’ (Liverpool Echo, 26 November 1915.

The Era, 17 May 1916, listed The Man Who Stayed at Home (Taylor Platt) as On The Road from 22 May at the Shakespeare, Liverpool. ‘This week Mr. Kelly is offering “The Man Who Stayed at Home” at the Shakespeare’ (The Era, 24 May 1916). Reviewed (‘That stirring study in plot and counterplot’) in the Liverpool Daily Post, 24 May 1916.

‘On Monday evening the Shakespeare Theatre stage is to bear one of the most elaborate spectacular plays seen in a Liverpool theatre for many a day. It is entitled “For Sweethearts and Wives,” and is a strong naval drama from the pen of Arthur Rosebery. The author, we are informed, has made the drama one of peculiar interest at the present time, dealing, as it does, with the submarine menace, and he has been successful in his treatment of dialogue and plot. Part of the credit for the production, we understand, is due to Mr. H. Chance Newton, the well-known theatrical journalist, better known “Carados” of “The Referee.” The play was produced for first time in London a fortnight ago, and it is the full London company which comes to the Shakespeare Theatre on Monday’ (Liverpool Echo, 25 August 1917). ‘Melodrama in a very popular form is presented this week at the Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool, Arthur Rosebery’s Naval drama, “For Sweethearts and Wives,” being staged. This is a play abounding, in its four acts, in incidents that hold the attention of the audience from the beginning to the end' (Birkenhead News, 29 August 1917). ‘There is no gainsaying the warmth and kindliness of the greeting extended to “For Sweethearts and Wives,” which is attracting satisfactory audiences to [the Shakespeare]. Full of wholesome sentiment, touching scenes, and patriotic points, it runs a pleasing course’ (The Stage, 30 August 1917).

Previewed in the Liverpool Echo, 23 August 1918. ‘“Bubbly” (London term for champagne), at the Shakespeare, goes off with a “pop,” and, sad to relate, has little pieces of “cork” it. These should be extracted - we refer to the language in matters militaire. Clever burlesques, epigrams galore, baby-age, old-age, stone-age, war-age, and Old Bill in retirement are but a few of the rich things which set the audience bubbling over with laughter. Musically the show is weak, but for a good laugh over original ideas, well acted, by Edmund Russell, E. Seebold, Barrett-Leonard, Billy Raine, and the ladies (including Ivy Tresmand) “Bubbly” will be hard to beat. For our part the pick of the night was the after-war scene, wherein a major needs cannon and fireworks in his garden to guarantee him sleep’ (Liverpool Echo, 27 August 1918).

'The audience were most appreciative, and the play, which was exceedingly well staged, held one enthralled from the rise to the final fall of the curtain. It gives a graphic story showing the great prevalence of the Fatherland’s spies in England, the particular members of that spy system being “rounded up” to the great satisfaction of all by a young Englishman. It is a thrilling play, and one that should not be missed either by Liverpool or Birkenhead theatre-goers'. Birkenhead News, 27 November 1918.

‘Next week’s production at the Shakespeare of “The K.C.,” by Dion Titherage [sic], should be of especial interest to Merseyside theatre-goers. The production is by arrangement with Mr. Rex [sic] Jerome, the one-time popular manager of the Liverpool Playhouse, who is now business manager in London at the Duke of York’s. The part of Sir Benjamin Oddington will be played by Mr. Rex Gerard, who recently was playing and producing at the Playhouse. He will especially be remembered in “Doormats,” “Passers By,” “The Importance of being earnest,” and other well-known plays in which his versatility made him most popular’ (Birkenhead News, 12 April 1919). ‘“The K.C.” Mr. Dion Titheradge’s domestic comedy, recalling pleasant memories of his presentment, some time ago, at the Playhouse, occupies the more spacious stage of the Shakespeare Theatre this week. There is no suggestion that it gains in dramatic point or emphasis by its larger environment. It would seem rather to lose by that lack of intimacy which is so essential to plays of a certain metier. And yet the lengthening of perspective does diminish some of the faults which this work, with its suggestion of the “grumpy” idea, possesses. In any case the rather thin story of the rusticating “silk” returning to the fierce light of the law courts in order to restore domesticity would appear to be still quite acceptable. An interested audience last night applauded Mr. Rex Gerard in the name part – a careful and studied bit of character acting - and due recognition was not lacking for others concerned in the well-balanced cast’ (Liverpool Daily Post, 15 April 1919). ‘Mr. Rex Gerard received a warm welcome on his appearance in “The K.C.,” the grumpy-like play by Dion Titheradge which last year was produced at the Playhouse under Mr. Max Jerome’s management. In the part of Sir Benjamin Oddington, Mr. Gerard wisely makes no attempt to appear very old: elderly men do not always become decrepit and testy. He assumes the character of a retired King’s Counsel still brisk in many ways, well-voiced in learned and philosophic quotations and aged only by a certain amount of stiffness in movement and slightly failing memory as regards trivial details. The very old man who regains the energy of his younger days in a crisis has been perfected elsewhere and is undoubtedly a picturesque study. Sir Benjamin gives us another, and possibly a more natural view of an old lawyer whose powers revive when he is persuaded to defend the man who would marry his daughter. The part is a heavy one and for a young actor to sustain it with restraint and at the same time to dominate the story throughout is indeed a worthy achievement, interesting and attractive especially to those who have enjoyed Mr. Gerard’s playing of quite different characters at the Playhouse. An actor should be judged on his versatility. The remaining principal characters are well rendered and the piece runs steadily through three acts of interesting developments’ (Birkenhead News, 16 April 1919).

‘“You Staggering Woman,” says Mr. Culver to his wife towards the close of the last act of “The Title,” and to this end; to the end of proving that woman is still as staggering as on that day when she inveigled Adam, Mr. Arnold Bennett has devoted three acts of amusing and witty dialogue, framed in a general atmosphere of pointed satire. Or perhaps it was merely to prove that the English father and mother and the English family are very conventional after all, apart from their profession, even when the father is a pillar of the government and the daughter an iconoclastic journalist. Or perhaps it is to prove nothing at all, but simply to indulge Mr. Bennett’s whimsy of tilting at the traffic in the titles and at newspaper proprietors, and at public and political life in general, the while he entertains his audience hugely with his comedy situations and his brilliant and shafted wit' (Birkenhead News, 30 April 1919). ‘The sugar-coated satire and good-natured raillery of “The Title” provide an intellectual refreshment all the more enjoyable by the exclusion of acidity or cynicism. Arnold Bennett’s brilliant play bristles with incisive thrusts and sallies' (The Stage, 1 May 1919).

The Stage, 22 and 29 May 1919, listed Bubbly as On Tour from 26 May at the Shakespeare, Liverpool.

‘“Bubbly” at the Shakespeare is a production that bubbles over with good things, and although there is little connection between the various incidents the comedy makes a very bright show. The music is tuneful and catchy and the scenes possess artistic merit’ (Liverpool Echo, 27 April 1920). At the Shakespeare, Liverpool ‘The liveliness and sprightliness of ‘“Bubbly” continue to please abundantly. Phyllis Whitney combines a beautiful voice and vivacious style with graceful dancing; and into the potted play business, in three new songs, Vivian Pedlar, Edith Payne, Edward Steadman, R. Barrett-Lennard, Lauri Aster, and Elsie Stevens infuse plenty of fun and humour’ (The Stage, 29 April 1920).