Theatre Royal, Leicester

‘Miss Hilda Beverley and her company is here [the Leicester Theatre Royal] on a first visit with “When There Was War.” Miss Beverley plays the principal part of Gretchen Gesner with her usual ability, and is capitally supported in other parts by Messrs. Albert Grenville, Jack Armitage, Wallace Black, J. L. Inglis, James Jarrett, Henry E. Jones, Francis Cavans, and the Misses Nina Hardinge, Mary Brammer and Maggie Sadler’. The Era, 10 March 1915.

This performance week is listed in The Stage, 6 May 1915.

The Stage, 3 June 1915, gave the cast as: Doctor Howlett, Mr. D. Pentland; ‘Curly’ Saunders, Mr. John Johnston; Ben Huxter, Mr. Ernest R. Abbott; Emily Huxter, Miss Annie Morgan; Meg Huxter, Miss Ada Abbott; Lord Kingdon, Mr. Frank Kelland; Rev. Peter Cordiner, Mr. Philip Layton; Portal,Mr. Edwin Keene; Boney, Mr. W. H. Davis-Brown; Steve, Mr. Alfred Harvey; Dowager Lady Kingdon, Miss Agnes Kingston; Lady Rose Kingdon, Miss Glory Kelland; Sophy, Miss Marguerite Cryer; Hannah, Miss Esther Carthew; Flint, Miss Gladys Beatrice; Jane, Miss Marion Holly; Tommy, Miss Nellie Crowther. The Stage continued by narrating the plot in great detail. It added, 'Miss Ada Abbott appeared in the exacting part of Meg with great success, playing throughout with fine emotional feeling, and she scored splendidly at the end of the second act. Mr. Frank Kelland fulfilled all the demands made upon him as Lord Kingdon. As Lady Rose, Miss Glory Kelland played with feeling and delicacy. The Dowager Lady Kingdon had an admirable representative in Miss Agnes Kingston, and Miss Nellie Crowther made a pathetic and appealing figure as Tommy. Mr. Philip Layton acted with intelligence as the Rev. Peter Cordiner, and Mr. Ernest R. Abbott gave a satisfactory reading of Ben Huxter. Mr. Edwin Keene contributed a neat bit of humorous characterisation as Portal. Mr. W. H. Davis-Brown acted forcibly in the part of Boney, whilst Mr. John Johnston was good as Curly. Mr. D. Pentland as Dr. Howlett, Miss Marguerite Cryer as Sophy, Miss Esther Carthew as Hannah, Miss Gladys Beatrice as Flint, and Miss Marion Holly as Jane, in smaller parts, rendered excellent service. Some capital scenery been used for the drama, which was well received by a good house. The play, however, would be improved by being toned down in certain parts; the jokes about no men being left in 1924 do not fall pleasantly on the ear at the present time: and the scene where Meg recovers from her drunken bout, and sends her child out for brandy is not particularly agreeable’.

Noted in The Era, 15 March 1916: ‘The various parts are capitally interpreted by Messrs. H. Faulkner, Frederick Scarth, G. Carlton Wallace, Cyril Grier, Norman Overton, Chas. Mervyn, William Tarbent, Billy Owen, Frank Gray, and Misses Anna Beaumont, Lydia Mannington, Phyllis Evelyn, and Evelyn Carleton’.

Performed by Leonard Mortimer's Company.

The Era, 17 and 24 May 1916, listed The Little Grey Home In The West as On The Road from 22 May at the T.R., Leicester. Noted separately in The Stage, 25 May 1916.

The play was performed here from 1-3 June as part of the repertoire: 'Mr. Charles Locke’s company is presenting here this week for the first three nights 'A Mother’s Mite', and for the remainder of the week'Within Our Gates'' ('The Era', 31 May 1916).

The Era, 28 June 1916, noted that Mrs Frank Bateman’s company were performing Somebody Knows, Somebody Cares that week at the Theatre Royal, Leicester.

(The Stage - Thursday 31 August 1916)

The Stage, 30 November 1916, noted that both Somewhere A Heart Is Breaking and The Mormon and The Maid were On Tour from 27 November at the Royal, Leicester.

When Arthur Hinton inserted an advertisement in The Era, 14 March 1917, seeking theatres for The Black Sheep of the Family, his address was 90 Highcross Road, Leicester. The Stage, 15 March 1917, listed The Black Sheep of the Family as On Tour from 12 March at the Royal, Leicester, presumably with Arthur Hinton's touring company.

'An interesting attraction is staged here [the Theatre Royal, Leicester] in the drama, For Motherland, which is well performed by Mr. Charles Locke’s company, and meets with a gratifying reception. The laughable farce, A Kiss in the Dark, follows’ (The Era, 9 May 1917). Noted in The Stage, 10 May 1917.

The Stage, 27 December 1917, listed For Sweethearts and Wives as On Tour from 24 December at the Royal, Leicester.

When Ernest R. Abbott’s company advertised in The Stage, 29 November 1917, ‘Two Sure Attractions’, Neither Wife Nor Maid and Sapho, he added that the company would play Neither Wife Nor Maid at the Theatre Royal, Leicester in January 1918. When Ernest R. Abbott’s company advertised in The Stage, 20 December 1917, for theatres for Neither Wife Nor Maid and Sapho, he specifically wanted a theatre for the week beginning 21 January, to follow Leicester.

Performed for the week beginning 15 April 1918 (The Stage, 9 May 1918)

The Stage, 9 May 1918, listed The Unmarried Mother as On Tour from 6 May at the Royal, Leicester.

The Era, 3 July 1918, reported: ‘Leicester Theatre Royal … For the fourth week of Miss Grace Warner’s stock season here she is presenting the German spy drama, For Motherland, with Miss Warner as Esther Von Roon, Mr. George Gordon as Wilhelm Von Roon, and Mr. J. Edmund Wildash as Lieut. Allan Rivers, parts which they most successfully portray. The other characters are capitally filled by Messrs Harold Wood, Barry Lewers, James Thorpe, and the Misses Amy Hardcastle and Winnie Acton’.

The Era, 3 July 1918, reported: ‘Leicester Theatre Royal … For the fourth week of Miss Grace Warner’s stock season here she is presenting the German spy drama, For Motherland, with Miss Warner as Esther Von Roon, Mr. George Gordon as Wilhelm Von Roon, and Mr. J. Edmund Wildash as Lieut. Allan Rivers, parts which they most successfully portray. The other characters are capitally filled by Messrs Harold Wood, Barry Lewers, James Thorpe, and the Misses Amy Hardcastle and Winnie Acton’.

Performed 28 October to 2 November.

The Stage, 14 November 1918, listed The Girl Who Changed Her Mind as On Tour from 11 November at the R., Leicester.

The Stage, 28 November 1918, listed On Leave For His Wedding as On Tour from 25 November at the R., Leicester.

‘A return visit is being filled here [Theatre Royal, Leicester] this week by Mr. Ernest R. Abbott’s company in “Sapho,” with Miss Ada Abbott in the name-part, supported by a most capable company. On Friday evening “Neither Wife Nor Maid” is underlined for presentation. The company is meeting with their usual hearty reception’. The Stage, 2 April 1919.

‘Will H. Glaze’s company with “His Last Leave” are here [the Royal, Leicester]’. The Stage, 8 May 1919.

Ernest R. Abbott's company played the Theatre Royal, Leicester from 1 to 27 August 1921. Performances of Neither Wife Nor Maid are mentioned for the third week of the season: ‘Mr. Ernest R. Abbott, supported by his popular company, continue their successful season at Leicester. The first part the week “Neither Wife Nor Maid” was presented, and is being repeated on Saturday. The company include Ernest A. Foster, Edward Fryer, Edwin Keene, Edward Wensbury, W. H. Davis Brown, John Johnston, Ernest R. Abbott, Viola Jennings, Margaret Dickenson, Isabel Singleton, Ada Abbott, Nellie Crowther, and Marion Holly. To-morrow (Thursday) evening a new production will be given, entitled “Hearts and Homes”’. The Era, 17 August 1921.