Palace, Hammersmith

Novelty Minstrels at Hammersmith Palace are featuring 'In the Garden of My Heart,' and 'In My Harem.' (The Stage Thursday 10 September 1914)

Horace Hunter and company are listed in Calls for Monday 12 October at the Hammersmith Palace in The Stage, 8 October 1914. And Reynold’s Newspaper, 11 October 1914, advertised Horace Hunter & Co. twice nightly at the Hammersmith Palace.

Reviewed at length, with plot summaries, in The Era, 2 December 1914, and The Stage, 3 December 1914. The cast was: The Wife, Rhoda Windrum; The Maid, Phyllis Evelyn; The Big Man, Reg Hamer; The Little Man, Fred Arkwright; The Slacker, Chas. Kitts. The scene was the Slacker’s dining room; and the time was Now. The Stage's review concluded, 'The piece was well mounted, and we think will have a prosperous career. It aroused great enthusiasm, and should prove an excellent recruiting medium’. Listed in November’s music hall productions in The Era, 23 December 1914.

'The top of the bill here is occupied by the Harmony Four, a quartette of musicians as clever as they were quaint. Miss Helen Charles, at the piano, received loud applause for her mimicry, and her artistic act was loudly applauded. Our old friend, Jock McKay, was soon on the best of terms with his audience, his side-splitting comedy, and his unique performance, gaining him a hearty reception. Joe O’Gorman, the Irish comedian and dancer, with much amusing patter, was also very successful. Jack Hulbert and Cicely Courtneidge have an excellent medium for their comedy and vocal talents in 'A Lucky Mistake'. A clever artiste like Jack Straw should getting some better material than he is at present working. Jas. Bendon, a good comedian, opened the programme; and Haydn Wood and Dorothy Court, in their artistic vocal and instrumental scene, with Miss Marjorie Broughton at the piano, scored a big success. The closing number, Love’s garden of roses,” was an especial favourite. The Rev. A. J. Waldron’s sketch, 'The Wages of Hell', in which Mr. John Lawson played powerfully Dave Raphael, brought the programme to a close. On Monday Cruikshank deputised here for Mr. Vernon Watson, and was particularly entertaining in his “cat” burlesque’. (The Era, 19 July 1916)

Performing in the same bill: G.H. Chirgwin, Daly & Healy, Will H. Fox, Tenka Troupe, Ada Wise, E.D. Nicholls & Co.

Performed by Gilbert Heron and company.

‘On Monday next, March 5th, Mr. Charles Gulliver is presenting’ at the Hammersmith Palace Miss Camille Clifford, supported by Mr. Edgar Stevens and Mr. Tripp Edgar, in a new musical fantasy, entitled “The Girl of the Future.” Miss Camille Clifford, it will be remembered, was the original Gibson Girl, and as such caused a sensation some years ago’. Richmond Herald, 3 March 1917.

Performed by Miss Beaumont Collins.

Performed by Mary Mayfren and company. Also on the bill were: Jack and Evelyn, Phil Ray, Daisy James, Tom Clare, Romanesca Quartet, Cissie Lupino, Togos.

The Era, 13 June 1917 carried advertisements for shows at the Hammersmith Palace and the Camberwell Palace in the week commencing 18 June, both including Harry Thurston in Capt. Bruce Bairnsfather’s ‘The Johnson ‘Ole’.

Performed by Miss Beaumont Collins.

A review in 'The Stage' commented that "All Dressed Up"...is evidently thoroughly enjoyed. In addition to its humorous qualities, it has just the right amount of sentiment to make it effective. The reading by Sally of the letter received from her husband in the trenches is very effective, Jenny Lynn striking a particularly sympathetic note." (The Stage, 25 Oct 1917).

‘Hammersmith Palace will next week introduce to West London the screaming comedy sketch, “A Cushy Job” ... This is the first production by a new combination, Captain Baker and Cecil M. Hadley. The officer, a well known figure in theatrical circles, saw service with Lord Kitchener in the Soudan Campaign, while Mr. Hadley, who is a well known variety critic (“C.M.”) of “The Star,” is a lifelong resident of West London. “A Cushy Job” is a crescendo movement in laughs' (West London Observer, 15 February 1918; also the Ealing Gazette and West Middlesex Observer, 16 February 1918).

Advertised in The Era, 27 February 1918; the West London Observer, 1 March 1918; and the Richmond Herald, 2 March 1918.

Reviewed in The Era, 31 July 1918, as a sketch by J. J. Mannix (but largely illegible on the British Newspaper Archive). The cast was Charles Carte as Michael Flynn, Alfred Sanders as Thomas Flynn, Lizzie Gordon as Margaret Flynn and Ernest Montefiore as Jim Flynn.

Advertised in the Acton Gazette, 29 November 1918.

‘The Palace management have secured for the attraction next week the famous comedian, Chas. Austin. Those who know just how funny Chas. Austin can be will hardly believe it is possible for him to be funnier. But whether doing the impossible or no, there is no doubt that never has this great favourite been so excruciatingly funny as in his new burlesque, “The Adventures of Parker P.c.” He is on the stage for practically the whole time the show runs, and his bluff, good humour, and homely comedy are cleverly exploited in the manner in which only Chas. Austin can do it. To see “Parker” getting married, joining the Force and finally backing horses (that run no where) in his police court is a perfect riot of fun. He is supported by an excellent caste of well-known players, and the show has been produced by Mr. Chas. Henry. Book your seats now for this great comedy attraction’. West London Observer, 6 September 1929.

Performed by Tod Slaughter and his company including Dorothy Galbraith and Geoff Carlile.