Comedy Theatre, London

'Miss [Edith] Drayson, who plays Wendy in the “Border Land” scene, and the drum-girl in the “music factory,” is a big acquisition to the revue…’. Pall Mall Gazette, 30 October 1916.

‘Next Wednesday evening [14 November 1917] Mr. Andre Chariot will add several new items to “Bubbly” at the Comedy Theatre. These include a sketch by Mr J. Hastings Turner in two episodes, entitled “Peace-Time Prophecies,” in which Mr. Arthur Playfair has two good character parts; also a skit called “Allotments,” by Miss Gertrude Jennings’ (The Globe, Saturday 10 November 1917). ‘The notion of Old Bill putting up his dooks to Captain Bairnsfather, his creator, and expressing in forcible language a desire to get quits with the Captain, is a particularly rich one. It occurs in Hastings Turner’s witty “Peace Time Prophecies,” the principal new feature in the second edition of “Bubbly” at the Comedy. When I say that Arthur Playfair is the Old Bill, you will realise that the jest goes home. Equally happy is Turner’s idea of “The Comforts of Home” in this sketch. Playfair is a choleric Major who, after the war, cannot find rest at home without hard seats, a sleeping-bag, and fireworks on the lawn in lieu of shells at the front. The audience roared at the droll conceit. There are lots of novelties also for Phyllis Monkman, Teddie Gerard, and the other principals. If you want a war-time tonic, try “Bubbly.” It’s a prescription that cannot fail’ (Sporting Times, 17 November 1917). ‘A revision of the always amusing “Bubbly” at the Comedy Theatre has provided Mr. Arthur Playfair with some fine material in two sketches - one exploits him as Old Bill, so weary of his popularity that he seeks out and sets about Captain Bairnsfather; in another, after the war, in the character of a superannuated veteran he engages in most amusing exercises to keep the atmosphere of war’ (The Globe, 19 November 1917). ‘Mr. Charlot’s venture was always a brilliant piece of work, but the second edition makes it still more brilliant, for several new items have been introduced into it, notably in the shape of the dreams of the charming little girl who acts as chorus. One of these dreams pictures Old Bill after the war settled down into private life; people go on lionising him, greatly against his will, and he is ultimately driven to shooting Captain Bairnsfather, represented, by the way, as a Staff Officer with red tabs. Mr. Arthur Playfair is exceedingly funny as Bill; he displays remarkable energy right through, and he is enthusiastically supported notably by Miss Laura Cowie’ (The Graphic, 1 December 1917). ‘After a successful run of 428 performances, “Bubbly” bids farewell to the Comedy Theatre on Saturday next [6 April 1918]. Mr Andre Charlot has let this theatre for the production of “The Knife”’ (The People, Sunday 31 March 1918). [‘The Knife’ gave way to John Hastings Turner’s new revue ‘Tails Up’ on 1 June 1918.]

‘“Tails Up,” the new revue at the Comedy last night, is an ideal entertainment. It is bright, brilliant and even beautiful. There was a great ovation for Teddie Gerard and Arthur Playfair was inimitable’ (Sunday Mirror, 2 June 1918). ‘“Tails Up,” the new revue at the Comedy, is a real war tonic. It is full of life, colour, movement and melody. It has also the exceptional quality of wit’ (Daily Mirror, 3 June 1918). ‘“Tails Up” at the Comedy has an amusing skit on the elaboration of Government departments. By a clever arrangement the visitor to see a Brigadier-General is depicted as passing from floor to floor. With each re-entry, accompanied by full escort, he appears more and more tired. In the progress he grows a beard, and the beard becomes grey, and old age sets in. In the final scene he re-appears downstairs to meet the hall porter, now also an old man, and explain pathetically that he failed in the last lap because he had been given the wrong form. A sergeant-major’s idea of a new rendering of “Macbeth” with the aid of his squad is also droll, and there is a series of little scenes to bring out love comedies in Mayfair, in Suburbia, and in the East End. Mr. Hastings Turner, the author of the production, has artfully managed to connect the features by making them, as it were, the illustrations of stories told in a cab-shelter by the characters that meet there under stress of a deluge. Miss Phyllis Monkman, Miss Teddie Gerrard, Mr. Arthur Playfair, and Mr. John Buchanan ensure gaiety, and the music by Mr. Philip Braham is tuneful. The production is well away from the monotony of the revue type’ (Derby Daily Telegraph, Monday 3 June 1918). 'The weak spot shows in the Curious Tale of the Intelligent Sergeant-Major, which, never very bright, is spun out inordinately. Mr Gilbert Childs got something out of nothing here, and much from better material at other times, but he and Mr Playfair, to say nothing of the other loyal workers, could not make the episode other than laboured ... “Tails Up” was rapturously received. The title has not to do with the R.A.F. specifically, if the piece is saturated with Service allusions that go to roars of laughter’ (The Sportsman, 3 June 1918). ‘Mr. John Hastings Turner will soon be as valuable an asset to London’s healthy laughter as Mr. Harry Grattan himself. “Tails Up”, his new revue, is just as gay and irresponsible and joyous as “Bubbly” was, and just as charming to the eye and ear. Altogether a notable success for everybody concerned. The revue starts in a Cabman’s Shelter, to which various people have wandered from various causes, principally from their inability to get home in any kind of public conveyance. As they sit and wait, each one begins to tell a story, and the various stories are the various scenes of the revue. Between each one, however, we return to the Cabman’s Shelter - which is somewhat boring, but can easily be altered. The scenes themselves are full of good-natured fun, wit, and cleverness. Some, of course, are better than others, but all are good, and even the dullest can quickly be brightened up. The “idea” is always there, and when the “idea” is there and it is a good one - a novice in production can soon make something of it. The scenes I laughed at the most were the one in which a poor civilian tries to see a brigadier-general at the War Office, and grows old in the process, until at last, when he does finally reach the door of his sanctum, he is turned away because the form he has had to fill is out of date. “The Curious Tale of the Intellectual Sergeant-major” is also a most amusing affair. The Sergeant-major decides to produce Macbeth at the Sergeants’ Mess Concert. His drilling of the men in Shakspere [sic] is something to laugh over, even as a remembrance. To see Mr. Arthur Playfair as this Intellectual Sergeant-major, and to see Miss Marie Hemingway as his wife, called up to play Lady Macbeth, is to see some of the cleverest foolery in London. Miss Phyllis Monkman might have a few more acting chances, but she dances quite a lot - and there isn’t a cleverer dancer on the revue stage than she. Miss Teddie Gerard has some good songs to sing. A newcomer, Miss Phyllis Titmuss, scored a success by her clever dancing and singing, and Mr. Jack Buchanan, Mr. J. M. Campbell, etc., all helped to make the revue an immense success’ (The Tatler, 12 June 1918). ‘I learn that two special matinees are to be given this week on behalf the family of the late Arthur Playfair. The first will be at the Comedy to-day, when the whole of the cast of “Tails Up” will appear …’ (Daily Mirror, 3 September 1918). ‘The 200th performance of “Tails Up,” at the Comedy takes place on Monday afternoon 4 November 1918]’ (Globe, Friday 1 November 1918). ‘Mr. André Charlot has enlisted the services of all the favourites from his Vaudeville and Comedy Theatre companies for his concert for the American Forces the Palace Theatre on Sunday night. The programme will consist of the most entertaining excerpts from “Tabs” and “Tails Up,” with a topical trifle added, entitled “Swiss Robinson”’ (Pall Mall Gazette, Saturday 9 November 1918). ‘Produced as far back as June 1 last year, John Hastings Turner and Philip Braham’s bright and lively musical entertainment Tails Up has undergone various changes in cast and items during its long and prosperous run at the Comedy. The death of Arthur Playfair led to Mr. Lennox Pawle taking up the succession to that lamented comedian, and now Mr. André Charlot has added a newcomer to the all-embracing fold of revue artists in Mr. Allan Aynesworth, for whose behoof several fresh scenes of importance have been devised, in the production of which his sense of the stage and artistic attention to detail are pleasantly noteworthy. In the first of these, styled The Strange Tale of the Historical Lecture, Mr. Aynesworth gives a clever sketch of Octavius Ferrett, a pedantic and irritable Regius Professor of Ancient History, who, at the opening of new Technical Schools at Pinminster, “500 years hence,” attempts to give to auditors inquisitive rather than in intelligent the results of light cast by excavations upon “the great German war.” The winning of this is rightly attributed to “an obscure tribe led by John Tarr and Thomas Atkin,” but more doubtful are the other items of interest collected by the archaeologist, who affirms that the great “military centres” at the time were “Aldershot, Salisbury Plain, and Leicester Square” (a palpable hit this), is less clear as to the meaning of blue and other stripes, and brings the lecture to an abrupt termination when the Mayor’s daughter fires out the awkward question, “What were war-babies?” A skull found in Whitehall proves to be that of a Brigadier-General, with “brain-pan empty”; and there is still retained that mordant skit on a more elusive Brigadier, with Mr. Gilbert Childs and Mr. J. M. Campbell yet prominent as the A.I. men and the policeman who become white-bearded in the course of an interminable quest ... other features of Tails Up remain much what they were, and include the Cab Shelter and the presentation of Macbeth as a military drama by the “Intellectual Sergeant-Major” (The Stage, 9 January 1919). ‘“Tails Up” will be done at the Comedy for the 300th time to-night’ (Globe, 20 January 1919). ‘“Tails Up” has now been played 400 times at the Comedy’ (Globe, 14 April 1919). The sketch ‘The Tale of the Butler who had seen Better Days’ was included in the programme for a matinee performance in aid of the Housing Association for Officers’ Families at the New Theatre, London on 13 May 1919 (The Stage, 15 May 1919). ‘“Fair and Warmer,” which has had a run of over a year, will finish its career at the Prince of Wales on Saturday. On Monday Mr. André Charlot will transfer “Tails Up” to that house from the Comedy’. The Stage, Thursday 29 May 1919. Tails Up was also reviewed in the Liverpool Echo, 3 June 1918; The Graphic, 8 June 1918; the Illustrated London News, Saturday 8 June 1918; The Scotsman, 4 January 1919; The Globe, 6 January 1919; The Graphic, 11 January 1919; the Illustrated London News, 18 January 1919; and The Sketch, 12 February 1919.