Grand Theatre, Halifax

The Era, 18 August 1915, noted that ‘For the first part of the week “A Woman in Khaki” and “Sapho” [sic] is being staged here, with Mrs Frank Bateman in the title rôle’. Will H Glaze’s company was there during the second half of the week.

The Halifax Evening Courier, 30 August 1915, advertised Home Once More at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, with a different show on Thursday-Saturday. ‘Miss Emma Litchfield occupies the boards at the Grand for the first three nights this week. She has written and produced another play to her numerous stock, entitled “Home Once More”. It is appropriate to our time of naval, military and aerial chivalry, and includes representatives of those branches of our forces. Miss Litchfield herself takes the part of the patriotic woman who is willing to sacrifice husband or brother at her king and country’s call in time of need. As a counterpart to herself she has conceived a somewhat unnatural, cross-purposed though fascinating woman, who is friendly neither to herself nor to anyone else. The doings of the two women are the chief sources of interest, and the patriotic audience is wound up to fulsome spontaneous ebullitions. The staging is exceedingly bright, and the dress has up-to-date attention’ (Halifax Evening Courier, 31 August 1915).

The Era, 16 February 1916, reported that Mrs Frank Bateman and company were performing Somebody Knows, Somebody Cares that week at the Grand Theatre, Halifax, except that East Lynne would be staged on Friday night.

The Era, 28 June 1916, listed The Black Sheep of the Family as On The Road from 26 June at the Grand, Halifax; similarly The Stage, 22 June 1916. Advertised in the Halifax Evening Courier, 29 June 1916: ‘Arthur Hinton, Ld. [sic], present an Up-to Date Drama “The Black Sheep of the Family”’.

The Halifax Evening Courier, Wednesday 28 February 1917, advertised ‘The Anti-Depression Play, Somewhere a Heart is Breaking’ twice nightly at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, Halifax.

The Halifax Evening Courier, 3 September 1917, advertised at the Grand Theatre and Opera house Neither Wife Nor Maid on Monday-Wednesday and Saturday and Sapho on Thursday and Friday.

The Halifax Evening Courier, 8 October 1917, advertised The Black Sheep of the Family that week at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, with Sorrows of Satan on Friday night only. Also, ‘“The Black Sheep of the Family” is a powerful drama written around the ethics of degeneration, and is crammed with those exciting situations so beloved by the patrons of this house, which week in, week out, keeps up its traditions as being the home of melodrama in the district. There should be a full house here on Friday, when the stage version of Marie Corelli’s favourite novel, “The Sorrows of Satan,” is to be presented’ (Halifax Evening Courier, 9 October 1917).

‘“Always Welcome” is the play which Miss Emma Litchfield is presenting this week at the Grand, in which this popular author-actress is supported by Mr Conrad E. Stratford [an] actor of remarkable talent. The piece is one of absorbing interest, and the audience follows the story breathlessly through its many vicissitudes. “The King of the Gipsies,” another of Miss Emma Litchfield’s creations is the special attraction for Friday Night’. Halifax Evening Courier, 23 October 1917.

The Halifax Evening Courier, 11 February 1918, advertised at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, twice nightly, ‘The Most Realistic Play of the Time, “His Last Leave”’.

Performers: Dot Stephens Co

Advertised in the Halifax Evening Courier, Thursday 27 June 1918, at the Grand Theatre and Opera House for Friday night only; Home From The Trenches (by Arthur Jefferson, also known as Back to Wife and Home) was playing the rest of the week.

Advertised in the Halifax Evening Courier, 24 August 1918, with ‘John Raymond’s Daughter’ on the Friday. The Stage, 29 August 1918, listed The Girl Who Changed Her Mind as On Tour from 26 August at the G., Halifax.

The Halifax Evening Courier, Saturday 24 August 1918, advertised Clifford Rean’s ‘The Girl Who Changed Her Mind’ at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, Halifax, for the week beginning 26 August, with ‘John Raymond’s Daughter’ on the Friday.

Performed 2-7 September (excluding 6 September).

‘At this popular house [the Grand Theatre] next week Miss Emma Litchfield will present the new romantic play, “The Queen and the Knave” … On Friday night they will present the ever-successful play, “Home Once More”‘ (Halifax Guardian, Saturday 5 October 1918). Noted also in the Halifax Evening Courier, 8 October 1918, which, however, called Friday’s play Home Sweet Home. But advertisements in the Halifax Evening Courier, 10 and 11 October 1918, referred to Home Once More. (N.B. the Jarrow Express, 29 August 1919, reviewed Emma Litchfield's company's production of Home Sweet Home at the Theatre Royal: characters included Joan, Stephen Armitage, a fisherman, Dora and Lucas Kyle, so Home Sweet Home was not Home Once More under another name).

‘Two “twice-nightly” dramas, performed by Will H. Glaze’s Co., are the attraction at the Grand. Each evening but Friday, an up-to-date play, “His Last Leave,” is to be presented. For Friday night “His Wife’s Honour” is billed’. Halifax Evening Courier, 8 March 1919.

‘Stanley Carlton’s Co. are at the Grand Theatre. There, each evening but Friday, they are to perform a new drama, “ Love and the Law,” dealing with the perils of the London streets. On Friday night, a romantic Spanish drama, “How Far a Girl Can Go,” is to be, substituted’ (Halifax Evening Courier, 30 August 1919). ‘The social-danger play is becoming so familiar as to be the rule rather than the exception. “Love and the Law,” staged this week at the Northgate Theatre, is designed to attract the attention of the public to the perils of the London streets, and, presumably of other streets, How this design is presented, people must see for themselves. It is certainly an absorbing and tragic play. The clever characters in the story are capably represented. Miss Pauline Garside does full justice to Constance Haven, and Mr. Ernest W. Parr, in the vicious, heartless role of Caleb Partmann, acts excellently. Miss Nannie Tomkins is a capital character as disclosed by Miss Florence Garnet, and linked with Mr. Eddie Rose creates some humorous scenes in relief of the tragedy. Miss Minnie Watersford interprets Mrs. Partmann to the life, while Miss Queenie Barrett, though not sufficiently assertive, makes a tragic “unfortunate.” Corporal Dick Treewer [sic] is admirably taken by Mr. E. Norman Edwards. In the remaining parts, Miss Marie Cordner, and Messrs. J. P. Wright, Sydney King, and Edwin Turner perform creditably’ (Halifax Evening Courier, 2 September 1919).

‘Mr. Will H. Glaze’s principal repertory company is at the Grand Theatre, where they are to produce: Monday, “Mary, Latimer Nun"; Tuesday, “Hypocrisy”; Wednesday, “Her Honour at Stake”; Thursday, “His Last Leave”; Friday, “His Mother’s Rosary”; and Saturday, “John Raymond’s Daughter”’. Halifax Evening Courier, Saturday 16 April 1921.

‘Mr. Will H. Glaze’s principal repertory company is at the Grand Theatre, where they are to produce: Monday, “Mary, Latimer Nun”; Tuesday, “Hypocrisy”; Wednesday, “Her Honour at Stake”; Thursday, “His Last Leave”; Friday, “His Mother’s Rosary”; and Saturday, “John Raymond’s Daughter”‘. Halifax Evening Courier, Saturday 16 April 1921.