Great War Theatre

Address: Sunderland District, UK

Performances at this Theatre

Date Script Type
7 Dec 1914 In Time of War Professional
14 Jun 1915 Her Japanese Lover Unknown
6 Sep 1915 Mary from Tipperary Professional
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Albert Sember's company
4 Oct 1915 War and a Woman [Women and War] Professional
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Performed by Albert Sember's repertory company
20 Dec 1915 Her Mother's Crucifix Unknown
10 Jan 1916 John Raymond's Daughter or A Soldier's Love Child Professional
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Twice nightly. 'There is no writer of plays more popular at the present time than Miss Eva Elwes, many of whose productions have been presented at the Theatre Royal by Mr Albert Sember's repertoire company. [It] is one of the latest of this lady's plays, and it is described as being one of the best she has written. It is a human story in which there is a deep domestic and love interest and there are many thrilling moments. The title part is to be filled by a new leading lady, Miss Nina Blake Adams, and the remaining parts will be in capable hands.' ('Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette', 8 January 1916, p. 5)
7 Feb 1916 The Love Child Professional
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‘The many people who went to the Theatre Royal last night did so expecting to see something out of the ordinary run of drama: at least those who had seen other plays by Miss Ada G. Abbott did so. And they were not disappointed. for this latest play, Neither Wife - Nor Maid,” from this lady’s pen, is the best she has written. Many excellent stage sermons are delivered, but none of them overdrawn; in fact, it is the lifelike character of the whole production which makes it so enjoyable. Touches of comedy too relieve tense situations. The cast is an exceptionally strong one’. Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 8 February 1916, which in a separate advertisement showed that the production was by the resident repertoire company led by Albert Sember.
6 Mar 1916 Somebody Knows - Somebody Cares Professional
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Article in Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. Text garbled. Scanned image not accessible. Performance dates may have been a week later.
10 Apr 1916 The Slacker Professional
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‘“The Slacker,” with which Mr Albert Sember is to open his sixty-sixth consecutive week at the Theatre Royal on Monday next, is described as being an up-to-the-minute drama, being one of the latest of its kind. It is sufficient recommendation to say that its authors are Miss Henrietta Schrier and Mr Lodge Percy, than whom there are no more popular dramatists at the present time. A powerful cast announced’. Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 8 April 1916.
5 Sep 1916 Brave Women Who Wait Professional
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Twice nightly.
18 Sep 1916 Somewhere A Heart Is Breaking [The Coward Who Made Good] Professional
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‘Described as an “anti-depression play written by a soldier – Pte. Ivan Patrick Gore - for the women who wait at home,” “Somewhere a Heart is Breaking,” which is being presented Mr Albert Sember’s Repertoire Company at the Theatre Royal next week, should prove entirely to the taste of the patrons of the Bedford Street House. The cast includes Mr. Albert Sember and Miss Ruth Shepherd' (Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, Saturday 16 September 1916). The Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, Monday 18 September 1916, advertised twice nightly at the Theatre Royal, Sunderland, Albert Semper and Company in Somewhere A Heart Is Breaking.
6 Nov 1916 His Mother's Rosary Professional
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Albert Sember's Company
18 Dec 1916 Heaven at The Helm Professional
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Performed by Albert Sember and Company
5 Jan 1917 Home on Leave Unknown
28 May 1917 The Cottage Girl Professional
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Performed twice nightly ('Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette', 30 May 1917, p. 1)
11 Jun 1917 A Mother's Prayer Professional
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Performed as 'The Middy V.C. Comes Home'
24 Sep 1917 Mother’s Sailor Boy Professional
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Performers: Albert Sember's Company
24 Dec 1917 His Last Leave Professional
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The Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 26 December 1917, advertised Albert Sember’s company in His Last Leave at the Theatre Royal, Sunderland.
18 Mar 1918 The Soldier Priest Professional
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Performers: Albert Sember's Co
1 Apr 1918 Girl Mother Professional
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Twice nightly
29 Apr 1918 The Amazing Marriage Professional
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Performed for the week twice nightly, (6.40 and 8.40) by Albert Sember's company.
8 Jul 1918 His Wife’s Good Name Professional
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Twice nightly
15 Jul 1918 Honour the Man You Wed Professional
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Twice nightly
29 Jul 1918 Home Once More Professional
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The Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 29 July 1918, advertised at the Theatre Royal Albert Sember’s Company in Home Once More.
30 Sep 1918 Back From Overseas Professional
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Advertised as ‘Albert Sember’s company in Back From Overseas’. Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 1 and 3 October 1918. Albert Sember’s repertory company was permanently based at the Theatre Royal, Sunderland.
8 Oct 1918 Her Two Husbands Unknown
11 Nov 1918 Back to the Wife and Home [Home from the Trenches] Professional
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Advertisements for the Theatre Royal, Sunderland for Albert Semper’s company in Home from the Trenches, twice nightly. Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 11, 12 and 14 November 1918.
25 Nov 1918 On Leave For His Wedding Professional
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Advertised in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 27 November 1918, performed by Albert Sember’s company.
9 Dec 1918 Jim Mason, Minesweeper Unknown
16 Dec 1918 Jim Mason, Minesweeper Professional
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Written by a native of Sunderland (see Sunderland Daily Echo, 14 December 1918)
23 Dec 1918 Love And The Law Professional
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The Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 23 December 1918, advertised Albert Sember’s company in Love and The Law at the Theatre Royal
21 Apr 1919 Billy's Mother Professional
30 Jun 1919 The Queen and The Knave Professional
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Performed by the Albert Sember company for two weeks.
1 Sep 1919 The Girl Who Changed Her Mind Professional
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‘“The Girl Who Changed Her Mind” is to be presented by the Sember company next week. The cast includes Messrs Denbigh J. Douglas, Sydney Spencer, Lonnen Meadows, T. Ellis, and Ernest Allen, and the Misses Elsie W. Hemming, L. Earle, M. Hackett, and D. Griffiths’. Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 30 August 1919.
1 Nov 1920 Called Up [Coming Home] Professional
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Performed by Albert Sember’s company for the week.
26 Aug 1929 Seven Days Leave Professional
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Presented by Alfred Denville's stock company for the week.
24 Aug 1931 The Black Sheep Of The Family Professional
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The Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 24 August 1931, advertised ‘The Royal Stock Company Present The Black Sheep of the Family’ at the Theatre Royal. The author of the play is not named, so there is no certainty that it was Gladys Hastings Walton, but no other play with the same title was licensed by the Lord Chamberlain’s Office.