Theatre Royal, Whitehaven

When Miss Emma Litchfield’s company advertised Always Welcome in The Stage, 20 September 1917, the advertisement included: ‘Refer Stanley Rogers, Esq., re business last week at T.R., Whitehaven. Two good houses Monday, maintained until Friday, which beat Monday. Money turned away Saturday’.

During this lengthy season The Era, 26 June 1918, listed Always Welcome as On The Road from 10 June to 3 August at the R., Whitehaven; but there is no other evidence that Always Welcome was performed. On 29 July the company performed for the first time The Queen and the Knave which is also in the Great War Theatre database.

Performed as part of the Theatre Royal, Whitehaven Repertory Season by Emma Litchfield (author and actress) who 'acted with dignity and restraint' (Stage, 1 August 1918).

Venue and dates mentioned in advertisements in The Era, 18 September 1918 and The Stage, 10 October 1918. Current cast is listed in an advertisement in The Era, 9 October 1918.

When J. Dobson Clyde, ‘Management and Doctor, His Last Leave Co’, inserted a theatrical card in The Stage, 9 January 1919, his address for the following week was the T.R., Whitehaven. And The Stage, 9 and 16 January 1919, listed His Last Leave as On Tour from 13 January at the R., Whitehaven.

This was the first of a ten-week season at this theatre. ‘Emma Litchfield’s stock company opened here [the New Royal, Whitehaven] on Monday to a packed house with “Always Welcome.” Included in the cast are Conrad E. Stratford, Leonard Tierney, Tony Snape, J. C. Cooper, Percy J. Barnett, Frederick Day, Alice Barnett, Cecile Rene, Winifred Rutland, Rose Carr, and Emma Litchfield’. The Stage, 27 May 1920.