Winter Gardens, New Brighton

‘The play of the moment is “The Man Who Stayed at Home,” a play which their Majesties went to see only last week. This week the spy is working at the Winter Gardens [New Brighton], and a capable company makes the most of this interesting business. The vein of humour running through the three acts is very acceptable, and last night’s crowded house, by its unstinted applause, voted the work and the workers as most praiseworthy. The principal parts are taken by the following: Messrs. Chas. Esdale, Goodwin Nock, J. Farries Moss, and Russell Bendle, and Misses Edith Cuthbert, Dorothy Hassard [sic - Hall?], and Hilda Gregory’ [all members of the E. Taylor Platt company] (Liverpool Echo, 18 May 1915). Reported in The Stage, 20 May 1915: ‘The play is a bright, entertaining, and at times melodramatically thrilling piece, and is very ably and effectively presented by a well-selected company’. The cast was Charles Esdaile [sic], Goodwin Nock, Hilda Gregory, Dorothy Hall, Christine Jensen, Mary Lincoln, Frances Davie, Russell Bendle, Grahame Herington, J. Farries Moss, Harold Greaves and Edith Cuthbert (The Stage, 20 May 1915).

The Stage, 20 January 1916, listed The Man Who Stayed at Home (Taylor Platt) as On Tour from 24 January at the Winter Gardens, New Brighton. ‘New Brighton Winter Gardens. “The Man Who Stayed at Home” is at the Gardens this week. Capitally written, with a vein of humour running through the whole story, the play is well mounted, and last night’s performance drew a large and enthusiastic audience. Mr. Charles Troode in his dual role got many laughs, and showed resource and capacity. Miss Hall, Mr. Mortimer, Mr. Herington, Miss Lincoln, and Miss Elstob were the chief of the other performers’ (Liverpool Echo, 25 January 1916).

The Era, 14 November 1917, listed Searchlights as On The Road from 19 November at the W.G.T., New Brighton. ‘The Winter Gardens are ever swift to bring to New Brighton the best fare, and they frequently outpace Liverpool … on Monday [next week] “Searchlights,” by Horace Vachell – first theatre out of London to obtain this novel piece [sic!]’ (Liverpool Echo, Friday 16 November 1917). Reviewed in The Stage, 22 November 1917, which mentions the cast members Edith Hunter, Arthur Bawtree, Robert Brasher, Bessie Bedford, Leo Caselli, John Rentall, Owen Wallace, Nan Bevill, Lilian Grosvenor and Maud Scott.

‘“Bubbly” (at the Winter Gardens) is surely the merriest, wittiest, and most enjoyable revue on tour, and it is played by artistes clearly selected only for their ability and charm, and they have plenty of both. Compared with it many other alleged revues are painful memories’ (Liverpool Echo, 22 October 1918).# At the Winter Gardens, New Brighton ‘“Bubbly,” presented by Ralph Haslam, with a strong company, is proving a great attraction. Edmund Russell displays versatility in the characters of Old Bill and the Major. For her artistic charm Ivy Tresmond [sic – Tresmand] has a fine reception, and Kathleen Martyn also scores an emphatic success’ (The Stage, 24 October 1918).

‘In many of its points “The Man Who Stayed at Home” is now ancient history, but on the main point of its strong dramatic appeal it is as new and as attractive as ever. This will be demonstrated next week at the New Brighton Winter Gardens’. Liverpool Daily Post, 1 November 1918.

‘“The Live Wire,” a thrilling spy play, been secured as this week’s attraction at the Winter Gardens, and a well-selected company is engaged. Mr. Ronald Colman is highly artistic, as, in turn, the spy tracker, an escaped prisoner, and a staff officer impersonator, and he has an excellent helper in Miss Greta Wood, as the private secretary, whose ready wit so frequently saved the situation. Mr. H. Barbe West given an impersonation of a newspaper proprietor, obsessed with the idea rounding up enemy spies. The other characters are well played, and special word of praise is due to Mr. Howard Law as an Irish butler’. Liverpool Daily Post, 28 January 1919.

The Stage, 22 and 29 May 1919, listed The K.C. as On Tour from 26 May at the St. G., New Brighton. ‘“The K.C.” as presented by Jay and Gerard’s company, is proving one of the successes of the season, being acted with life and colour, accentuated by the distinctive characterisation of Sir Benjamin Oddington, K.C., by Rex Gerard, Dorothea Oddington by Helena Pickard, and Arthur Dawson by Ernest Jay. Other members of the company who are very successful are Robert Brasher (David Hislop), George R. Harrison (Beagle), Frank Moody (Inspector Hitchin), and Olivia Glynn (Lilian Alvon [sic - Alvin])’. The Stage, 29 May 1919.

‘A welcome return visit [to the Winter Gardens, New Brighton] is being paid this week by “Bubbly,” presented by Ralph Haslam, with great success. The principal characters are in the able hands of Ivy Tresmand, Edmund Russell, May Tresmand, R. Barrett-Lennard, Edith Payne, Jessica Bevan, Florence Bayfield, Edith Tolton, W. Ashley Sinclair, Vivian Pedlar, James Robin, and Valentine Leslie’. The Stage, 21 August 1919.

The Stage, 27 November 1919, listed Nurse Benson as On Tour from 1 December at the W.G., New Brighton. ‘An actor, Joseph Edward Pearce (55), who was appearing as Lord Messenger [sic] in the comedy “Nurse Benson” at the Winter Gardens, New Brighton, died suddenly on Saturday [6 December]. He called at the theatre box office for letters, and on going into the street collapsed and died’. Lancashire Evening Post, 8 December 1919. Also reported in the Runcorn Guardian, 9 December 1919; the Northampton Mercury, 12 December 1919; the Kington Times, 13 December 1919; and The Stage, 18 December 1919.

‘“The K.C.,” Dion Titheradge’s story of a mysterious robbery and its unravelling, is again at the Winter Gardens, where Mr. Rex Gerard is playing his original part as the young engineer, accused of the theft and whose defence is undertaken by the retired King’s Counsel, Benjamin Oddington. The philosophic utterances put into the mouth of this delightful character are well voiced by Mr. H. Lane-Bayliff. Miss Doris Lloyd, the third of the trio of Liverpool Repertory favourites, is charming as the trustful young girl of the piece. Miss Marie Dix portrays an exacting role with distinction’ (Liverpool Daily Post, 1 June 1920). Noted in The Stage, 3 June 1920.