Hippodrome, Bolton

‘Miss Hilda Beverley has brought to this house [the Bolton Hippodrome] a strong company, with whom she presents When There Was War. The story is founded on the events of the present War, and deals principally with the German spy system, showing the cunning and clever devices of spies to gain valuable military information'. The Stage, 20 May 1915.

‘Remember Belgium holds the boards here. It is playing to good houses. It is produced in eight scenes. It illustrates the methods of a German spy, who in the end gets his deserts [sic]. The company includes Mr Cliff Deane as George Grant, and Mr. Percy Brown as the spy, Fritz Sienbach. Of the ladies Miss Vida Haslewood is charming, as Marie, and Miss Lelia Drummond portrays well the difficult part of Mrs. Featherstone. The rest of the company acquit themselves well’. The Stage, 10 June 1915.

The Era, 19 January 1916, listed The Unmarried Mother (South) as On The Road from 17 January at the H., Bolton. Oswald Cray advertised in The Stage, 27 January 1916, that ‘£120 10s 1d was my actual takings last Saturday night at the Hippodrome, Bolton, with “The Unmarried Mother.” … £100 reward to anyone who can prove this was not my actual return for Saturday night only'.

The Era, 1 and 8 March 1916, listed The Little Grey Home In The West (South) as On The Road from 6 March at the H., Bolton. Also The Stage, 2 and 9 March 1916. Also: ‘Mr. and Mrs. E. Vaughan’s company, in The Little Grey Home in the West, occupy the stage. There was an unfortunate mishap on Monday, in that the scenery and other effects belonging to the company failed to be delivered in time. The matinée had to be abandoned, but, by dint of borrowing from the Royal, a very passable makeshift was made for the evening performance. The members of the company also had the unpleasant experience of being held up en route for several hours. Edward Ashby as Cecil Standing portrays the character with much effect, and Nana Davey gives an accomplished rendering to her part. They are well supported’ (The Stage, 9 March 1916).

The Era, 13 December noted that Mrs Frank Bateman’s company was appearing in Somebody Knows, Somebody Cares that week at the Hippodrome, Bolton.

The Era, 3 and 10 January 1917, listed The Black Sheep of the Family as On The Road from 8 January at the Hippodrome, Bolton, presumably with Arthur Hinton's touring company.

The Era, 25 April and 2 May 1917, listed The Enemy in our Midst (Carlton Wallace’s) as On The Road from 30 April at the Hippo., Bolton. Noted in The Era, 2 May 1917, and The Stage, 3 May 1917.

‘Magini and Major’s musical comedy, “Stop Press,” is presented here [the Hippodrome, Bolton]. Kitty Major sustains the principal rôle. The cast also includes Nellie Gwinnell, Amy Pollard, Nellie Gannon, Ennis Mayne, and F. Anderson, who give a good account of their parts. The Dorothy troupe of dancers give pleasing exhibitions’. The Stage, 20 September 1917.

The Stage, 1 November 1917, listed His Last Leave as On Tour from 29 October at the Hippo, Bolton.

Noted in The Stage, 22 November 1917.

‘Will H. Glaze’s company in “The Voice on the ‘Phone” are presented here. The drama tells how Sir Charles Inglemere, to protect his wife from a serious illness, exchanges his dead baby boy for the baby of a farmer named Hulton, who is brought up as Sir Charles’s son. James Willoughby as Sir Charles, Geoff. Chate as the son, and W. Launcasten as Julius Dawn, give clever performances. René Bevan as Gwendolen Dawn is most capable in her part. Beatrice Fitzhugh as Lady Marion Inglemere, and L. Addison as Dorothy, leave nothing to be desired’. The Stage, 9 May 1918.

‘ A Son of the Sea is presented by Will H. Glaze’s company. Clifford Rean, the author of the piece, ably portrays Paul Tregarron, and John Worth as Richard Tregarron is excellent. Dorothy Kirk as the heroine is charming, while Maud Steeples gives a fine representation of Edith Tregarron. Edmund O’Grady is capital as the vicar. Others are Maudie Ryder, Clara Spillward [sic – Spillard?], Hughie Williams, and Arthur Gilroy’. The Stage, 15 August 1918.

The Stage of Thursday 9 January 1919 showed “Married on Leave” as on tour at the Hippodrome, Bolton from 6 January. An advertisement in same issue of The Stage noted that “Married on Leave” could be seen that week at the Hippodrome, Bolton in its ‘39th consecutive week of tour’. An advertisement in The Stage of Thursday 16 January 1919 noted, ‘Another record for all time broken at Hippo., Bolton, last week'.

The Stage, 9 and 16 January 1919, listed The Girl Who Changed Her Mind as On Tour from 13 January at the H., Bolton. Wilson Benge advertised The Girl Who Changed Her Mind by Clifford Rean in The Stage, 23 January 1919: ‘Another big week, Hipp., Bolton, week commencing Jan. 13 – Monday, £65 8s. 8d.; Saturday £133 2s. 3d. Without tax'.

The Stage, 27 March and 3 April 1919, listed On Leave For His Wedding as On Tour from 31 March at the Hip., Bolton. Also The Era, 2 April 1919. Edward F Furneau’s companies advertised Clifford Rean’s On Leave For His Wedding in The Stage, 3 April 1919: ‘Record, Monday, Bolton (Refer)'.