Grand Theatre, Croydon

Also on bill: The Attack Performers: Cecile Barclay, Rupert Lister

The Grand Theatre, Croydon, advertised in The Stage, 26 August 1915, that it ‘re-opened on Monday last.. with The Man Who Stayed at Home. Booking, over £100 before doors opened’. An advertisement for the theatre in The Stage, 2 September 1915, mentioned that gross receipts for The Man Who Stayed at Home had been £611.

'There are Revues and Revues, and it is passing strange that this particular one, with a large company of French artists, and with the name of a place which in times gone by was a synonym for naughtiness, should be one of the best of the bunch, and with nothing that the most lynx-eyed Connor could find fault with. In fact, this Revue, with its quaint mixture of French-English and English-French, makes a quite delightful pour passer le temps. It is in ten scenes, not all of equal value, but each containing something good. “A Glimpse of the Trenches” caught on immensely, and the spirited French soldier song, so different to the Tipperary song, excellently sung and acted, was encored again and again. Nothing more delightfully charming and funny than ‘‘The Entente Cordiale” scene could be wished. Mdlle. Leo Darby (sic - Darly), as the little Parisian midinette, who couldn’t speak English, and Mr. (surely not M.) Frank Attree, as the Highlander, who couldn’t speak French, making love, was really killing. Again, Mr. Albert Brouet as *“Arsene Lupin” gave us the cracksman as he ought to be - a fine piece of acting. Then the same gentleman as Napoleon and Mr. Frank Attree, as Wellington, had a fine scene, the idea of the one-time antagonists fraternising and the words of the former, ‘We fought hard, but we fought like gentlemen” brought down the house. Much more than one word of praise is due to Mdlle. L. de Sehgue and M. F. Demery for their dances. These, cleverly conceived by Espinosa, were excellently well danced by the lady and gentlemen. The ensemble dances and groupings were also picturesque and effective and the whole makes a thoroughly good and enjoyable slow. We don’t think the other items in the programme were up to the level of the Revue …’ (Norwood News, 10 September 1915). [* Arsène Lupin was the gentleman thief-cum-detective created by the French writer Maurice Leblanc.]

The enterprising management of the Croydon Grand Theatre should have the support of the play-going public next week as the latest Alhambra revue 5064 Gerrard will make its bow to the local public. The entire production direct from Alhambra Theatre London will be presented. The Company is a very large one, headed by that excellent comedian George French. A lady who should prove herself a great favourite is Miss Anna Dorothy, while several other well-known names are promised something out of the common in the way of ballets. (Croydon Times – Wednesday 1 December 1915)

The Norwood News (9 March 1917) and the Surrey Mirror (13 and 16 March 1917) advertised Percy Hutchison and Hilda Trevelyan in A Kiss for Cinderella at the Grand Theatre, Croydon from 19 March for six nights and two matinees. The Surrey Mirror, 16 March 1917, published a preview of the production. The Surrey Mirror, 23 March 1917, published a review of the production.

The Norwood News, 1 June 1917, advertised ‘the great Savoy Theatre success, “Searchlights,” by H. A. Vachell’ at the Grand Theatre, Croydon, on Monday 11 June. The advertisement in the Surrey Mirror, 12 June 1917, mentioned that the play, presented by Mr. Robert Brasher, would run for six nights and a Thursday matinee. ‘The determination of the management [of the Grand Theatre, Croydon] to keep up high level of performances, in spite of the summer months, and thus provide an enjoyable evening for its best patrons without the expense and inconvenience of a journey to London, deserves a very wide support. “Searchlights,” staged this week, is an immensely popular play, and well played. It has dramatic force, is full of surprises, and lit up with humour. “ Robert Blane,” a man of integrity and business enterprise, is represented with fidelity and power by Mr. Arthur Bawtree, while Edith Hunter is responsible for the role of “Mrs. Blane,” whose relations with her husband become estranged because of the idle habits of her son “Harry,” who is personated in a most convincing way by Mr. Robert Brasher. “Phoebe,” the pretty daughter, with a little German blood in her veins, falls in love with happy-go-lucky Harry, and how exquisitely she does it Miss Nancy Pethybridge most charmingly shows. Her mother, “Lady Schmaltz,” is in the hands of a gifted actress, Miss Mary Griffiths, who makes a deep impression by the clever way she portrays her character, and her naturalised German husband, “Sir Adalbert Schmaltz,” is in the good hands of Mr. James Willoughby. The play increases in interest as it proceeds, and the contrast of the various emotions evoked makes it romantic and sensational. It is splendidly staged’ (Surrey Mirror, 15 June 1917).

This performance (theatre and start date) is included in a list of previous performances of “Married on Leave” in The Stage of Thursday 1 August 1918.

Performed as 'The Middy V.C. Comes Home' Once nightly and matinee on Thursday.

Miss Betty Seymour and Company

‘The attraction at the Croydon Theatre this week is provided by Miss Betty Seymour’s company in Mr. Arthur Jefferson’s latest play, “Home From The Trenches”, which, as its name indicates, is quite topical, and the robust and patriotic sentiments set out received the unstinted approval of the large audience assembled on Monday night. Miss Betty Seymour enacts the difficult rôle of Myra Gray, the infatuated victim of Neville Hardman, cleverly and consistently throughout. Mr. Chas. E. Johnson as the callous and overbearing German profiteer, Silas Hardman, also gave an excellent performance. Mr. Edgar T. Hayes as the shirker, Neville Hardman, did well; as did J. Spencer as Peter Wilson. Mr. Wilfred Launceston as Corporal Dennison was a great favourite. Mr. Richard Wilson was well cast as Charlie Goodall, and Mr. Harry Emmerson convulsed the audience as the loquacious Horace Hopkins. Miss Ada Oakley made a pretty and appealing heroine of Bessie Dennison, Miss L. Addison was very good as Pattie Hopkins, and Miss Nellie Wilson gave a clever character sketch as Muriel Miranda Peabody, a lady of leisure. The other characters were competently played’. The Era, 10 July 1918. ‘Great interest is taken by the large audiences in the new play, “Home from the Trenches.” It shows the perils of wives whose husbands are called to the trenches, and how steadfastly they resist them. Mr. Charles E. Johnson takes the role of “Silas Hardman,” a pro-German profiteer, who laughs at patriotism, and thinks only of his pocket, while his scoundrel nephew, “Neville Hardman,” who seeks the ruin of “Bessie Dennison,” Miss Ada Oakley, is well played by Mr. Edgar T. Hayes. Mr. J. Spencer is “Peter Wilson,” too old to fight, and “Corpl. Dennison,” the hero and saviour of his wife, is Mr. Wilfred Launceston. “Pattie Hopkins,” Mrs. Dennison’s friend, is presented by Miss L. Addison, and “Horace Hopkins,” the old Boer soldier, full of reminiscences, is portrayed by Mr. Harry Emmerson. Miss Nellie Wilson and Miss Billy Seymour do well as “Muriel Peabody,” lady of leisure, and “Myra Gray.” The other parts are well represented. The piece is a powerful melodrama, and is received with hearty applause’. Surrey Mirror, 12 July 1918.

'“On Leave for his Wedding,” by Clifford Mean (author of “His Last Leave”) is a drama splendidly staged and cleverly presented by a company of first-class artistes. In the quietude of a country vicarage garden the story finds its birth ... The piece is watched with intense enthusiasm, and the audience cannot help marvelling at the realistic scenes which include the trenches and a bombardment of a cathedral by the enemy. Mr. Edward Furneau cleverly undertakes the leading part of the officer on leave; and Miss Daisy Spalding makes a charming bride after appearing as a humble villager and a Red Cross nurse. The very difficult roles of Captain Delpre and Angela Hope are admirably sustained by Mr. Edward Warden and Miss Stella Cedron respectively, and Mr. Arthur C. Crossey is an amorous sergeant. Reuben Egg, a tramp of a very funny vein, keeps things merry both at home and in the trenches. He has a secret and knows how to keep it until the psychological moment for revealment. Mr. J. H. Knowles easily succeeds in making everyone laugh in his impersonation of said tramp. Other parts are left in the capable hands of Mr. J. O. Stevenson as the parson, Mr. Fred Butcher, as Pte. Bing, and Miss L. Snape, as Peggy Dimple' (Croydon Times, 28 and 31 August 1918). ‘Good audiences this week, demonstrative in their appreciation, listen to the unfolding of a story of love and bravery and treachery entitled “On leave for his wedding” … The great scene is the realistic German bombardment’ (Surrey Mirror, 30 August 1918).

‘The success of the military plays presented at the Grand Theatre, Croydon, has led the management to engage for this week Mr. W. H. Glaze’s Company in their most realistic play, “His Last Leave.” The story is of an officer’s attempt to separate a faithful wife from her husband, who is a sergeant in his company in France. After an action in which the sergeant sustains injuries affecting his mind, the wife is led to believe that her husband is dead. The captain in about to seize the opportunity of marrying the “widow,” when the assumed dead sergeant appears in hospital blue. The scheme of this officer fails, and the piece closes with a happy couple after a long period of enforced separation. There are nine scenes, very effective being the depiction of a “dug-out” “somewhere in France,” and a dressing station behind the trenches' (Croydon Times, 11 September 1918). Reviewed at length in The Era, 11 September 1918: ‘“His Last Leave.” Drama in Nine Scenes, by Clifford Rean, Produced at Grand Theatre, Croydon, on Monday, Sept. 9’. The cast was: Rev. James Maxwell, John Evelyn; Richard Maxwell, H. Wright Scadden [sic -Scaddan]; Capt. the Hon. Robert Saltire, Albert Caron; Corporal Tim Trimfoot, F. Luard; Private ‘Erb, James May; Dr. Walton, Fred E. Chabot; Old Jawkins, George Smith; Selina Kettle, Lena Brand; Dora Wendover, Nellie [sic - Millie] Phillips; Rose Maxwell, Laurie Adair. Also: ‘Large audiences, better than ever, testify to the people’s love of stirring melodrama, of which the week’s play, “His Last Leave,” is a good specimen. It is the old story in new form. How remorseless jealousy by a plot manages to get young husband on his last leave before going up to the trenches, to cast off his loving wife. How on the battlefield he learns he has wrongly suspected, and how Nemesis at last punishes the guilty and rights the wrong ... The applause is great’ (Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser, 14 September 1918).

This performance (theatre and start date) is included in a list of forthcoming performances of “Married on Leave” in The Stage of Thursday 1 August 1918. The Norwood News of Friday 15 November 1918 carried an advertisement for the ‘special return visit of Miss Dorothy Mullord and Co.’ in “Married on Leave” at the Grand Theatre, Croydon on 18 November for six nights at 7.15pm with a matinée on Thursday. The Norwood News of Friday 22 November 1918 reported, ‘Once again there is an opportunity to see “Married on Leave”, the stirring war drama which is being presented at the Grand Theatre. Croydon, this week. Various opinions have been expressed and not few discussions held as to the fate of entertainments of a war character now that the war fever has to some extent abated, but though the fogs of the early par. of this week have affected the attendances at the Grand, there has been no doubt about the approval of the audience at each performance. The play is well acted. and its principal scenes are effectively staged. and very hearty applause has emphasised its numerous points’.

‘This week a great spy play holds the boards, “The Live Wire.” The plot is stirring and well played. Excited interest gathers as the piece proceeds to find out who really is the spy. Many mistakes are made, and at last the revelation comes of the guilty party, “Mervyn Chester,” a leader writer, who has been sending messages by a cunning ordering of words in his “leaders"' (Surrey Mirror, 14 February 1919).

‘I always like to be able to say a good word for anyone – or anything - if there is reasonable excuse for so doing, but it is seldom that I can let myself go more whole-heartedly in the way of recommendation than I can in the case of “Bubbly,” the Comedy Theatre success, which revue is holding the boards at the Grand Theatre, Croydon, this week. “Bubbly,” as compared with its London form, has been slightly compressed, so that it finishes soon after 10 o’clock, but it has benefited wonderfully by the compression. The superfluous has been eliminated, and the essence remains behind, so that from rise to fall of the curtain audiences are kept at the top-notch of enjoyment. The company is one of the most thoroughly capable and best balanced that we have had the pleasure of seeing for a long time, and the revue, both in itself and in its presentation, is as sparkling as its title would suggest. Small wonder that “Book early” is the motto if you want to get in at all’ (Norwood News, 21 February 1919). ‘This, week’s attraction [at Croydon Grand Theatre], “Bubbly,” comes with a big reputation from the Comedy Theatre. It is a novel kind of musical revue, with an excellent company, a pretty ballet, fascinating dances and bright songs, interspersed with witty dialogue, in which the actors and actresses play many parts. Amongst these are Miss Florence Bayfield, Miss Jessica Bevan, Miss Kathleen Martyn, Miss Bibi Delabere, Miss Ivy Tresmond [sic - Tresmand], Mr. Edmond [sic – Edmund] Russell, Mr. Ashley Sinclair, Mr. Ernest Siebold [sic – Seebold], Mr. Barrett Lennard, and others. There are many scenes, and plenty of fun, and many of the “bubbles” are exceedingly well got up. The fact that the houses increase nightly and that the applause is continuous, shows the piece has made a big hit. It is certainly quite new of its kind and well worth seeing’ (Surrey Mirror, 21 February 1919).

Performed by the Haymarket Company from 24 February 1919 - 1 March 1919.

The Stage, 10 and 17 June 1920, listed Taylor Platt’s Co. as On Tour in Nurse Benson from 14 June at the Grand, Croydon. This is the last performance of 'Nurse Benson' by E. Taylor Platt's touring company that has been identified. When George Polson, Lord Messiger in Taylor Platt’s 'Nurse Benson' company, inserted a theatrical card in The Era, 19 May 1920, he noted that he would be ‘Disengaged June 21’.