Gaiety Theatre, Houghton-Le-Spring

‘Mr. and Mrs. Percy Brown are this week presenting the patriotic play Remember Belgium. The company are capable, and the performance on the opening night was followed with keen interest by a well-filled house’. The Stage, 18 November 1915.

Miss Eva Elwes' Co. ('The Stage', 29 March 1917)

The Era, Wednesday 22 August 1917, listed For Motherland as On The Road from 20 August at the Gaiety, Houghton-le-Spring.

The Stage, 23 August 1917, published an advertisement by Winifred Maude seeking a capable carpenter or baggage man, capable of small parts, giving the contact address for the following week as the Gaiety Theatre, Houghton-le-Spring. ‘Winifred Maude’s company are here [Gaiety, Houghton-le-Spring] with “The Coward Who Made Good.” The company, under the direction of Victor du Cane, include Winifred Maude, Miss Manxwell, Aimée Dixon, Winnie Crichton, Sara Normanton, Joseph Bloor, Arthur Vivian, Will White, William Allen, and Hal Wellfox. Miss Maude gives an able rendering of the part of Ruth, and is well supported’. The Stage, 6 September 1917. The Stage, 13 September 1917, published an advertisement seeking a lady and a gentleman ‘for Heavy Parts’ to rehearse immediately and open 24 September: details to Winifred Maude, this week and the next at the Gaiety Theatre, Houghton-le-Spring.

The Stage, 31 January and 7 February 1918, listed Always Welcome As On Tour from 4 February at the Gaiety, Houghton-le-Spring. But there is no other evidence that Always Welcome was performed.

When Peggy Courteney and Harry T. Wood, members of the Black Sheep company, inserted theatrical cards in The Stage, 18 April 1918, their address for the following week was Houghton-le-Spring. The Stage, 18 and 25 April 1918, listed The Black Sheep of the Family as On Tour from 22 April at G., Houghton, presumably with Arthur Hinton's touring company.

The Stage, 9 January 1919, listed On Leave For His Wedding as On Tour from 6 January at the G., Houghton-le-Spring. Edward F Furneau’s Personal Companies advertised Clifford Rean’s On Leave For His Wedding in The Stage, 16 January 1919: ‘The real military play. Another Record Week, Gaiety Theatre, Houghton-le-Spring. £306 4s 0d'.

Venue and opening date 3 February mentioned in advertisements in The Stage, 30 January 1919 and The Era, 5 February 1919. The two-week booking is confirmed by a advertisement in The Stage, 6 February 1919 which gives Wilson Howard's contact details as 'this [week] and next, Gaiety Theatre, Houghton-le-Spring'. ‘Maud Warburton and Wilson Howard’s company are here [Gaiety Theatre, Houghton-le-Spring] in a spy play, Back from Overseas. Maud Warburton in the rôle of Bessie Gray is distinctly good. Wilson Howard gives a typical reading of Private Brown. J. Soden as Carl Meyer meets with well-earned success. Among others who contribute to the success of the performance are T. C. Conlon (Joseph Meyer), Harry Colbeck (Jobbins), Ella Thornton (Bessie Brandon), and Kate Randolph (Mrs. Grey)’. The Stage, 13 February 1919.

Performed by Fred D'Albert's Repertoire Company.