Royal County Theatre, Reading

Performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week. Company members included: Mr Benson (Company leader and actor), Mrs Benson (actress), Dulce Musgrave (actress), Basil Rathbone (actor), Mr Stuart (actor), Mr Nicholson (actor), Mr Johnston (actor)

Previewed in the Reading Observer, 16 February 1918. ‘That the spy play can continue to command the interest of a discriminating public is being emphasised this week at the Royal County Theatre, Reading, where the great Royalty Theatre success “The man who stayed at home” is making a very successful reappearance. As theatre-goers are aware, it is a clever play, and the company is an excellent one’ (Reading Mercury, 23 February 1918).

‘“Neither Wife - Nor Maid” will played in Reading next week for the first time by Mr. Ernest Abbott’s company. It is a drama of the sensational type and will be presented twice nightly at 45 and 8.45’. Reading Mercury, 20 April 1918.

The Reading Observer, 21 December 1918, advertised ‘The Comedy Theatre Success “Bubbly”’ at the County Theatre, Reading from 6 January [1919].

‘On Monday next and during the week, with a matinee on Wednesday, Mr. Frederick G. Lloyd will present Mr. Andre Charlot’s highly successful musical extravaganza “Tails Up,” in two acts, written by John Hastings Turner with music by Philip Braham. This entertainment passed its 500th performance at the Comedy Theatre, London, to crowded houses. There is novelty in the idea of various persons of different grades of society taking refuge in a cab shelter during a storm and fraternising sufficiently to beguile the time with stories of episodes that are visualised. One of the funniest is the “Strange Tale of a Brigadier General who was never seen,” showing how a plain man arrives, young, gay and confident, at a government office on a quest, and is handed over to an endless succession of pert, uniformed girls. He becomes bent, whity-haired and tottering before he arrives in sight of his goal, only to be sent back to A I Depot, because his forms are incorrectly filled up. There is a strong cast’ (Reading Observer, 15 November 1919).