Theatre Royal, Rochdale

‘Mr. E. Taylor Platt’s company were here [the Royal, Rochdale] with The Man Who Stayed at Home for the first three nights’. The cast was Charles Esdale, Mary Lincoln, Frances Davie, Graham Hetherington [sic], Dorothy Hall, Hilda Gregory, Christine Jenson [sic], Edith Cuthbert, Goodwin Nock, Russell Bendall [sic], Farries Moss, Harold Greaves. Edward Compton and company would perform in the latter part of the week. The Stage, 25 March 1915.

‘There was a large audience at the Rochdale Theatre on Monday night to welcome the war drama “The Day Before the Day,” which comes from the St. James’s Theatre, London, by arrangement with Sir George Alexander. The author has certainly contrived to give his play plenty of thrills' (Rochdale Observer, 27 October 1915). ‘There is again an excellent entertainment provided at Theatre Royal this week, where a first-class company are appearing in a play entitled “The day before the day,” and from the manner of its reception on Monday evening we can confidently predict that its further presentation in Rochdale will meet with undoubted success. The play is a work of much merit, and the theme upon which it is based deals with an English officer’s determination to discover and expose the rendez-vous of German spies. This, of course, is but a brief synopsis of the underlying motive, and the subsequent unravelling of the story, which is given in four acts, keeps the audience I an atmosphere at keen expectancy' (Rochdale Times, 27 October 1915). ‘The war drama “The day before the day” has proved a popular attraction at the Rochdale Theatre this week, and the thrilling episodes in the tracking down of the German spies on the East Coast has kept interest sustained. The piece is exceedingly well played’ (Rochdale Observer, 30 October 1915). Also reviewed in The Stage, 28 October 1915.

Performers: Matthew H Glenville and Co.

When Arthur Hinton advertised for theatres for his ‘latest and greatest success’, The Black Sheep of the Family, in The Era, 19 July 1916, he gave his address as the T.R., Rochdale. Also The Era, 19 July 1916, listed The Black Sheep of the Family as On The Road from 17 July at the T.R., Rochdale.

Advertised in the Rochdale Observer, 8 December 1917, as ‘The Great Naval Drama … A Thrilling Drama of British Pluck and Hun Perfidy’. Also, ‘Capital entertainment for the patrons of the Rochdale Theatre Royal is provided by the naval drama “For sweethearts and wives,” which is being performed there by a London company twice nightly this week. Being thoroughly up-to-date in its scenic arrangements and plot, the piece is replete with thrilling situations, many of which are due to the murderous machinations of wicked Germans engaged in the war with Groat Britain. There are also in the play, however, several heroic English characters, mainly officers of the navy, whose duty it is to checkmate the evil efforts of the enemies of their country and their success in that task is eventually overwhelming, so that before the story finishes virtue is amply rewarded. Among the novelties introduced in the drama are the interior of a “U-boat” in action, the theft of models of a new submarine, and a series of stirring scenes on several British battleships. The play is splendidly mounted and well acted throughout’ (Rochdale Observer, 12 December 1917).

Dorothy Edwards (actress), Aubrey Mallalieu (actor)