"Blood Royal" played one night at the Piccadilly Theatre, London, on 12 June, 1932. Charles Mortimer played Barnaby Orlestone in the production. The play was a mixture of drama and comedy about the heir to the throne.
Also in the cast were Mr H G Stoker, Miss Dora Barton, Mr Deering Wells, and Miss Gillian Lind.
From The Era of 8 June, 1932.
Richard Bird is playing the lead in "Blood Royal,” by Eric Forbes Boyd, which the Repertory Players will present at the Piccadilly June 12, with Deering Wells producing. Others in the cast are Dora Barton, Gillian Lind, Carleton Hobbs, Ernest Jay, Charles Mortimer and H. G. Stoker. From The Era 15 June, 1932. Blood Royal - Repertory Players at the Piccadilly. The Repertory Players presented, on Sunday night, a play which might conceivably survive a good run in the West-End. It is a comedy-drama concerning the efforts of Prince Gaspard to kidnap—and possibly kill—a young man named Hugo, who is one step nearer to the throne of Peronia than he is himself. The activities are staged in the house of Sir Henry Mallison, who loves Peronia; and gathered at the house are an intimidating number of agents for and against the bearded Gaspard. Marcia Stornfell is Hugo's champion, and she does a great deal for him, far more than he deserves, in fact, because he appears to be a rather hopeless boob. But the highlight which glitters about every scene is the favourite butler character. And that is chiefly why this play was exceedingly well received on Sunday. There are a great many wise sayings, and plenty of broad farce, but this butler fellow, Miggs, has a noble time ticking off everyone in turn and together, and being remarkably familiar with both his master and his master's guests. I would forgive a little of this if Miggs had contributed to the saving of Hugo from being drugged and shot, but he had no time for that. It was simply his job to make butler's whoopee. In this part Ernest Jay proved himself to be thoroughly up to date in stage-butler technique, and he had a special reception for himself. Gillian Lind gave the best performance of the evening as Marcia. |