The Strand - 25 September 1928. The Strand, London.
"...by Mr Charles Mortimer, most benign as a benevolent fosterer of youthful talent, made victim of rumours as to his being Monk's partner or collaborator, or his young wife's lover;...."
"...by Mr Charles Mortimer, most benign as a benevolent fosterer of youthful talent, made victim of rumours as to his being Monk's partner or collaborator, or his young wife's lover;...."
The cast also included Miss Maisie Darrell, Miss Fabia Drake, Miss Helena Pickard, Mr Guy Pelham Boulton, Mr Wilfred Caithness, and Mr D A Clarke-Smith.
From The Era 16 September, 1928.
The First Performance.” a comedy by Svend Rindom, adapted from the Danish by Sibyl de Frece and Christen Jul, will be produced the Repertory Players at the Strand Theatre, Sunday next, Sept. 23. The cast will include Maisie Darrell, Fabia Drake, Helena Pickard, Guy Pelham-Boulton, Wilfred Caithness, D. A. Clarke Smith and Charles Mortimer. |
From The Era of 26 September, 1928
A First Performance A Repertory Players Production Morton Just - D A Clarke-Smith Mrs. Just Dorothy Hall Jasper Goodfellow - Wilfred Caithness Margaret Braemar - Fabia Drake A gentleman Patrick Gover Eric Bergman - Lawrence Ireland Grocer’s Boy - Charles Hickman Elise Monk - Maisie Darrell Dr. Frederick Salomon Charles Mortimer John Monk - Guy Pelham-Boulton Eile Swann Millie Sim Anna Goodfellow - Hilda Brace-Potter Alice - Buona Bret Camilla Moody - Helenaa Pickard Alexander Magnus - Ralph Richardson Fritz - Harold B. Meade George Thompson - Deering Wells Molinarl - Murri Moncrieff Sub Editor - Perceval Clarke Messenger - Charles Hickman Stall keeper - Alfred Gray Peters - Reginald Gardlner Producer - Charles Carson |
Dramatic critics are apparently a powerful race in Denmark. Authors. Producers, leading ladies and their friends wait all night in order to read the newspaper verdicts first thing in the morning. l am sure that does not happen England! It provided, however, the best scene in "The First Performance,” which was produced by the Repertory Players at the Strand Theatre on Sunday. The final curtain, after the notices had been excitedly read, was most amusing and sent the audience—composed largely actors and actresses—away happily ! l am not sure that the play would appeal so thoroughly to the general public, who know little about the politics of the theatre. It is the story of the performance of a first play that has been written by a young waiter. The first seven scenes are devoted to the happenings immediately preceding the production. Interest is first centred in a dramatic critic and an attempt by a dramatist (whose play is to follow the waiter’s first effort) to influence adversely the criticism. Attention is then directed to the leading lady, whose attack of " temperament ” looks like wrecking the production! This strikes me as being a trifle nearer to reality. Then follow four graphic pictures of events immediately after the performance, when the leading lady is again shown in amusing relief. A scene in a newspaper office has the one decided touch of reality when the chief presses for copy and wonders why theatrical notices are ever printed all I The dramatic critic is forced by his fiancee to write favourably of the play and all ends happily. The note of satire should have been more heavily underlined and the production, a difficult one for a single performance, might, with advantage, have been crisper. There was some first rate acting and particularly good was Miss Helena Pickard, who, as the leading actress, caught the author’s intention with a delicious sense of comedy. It was a thoroughly entertaining performance by a clever young actress. The company is an enormous one and in a short space it is possible to mention only one or two outstanding pieces of acting. D. A. Clarke-Stnith, as the dramatic critic; Miss Fabia Drake. delightfully direct as the fiancee; Mr. Charles Mortimer is the young playwright’s patron; Miss Millie Sim, Mr. Ralph Richardson, Mr. Guy Pelham-Roulton, Miss Buena Bent and Mr. Wilfred Caithness can be singled out for praise in a cast that contained many genuine little studies of a character. Mr. Christen Jul, one of the translators, paid a graceful tribute to English acting in his speech at the end.
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