£150 – The Bystander Wednesday 16th May 1917
“£150” at the Ambassadors Theatre
BY “JINGLE.” ILLUSTRATED BY NORMAN MORROW
THE title of this “war economy” revue is supposed to represent the cost of its production. Mr. C. B. Cochran has since admitted that at the last moment he was obliged to lay out an additional sum of £4 15s., but did not consider this extra outlay justified any alteration in the title in question. I should not be surprised to hear that when the accounts are finally audited it will be found that there is a further threepence or so unaccounted for, and if that should prove to be the fact, I am sure Mr. Cochran will hasten to announce it. I mean, in these matters we ought to be as exact as possible. THE first half of this jovial entertainment is mostly occupied with caricatures of rival revues. Some times I think this idea is not always a safe one, because it assumes that everyone is familiar with the entertainments burlesqued, and that is not always the case. To take the not particularly humble instance of myself, two of the burlesques dealt with meant little to me, because I had not seen the originals; and I am not vain enough to believe that I am a special creation. But the rest of the revue is crowded with rich and rollicking fun that must be good for everybody. A pathetic little incident shows how the far-reaching Defence of the Realm Act affects even obscure individuals who had asked for nothing more than to be left in their agreeable obscurity. Two young people were at supper in a private room of a restaurant. They were just beginning to get along together quite nicely, when the fatal hour of nine-thirty struck The waiter, who always does come in at the wrong moment in these cases, dashed into the room in order to remove the drinks according to law, and, as they say in the papers, the meeting then broke up in disorder.
THEN the temptation of the modern sweet shop is ruthlessly exposed. It seems that what with the general rise in prices, and one thing and another, the dear girls simply cannot afford to buy for themselves the delicately frilled goods their hearts desire. The makers of expensive chocolates, whose occupation is now gone, have, consequently, hit upon the enterprising idea of filling their decorative boxes with more fanciful wares. So that when your best girl asks you to buy her a box of chocolates, and you find you have to pay three guineas for the privilege, you may reasonably conclude that there is more in it than is designed to meet the eye. The scheme is new to me; but one is never too old to learn the things one ought not to know.
THE life and soul of the production is, of course, the désopilant Leon Morton, who seems to be the one real laughter-maker left in a jaded world. One of his best scenes is concerned with a lady who has been “godmother” to the usual lonely soldier. The lonely soldier has written after many days to say he is calling to see her but instead of a young and handsome fellow in a trench-stained uniform, the “lonely soldier” turns but to be an immaculately dressed old gentle man of the kind usually, I believe, described as a blasé roué. He explains that he does really well out of this lonely soldier business, as his “god mothers” send him all the champagne and smokes he requires for his simple needs. Morton is quite great as the sinful old gentleman. When his indignant “godmother” orders him out of the house he commences to make gentle overtures to her maid, and sets the house roaring by observing with a fine philosophy, doubtless born of long experience, “Si on ne pent pas avoir la peche, il faut
secontenter dei’’oignon.” What?
An amusing scene is that which shows the interior of a big West End shop before and after the war. Here Morton, who is sometimes the shopwalker and sometimes the commissionaire, is very droll; and the whole scene is very well conceived. The principal lady, the delightful Mlle. Madeleine Choiseulle, is well supported by Miss Daisy Burrell, who sings well and is sprightliness itself. “£150” is full of good things from first to last, and should keep the Ambassadors Theatre busy for many months to come.
Jingle
The Bystander – Wednesday 16th May 1917
About
One of my main interests is a love of old pictures and postcards that give us a brief glimpse into a past and often forgotten age.
Collecting old postcard and pictures enables the viewer to glimpse a brief moment from that individual’s life; often far removed from their own either by the passage of time or social class. Social History, often described as “history from below” shows everyday people, their social structure and the interaction of different groups; like the wealthy and politicians these people helped shape and maintain society and so shape history.
Examining the images one can’t help but wonder how the individuals lived, were their lives hard compared with today and were they happy. Often the images come with little or no information that can answer these questions, one can only imagine.
With each image saved and seen by others, so that moment, that person is kept alive, our understanding is increased and so our lives are enriched.
A picture is often more descriptive than words can ever be, but how true is this, if a picture enables us to gain entry to another time, another world, will, like the view from a different window, even in the same house provide a different image?
These images allow a glimpse into another time, another era; but what preceded or followed this image? As the individuals were positioned and posed like an artist’s model is what we see truly reflective or like the slightly softened image of an aging beauty a less that truthful representation?
I am reminded of a documentary I watched several years ago regarding the returning troops from the front during the First World War. The camera images show a broken, demoralised sea of humanity, young men who having seen images that most of us hope never to witness had lost that sparkle; that zest which only youth has. But bring on the news camera and that battered returning group came to life, the smiles returned and even though muddied and bloodied their heads and bodies became erect, their arms swung in time and they demonstrated a swagger that spoke of courage, defiance and determination; an image that gave hope to the viewer.
It seems to me that even in the early days of photography all was not what it appeared and now in the advancing digital age a picture may paint a thousand words but will it be factual or fiction?
My interests And collections vary from Maids, Nuns, religious dress and the more risqué images of the French Maid. Often when searching for a particular subject the boundaries cross and as well as true Maids we find Edwardian actresses dressed as Nuns or Maids. During one of my searches I came across Gabrielle Ray dressed as a Maid, “Susan” in Lady Madcap and was instantly captivated by her.
Collecting the individual cards isn’t enough; I like to know more about the individual, which is easier when that person is an actress, although often the information is scarce
Searching for information about Miss Ray I discovered that she was one of the most photographed women of the Edwardian era and described in “Temps” as the most beautiful woman in the United Kingdom; but sadly her success, if measured by being visibly working or in the public eye was short-lived. She struggled with depression and alcohol abuse, and her health declined. In 1936, she suffered a complete mental breakdown and was institutionalized for nearly forty years; dying in 1973 at Holloway Sanatorium at the age of 90.
There are several other sites and blogs dedicated to the memory of Miss Ray and my intention is to share my small but growing collection of pictures and postcards with anyone who shares my interest. Reading about Miss Ray I was saddened that this lady, like many others before and since, after a brief moment in the sun they are soon forgotten. Hopefully as people view and enjoy this blog her memory will remain alive for a little longer.
I have started to write a short Biography about Miss Ray which I will try to update as frequently as possible. The Index page will show any updates under the Biography catagory.
I have also tried to link the various postcards and pictures to the plays in which Miss Ray appeared, however I realise, after several errors that this isn’t an easy task as many are decorative studio poses rather than production images. The individual Rotary, Philco and other publishers numbers are included with any description which should make searching for a particular card or ones from the same set easier. If I have made any glaring errors please feel free to let me know.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy my collection as much as I do.
Recent Comments
Top Posts & Pages
summertime75
Gabrielle Ray 