2.4.1
Post-World War 1 theatre has already been surveyed in Chapter 1 (1.11.2). In 1922, prosperity had gone and only twenty-five plays in London ran for a hundred performances or more (MacQueen-Pope, 1959, 88). Chothia, 1996, 272 lists the following key plays for 1922: Galsworthy, 'Loyalties', Maugham, 'East of Suez', Yeats, 'The Only Jealousy of Emer' and Coward, 'The Young Idea'.
Bernard Shaw, John Galsworthy, Sir Arthur Pinero and Arnold Bennett still dominated the London stage in 1922. There were seven productions of Shaw, all at the Everyman. Felix Aylmer, for example, played the Bishop of Chelsea in 'Getting Married' (27 March to 14 April 1922, 21 performances). There were seven productions of Galsworthy, and his biggest success was 'Loyalties' at St. Martin's (8 March 1922 to 24 February 1923, 407 performances), with Ernest Milton, Cathleen Nesbitt and Edmond Breon. Other plays of his included 'Justice' (23 performances at the Court) and 'The Silver Box' (39 performances at the Court). Pinero's greatest success was 'The Second Mrs. Tanqueray' at the Playhouse (3 June to 16 December 1922, 220 performances) and 'Sweet Lavender' at the Ambassadors (14 December 1922 to 17 February 1923, 90 performances). Arnold Bennett's 'The Love Match' was at the Strand (38 performances) and his 'Body and Soul' at the Regent (32 performances). Frederick Lonsdale's 'The Lady of the Rose' was another great success at Daly's (21 February 1922 onwards, 515 performances). (See 1.11.2.8 for summary.) Another of these established and dominating playwrights was Somerset Maugham, whose 'East of Suez' ran at His Majesty's (2 September 1922 to 2 March 1923, 209 performances).
2.4.2
Now for some plays, actors and producers relating to Savoy Hill. There was a revival of 'Trilby', the dramatisation of George du Maurier's novel at the Apollo (30 May to 15 July 1922, 54 performances). This had been a sensational success from when the novel was published in 1894, and then on stage, starring George du Maurier, the acting son. The first performance had been in the Theatre Royal Manchester on 7 September 1895, with a revival at the Palace Theatre on 19 December 1921, for one matinée performance, with Henry Ainley as Svengali and George Grossmith as Dodor. 'Trilby' had five wireless productions in various forms, but the biggest was that of 23 February 1927 London 9.45-11, with Ernest Milton as Svengali and Phyllis Neilson-Terry as Trilby O'Ferrall.
2.4.3
Richard Hughes, author of the first radio origination, 'A Comedy of Danger' (15 January 1924 on 2LO), brought 'The Sisters' Tragedy' to the Little Theatre (31 May 1922 to 24 June, 29 performances), as part of Lewis Casson's 'Grand Guignol' season, produced by Lewis Casson, who also played John. Playwright Gertrude Jennings, whose one-act play 'Five Birds in a Cage' was broadcast by 2LO on 29 Nov 1923 London 7.50-8.25 (originally staged in 1915), had five productions of her plays, including 'Money Doesn't Matter' (Aldwych, 46 performances) and 'Me and My Diary' (Strand and Aldwych, 59 performances). Reginald Arkell's 'Columbine' was at the Little (3 April to 27 May 1922, 63 performances), with Lewis Casson as Prologue, and this was broadcast on 2LO (19 February 1924 London 8.20-9.30) with Lewis Casson. George Grossmith, who was 'to hover in the background' of the Productions Department of Savoy Hill as a 'singular if amiable figure' and 'unofficial adviser' (Gielgud, 1957, 21), was responsible for book and lyrics of the musical 'The Cabaret Girl', along with P.G. Woodhouse (Winter Garden 19 September 1922 onwards, 362 performances).
2.4.4
John Drinkwater's 'Mary Stuart' played at the Everyman (25 September to 25 November 1922, 69 performances). This was to be broadcast 23 August 1927 2LO 9.35-10.30, produced by Howard Rose. Drinkwater had eight broadcast credits in all, especially for his 'Abraham Lincoln', and one relay of that play (31 August 1923 on 2LO). (See 1.11.2.10 for summary on Drinkwater.) Maurice Maeterlinck's 'The Blue Bird' ran at the Duke of York's from 26 December 1922 to 27 January 1923 (58 performances), and a later production was brought into the 2LO studio and broadcast on 9 January 1928 London and Daventry 9.35-11.00.
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