Tristram and Iseult (A Drama in Four Acts) written by J. Comyns Carr (1849 – 1916), and performed at the Royal Adelphi Theatre, London, in 1906

Some scenes from Tristram and Iseult (A Drama in Four Acts) written by J. Comyns Carr (1849 – 1916), an English drama and art critic, playwright, and performed at the Royal Adelphi Theatre, London, in 1906, starring Oscar Asche, Matheson Lang, Charles Rock, Cecil Duncan, Henry Kitts, etc.

1906 LONDON ADELPHI THEATRE Comyn Carr Tristram Iseult

The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, September 15th, 1906, "Tristram and Iseult," by J. Comyns Carr, at the Adelphi Theatre.

   1- Miss Lily Brayton, as Iseult, and Mr. Matheson Lang, as Sir Tristram.

   2- Miss Edith Wynne-Matthison, as Brangwaine, Iseult's attendant.

   3- Mr. Oscar Asche, as Mark, King of Cornwall,

   4- The death of Tristram, showing King Mark (Mr. Oscar Asche), Sir Tristram (Mr. Matheson Lang), Sir Andred (Mr. Charles Rock), and Iseult (Miss Lily Brayton).

Our  first picture of this latest version of the old story shows the lovers in Ireland after Iseult has cured Tristram of his wound and just before the latter (whose fatal identity is unknown) goes forth to battle for his love, only, however, to claim her as the bride of his King.  Our last picture (No. 4) shows the lovers, who have returned from Ireland and drunk the fatal draught, tracked to their forest bower by the King and the villain, Andred, who runs his sword through Sir Tristram from the rear and then leaves him and Iseult to die together.

Tristram & Iseult: A Drama in Four Acts

by: J. Comyns Carr (Author)

from: Tristram & Iseult: A Drama in Four Acts  1906

CHARACTERS

MARK King of Cornwall

SIR TRISTRAM OF LYONESSE His Nephew

SIR ANDRED Cousin to Tristram

SIR DINAS Knight of King Mark's Court

SIR SAGRAMORE Knight of King Mark's Court

GOUVERNAYLE Attendant on Tristram

GORMON King of Ireland

SIR GALLERON Knight of Gormon's Court

SIR MALGRINE Knight of Gormon's Court

SIR MORGANORE Knight of Gormon's Court

SIR PALAMIDE'S SQUIRE  

SIR TRISTRAM'S SQUIRE  

THE MASTER OF THE SHIP  

A SAILOR  

OGRIN THE DWARF  

ARGANTHAEL Stepmother to Tristram

OREN Queen of Ireland

ISEULT Her Daughter

BRANGWAINE Waiting-woman to Iseult

ISEULT OF THE WHITE HANDS  

The Judgment of Paris : A Beauty Competition on Mount Ida performed at the Adelphi Theatrein, in February 1932.

   A scene from The Judgment of Paris : A Beauty Competition on Mount Ida performed  at the Adelphi Theatrein, in February 1932.

   The judgement of Paris - 1932! Uproar greets Jury's hotly disputed election of 19 years old blond Mlle. Elaine Jourde, beauty Queen of Paris for 1932."

The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, February 13th, 1932,  "The Judgment of Paris :  A Beauty Competition on Mount Ida," showing "Venus Triumphs over Her Sister Goddesses :  "Helen!" at the Adelphi Theatre."

In this scene Paris, a simple shepherd though a Prince of Troy, is set the invidious task of awarding the prize for beauty between three jealous goddesses- Juno, Minerva and Venus.  It is a competition to decide who shall be "Miss Olympus," and Mercury informs Paris that he will see three turtle doves when he begins the judging and two hell-cats when he has finished it.  As a lure, juno offers Paris the presidency of the Board of Education and Minerva promises him proficiency in the arts, but Venus, artful Venus, says nothing but - lets fall her robe.  Although none of the scenes of "Helen!" lack charm, in this particular one the delightful Offenbach music easily outweighs the acting and the setting.  the actors seen are Bruce Carfax,  Winifred Davis,  Shirley Dale, and Yetta.

The Truth about Blayds witten by A. A. Milne (1882-1956) and opening on 20 December 1921 at the Globe Theatre, London, and running for 121 performances, until 5 April 1922. London, in 1922.

   Several scenes from The Truth about Blayds (a play in three acts) witten by the British playwright A. A. Milne (1882-1956) and  opening on 20 December 1921 at the Globe Theatre, London, and running for 121 performances, until 5 April 1922. London, in 1922.

   In the early 1920s A. A. Milne, best known so far for his humorous articles and verses in Punch, was establishing a reputation as a playwright. His Mr Pim Passes By (1919) ran well in the West End and on Broadway. The title role in that play was played by the actor-manager Dion Boucicault, and Milne wrote The Truth About Blayds in 1921 with Boucicault and his wife, Irene Vanbrugh, in mind. They accepted it and the play was put into rehearsal, opening on 20 December 1921 at the Globe Theatre, and running for 121 performances, until 5 April 1922.

The Blayds family discuss what to do, 1921 London production. Left to right: William (Dion Boucicault), Marion (Irene Rooke, Royce (Ion Swinley), Isobel (Irene Vanbrugh) and Septima (Faith Celli)

The all-important will: Royce (left), with Marion, Isobel and William, 1921 London production

Ion Swinley (27 October 1891 – 16 September 1937), born Eric Ion Swindley was an English actor, known for his appearances in classics and modern dramas and comedies.

The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, January 21st, 1922, a Photograph from "The Truth about Blayds" at the Globe Theatre.

This witty comedy by Mr. A. A. Milne deals with that humbug Blayds (Mr. Norman McKinnel), who has stolen a friend's manuscript poems and has thereby become the most famous poet of his day.  He is shown above (at the age of ninety) just before he confesses his theft on his death-bed.  Our characters seen are his married daughter (Miss Irene Rooke), his self-sacrificing spinster daughter (Miss Irene Vanbrugh), his satellite son-in-law (Mr. Dion Boucicault), and his grandchildren (Mr. Jack Hobbs and Miss Faith Celli).

Blayds and Isobel, Act 1, 1921 London production

The Importance of Being Earnest written by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900) and produced at the Lyric, Hammersmith Theatre, running for some 104 performances beginning on 7 July 1930.

   Some scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest written by the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900) and produced  at the Lyric, Hammersmith Theatre under the direction of the celebrated actor and theatre manager Nigel Playfair, running for some 104 performances beginning on 7 July 1930.

   The production appeared at the Lyric, Hammersmith Theatre under the direction of the celebrated actor and theatre manager Nigel Playfair, then in his twelfth season at the Hammersmith playhouse. With "characteristic panache and originality," Playfair mounted a production in the style of Aubrey Beardsley, entirely black and white and silver. The acting followed the distinctive style Playfair had established, consisting of "simplified realism, stylized gesture and formalized composition." The cast included Gielgud (coming directly from his triumphant Hamlet of earlier in the year) as John Worthing, Anthony Ireland as Algernon, Jean Cadell as Miss Prism, and Gielgud’s aunt Mabel Terry-Lewis as Lady Bracknell. It had a great success, running for some 104 performances beginning on 7 July 1930.

Anthony Ireland and John Gielgud with Iris Baker and Heather Angel, Lyric, Hammersmith, 1930

Scene from the Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde at the Lyric Hammersmith, on 7 July 1930

Scene from The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) at the Lyric Hammersmith, 7 June 1930 

This is a production of the play The Importance of Being Earnest (by Oscar Wilde), 7th July 1930 – 1931, at Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith), London.

Cast & Crew

?T/O Canon Chasuble? Nicholas Hannen

?T/O Miss Prism? Athene Seyler

Algernon Moncrieff Anthony Ireland

Cecily Cardew Heather Angel

Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax Iris Baker

John Worthing J.P. John Gielgud

Lady Bracknell Mabel Terry-Lewis

Lane Richard Caldicot

Merriman Scott Russell

Miss Prism Jean Cadell

Rev. Canon Chasuble, DD Charles Staite

Designer Michael Weight

Director Nigel Playfair

Stage Management Eric Bloom

Stage Management A.E. Filmer

The Importance of Being Earnest written by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900) and produced again at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, from November 21, 1923

    Some scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest written by the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900) and produced again at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, from November 21, 1923, running for 61 performances.

   In the early revivals, the play was performed in present-day costume, and it wasn’t until the 1923 production at Theatre Royal Haymarket in the heart of the West End that it became fixed in its original 1890s setting (though some productions have experimented with contemporary settings or other time periods, such as the Swinging Sixties).

   Following the splendid, long-lived revival of The Importance of Being Earnest at the St James’s in 1909–10, the play had two more revivals there during Alexander’s tenure, in 1911 and 1913, as we have seen, but other actors played the roles of John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff even while Alexander as actor-manager maintained responsibility for the staging. Meanwhile, after his successful return to the role in 1909, the original portrayer of Algernon was far from being finished with the play. Allan Aynesworth would in good time take up a second theatrical career as a manager and producer (what Americans would call a "director"), while still sometimes playing major roles in the plays he staged. In 1923 he took the opportunity to mount a fresh revival of Wilde’s play at the Haymarket, which opened on 21 November and ran for sixty-one performances.

Leslie Faber (centre) as Jack, 1923 revival, with Louise Hampton as Miss Prism and H. O. Nicholson as Dr Chasuble

The Importance of Being Ernest at Haymarket Theatre, 1923

The Importance of Being Earnest at the Haymarket Theatre, 1924

Lady Windermere's Fan (a four-act play) written by Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London.

Scenes from Lady Windermere's Fan (a four-act play) written by the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London.

 the first production and cast of 'Lady Windermere's Fan' (1892) 

1892 premiere: left to right, Ben Webster (Cecil Graham), Nutcombe Gould (Lord Darlington), Adolphus Vane-Tempest (Charles Dumby), H. H. Vincent (Lord Augustus Lorton) and George Alexander (Lord Windermere)

English actress Marion Terry (1852 - 1930) as Mrs Erlynne in a production of 'Lady Windermere's Fan' by Oscar Wilde, at the St James's Theatre in London, 1892. 

Winifred Emery as Lady Windermere, 1892

First Night - St. James's Theatre,

London, 1892. 

FOR YOUR REFERENCE:

On Saturday, February 20, 1892 Wilde's play Lady Windermere's Fan premiered in London at the St. James Theatre.Lady Windermere's Fan follows the life of a high society wife (Lady Windermere) who suspects her husband is unfaithful. She devises a plot to catch him in his infidelity, invites his mistress to a birthday party, and finds herself in a tenuous half-friendship with the woman before it's revealed she is (spoiler alert) Windermere's own mother. The play was well received by audiences. This came at a stark contrast to his first two plays, Vera, or The Nihilists and Duchess of Padua, which were marked failures that Wilde acknowledged as such. Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan earned a triumphant review from the St. James Gazette, who wrote, "the play, it need hardly be stated, has been superbly mounted, every detail being cared for with praiseworthy taste and liberality".  -St. James Gazette February 22, 1892 

A Woman Of No Importance written by Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900), and produced at the Miner's Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, from December 11, 1893 to Jannury 1, 1894,.

A scene from A Woman Of No Importance written by the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900), and produced at the Miner's Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, NY, from December 11, 1893 to Jannury 1, 1894, starring Maurice Barrymore and Rose Coghlan.

MB: American actor, 21 September 1849 – 26 March 1905. 
RC: Irish actress, 18 March 1851 - 2 April 1932. 

New York Times: Her Capable and Sincere Acting in the New Play by Oscar Wilde, "A "Woman of No Importance," at the Fifth Avenue Theatre -- Maurice Barrymore's Lamentable Inefficiency -- "Zamar," a...