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Lady Flirt
Performed at the Haymarket Theatre, London.
A play by Paul Gavault and Georges Berr.
Opened 25th May, 1904.
Starring: Ellis Jeffreys, Madge Titheradge.

All Editorial and Photos (except where indicated) as published in 'Play Pictorial' Vol V., No. XXV.
PRINCIPAL CAST
Dramatis Personae
Played by
Lady Tonbridge
Miss Ellis Jeffreys
Lulu Carruthers
Miss Madge Titheradge
Lord Tonbridge
Mr. Cyril Maude
Hon. Paul Harding
Mr. Fred Kerr
Tommy Gore
Mr. Kenneth Douglas
Miss Vanderfeld
Miss Van Buskirk

STORY OF THE PLAY

Translated by an anonymous author from the French of M. Paul Gavault and Georges Berr, Lady Flirt was produced at the Haymarket Theatre on Wednesday night, May 25th, and, like most French pieces, intrigue, and lots of, it, prevails throughout the play.

PRESS REVIEW

(Echo [London, UK] - 27th May, 1904)
"LADY FLIRT"
At the Haymarket Theatre

It is awfully difficult, as a rule, to induce a lady to admit that she is flirting, but at the Haymarket Theatre Lady Tonbridge does not hesitate a moment to establish an exception to the rule. Undoubtedly flirting is a fine art, or, at least, it should be. It is something more than making eyes, it is playing at lovemaking, coquetting. It is peeping at a man's soul, then laughing at him for his frankness. Undoubtedly Lady Tonbridge would have scorned the idea that she was a flirt had she really understood all that the term involved. Yet there she was, a labelled flirt amongst both men and women. Despite the fact that her reputation was that of a heartless woman, of admirers she had no stint. There were at least a dozen men anxious and ready to do her bidding.

Foremost, there was Tommy Gore, quite an irresponsible young man of the fetch-and-carry sort. Then there was the ever-dashing, though somewhat portly, Marquis de St. Pierre. He was the very soul of good manners. Next in order came Mr. Silas Vanderfeld, whose nationality is betrayed both hy his name and his twang. Others of less importance and interest were Le Capitaine Blanc and Lieutenant de Brocheward. "And Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these." Finally, there was the Hon. Paul Harding, brother to Lord Melborough. He was, indeed, of quite a different type. Slow, reflective, brutally blunt, yet eagerly, excessively truthful, he appealed more deeply to the woman within the "Lady Flirt" than any of the others. At forty he loved, proposed, and was promptly rejected. At forty he became conscious of life's emptiness, and became inspired with the desire for mating.

Mr. Maude's Part

It was the element of contrast, perhaps, that set Lady Tonbridge thinking, and which ended in Harding's success. A woman admires strength, and this was a great assett of Lady Tonbridge's wooer. So far so good, but where does Mr. Maudes come in, and the others? As a matter of fact the relationship of Mr. Maude and Co. to the play proper is only very slight. In this play Mr. Maude is M. le Comte de la Roche. He is a most extraordinary person. He is a philanderer of the most flagrant type. A bore to men, a nuisance to women, and the cause of more than matrimonial squabble. Unfortunately, he has exhibited signs of affection for Lady Melborough, who is the friend of Lady Tonbridge.

The women are of entirely divergent types. Lady Melborough belongs to the jelly fish order. Just one of those, perhaps, who as soon as they conceived a certain duty were seized with the inability to respond to it. There is no moral backbone about the woman. She receives the attentions of M. le Comte de la Roche and his visits to her house at Paris are frequent. This leads to some difficulty, for men take notes and women talk. Lady Tonbridge realises the position, and sets out to thwart the michievous purpose of La Roche. He is piqued, then frightfully annoyed, and finally vindictively angry. Lady Melborough dismisses him, and Lady Tonbridge rouses his ire. He is a slow-witted ass full of poses, yet with a reputation for cleverness. He underestimates the cleverness of everybody, and therefore brings home unnecessary trouble. He says "I may not be called a very clever man, but I think otherwise." And on one occasion, when appealing to Lady Tonbridge, he says "All women love strong men. I myself should know it."

The Success of the Piece

What consummate arrogance! What expansive ignorance of human nature! How his estimate of himself rose superior to the estimates of others. Lady Tonbridge once said "I wouldn't prick him, for I should be afraid that sawdust would come out." This fairly describhes the man who triesto bring trouble to a harmonious household. For, finding himself frustrated, he tries to compromise both Lady Melborough and Lady Tonbridge by means of a letter which, unfortunately, comes into Lord Melborough's hands. Eventually, the clouds os suspicion are dissipated, and le Comte leaves Paris. It is clearly seen that the play is trifling, yet pleasing. All that can be done by means of capable acting is done, hence one enjoys it rather than otherwise. It is by no means up to the Haymarket traditions. Mr. Maude is handicapped, and never once really gets into his humorous stride. Miss Ellis Jeffreys is as charmingly fresh as ever, but not in the "Cousin Kate" view of witty conversation. Both mr. Maurice and Mr. Kerr are good, and miss Beatrice Beckley struggles bravely with a trying part. The success of the piece, of course, depends upon Miss Ellis Jeffreys, and the finest criticism of her work may be culled from the play itself. "The thoroughness with which she flirts is a tribute to her mental energy."

W.F.B.

Lord Melborough, of the British Embassy in Paris, is possessed of a wife whom her friend, Lady Tonbridge, describes as "entirely wanting in backbone." Certainly she is a silly, weak woman, who allows herself to be fascinated by the attentions of M. le Comte de la Roche. For the good of himself - and of the play - Lord Melborough has a younger brother named Paul, who knows a deal more of the world than he does. Lady Melborough also has a guardian angel in Lady Tonbridge. She is the "Lady Flirt" of the title, but apart from the little amusements with which she adorns her versatile life, she also is a remarkably keen judge of persons and things. Lord Melborough, blind at first to the intrigue between his wife and M. de la Roche, intercepts a letter written by the French admirer, and then Lady Tonbridge, after the manner of Stage friends, takes the responsibility of the matter on her own fair shoulders, and says the letter was meant for her.

Of course trouble follows. Lord Melborough discovers that his brother loves Lady Tonbridge, and tells him of the de la Roche episode, suggesting that she is at least a very worthless Flirt, and for a time there is a deal of misunderstanding. Finally Paul, whose common sense is great and much more abundant than that common on the Stage, guesses that Lady Tonbridge has sacrificed herself for her friend. He persuades Lady Melborough to reveal the truth to her husband; M. de la Roche is sent about his business; Paul and Lady Tonbridge pair off; and the storm in the tea-cup which has made up the play, subsides as rapidly and easily as it has arisen, and all ends happily and well - as indeed it always should.


PEOPLE IN THE PLAY

Mr. CYRIL MAUDE, whose partnership with Mr. Harrison in the control of the Haymarket Theatre has been so prodigiously successful, artistically as well as financially, was born in London on the 24th of April, 1862, the eldest son of Captain Charles Henry and the Hon. Mrs. Maude. It was during his schooldays at Charterhouse that Mr. Maude developed his fondness for acting, but when he left school the Army was the career for which he was destined. Unfortunately for the Service, ill health compelled him to take a lengthy voyage to Australia, and on his return to this country, in 1881, he began to study for the Stage in real earnest. Ill health again stopped him, and he went to Canada to lead a farmer's life for a year or two, but the country did not altogether fill his idea of the fitness of things, and so, having a chance of joining Mr. Daniel Bandmann's Company at Denver, Colorado, he took it, and became a full-blown actor, at an infinitesimal salary. A lengthy tour followed, and at San Francisco the company disbanded, Mr. Maude being compelled to make his way to New York by an immigrant train. As the car he travelled in was more than half full of Chinese, and the remainder of the occupants chiefly pig-slaughterers going to Chicago, Mr. Maude considers that this is an experience he has no desire whatsoever to repeat. Prior to becoming his own Manager, Mr. Maude appeared at most theatres in Town, and though in his earlier days he was chiefly associated with old-man character roles, he has, in late years, exhibited a remarkable versatility in the selection of parts he has created and revived. In 1888 Mr. Maude married the well-known actress Miss Winifred Emery, whom ill health has kept off the boards she so fittingly adorned, for some time past. Mr. Maude is a keen sportsman, fond of cycling, fishing and shooting, and is one of the most popular members of the Beefsteak and Garrick Clubs.

Miss ELLIS JEFFREYS is an actress who has come to the very front rank with a considerable rush in the past few years, and has now achieved that pitch of popu-larity where one hears a certain type of theatrical character spoken of as "an Ellis Jeffreys part." Miss J effreys made her start in comic opera in parts which did not require any vast amount of intellectual endeavour, and gradually worked her way into comedy parts - at first small, then larger and larger, till she has become just about the best light comedienne on the Stage to-day. Like all good comedians she has the gift of pathos, and when it has been required has very clearly demonstrated its possession. A few months ago Miss Jeffreys, who was Mrs. Curzon in private life, became Mrs. Sleath-Skelton, and her husband, who is also on the Stage, and acts as Mr. Herbert Sleath, is a member of a well-known Brighton family. It may be that in the future we shall see Miss Jeffreys in more ambitious work than she has yet attempted, and that being so, it is impossible to say how far in her Art she will go. In the particular line she has made her own, she has already progressed very considerably.

Mr. FRED KERR was christened Frederick Grinham Keen when he was born in London, on the nth day of October, 1858. He is the eldest son of the late Mr. Grinham Keen, the well-known Solicitor, one time President of the Incorporated Law Society. It was intended by his father that Mr. Kerr should become a barrister, and with that end in view he was educated at Charterhouse, and Caius College, Cambridge. He kept several terms at the Inner Temple; but the Legal profession presented few desirable aspects to him, and so he turned his attention to the Stage. Unlike the average actor, he did not begin his experiences in the provinces, but sailed for America, and in 1881 obtained his first engagement at Wallack's Theatre, New York. On his return from America Mr. Kerr joined Mr. John Clayton and Mr. Arthur Cecil's famous Company at the old Court Theatre, at that time one of the most popular play-houses in London. During his engagement there, Mr. Kerr appeared in the lengthy series of Pinero plays. Since then Mr. Kerr's name has been familiar on the programmes of most of the best-known Theatres in Town.

Mr. GILBERT FARQUHAR is, among other things, a younger brother of Lord Farquhar, Master of the King's Household, and began his professional career in the beginning of 1883, when he appeared as Mr. Younghusband in Married Life, and as Barker in Uncle's Will. He played a stock season at Bristol under Mr. Andrew Melville's management. He was for a long time with Mr. Thomas Thorne at the Vaudeville Theatre, at the time that house was under his management. At various times Mr. Farquhar has appeared in every Theatre in London. He is very popular off the Stage as well as on, and his friends, who are very many, call him "Gillie."

Mr. EDMUND MAURICE first became really prominent when he created the part of Booties in John Strange Winter's adaptation of her famous story, Bootle's Baby, produced at the old Globe Theatre, at that time under the management of Miss Edith Woodworth, and since then he has gone steadily ahead. He has done nothing better than his very admirable Taffy in the production of Trilby. In this he managed to realise Mr. du Maurier's creation to the life. Mr. Maurice is a very sound character actor, and is, among other things, the husband of the well-known actress, Miss Annie Hughes.

Mr. KENNETH DOUGLAS, who is a half-brother of the one-time wellknown actress, Miss Maud Millet, made his first appearance as Bullock Major in The New Boy, when Mr. Weedon Grossmith produced that play at the Vaudeville Theatre some years ago. Of recent times Mr. Douglas has been doing big things as a character actor, and looks like going far.

F. M. B.


SCENES FROM THE PLAY

Click any image for a larger view
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Lady Tonbridge and Paul Harding
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Confidences
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Somewhat Crushing
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What Lovely Flowers
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A Fair Flatterer
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A Practical Demonstration
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The Course of Untrue Love
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A New Kind of Game
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The Hon. Paul Harding (Mr. Fred Kerr)
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Excitement Ahead
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Miss Vanderfeld and Paul Harding
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A Fair Reminder
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A Rift in the Lute
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Lulu Carruthers and Tommy Gore
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You're Not Going to Bargain?
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I'd Sooner Know All About It
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Cupid's Messenger
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A Sympathetic Enquiry
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Lady Tonbridge (Miss Ellis Jeffreys)
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Then You'll be My Wife?
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Dismissed
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Monkey!
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Lulu Carruthers (Miss Madge Titheradge)

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