Theatre Production - Little Miss Llewelyn

In spite of some competition, Enos Llewelyn had still the best wine and spirit business in Carmarthen. His daughter was of great assistance to him in his business, for she acted practically as his manager, keeping his books, and his customers, in order. All day she sat on the high stool at the big double desk which stood behind the counter. At the other side of the desk, directly facing her, sat Walter Barrington. Things did not run very smoothly with Walter. He had been sent down from London to learn the business under the guidance of Mr. Enos Llewelyn, and he did not like it at all. In fact, he believed he was not learning the business in any way, but acting merely as a clerk to the proprietor of the stores.

After the first few weeks Enos had begun to find fault with him. He lost no opportunity of bullying him, and certainly a great number of mistakes were traced either to Walter's inability to grasp the customers' requirements, or to his carelessness. The young man was willing enough, but absent-minded. He did not know at the time, or if he did, he refused to let himself believe, that his one great trouble was a growing fancy for the companionship of Miss Llewelyn. Not knowing that the average Welshman considers himself vastly superior to any Londoner, and having the usual idea that Londoners were vastly superior to all those unfortunate beings who happened to live in the provinces, Walter Barrington and Enos Llewelyn had difficulty in keeping from quarrelling.

PRESS REVIEW

(Lloyds Weekly News [London, UK] - 1st September, 1912)
A WELSH "BUNTY"
Great Success of "Little Miss Llewelyn" at the Vaudeville

Mr. Edmund Gwenn and Miss Hilda Trevelyan opened their season at the Vaudeville last night under the happiest conditions possible. The play with which they made their triumphant entry into management proved another "Bunty" in more than one sense, for it was a romance of local commercial life, its dialogue was in plain unvarnished language of the people of the story, and the heroine - "Little Miss Llewelyn" - pulled the strings in a family which, but for her deft handling of them, might have got involved in sad and inextricable tangle.

The scene is laid in Carmarthenshire, and in the first act we are introduced to the interior of Enos Llewelyn's office - Llewelyn being a wine, beer, and spirit merchant. Assisting his daughter in the book-keeping is a handsome young man from London, Walter Barrington, and it is easy to see that Miss Llewelyn, though booked for a "marriage of convenience" to Thomas Griffiths, the son of another licensed victualler, is allowing herself to take more than a business interest in her companion clerk. So far as the romance of the story goes, it is plain and simple enough; it is the characterisation that is the thing, and with it the scenes and "incidentals."

Mr. Edmund Gwenn, for instance, is an entertainment in himself, as the fussy, "nervy," intensely irritable, and severely businesslike Enos Llewelyn, who would probably come to blows with a nagging wife but for the clever way in which their daughter manages them. Miss Hilda Trevelyan's work as Miss Llewelyn is equally delightful in its own pretty way, and the actress was warmly congratulated upon the quaintness and sweetness of her Welsh "Bunty."

Mr. Gwenn and Miss Trevelyan are supported by a first-rate company, and its worth cannot be dismissed without referring specially to the life-like Owen Griffiths, licensed victualler and ex-mayor, of Mr. Tom Owen; to the pleasant "hero" of Mr. Ronald Squire, to the blunt, conceited Thomas Griffiths of Mr. R. A. Hopkins, and to the amusing Mrs. Llewelyn of Miss Hannah Jones.

"Little Miss Llewelyn " is preceded by a delicate phantasy. "A Mother of Dreams," which is effectively interpreted by Mr. Eliot Maxleham, Miss Pamela Dudley, and Mr. E. W. Garden.

Miss Llewelyn was sympathetic. When Walter threatened to leave the place and go back to London, she tried to reconcile him to his position. Her father's manner, she explained, was nothing worth bothering about. Why could he not forget that he was a Londoner, and overlook the irritating remarks of her father, who really meant nothing by it. Had Enos Llewelyn been left alone he would have been quite a jovial little man, but he was married - very much married! Mrs. Llewelyn had ambitions. Her desire was to have her husband elected as President of the local Licensed Victuallers' Association, and because that had, so far, proved unsuccessful, she lost no chance of "rubbing it in" to her distracted husband.

Enos himself was ambitious for the honour, and resolved once more to offer himself for election. Thomas Griffiths, who was engaged to be married to Miss Llewelyn, proposed him at the meeting, but held out little hopes for his success. One morning Thomas came into the shop and told Enos that they wouldn't listen to him. Enos was very disappointed, and the news caused another scene between him and his wife, who rated him so much that the poor man had to finish his dinner in the shop.

When Thomas passed through he had a few words to say to Walter. The lad was jealous, and he was quite frank in his remarks. He laid much emphasis on the fact that he and Miss Llewelyn were soon to be married, and not too politely he "warned off" Walter Barrington. To save further trouble, Miss Llewelyn got down from her stool. She brought them together, one on each side of her, and told them both exactly how matters stood. She was certainly engaged to Thomas, and meant to marry him. She did not love him. She never had loved him, and probably she never would. Yet that made no difference. It would attain nothing if Walter made himself disagreeable or showed any signs of jealousy. There was to be no more squabbling over her, and that was the end of the matter! Thomas went out, and Walter went back to his desk.

So things went on in their usual hum-drum manner, until a certain evening, when the Griffiths' were invited to the Llewelyns'. The real reason for their coming was to allow Mr. Llewelyn and Mr. Griffiths, senior, an opportunity for a quiet chat as to the arrangements for the wedding of the former's daughter to the latter's son. Before Mr. Griffiths, senior, and Thomas arrived, Walter entered the dining-room, and found Miss Llewelyn bustling around, setting flowers out on the table, and generally smartening up the room. She asked Walter to put a new mantle on the gas, which he did absentmindedly. He seemed to have something to say, but hardly liked to say it. At last he took courage, and told Miss Llewelyn that he considered the coming marriage most unsuitable, that Thomas could never make her happy, and that she should not go through with it. Little Miss Llewelyn was most unhappy. In her heart she knew how true his words were, but she would not allow herself to think that she really loved Walter, just as he loved her.

Mr. Llewelyn entered the room and ordered Walter back to the shop. But it was from the lips of their servant that Miss Llewelyn first heard the truth. Gossip had gone round the town, and now it had reached the one girl whom it most tragically concerned. The servant had heard that Thomas was a bad lot - that he already had a child, in fact - and she thought Miss Llewelyn ought to be told. The news came like a thunderbolt to the poor little girl, but she soon decided how to act.

The visitors arrived, and the two fathers talked over their own honeymoon experiences. They then got on to the subject of allowances to the young people, and Enos Llewelyn learned that all the expenses of the wedding, and, in fact, all the responsibilities of the couple in the future, were "up to him." He was very surprised, and did not seem to regard the marriage as so favourable for his daughter after all! The old people then went out with various excuses, and left Miss Llewelyn and Thomas alone. Gradually the little lady told Thomas that she knew all. He denied and fidgeted and contradicted, and then confessed, finally admitting that he would gladly marry the working girl he had dishonoured, and was about to cast off, if he could get his father's consent. When he was drawn out to talk about his son, he grew enthusiastic, describing the little mite with evident pride of fatherhood. Mliss Llewelyn pointed out that this pride was one of the finest traits in his character. It was, of course, quite impossible that she should marry him under the circumstances, and she would do what she could to get Mr. Griffiths' consent to his marrying the mother of his son. To do Thomas justice, he seemed rather relieved than otherwise. Lacking the courage to admit his guilt, he would have married that fresh young girl, keeping her in ignorance of the fact that there was someone else to whom he really belonged, but now that the situation was forced upon him he was prepared to face it.

The old people were much surprised and upset to hear, on their return to the room, that the engagement had been mutually broken off, but they had to be satisfied with that bald statement. An unpleasant scene took place between Enos Llewelyn and Owen Griffiths. Owen jumped to the conclusion that the true reason was that Gwennie considered herself too good for Thomas. Enos was, at heart, not at all sorry that the breach had taken place. His thoughts went back to the recent conversation he had had with Owen, when he had learned that the only expense likely to be incurred by the father of the bridegroom was that of sending out the invitations to the wedding. So he pointed to the door, and Owen and Thomas Griffiths left the house.

Miss Llewelyn set about redeeming her promise. She managed to buttonhole Mr. Griffiths, much against his will, and that gentleman was very surprised to learn from her lips that she knew the secret of his life. How she acquired the knowledge mattered little; she knew that he himself had been born before his parents were married, and by promising him to keep that knowledge from his son, Miss Llewelyn obtained his consent to Thomas's marriage with the working-girl.

Then there was another surprise. Walter Barrington announced that he had purchased one of the local licensed victuallers' establishments, and that he had become a member of the Association. He would take up the fight for the election of Enos Llewelyn as its President. Much against the wishes of Enos himself, Walter addressed the meeting. As he was speaking, his father arrived from London, and listened, with Mr., Mrs., and Miss Llewelyn, in an adjoining room, his identity being then unknown. Walter faced his audience. He spoke firmly and fluently. He enlarged upon the virtues of Enos Llewelyn - the first wine and spirit merchant in the town, a child of the people, a model of integrity! Here was the man for a president of the Local Licensed Victuallers' Association. Surprise, interest, hope, enthusiasm, and then complete joy overcame Enos when he heard Walter's speech. Who would have believed that a Londoner could have made such a speech? So clever! So eloquent! So true! And he won the day for Enos Llewelyn.

Almost out of his mind with excitement, the happy little wine and spirit merchant of Carmarthen, realising his ambition and that of his wife, wrung the hands of Walter and his father. And there was yet another surprise for the Llewelyns, which filled their cup of happiness to overflowing - Walter declared his love for Gwennie. Enos was astonished. Such an idea had never entered his head. He turned to Mr. James Barrington; Mr. Barrington looked at his son, at Mrs. Llewelyn and at Gwennie, and they all smiled together. Both fathers gave their consent to the marriage, and there was nothing but joy for everyone concerned.

The first plunge into West End management by Miss Hilda Trevelyan and Mr. Edmund Gwenn was not taken in the dark. It was the outcome of much deep thought and careful calculation, not a little optimism, and a great deal of experience. Both Miss Trevelyan and Mr. Gwenn have been "through the mill" of the theatrical profession. They have had their trials, their failures and successes, but if ever Dame Fortune held out a welcoming hand she did it when these two clever artists made a bid for her favours at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Mr. Edmund Gwenn cannot say exactly when he went on the stage. He played as an amateur before taking up the theatrical profession seriously. The provinces knew and appreciated his work before his first real London success as the chauffeur, in the original production of G. B. Shaw's "Man and Superman." Of late years Mr. Gwenn has been very much before the public eye in London. He aroused much comment as Jawbones in "The Master of Mrs. Chilvers." We remember his clever and amusing mob orator in "Votes for Women"; his old clerk in "Justice"; his pompous knight in "The Twelve-Pound Look"; his convict in "The Convict on the Hearth"; his gamekeeper in "Grace"; his young Scotsman in "What Every Woman Knows"; and his plumber in "Chains." Then there was his great success in "The Bear-Leaders," the piece that drew the smartest London society to the Comedy for so many months. When he is on the stage he lives the part he acts. Was there ever a Welshman so Welsh as his Enos Llewelyn? Not a word, not the twitter of an eyelid is missed, or over-acted. He is, as in everything else, the real living original of the character he is portraying.

Away from his dressing-room Mr. Edmund Gwenn can talk of many things. He will tell you of his three year tour through Australia with J. C. Williamson. He will tell you with obvious delight of the different audiences he played to, of the miners in the Goldfields, who brought their dogs in with them, when the hot soil outside reflected a heat of over 100 in the shade! He is full of praise for the Australians, they are so delightfully enthusiastic and hospitable.

Mr. Edmund Gwenn married Miss Minnie Terry, who is at present performing in "The Glad Eye" at the Strand. He is very fond of an outdoor life, but he cannot indulge now in his favonrite game of rugger, because the theatre claims him for Saturday afternoons. When at the Court things were different, for they had four matinees each week, but none on Saturdays, so he played Rugby football every Saturday afternoon throughout the winter, much to the trepidation of the management, who never knew whether he would turn up sound in wind and limb for the evening performance.

Miss Hilda Trevelyan, Mr. Gwenn's partner at the Vaudeville, is one of the brightest and most popular actresses on the London stage. She is particularly the idol of the thousands of young folks who know her as Wendy in "Peter Pan." What interesting reading a volume - and it would have to be a big volume - of letters from her many little admirers would make if it were published! Wendy is known all over the world. Miss Trevelyan's success is due to personality and versatility. One can hardly imagine that an actress, who could put so much into Wendy, could fill the part played by Miss Louie Freear in "A Chinese Honeymoon," and fill it so creditably.

We still recollect the great impression Miss Trevelyan made at the St. James's, when she followed the above performance with that in "'Op O' my Thumb." Other plays in which this exceedingly clever artist has appeared are too numerous to deal with in detail, but they include "Little Mary," "Alice Sit-by-the-Fire," "Peter's Mother," "Trelawny of the Wells," "The Twelve Pound Look," "The Admirable Crichton," while her work as Maggie Wylie in "What Every Woman Knows," is perhaps as world-renowned as anything she has done.

With her present partner in management she has toured the provinces, and is known everywhere for the polish, the finesse, of her acting. As Gwennie Llewelyn she is perfectly suited. Miss Trevelyan has studied the Welsh accent, and has caught it perfectly. To hear her patching up a quarrel between two jealous young men, or the strained relations between Enos Llewelyn and his wife does the heart good.