Theatre Production - The Talk of the Town

*Please note that the name of Agnes Fraser's character is referred to in the original publication as both Lewin and Godwin. This usage has been reproduced here as is.

One scarcely knows how to speak in ordinary terms of a production at once remarkable for its beauty, its lavishness, and its amazing vigour. That the piece has long since become what its name implies I have not the slightest doubt. Playgoers know by this time that when Mr. Seymour Hicks undertakes to manufacture musical comedy he bears in mind that an audience must not under any circumstances be allowed to sleep. Wherefore, The Talk of the Town begins in a whirl, continues in a whirl, and ends in a whirl. And not only so, for Mr. Hicks, giving his inventiveness a free rein, has provided an entertainment not merely rich in dainty dresses and pretty faces, but abundant in fun and ingenious devices. In short, here is a piece that is as full of surprises as a child's bran-tub.

At one moment, for instance, the handsome interior of Madame Modiste's establishment in Regent Street suddenly disappears, to leave us gazing at a wintry tract in Iceland, with its snow-huts and white-furred little Esquimaux. At another moment, lovely gowns, containing their fascinating owners, airily swing out over the orchestra, at the ends of flower-covered ropes, which, having descended apparently from nowhere, are presently illuminated by countless electric lights.

And there is a story. Not much, it is true, but still it is there. It tells of one Reggie Drummond, lieutenant in the Lancers, who, having run through a fortune, is about to be sold up. His thoroughbreds have gone to Tattersall's, and his luxurious country seat, Arundel Lodge, is for sale. Now a 'man in possession' is scarcely a boon and a blessing under any circumstances, and Reggie's complete humiliation may well be imagined when Jerry Snipe, the broker's man (followed by a wife, a baby, and four soiled and sympathetic children), appears on the scene. This unfortunate arrival coincides with that of a party of Reggie's fascinating friends, a fact which leaves his massive scotch servant no alternative but to drive little Snipe and his big family into the fowl-house.

PRESS REVIEW

(Lloyds Weekly News [London, UK] - 8th January, 1905)
LYRIC THEATRE

Mr. Seymour Hicks is a lucky man. The dash and energy of a good-looking chorus, the supreme beauty of the dresses, and some sparkling numbers have gained him yet another success in The Talk of the Town, produced on Thursday evening.

The new piece is more noticeable for stage inventiveness than literary grace or polished dialogue; while the story is of the slightest. The managerial craving for bustle and rapid changes is increasing with almost every production of musical comedy, and The Talk of the Town is a succession of bewildering stage pictures. Every conceivable opportunity is utilised to re-dress the chorus, and such is the feverish desire to waste as little time as possible that in the second act the ladies actually change their costumes on the stage.

Mr. Greet must have spent a small fortune on the dresses. There is a lavish and ever-mutable display of silks and satins in the most exquisite designs and shades imaginable; and in the first act the ravishing gradations of colour afforded by the mingling of the dresses and the roses combined to make one of the most alluring stage pictures we have ever seen.

Mr. Hicks's story follows on much the same lines as The Earl and the Girl, Lieut. Drummond (Mr. Henry Lytton), a sporting officer of the Lancers, who owns racehorses (which file across the stage), and is up to his ears in debt - he calls it playing the game - is in danger of being sold up and having to leave the Army. An old brother officer, Capt. Hambledon, who has inherited a fortune of 30,000l a year, comes to the rescue and writes that he will pay all Drummond's debts. However, on the day appointed for the payment of the creditors Drummond receives a telegram from Hambledon to the effect that he is staying in Paris for a week, and in order to appease his creditors Drummond persuades Jerry Snipe (Mr. Walter Passmore), a man in possession, to personate Hambledon. Snipe enters into the plot with genuine spirit, and scattering cheques right and left soon becomes a popular hero. Drummond's security is short-lived, however, for he learns that Hambledon's claim to the fortune is valueless, as there is a missing heiress. By the long arm of coincidence, the heiress turns out to be Ellaline Lewin (Miss Agnes Fraser), Drummond's fiancee, and thus all ends happily.

Mr. Walter Passmore plays the broker's man with droll humour, and his antics as a man about town are irresistibly comic. As Mrs. Snipe. Miss Sydney Fairbrother made a big hit with a clever piece of character acting. Mr. Henry Lytton sang with his usual artistic effect, and two of his songs, "Pepita Maguire" and "My Ellaline," are the most piquant numbers in the piece, and will soon be sung all over London.

Miss Agnes Fraser, Miss Olive Morrell, and Miss Maudi Darrell are a trio of dainty songstresses, and wear becoming dresses; but it is difficult to understand what Miss Morrell's song, "My Little Laplander," has to do with the piece. Apart from this the tableau of fur-clad Esquimaux crawling from their snow huts is very picturesque. Messrs. Robert Evett, Stanley Brett, and M. R. Morand also rendered yeoman service, but the former had little scope for the exercise of his fine tenor voice, a matter for regret.

The music of Mr. H. E. Haines and the interpolated numbers of Messrs. Hamish MacCunn and Evelyn Baker are quite up to the average for such a production, while Mr. Charles Taylor's lyrics are surprisingly good and pointed. The piece was rapturously received, the enthusiasm of the of the company evidently communicating itself to the audience.

Then, in the most unexpected manner, comes the announcement that Reggie's old friend, Dick Hambledon, is on his way back from India, with a fortune, and ready to place ten thousand of the best and brightest at Reggie's disposal. "Hurrah! Hurrah!" cries Reggie, "I can now pay all my debts!" But he "counts his chickens before they are hatched," for Hambledon wires that he is breaking his journey at Paris, where he intends to spend a week, and, as Reggie's creditors refuse to wait a day, he is at his wits end to know what to do.

How to gain time? That is the question. And here the great little Snipe rushes to the rescue. For a monetary consideration, to come later, he consents to masquerade as Hambledon, whilst Snipe's employers, the Brothers English, to further their own purposes; disguise themselves as Hambledon's Indian servants. Snipe rises so thoroughly to the occasion that the imaginary wealth at his disposal is promptly dissipated in presents to all sorts of people - the ladies in particular. He has a "royal time" for one week, despite the fact that he has to face first the fists of the fighting brother of Madame Modiste, whose heart has once been badly damaged by Hambledon, and, finally, Hambledon himself, whose credit Snipe has so hopelessly compromised.

But another surprise is in store for everybody. Hambledon is not rich. The fortune was left to him only on condition that a young lady called Ellaline Godwin cannot be traced; and, of course, she is traced - first at a convent hard by, and, afterwards, as a fitter-on in the West-end establishment of the already-mentioned Madame Modiste.

I have not space to unravelall the threads in this tangled skein of intrigue. As experienced playgoers you can easily guess why Reggie's final happiness is unmarred. Of course, he just loves Ellaline as passionately as she loves him, and, in due course, she will enter into the fortune that so nearly went to another. Perhaps the only one of the three who suffers in the end is Hambledon. We will suppose the lovers, at any rate, live happy ever afterwards. Snipe rejoins his wife, baby, and four children. Reggie restores his fortunes by a big coup on the turf. Let us hope he pays all his creditors.

There is not the smallest doubt about it! Pink seems to be the principal keynote of colour in this play, but it is wise to mention that it is decidedly the pink of perfection!

The first act gives us a splendid assortment of novel gowns in various tints of this particular shade. Miss Gertrude Thornton and Miss Lydia West wear exceedingly pretty dresses in figured chiffon, displaying sprays of pink roses on a cream coloured ground. The distinctive feature of these is the huge waist buckle of paste, which is worn in front of the belt. Equally beautiful 'are the costumes in soft pink taffetas, displaying rows of tiny bows down the skirt, and muchly ornamented with ruches arranged in circular sweeps at the bottom of the skirt with a further adornment of many frills.

Perhaps the greatest note of novelty struck in the play is the adoption of a bodice made something in the fashion of those terrible crochet atrocities of fifty years ago, which were designated "cross-overs." These appear in pink silk on dresses of deep ecru lace, a far more fascinating item than their prototypes, and in many cases are finished with a sash and ends of pink silk. Other dresses of cream lace have little coat bodices of pink silk, and all these dainty pink frocks are set in a frame-work of pink azaleas, pelargoniums, and other flowers of that tint.

Returning to the cross-over bodice above-mentioned, quite the most striking gown is worn by Miss Maudi Darrell in the first part of the second act. That, too, is in pink but of a particularly alluring shade. The skirt is made very full, gathered round the waist and ornamented with one deep flounce set on by a ruche and further ornamented by two others. The cross-over bodice is edged with a ruching of this description and displays an under-vest of chiffon and lace, which in its turn is crossed by two small pink silk bows. The folded drapery is arranged with a slight pouch, and drawn into a pointed swathed waistband. The sleeves, which reach only to the elbow, are adorned with three ruchings, and finished by fluffy frills; the whole gown distinctly makes for elegance and marks the gown of the season.

The present craze for small stripes is illustrated in the pale blue and white silk frocks worn by the eight dainty maidens who attend Miss Agnes Fraser on her first entry. These frocks are particularly pretty, trimmed with wide ruchings at the hem, and are accompanied by large picturesque hats tied under the chin with bright ribbons. Each dainty lady carries a huge muff of ecru lace and pale blue silk,

A gown of striped taffetas, only this time in shades of pink and white, Miss Maudi Darrell wears in the first act. This is crowned by a particularly chic Marquise hat, and I may mention en passant, that many of the smartest hats appearing in this play are in the Marquise shape.

A very gorgeous gown of cerise silk, which is perhaps a little uncommon, is worn by Miss Annie Esmond. It is of very soft messaline silk, falling in soft folds loosely from the waist, and ornamented with ruchings and tiny silk tassels to match. Elbow sleeves in a variety of styles made essentially the gown of the moment, whether the mode be picturesque or fashionable.

It is very evident that the old painters have afforded many suggestions and ideas on which the gowns worn by the majority of the players in The Talk the Town were designed and carried out. For instance, in that pretty swing song and chorus, there is a particular charm about the Gainsboro' gowns adopted by the ladies. They are very full and fall in soft clinging folds from the waist, are ornamented with picturesque white fichus around the shoulders and crowned with large black Gainsboro' hats, black silk mittens finishing the scheme. The colouring employed ranges from buttercup-yellow to white.

Miss Agnes Fraser has a Gainsboro' gown of soft white mousseline de soie, her deep waistbelt being held by three large buckles of cut steel, and a cluster of roses is tucked into her chiffon fichu. Her large blak, hat is relieved by long white plumes and completes a very dainty picture.

The fact that the fancy costumes were designed by Percy Anderson is sufficient guarantee for their excellence and correctness of detail, and it is quite certain that anyone seeking for a becoming Fancy Dress, would not hesitate to adopt those royal blue Dutch gowns, which are so exceedingly effective in the second act. Some very delightful frocks in delicate shades of pale green taffetas, make their uppearance in the second act, they too bear much elaboration in ruchings and, frills, and are well worthy of our admiration and imitation.