REVIEW - Unknown Wednesday July ??th 1924 - "GRUMPY" AT WESTON

LAST NIGHT'S PRESENTATION BY DRAMATIC SOCIETY

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"Grumpy" (by Horace Hodges and T. Wigney Percival), which the Weston-super-Mare Dramatic Society started upon a five night's run at the Grand Pier Pavilion last night, is a play with an atmosphere, and the "atmosphere" of the play is "Grumpy" himself. The whole of the pegs of the four acts hang upon this quaint, irritable, and yet distinctly lovable personality, with his old-fashioned foibles and hasty mannerisms. He is one of those things hat have disappeared for ever, although perhaps even nowadays we catch sight of his counterparts in rare glimpses.

The Weston Dramatic Society are fortunate in the possession of such a "Grumpy" as Mr. Frank Eager, He lives in the part, and there is not a gesture or a mannerism of speech that one cannot readily associate with the old gentleman who is the pivot in these four chapters of laughter and tears. Sometimes he amuses us with his trite ways, occasionally we begin to have patience with him a little; but we cannot help loving him for all that. His valet (Mr. E.J. Banning) is an excellent foil to him, and it is not possible to dissociate the old man from his valet when we give praise for the creation of the right atmosphere.

Mr. Charles R. Cole as Mr. Jarvis works up his situations well, and Mr. C. Bernard Marsh (Dr. Maclaren), Mr. Frank Duck (Merridew), Mr. Keith Tyler (Mr. Ernest Heron), Mr. John F. Wilkins (Dawson), and Mr. Cecil Walker (Valentine Wolfe) do not allow their characters to run away with them, but invest them with a propriety of interpretation that goes right to the hearts of the audience. Then there is Mr. Victor Dimoline, who acts as Mr. Jarvis's valet. Virginia (Iris Alford) adds a touch of subtle charm to the production which would lack something indefinable without her. Moreover, she is young, and a player of real promise, The other ladies include Freda Wilfred Roe (Mrs. Maclaren) and Mona Vickery (Susan), both of whom fill their roles with distinction.

No producer can have spared himself less than Mr Gordon Lane, and Weston is fortunate in the possession of such a talented and experienced one. He is assisted by Mr. Arthur Tucket (stage manager) and Mr. Trevelyan Price (assistant stage manager). The three scenes were admirably staged, and all the effects are in good hands.

The performance is in aid of the society's own cot in Weston Hospital and the Ex-Servicemen's Club is also to benefit.

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REVIEW - Weston Mercury Saturday July ??th 1924 - "GRUMPY" ANOTHER NOTABLE SUCCESS BY WESTON DRAMATIC SOCIETY

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FINE ACTING

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The midsummer production of "Grumpy" at the Grand Pier Pavilion for five nights, commencing on Tuesday of this week, was an entirely new departure as far as the Weston-super-Mare Dramatic Society is concerned; that virile Society having previously confined its activities to a single big production, in the winter of each year, with one or two shorter plays during the same period, for the encouragement of the understudies. Incidentally, it may be mentioned, that this latter part of the Society's efforts is now beginning to bear good fruit. Right at the commencement the Society's latest enterprise must be pronounced an unqualified success artistically, while from a financial standpoint, a good surplus should accrue, to be divided in due course between those most worthy objects, the Weston General Hospital and the ex-Service Men's Club. The audience at the premiere on Tuesday evening was, to be frank, disappointing, altogether too many seats being unoccupied, but this is a sate of affairs common to the majority of productions, and on succeeding nights great improvement was registered in the attendance. Only a few seats remain for the concluding performance to-night (Saturday), and those who proposed paying a visit should lose no time in securing their seats.

And now to the play. It is, of course, written around the name-part, "Grumpy," a lovable old cross-patch who, in his day, had the reputation of being the cleverest criminal lawyer in Europe, but who is now living in retirement in the country, fondly cared for by his grand-daughter, Virginia. The plot relly commences with the arrival of Ernest Heron, "Grumpy's" grand-nephew, home from South Africa with the Lawson Diamond, valued at £90,000. He is spending the night with "Grumpy," in preference to putting up at a London hotel, and also because Virginia lives with "Grumpy." The first act closes with a dramatic incident, a struggle takes place with the stage in absolute darkness, and when the curtain rises again Heron is discovered unconscious on the floor, with his head resting on the fender. It is here that the mystery begins. Prior to the struggle, after "Grumpy" who wished to lock the diamond in the safe, had retired without achieving his object, Heron is startled by a noise at the window, while sitting in an armchair examining the diamond. While he is going to the window, from which a shadowy figure disappears, a hand creeps through the door, switches off the light, and the struggle takes place. The problem is, who did it?

        The Mysterious Camellia

That is what "Grumpy" sets out to discover in the morning. An intriguing point is the presence of a camellia in Heron's hand, when he was discovered. There is no need at this juncture to follow the clue of the camellia through all its amazing possibilities. But the situation is obviously complicated early on in Act II, by a Mr. Jarvis, who is staying with the Bullivants appearing with a camellia in his button hole, this camellia having been given him by Virginia. "Grumpy" has already discovered that the camellia Heron was wearing the night before had a hair tied around its stem, placed there by Susan, the maid. The camellia found in Heron's hand had no hair, and neither, "Grumpy" ascertains, by a trick, has the flower Mr. Jarvis is wearing. Jarvis motors back to London taking with him Miss Virginia, who is to visit a sick aunt, but previously he has persuaded her to come to his rooms at 5 o'clock the same afternoon. The act concludes with a broad hint as to the solution of the mystery, when Susan tells "Grumpy" that she has seen the camellia with the bow tied around it in Miss Virginia's bag, and that the latter has taken it to London with her. Then "Grumpy" decides to go to London by the first available train.

For the third act the scene is transferred to Mr. Jarvis' rooms, where Jarvis discovers, through his valet, the peculiarity associated with Heron's camellia, and we see Jarvis in his true light at last. Virginia arrives, and repulses Jarvis, who makes a declaration of his love, but agrees to see him off - at Dover! He also persuades her to send him the camellia which he gave her, in place of the one she gave him, and which is probably the right one he wants, by special messenger. At this juncture, Valentine Wolfe appears on the scene. He has come to purchase the diamond, but when he discovers that Jarvis made a "slight mistake" and seriously hurt Heron, he refuses to have anything to do with the stone. The next arrival is "Grumpy," who persists in waiting for Jarvis, who has secreted himself in an inner room, despite the valet's assurance that he will not be home that day, and Wolfe's eagerness to drive him to Jarvis' club. Then Jarvis' valet, Keeble, brings a special messenger letter, which "Grumpy" secures and opens. Keeble struggles with him for the letter, but Grumpy's man, Ruddock, appears, and throws Keeble down the stairs. As "Grumpy" is reading the letter aloud, Jarvis slips out. "Grumpy" knows he is going but that is part of his plan, because the letter announces Virginia's decision not to go to Dover with Jarvis, and not to return the flower, which she had noticed has a hair tied around the stem. As Jarvis goes through the door "Grumpy" tells Ruddock that he will remain in London until he has seen Mr. Jarvis, a remark obviously made to Jarvis' benefit. The last act brings us back to the Bullivant's home, where Heron is so far recovered as to be able to get up. Virginia returns and tells Heron of her visit to Jarvis' rooms, and after a touching scene they plight their troth. Hither also comes Jarvis, looking for the camellia, but before he can find it, "Grumpy" also returns, and their meeting is dramatic. Jarvis finds escape impossible, and after "Grumpy" has told him that he is "wanted" by some "Manchester friends," Virginia comes into the room and reminds Jarvis that she has won in a game of forfeits they had agreed to play. "Grumpy" suggests that jewellery is sometimes used to pay forfeits, and Jarvis sees the point and hands over the diamond. He leaves and is taken away in a car by his "Manchester friends," and all's well!

        Fine Acting

In the matter of the players our first word must be one of the sincerest congratulation to Mr. Frank Eager in the title-role. He made the part his very own; he literally lived it, and in so doing has scored what is acknowledged by all competent to judge to be a wonderful personal triumph. At each performance the audience has recognised this salient fact, and Mr. Eager has received tremendous ovations. On Tuesday evening the audience was emphatic in its whole-hearted appreciation. Mr. Eager made "Grumpy" the most lovable of lovable old men. Our first impression of "Grumpy" was that of a queralous, fault-finding, liverish old cross-patch, badgering his servants, criticising his guests, being deliberately rude to his relations, and generally making himself an unmitigated nuisance. Then his beloved grand-daughter, the joy and delight of his old age, appears, and what a change! This rude old gentleman discards his carping ways and reveals a heart of gold; before he had merely amused us, now we begin to love him, and the affection strengthens as the play proceeds. Then in the masterly scenes during "Grumpy's" attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding the theft of the diamond, we are able to appraise in some measure the acuteness of the great lawyer's brain, now generally under the cloak of the childish little fads and foibles of old age. It was an amazingly fascinating study of a finely chiselled character, the beau ideal of a typical old English gentleman, made alive and intensely real by the artistry of a master hand. Amongst all the good work done by the Society's members in successive productions, Mr. Frank Eager's "Grumpy" will rank with the best, mainly because his "old man" creation was an old man, and not a caricature thereof.

Mr. E.J. Banning as Ruddock, next claims attention and for two reasons; for one thing as an admirable foil to "Grumpy," the two parts cannot well be dissociated, and in the second place, Mr. Banning's characterisation of "Grumpy's" faithful attendant, was in more ways than one, notable. In nine cases out of ten, it was not what Mr. Banning said - considering the time he was "on," he had little enough to say - but what he did that created such a good impression. His expressions, little gestures of assent and dissent, all these were models of their kind and perfectly done. Mr. Banning excelled himself because he was just what he was supposed to be - the deferential English man servant, with a sense of humour, delightfully emphasized in the scene where "Grumpy" cross-examines Susan.

        The Ladies' Parts

There are but three parts for ladies in "Grumpy," and those who sustained them have our apology for keeping them waiting until this juncture. Miss Iris Alford in the role of "Virginia", worked hard on Tuesday evening, but, unfortunately, did not reap a full reward of applause. This was entirely due to her apparent inability to realise the size of the theatre, with the result that some of her most telling lines did not reach beyond the front stalls. However much an audience may be delighted by a charming presence, they do like to know exactly what is happening between two players, and that is why their enthusiasm was somewhat restrained at the opening performance. Apart, however, from this one defect - easily contracted by amateurs and just as easily remedied - Miss Alford quite justified her selection for the role. She recognises the exact degree of tenderness required in the passages with Heron, and played up to "Grumpy" with appealing winsomeness.

Miss Alford showed distinct promise, and with attention to the point we have indicated, solely with a desire to help, will go far in amateur theatricals. As Susan, Miss Mona Vickery was pert, comely, and vivacious. She caught the true spirit of the role,, played the pretty, flirtatious servant girl with zest, and in the cross-examination scene already mentioned, particularly revealed a range of expression, and an intelligent appreciation of the finer points of stage-craft, which was as refreshing as it was surprising. Miss VIckery need have no doubt as to her complete ability to please and amuse, while by her performance on the present occasion she has surely carved out for herself a permanent niche in future casts. We had little more than a fleeting glimpse of Mrs. Wilfred Roe as the garrulous wife of Dr. Maclaren, who, incidentally, was as talkative as his wife. Both Mrs. Roe and Mr. C. Bernard Marsh, who played the doctor, did well, and it is gratifying to see such obvious pains taken to perfect small parts. It bespeaks that enthusiasm for the work which is bound to bring good results.

        Other Parts

The juvenile lead - Ernest Heron - as played by Mr. Keith Tyler, served to demonstrate that Mr. Tyler has learnt much since his last appearance, and may now be relied upon to give a solid, satisfying rendering of the type of character he is best fitted to play. A little most elasticity might be an advantage, but on all other scores, congratulations are the order of the day. It was only to be expected that so polished an amateur as Mr. Charles R. Cole would do full justice to the role of Mr. Jarvis. He was throughout cool, calm, and collected and - best virtue of all - absolutely natural and convincing. He preserved his secret as it was intended to be preserved, and when the denouement came, invested his utterances and even more his expression - and none know better than Mr. Cole how to make a look "talk" - with just that touch of downright vindictiveness, the malice of a foiled criminal, that the situation called for. We shall not be satisfied until we have again seen Mr. Cole in a really "fat" part. And from Mr. Jarvis we naturally go to Valentine Wolfe, a notorious fence, of Jewish extraction, a shady "doubel dealer in antiques," as "Grumpy" described him. Mr. Cecil Walker in the part, was astonishingly good, because it was not a role easily negotiated. There must have been the usual temptation to overdo the Jew business, and the best compliment we can pay Mr. Walker is to say that it was just right, both as regards accent and actions. The audience appreciated his all-too-brief appearance in no half-hearted fashion. Mr. Victor Dimolene, as Keeble, Jarvis' valet, with a strong attachment towards Susan, was fully alive to his part and dealt with it accordingly. Mr. Frank Duck was adequate as Merridew, the butler, while Mr. John F. Wilkins made Dawson - the smallest part - just as good as it was meant to be.

Although we have left the mention of him to the last, that by no means indicates that we are not fully alive to the degree to which Mr. Gordon Lane's thorough, painstaking, and sterling work as producer, contributed to the completely harmonious result. Evidence of clever, detailed thought on his part was to be noted in abundance in every scene, and in this connection no praise can be too high. There can be no fear of conscious error or weak effects while Mr. Lane directs the histrionic activities of the Society.

In sum, "Grumpy" may be written down as a memorable success, from whatever angle it is viewed, and it will remain memorable on account of its brilliant acting, fine production, and sterling merits; but most of all will it be remembered for Mr. Frank Eager's remarkable performance as "Grumpy." In the nature of things, he will never give us a more polished or completely fascinating study. And what is more, we could not wish for anything better.