Opera Scotland

Arcadians 1916Mr R Courteidge's No1 Company

Read more about the opera Arcadians

A very unusual visit to Dundee for two weeks actually opening on Christmas Day.

A particularly interesting feature of this cast is the presence in the soprano role of Sombra, the leading Arcadian maiden, of Miss Gwen Frangcon Davies (1891-1992). Her father had a successful singing career, but Gwen herself went on to become a leading performer of Shakespeare, playing leading roles with John Gielgud.  She was created DBE the year before she died.

Further tour dates to be confirmed.

 

Local Press Comment:

Dundee Advertiser, Tuesday, December 26  1916

The Arcadians

An appreciative Christmas audience gave a real Christmas reception to The Arcadians at Her Majesty's Theatre last night.  It is some time since this the finest of all musical comedies was in Dundee,  and the enthusiasm with which it was welcomed back by a house crowded in every part was a splendid tribute to the happiness of its choice as a Christmas entertainment.

Among musical comedies, The Arcadians, of course, stands in a class by itself.  There are one or two musical comedies,  like Mr Manhattan, or The Quaker Girl,  which one might see a second time with pleasure; Gipsy Love one might even visit a third time; but The Arcadians alone can be taken, like Father William's exercises, again and again.

There is every good reason for this.  The Arcadians, unlike some entertainments of the revue order, has built its reputation on solid worth, and not on meretricious display, nor on a name won originally by the rather superficial tastes of London.  The music in The Arcadians is wholly tuneful and memorable;  the humour is quite Dickensian in its qualities;  but, above all, the central theme of the play is of perpetual interest.  In quite a different way the Gilbert-Sullivan constellation achieved one of their greatest triumphs with the motif in Iolanthe,  and it is this abiding interest in the subject matter - if one may call it such - of The Arcadians which has kept it as delightfully fresh and green as the fairy turf on which James Smith, of London, is translated into the Arcadian Simplicitas which is invariably pronounced with the accent on the last syllable, and which, if so desired, may be written with an additional sibilant.

There is no need to detail the plan or plot of The Arcadians.  All that one need say is that the company that is to spend the fortnight at Her Majesty's Theatre is exceedingly gifted and well balanced.  Mr Courtneidge always keeps his companies up to a high standard, and this one is no exception to the rule.

Of the players one can say nothing but good.  Mr Walter L Rignold, who has graduated from general stage manager at the Shaftesbury Theatre to a star place among comedians makes a great hit as Simplicitas.  Mr Rignold has evidently made good use of his spare time behind the scenes, for he is as merry a Simplicitas as ever was popped down a well or climbed a tree at Askwood.  Mr Fred G Evison is splendid as Doody.  The part makes a rare opportunity for any actor of merit, and Mr Evison does not miss his chance.  Sombra in the hands of Miss Gwen Frangcon Davies is played with infinite artistic skill, and her sweet singing voice was heard to advantage in her charming rendering of the beautiful songs, ''In Arcady'' and ''The Pipes of Pan.''  Miss Miriam Ferris as Chrysea ably seconded Miss Davies.  Miss Luba Bellew as Eileen Cavanagh, played with spirit and piquancy,  and Mrs Smith was a great success.  Mr Eric Harrison took the part of Jack Meadows with great success, and his popularity with the house was all the greater because he is entitled to wear a bit of gold braid on his sleeve.  Mr Harrison joined up in the early days of war as a despatch rider.  After eight months service he received a commission.  After two years service he was wounded and discharged, having attained to the rank of Captain.

Altogether the entertainment is excellent.  The verdict of the house was not that they had their fill of Arcady.  Rather it might be summed up in the words of the beautiful Scottish melody - ''Will ye no' come back again?''

 

Dundee Courier:  Tuesday, December 26 1916

Her Majesty's Theatre - The Arcadians

There was quite an appropriate touch of festivity and merriment in Her Majesty's Theatre last night, for the audience, and some of the performers as well, seemed particularly jolly and bright.  The result was a specially enjoyable performance.

The Arcadians is quite a suitable production for Christmastide.  There is a fairy-like fancy in the Arcady of the first act, and childlike innocence among those delightful Arcadians themselves.  Then the one and only Mr Doody auggests himself Robinson Crusoe in the last act, and there is abundance of tuneful, lovely music and plenty of fun throughout.  What more can be desired at Christmas or at any other time?  That the company be capable, that this one Mr Courtneidge has sent us certainly is.

The part of that real cockney Jim Smith, and sham Arcadian Simplicitas, dominates the play.  He has the most to do and the best to sing;  one of the smartest and most effective of the songs falls to his lot, and he is always really ''Merry and Bright.''  Mr Walter L Rignold, who is new to us in the part,  is a ripe comedian of the dry order, and he plays with abundant spirit and dash.  His scenes with Mrs Smith were particularly good.  Next in popularity, and probably more important as an original character, is Mr Doody, whose appearance and manners are so opposed to his motto.  Mr Fred G Evison was excellent.  That droll song, ''I got a motter'', never went better, and his up-to-date allusions were funny and apt.

Miss Gwen Frangcon Davies sang charmingly as Sombra, and quite realised the innocent naïveté of the part.  ''The Pipes of Pan'' and ''Arcady is always young.'' were sung with refinement and charm.  Miss Madge Lucas made a capital Mrs Smith, playing up to Mr Rignold with great effect and real humour, and Miss Miriam Ferris,  whose Chrysea fairly bubbled over with mirth,  joined Mr Cecil Stock as Bobby, in the lively ''Two-Step duet.''

Miss Luba Bellew, as Eileen Cavanagh, gave one of the prettiest and most finished performances of the evening, both singing and dancing with sweetness and grace.

Mr Eric Harrison, as Jack Meadows,  Mr H Elliott Ball as Sir George Paddock, and many others deserve mention.  The large and attractive chorus sang well, and their ''business'' was admirable.  The orchestra, especially considering that the band parts had gone astray on the railway, did uncommonly well.

 

Dundee Courier: Tuesday, January 2  1917   p4

Her Majesty's Theatre - The Arcadians

The second week of this visit of Mr Robert Courtneidge's company at Her Majesty's Theatre in The Arcadians opened yesterday with much éclat.  At the matinee there was a magnificent house, at night there was not a vacant seat, and we are sure that had the Theatre been half as big again the same might have been said with anyone being consigned to ''The Well of Truth.''

Truly The Arcadians is of musical plays the most delightful.  A pretty fancy is displayed in the story, and a good deal of whimsical humour.  The writing is always neat and smart, sometimes brilliant, the music ever tuneful, and the company is, without exception, more than competent.

Everyone who formed a unit of either of yesterday's audiences enjoyed himself or herself to the full.  Laughter punctuated the performances, and was only suspended during the singing of the more serious numbers, as, of course, it ought to be.  Simplicitas (Smith), Mrs Smith, and Mr Doody are the prime fun-makers, and thoroughly and artistically do they make it.

Mr Rignold's Simplicitas Smith improves, if possible, on more intimate acquaintance.   Every possible point is made, and we suspect that some of these points are the actor's own.  When he is on the stage, hilarity rules.  Miss Lucas, as Mrs Smith, is immensely funny.  Her humour is broad, and her Cockney accent sure and convincing, and Mr Evison, who appears in a part widely different from that which he last played in Dundee as Mr Doody is a perfect study.  Like Mr Rignold he has made the part his own, and it is richer and riper than ever.

The charms of Miss Frangcon Davies' Sombra are its fragrant freshness and sweetness.  Vocally she is delightful, and we doubt if we have ever heard that dainty song ''Arcady is ever young'', more artistically and sympathetically sung.  Mr Eric Harrison, who still bears the sign of the wound he received in the service of his King and country,  makes a gallant Jack Meadows, both singing and acting with fine effectiveness.

Chorus and band, under Mr Albert Bartlett's direction, are now at their best, and as the evening performances this week begin at 6.45 all danger of losing last cars or trains is avoided.  Matinees will be given to-day, to-morrow, and on Saturday.