The Better 'Ole

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Nearly posted this in Other Theatres

On 4th August 1917, a musical by Bruce Bainsfather & Arthur Eliot was staged for the first time at the Oxford Music-hall in London. Based on Bainsfather's characters produced for the popular Bystanders magazine it ran for 811 performances, something of a record for those days.

Bill was played by Arthur Bourchier, a star of his day.

The show also went to Broadway where Bill was played by Charlie Chaplin's brother Sydney. After the war it also was made into a film.

Below is a revue from Punch dated August 15th 1917

"THE BETTER 'OLE."

I must congratulate Mr. CHARLES COCHRAN on his courage in transforming the Oxford Music-hall into a home of "the legitimate," and still more on his good fortune in securing for the initiation of his new venture the play which Captain BRUCE BAIRNSFATHER and Captain ARTHUR ELIOT have written round the adventures of "Old Bill." In form it resembles a revue, but I prefer to call it a play, because it possesses a plot, distinct if slight—an encumbrance banned by most revue producers; and because it contains an abundance of honest spontaneous fun. The authors start with the advantage, if it be an advantage, that the principal characters are already familiar to the audience through the medium of Captain BAIRNSFATHER's popular drawings; but they have not been content with reproducing their well-known, now almost hackneyed, adventures, but have added many others which are new and yet "come into the picture."

Their greatest piece of luck was in finding a comedian exactly fitted to fill the part of the humble hero. Mr. ARTHUR BOURCHIER as Old Bill is absolutely "it." His make-up is perfect; he might have stepped out of the drawing, or sat for it, whichever you please. But, much more than that, he seems to have exactly realised the sort of man Old Bill probably is in real life—slow-speaking and stolid in manner, yet with a vein of common-sense underlying his apparent stupidity; much addicted to beer and other liquids, but not brutalized thereby; and, while often grousing and grumbling, nevertheless possessed almost unconsciously of a strong sense of duty and an undaunted determination to see it through. It is a tribute to the essential truthfulness of Captain BAIRNSFATHER'S conception and Mr. BOURCHIER'S acting that one comes away from The Better 'Ole feeling that there must be thousands of Old Bills at the Front fighting for our freedom.

Admirable work is done, too, by Mr. TOM WOOTTWELL as Bert, the incorrigible amorist, for whom each new girl is "the only girl," and who has an apparently inexhaustible supply of identity-discs to leave with them as "sooveneers"; and by Mr. SINCLAIR COTTER as Alf, the cynical humourist—"Where were you eddicated, Eton or Harrod's?" is one of his best mots—who spends most of his time in wrestling with an automatic cigar-lighter. I think it would be only poetical justice if in the concluding scene, when Old Bill comes into his own, the authors were for once to allow Alf to succeed in lighting his "fag."

Of the many ladies who add charm to the entertainment I can only mention Miss EDMÉE DORMEUIL, who as Victoire has an important share in the plot and saves Old Bill's life; Miss GOODIE REEVE, who sings some capital songs; and Miss PEGGY DORAN, who looks bewitching as an officer of the Woman Workers' Corps. The music, arranged by Mr. HERMAN DAREWSKI, is catchy and not uncomfortably original: and the scenery, designed by Captain BAIRNSFATHER, gives one, I should say, as good an idea of the trenches as one can get without going there. In fine I would parody Old Bill and say, "If you knows of a better show, go to it!"

I wanted to post some images of a programme I have in my collection, including some nice Bainsfather drawings not seen elswhere, but the forum is not allowing me to attach images at the moment, will try later.

Cheers.

[CarylW]

John

Do you know if this show was also on at the Liverpool Empire?

Somewhere in my collection of old theatre programmes for Liverpool I did have a programme with Captain Bruce Bairnsfather appearing in something - may have been that. It's a while ago so I can't remember what it was and can't find the blimmin thing now! I was going to ask this query here, but spotted your post

Caryl

[oldbill99]

As well as playing at the Oxford Theatre in London, "The Better 'Ole" toured the UK with five companies, between 1917 and 1919. In the USA Old Bill was played in the Broadway production by Charles Coburn, not Syd Chaplin - Syd played the famous character in the 1926 Warner Bros silent movie of "The Better 'Ole."

The stage show also toured the USA as well as Australia, South Africa and India!

Bruce Bairnsfather didn't appear personally in "The Better 'Ole" however he did make an appearance in the later play "Old Bill M.P." which he wrote in 1922. This show toured the UK from April to July 1922, then ran at the Lyceum Theatre in London until November 1922.

Even later, in 1924-25, Bairnsfather made personal appearances in the revue "Ullo" which he wrote and produced. This show toured the provinces for a year in 1924-25, so it's quite possible it was staged at the Liverpool Empire. Equally it could have been "Old Bill M.P."

Would be very interested to hear from anyone with an interest in Bruce Bairnsfather and Old Bill.

Mark Warby

Editor, The Old Bill Newsletter

Nearly posted this in Other Theatres

On 4th August 1917, a musical by Bruce Bainsfather & Arthur Eliot was staged for the first time at the Oxford Music-hall in London. Based on Bainsfather's characters produced for the popular Bystanders magazine it ran for 811 performances, something of a record for those days.

Bill was played by Arthur Bourchier, a star of his day.

The show also went to Broadway where Bill was played by Charlie Chaplin's brother Sydney. After the war it also was made into a film.

Below is a revue from Punch dated August 15th 1917

"THE BETTER 'OLE."

I must congratulate Mr. CHARLES COCHRAN on his courage in transforming the Oxford Music-hall into a home of "the legitimate," and still more on his good fortune in securing for the initiation of his new venture the play which Captain BRUCE BAIRNSFATHER and Captain ARTHUR ELIOT have written round the adventures of "Old Bill." In form it resembles a revue, but I prefer to call it a play, because it possesses a plot, distinct if slight—an encumbrance banned by most revue producers; and because it contains an abundance of honest spontaneous fun. The authors start with the advantage, if it be an advantage, that the principal characters are already familiar to the audience through the medium of Captain BAIRNSFATHER's popular drawings; but they have not been content with reproducing their well-known, now almost hackneyed, adventures, but have added many others which are new and yet "come into the picture."

Their greatest piece of luck was in finding a comedian exactly fitted to fill the part of the humble hero. Mr. ARTHUR BOURCHIER as Old Bill is absolutely "it." His make-up is perfect; he might have stepped out of the drawing, or sat for it, whichever you please. But, much more than that, he seems to have exactly realised the sort of man Old Bill probably is in real life—slow-speaking and stolid in manner, yet with a vein of common-sense underlying his apparent stupidity; much addicted to beer and other liquids, but not brutalized thereby; and, while often grousing and grumbling, nevertheless possessed almost unconsciously of a strong sense of duty and an undaunted determination to see it through. It is a tribute to the essential truthfulness of Captain BAIRNSFATHER'S conception and Mr. BOURCHIER'S acting that one comes away from The Better 'Ole feeling that there must be thousands of Old Bills at the Front fighting for our freedom.

Admirable work is done, too, by Mr. TOM WOOTTWELL as Bert, the incorrigible amorist, for whom each new girl is "the only girl," and who has an apparently inexhaustible supply of identity-discs to leave with them as "sooveneers"; and by Mr. SINCLAIR COTTER as Alf, the cynical humourist—"Where were you eddicated, Eton or Harrod's?" is one of his best mots—who spends most of his time in wrestling with an automatic cigar-lighter. I think it would be only poetical justice if in the concluding scene, when Old Bill comes into his own, the authors were for once to allow Alf to succeed in lighting his "fag."

Of the many ladies who add charm to the entertainment I can only mention Miss EDMÉE DORMEUIL, who as Victoire has an important share in the plot and saves Old Bill's life; Miss GOODIE REEVE, who sings some capital songs; and Miss PEGGY DORAN, who looks bewitching as an officer of the Woman Workers' Corps. The music, arranged by Mr. HERMAN DAREWSKI, is catchy and not uncomfortably original: and the scenery, designed by Captain BAIRNSFATHER, gives one, I should say, as good an idea of the trenches as one can get without going there. In fine I would parody Old Bill and say, "If you knows of a better show, go to it!"

I wanted to post some images of a programme I have in my collection, including some nice Bainsfather drawings not seen elswhere, but the forum is not allowing me to attach images at the moment, will try later.

Cheers.

[Raster Scanning]

Sorry for the late reply, only just spotted it!

I have attached links to the programme.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k116/ras...ing/oldbill.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k116/ras...anning/bert.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k116/ras...canning/alf.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k116/ras...ning/lnside.jpg

Carly, Mark seems to have answered you far better than I could, I am no expert.

Mark thanks for your informative reply, I have a full set of Fragments and 2 books, Somme Battle Stories illustrated by Bairnsfather & Bruce Bairnsfather Fragments from his Life, both dated 1916.

Sadly that is all.

Thanks again.

John.