''Theodore & Co'' is an English

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

in two acts with a book by

H. M. Harwood Harold Marsh Harwood (29 March 1874 – 19 April 1959) was a British businessman, playwright, screenwriter and theatre manager. He was the son of the businessman and politician George Harwood and the husband of F. Tennyson Jesse who co-wrote some ...

and George Grossmith Jr. based on the French comedy ''Théodore et Cie'' by Paul Armont and

Nicolas Nancey Nicolas Nancey, real name Nicolas Zouros, (1874 – 13 October 1925) was a French dramatist and screenwriter. Once referred to as a successor of Eugène Labiche and Georges Feydeau he has written 15 plays in the vaudeville as well as boulevard g ...

, with music by Ivor Novello and

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

and lyrics by

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

and

Clifford Grey Clifford Grey (5 January 1887 – 25 September 1941) was an English songwriter, librettist, actor and screenwriter. His birth name was Percival Davis, and he was also known as Clifford Gray. Grey contributed prolifically to West End and Br ...

. It was produced by Grossmith and

Edward Laurillard Edward Laurillard (20 April 1870 – 7 May 1936) was a cinema and theatre producer in London and New York City during the first third of the 20th century. He is best remembered for promoting the cinema early in the 20th century and for Edwardian ...

and directed by

Austen Hurgon Austen Hurgon (1867 – 24 June 1942) was an actor, singer, theatre director and librettist for several successful Edwardian musical comedies of the 1900s and 1910s. Early life Born as Richard Cornelius Horgan in London in 1867 to Irish par ...

, opening at the Gaiety Theatre on 19 September 1916 and running for 503 performances. It starred Grossmith,

Fred Leslie Frederick George Hobson, known as Fred Leslie (1 April 1855 – 7 December 1892), was an English actor, singer, comedian and dramatist. Beginning his career in operetta, Leslie became best known for starring in, and writing (under the pseudony ...

and

Leslie Henson Leslie Lincoln Henson (3 August 1891 – 2 December 1957) was an English comedian, actor, producer for films and theatre, and film director. He initially worked in silent films and Edwardian musical comedy and became a popular music hall comed ...

. ''Theodore & Co'' opened during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

in the same year as two other tremendously successful shows in London: ''

Chu Chin Chow ''Chu Chin Chow'' is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based (with minor embellishments) on the story of ''Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves''. Gänzl, Kurt"''Chu Chin Chow'' Musical Tale of ...

'' and ''

The Bing Boys are Here ''The Bing Boys Are Here'', styled "A Picture of London Life, in a Prologue and Six Panels," is the first of a series of revues which played at the Alhambra Theatre, London during the last two years of World War I. The series included ''The Bing ...

'', and the successful ''

The Happy Day ''The Happy Day'' is a musical comedy in two acts by Seymour Hicks, with music by Sidney Jones and Paul Rubens, and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Rubens. It was produced by George Edwardes's company (by the estate's executor, Robert Evett) and was ...

''. Audiences wanted light and uplifting entertainment during the war, and these shows delivered it."Chu Chin Chow"
Victoria and Albert Museum, accessed 22 October 2011 This show established Ivor Novello as a theatrical composer and was Kern's first show in London. Novello's songs from the show include "What A Duke Should Be" and "Oh, How I Want To Marry".

Roles and original cast

*Bompas, 24th Duke of Shetland –

Davy Burnaby George Davy Burnaby (7 April 1881 – 18 April 1949) was a British actor who appeared in more than thirty films between 1929 and 1948. He was born in Buckland, Hertfordshire and made his screen debut in the 1929 film ''The Devil's Maze''. He die ...

*Pony Twitchen (of the "Crimson Comics") –

*Rt. Hon. George Wye (Minister of Movies) – Fred Leslie *Mr. Blissett (A Husband) – Frederick Morant *Cosmo Legallos – Henri Leoni *Mr. Satterthwaite (of Dowton) – Victor Gouriet *Crump –

Robert Nainby Robert Nainby (1869–1948) was an Irish male actor. Filmography References External links * 1869 births 1948 deaths Male actors from Dublin (city) Irish male film actors 20th-century Irish male actors {{Ireland-actor-stub ...

*Delatour (Manager of the New Casino) – Frank Hector *A Man with a Blue Envelope – Ralph Roberts *The Emir of Baluchistan – J. Grande *His Interpreter –

Fred Raynham Fred Raynham was a British actor of the silent era.BFI , Film & TV Database , RAYNHAM, Fred< ...

*Sir Basil Bowlwell, R.H.G. – James Thomas *Lord Theodore Wragge – George Grossmith Jr. *Lady Theresa Wye – Gladys Homfrey *Lady Pansy (the Duke's daughter) – Madge Saunders *Hon. Sapphire Blissett –

Julia James Julia James (1890–1964) was an English actress of the 1900s Edwardian era, the leading lady at the Gaiety Theatre. Biography Julia James was born in London in 1890. In 1905 she began her career in '' Supper Belle in Blue Bell'' at the Aldwych ...

*Fudge Robinson (of the "Crimson Comics") – Peggy Kurton *Alma, "The Statue of Liberty " – Irene Richards *Cleo, "The Tiptoe Queen" – Adrah Fair *Lady Diana Camden – Ivey Collette/

Doris Stocker Doris Mary Stocker (Lady Segrave) (1886 – 16 December 1968) was a British actress and singer, especially in Edwardian musical comedy. Early life and career She was born in Bombay in India in 1886, the second of three children of George St ...

*Lady Moya – Violet Ashton *Molly Pershore – Barbara Dunbar *Marjorie Carstairs – Connie Guy *Lady Lilly – Vera Davis *Lady Billy – Lilian Caldicott *Elizabeth Anne – Margaret Gamble *Mary Ellen –

Maudie Dunham Maudie Dunham (1902 in Doddinghurst, Essex - 1982) was a British actress. Filmography * '' The Beetle'' (1919) * '' The Winning Goal'' (1920) * ''The Ugly Duckling'' (1920) * '' Love in the Wilderness'' (1920) * ''The Night Riders'' (1920) * ' ...

*Ethel Emily (Mr. Satterthwaite's daughter) –

Joyce Barbour Joyce Barbour (1901–1977) was an English actress. She was the wife of the actor Richard Bird (actor), Richard Bird. Barbour was born in Birmingham on 27 March 1901 the daughter of Horace and Miriam Barbour, her father was an assurance cle ...

*Rosa Maud (Mr. Satterthwaite's daughter) – Dorothy King *Matilda Kate – Cherry Constant *Harriett Jane – Mercia Swinburne *Charwoman – Muriel Barney

Musical numbers

;Act I *Chorus – "Isn't there a crowd everywhere" (Words by Adrian Ross. Music by Ivor Novello) *Song – "What a Duke should be" (Words by Clifford Grey. Music by Novello) *Duet – "I'll make myself at home" (Words by Ross. Music by Novello) *Song – "I'm getting such a big girl now" (Words by Grey. Music by Philip Braham) *Song & Dance – "Ev'ry little girl can teach me something new" (Words by Ross. Music by Novello) *Song – "The Candy Girls" (Words by Ross. Music by Novello) *Sextet – "You'd better not wait for him" (Words by Grey. Music by Novello) *Finale, Act I. – "He's going to call on Baby Grand" (Music by Novello) ;Act II *Chorus – "We are Theodore & Co." (Words by Ross. Music by Novello) *Song – "Three Hundred and Sixty-five days" (Words by Grey. Music by Jerome D. Kern) *Song – "That 'Come hither' look" (Words by Grey. Music by Kern) *Song " Any old where" (Words by Grey. Music by Novello) *Song & Chorus – "The Casino Music Hall" (Words by Grey. Music by Kern) *Dance – "Valse Saracenne" (Music by Novello) *Song – "My friend John" (Words by Grey. Music by Novello) *Duet – "All that I want is somebody to love me" (Words by Grey. Music by Kern) *Finale (Music by Novello) ;Supplementary song *"My Second Childhood" (Words by David Burnaby & Eric Blore. Music by Braham)

Notes

External links

Theodore & Co
at the Guide to Musical Theatre

* ttp://members.aol.com/Novello/Idol.html Biography of Ivor Novello {{DEFAULTSORT:Theodore and Co 1916 musicals West End musicals Musicals by Ivor Novello Plays by H. M. Harwood British musicals