A contemporary review notes that the musical's libretto was somewhat confusing:
'In the last act of Toni, the new "farcical musical comedy" produced at the Shaftsbury Theatre last night, one of the characters plaintively exclaims: "Tell me what it is all about." and [sic] it is difficult not to sympathise with her desire for knowledge. By that time all the characters have drifted from a shop devoted to robes et modes to a country "somewhere in Europe," with familiar flora and fauna and an unfamiliar name–Mettapolachis. They have obviously all gone there to save somebody from something, but, fortunately, they are not themselves very much interested in their musical comedy mission, and at the end are as satisfied as the audience seemed to be last night when the difficulties, which it took two hours to create, were unravelled in the last two minutes.
'What really mattered was that the heroine, a Princess, set out in search of an Englishman to save her from all her troubles, and, having found him, promptly conveyed him to her unhappy country. He arrived there at the beginning of the third act, and at last was on familiar soil in a land addicted to brilliant military uniforms and the unlimited consumption of alcohol. Mr. Jack Buchanan was the Englishman who was taken posthaste to the Continent to save the political situation, and he did it in a characteristically English way by displaying a continual sense of humour.'
Source:
'New Musical Comedy. "Toni" at the Shaftsbury', The Times, 13 May 1924, p.12.
Toni
( dir. Arthur Maude
)
England
:
British International Pictures
,
1928
6390616
1928
single work
film/TV
thriller
humour
The British Film Institute calls Toni a 'Mild thriller' (http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/372067), and a contemporary Australian review suggests it was intended to be as much a comedy as a thriller:
'Packed with laughs and thrills, the cinema art comedy, "Toni," will be shown at the New Pavilion Theatre on Monday next. It is the tale of an active and wealthy young man who poses as a famous detective, and is brought into many close situations owing to the machinations of a gang of international crooks.'
Source:
'"Toni." An English Comedy', Advertiser [Adelaide], 19 April 1929, p.22.
Regarding the shop 'devoted to robes et modes' that the Times reviewer cites, the costumes for the production (both on the regional circuit and in London) were Dolly Tree designs for couturier Jean Peron, provided for the production by Peron.
See 'The Artistry of Jean Peron Couture' (http://www.jazzageclub.com/fashion/the-artistry-of-jean-peron-couture/). (Sighted: 2/9/2013).
This musical was first performed in a long tour of the English provincial theatre circuits in 1923.
A piece in the London Times notes:
'Mr. James White produces today at Hanley the new musical piece, Toni, with Mr. Jack Buchanan, Miss Sylvia Leslie, Miss Justine Johnson, Mr. Fred Leslie, and Miss Veronica Brady in the company, and eventually it will probably be seen in London.' (6 August 1923, p.6.)
By October 1923, the Times was reporting a delay in the production's appearance in London:
'Mr. James White's production of the musical piece Toni, which is still on tour, will not be seen in London as soon as was first hoped. Mr. Jack Buchanan, who is playing the leading part in it, is soon to go to America, and Toni will not be produced in the West-End until his return. The production will probably take place in May.' (18 October 1923, p.10.)
The production's West-End debut was again reported as delayed in 1924:
'Mr. James White has no abandoned his project of producing the musical piece, Toni, in London. This production was successful during a prolonged provincial tour last year, and it was to have been brought to London then, but Mr. Jack Buchanan, who took a leading part in it, was compelled to leave for America to appear in Mr. Andre Charlot's Revue of 1923, which has been so successful in New York. We understand that Mr. Buchanan will be returning to this country in the summer, and that Toni will then be produced in the West-End.' (18 February 1924, p.10.)
After Jack Buchanan's return from New York, Toni was presented for a short season in Birmingham from 5 May 1924: Jack Buchanan and Veronica Brady reprised their roles from the original provincial tour, and were joined by Mai Bacon, Douglas Furber, Bobby Blythe, and 'June' [June Tripp] (Times, 7 April 1924, p.10).
Toni finally debuted in London at the Shaftsbury Theatre, on 12 May 1924: cast members included Jack Buchanan, Veronica Brady, 'June', Fred Groves, Douglas Furber, Hastings Lynn, Elsie Randolph, Charles Stone, and Bobby Blythe.
