Eastwood Ho! single work   musical theatre  
Issue Details: First known date: 1919... 1919 Eastwood Ho!
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Musical comedy.

Although described in pre-season advertising as a revue, Eastwood Ho! falls into the musical comedy genre due to its reliance on a dramatically organised plot. The narrative's basic premise has the various characters set sail from London (which includes a scene in Piccadilly) for the Middle East on a treasure hunt. One of the more spectacular scenes, according to the Times critic, was set in a Phoenician temple. The same critic was not overly impressed with the show, particularly the book, writing:

'It was rather a pity that Mr Oscar Asche's party of treasure seekers did not reach the East until the proceedings had not been particularly exciting.... When once we had got to Cairo things began to improve, mainly because Mr Asche at last had an opportunity of letting his imagination run riot... [but] the book is particularly weak, and it was really rather painful last night to see a host of clever people struggling with such material' (10 September 1919, p.8).

The Pall Mall Gazette critic was of a similar opinion, pointing to the temple scene (complete with livestock and 'Chu Chin Chow-ish Oriental medley') and the 'Dream of Babylon' as examples of the show's spectacular settings. The delays between scenes and the 'excuse for a plot' were deemed, however, as detrimental to the show's chance of success (10 September 1919, p.5).

Songs known to have been written for the production are 'Dreams', and 'Only I had Known', both sung by Violet Lorraine.

Notes

  • The production was originally set for 28 August. However, a notice in the Times for that day reads, 'Owing to the heavy nature of the production the opening is deferred to a near future date' (p.8).

Production Details

  • 1919: Alhambra Theatre, London, 9 September - 13 December. Producer Sir Oswald Stoll (in arrangement with Messrs Grossmith and Laurillard) ; Director Oscar Asche ; Chorus Fred Farren.

    Cast incl. Violet Loraine, Norman Griffin, Tom Payne, Veronica Brady, Peggy Kurton, Ambrose Manning, Ralph Lynn, Huntley Wright, Joe Spree.

  • Entries connected with this record have been sourced from on-going historical research into Australian-written music theatre being conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Works about this Work

Eastwood Ho! : The Oscar Asche Revue at the Alhambra 1919 single work review
— Appears in: Pall Mall Gazette , 10 September 1919; (p. 5)

— Review of Eastwood Ho! Oscar Asche , Dornford Yates , 1919 single work musical theatre
Eastwood Ho! : Spectacle at the Alhambra 1919 single work review
— Appears in: The Times , 10 September 1919; (p. 8)

— Review of Eastwood Ho! Oscar Asche , Dornford Yates , 1919 single work musical theatre
Eastwood Ho! : Spectacle at the Alhambra 1919 single work review
— Appears in: The Times , 10 September 1919; (p. 8)

— Review of Eastwood Ho! Oscar Asche , Dornford Yates , 1919 single work musical theatre
Eastwood Ho! : The Oscar Asche Revue at the Alhambra 1919 single work review
— Appears in: Pall Mall Gazette , 10 September 1919; (p. 5)

— Review of Eastwood Ho! Oscar Asche , Dornford Yates , 1919 single work musical theatre
Last amended 14 Apr 2011 08:55:43
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    United Kingdom (UK),
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    Western Europe, Europe,
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    England,
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    United Kingdom (UK),
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    Western Europe, Europe,
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