Beatrix plays in the 1920s from Wearing's The London Stage 2nd edition

The way of the world by William Congreve

Lyric Hammersmith 7/2/24-28/6/24 158 performances

1st performed Lincoln's field 5/3/1700

Peggy Elsa Lanchester, Beatrix Lehmann

(Bea was 21) Listed after the servants

Reviews

Era 13/2/24, iil London news 16/2/24, 278-9, 292, nation and athenaeum 16/2/24 700

Observer 10/2/24 11; sat review 23/2/24 179-80 Spectator 16/2/24, 242,

stage 14/2/24, Sunday times 10/2/24, Times 8/2/24 8

Comment: Times called this a "rattling, jaunty, jigging almost jazzing revival" and singled out the performances of Edith Evans and Margaret Yarde. Nation thought that the production needed to dispose of even more of the traditional business.

The Duenna (musical) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (lib) and Alfred Reynolds,

Lyric Hammersmith 23/10/24-21/2/25

145 performances

1st performed Covent garden 21/11/1775

Lewis Angela Baddeley/Beatrix Lehmann

Reviews: Era 29/10/24, ill London news 1/11/24 820-21, 8/11/24, 894,

Nation and athenaeum 1/11/24, 185, observer 26/10/ 24, 11; Sat review 8/11/24, 469, Spectator 1/11/24, 637

Stage 30/10/24, 18, Sunday times 26/10/24, 6 Times 24/10/24

Comment The following role was added during the run, Lay Brother Scott Russell. Nation declared that

the production was, "the best entertainment that Mr. Playfair has as yet

offered us at Hammersmith." The opening-night performance was received "With acclamation" by the audience (Stage).

The Green hat by Michael Arlen (Adapted from his novel)

Adelphi 2/9/25-7/11/25 transferred to Apollo 9/11/25-19/12/25

124 performances

1st performed Garrick, Detroit 29/3/25

Lady's Maid - Beatrix Lehmann (also understudy for Tallulah)

(programme seen at Bristol)

Era 12/9/25 iil London news 12/9/25, 506 508, nation and athenum 12/9/25, 705 observer 6/9/25, sat review 12/9/25, 284-85, stage 10/9/25, 16 Sunday times 6/9/25 times 3/9/25, 8

Comment Although the novel had proved somewhat shocking, the stage version did not shock, and was in fact an irritating disappointment (times)

Nation noted that the were "crudely yawning gaps in the dialogue" and that the characters had turned into "mere puppets@ the first new york production (Broadhurst 15/9/25) ran for 231 performances.

Scotch Mist by Patrick Hastings

St martin's 26/1/26-3/5/26 117 performances

Mary Talluhlual, Betty Beatrix Lehmann

Reviews Era 3/2/26, 1 ill London news 6/2/26, 246 nation and a 6/2/26, 645-46, observer 31/1/26, 11 sat review 30/1/26, 118-9, sunday times  31/1/26, 6 Times 27/1/26, 12

Comment Tallulah Bankhead played a scandalous wife at the centre of a

love triangle and was apparently responsible for the play's success in

the face of mediocre reviews. The first New York production (Klaw 20.9.24) ran for 16 performances.

They knew what they wanted by Sidney Howard

St Martin's 18/5/26-21/8/26

110 performances,

1st performed Garrick, New York 24/11/24

Amy Tallulah

Italian farm hands Beatrix Lehmann

Reviews Era 26/5/26, 1 ill London new 29/5/26, 956, nation and a 29/5/26, 207  observer 23/5/26, 13, sat review 29/5/26, 647-48, spectator, 5/6/26, 946,

stage 20/5/26, 18 Sunday times 23/5/26, 6 times 19/5/26, 14

Comment The London debut of American Glenn Anders who had created his role in the New York premier. Sat review said that Anders plays Joe "with a hoarse monotone and a subtle intensity that are devastatingly plausible" This Pulitzer prize winning play ran for 192 performances in new york.

It is expedient by Kathleen Curzon-Herrick

Royalty 14/1/26 1 performance

Miss Carter Beatrix Lehmann

Stage director Edit Martyn

Reviews Era 17/11/26, Observer 21/11/26, 15

Comment Lyceum Club Stage Society

An American tragedy by Patrick Kearney (adaption of Theodore Dreiser's novel)

Apollo 26/6/27 and 27/6/27 2 performances

1st performed Longacre New York, 11/10/26

Bella Griffiths Beatrix Lehmann

Plot Bes 26 399-400, Bordman/3 298, Bronner Hischack, Kabtachnik 2, Loney 141 Sobel

Reviews Era 29/6/27, observer 3/7/27, 15 stage 30/6/27, 14 sunday times

3/7/26, 6 times 27/6/27, 12

Comment Venturers Society Ltd. Times found the piece was too fragmentary

but nevertheless moving. Stage praised Tom Douglas 's "Sincere and affecting" performance. The New York production ran for 216 performances.

The Adding Machine by Elmer Rice

Court 9/1/28-4/2/28

32 performances (with thurs and sat matinee)

(Young man - Laurence Olivier) Judy O'Grady Beatrix Lehmann

Director Barry Jackson (who Bea later worked with for Shakespeare)

Reviews

Era 18/1/28, ill London news 21/1/28, 120, nation and a 21/1/28 598,

Observer 15/1/28, 11 Sat review 14/1/28 36-37 Spectator 14/1/28, 42 Stage 12.1.28, 16 Sunday times 15/1/28, 4 Times 10.1.28, 12

Comment The realistic acting clashed with the play's expressionism and Hugh Owen's designs (sat review) Stage described the piece as a "strange medly of fantasy and  banal realism, with its exasperating display of human puppets jabbering and guffawing in unison"

Thunder on the left by Richard Pryce (adapted from Christopher Morelye's novel 1925)

Arts Theatre 26/7/28-29/7/28 4 performances

Joyce Clyde Beatrix Lehmann

Reviews era 1/8/28, nation and a 4/8/28, 591, observer 29/7/28, 11

Stage 2/8/28, 14 Sunday times 29/7/28, 4 Times 27/7/28, 12

Comment a ten year old boy sees what his life will be like in 20 years time

Byron by Alicia Ramsey

Lyric 22/1/29-2/2/29 14 performances

1^st performed Theatre Royal, Portsmouth 14/1/29

Lady Caroline Lamb, Beatrix Lehmann

Reviews: Era 30/1/29, 1 Nation and Athenaeum 2/2/29, 618, Observer 27/1/29, 13 Stage 24/1/29, 18 Sunday Times 27/1/29, 6 Times 23/1/29, 14

Comment, This biographical play opened on Byron’s birthday. Nation called the piece “a very bad example of a particular brand of half-educated sentimental twaddle about real people”.

Ile by Eugene O’Neill

Palace Theatre 23/4/29

1 matinee performance

Mrs Keeney Beatrix Lehmann, produced by Peter Godfrey (with PG as Joe)

Reviews Stage 25/4/29, 18 Times 24/4/29, 14

Comment In aid of the Ellen Terry Memorial. Also performed were songs, dances and a scene from A midsummer night’s dream.

All God’s Chillun Got Wings by Eugene O’Neill

Court theatre
17/6/29-6/7/29 24 performances

1^st performed Provincetown Playhouse New York, 15/5/24, 1^st British performance Gate 8/11/26

Ella Downey Beatrix Lehmann (Lessor Barry Jackson) Producer Peter Godfrey

Reviews Era 19/6/29, 6, Nation and Athenaeum 29/6/29, 433 Observer 23/6/29, 15, Sat Review 22/6/29, 829-30, Stage 20/6/29, 16, Sunday Times, 23/6/29, 6 Times 18/6/29, 14

Comment Times said the piece succeeded as a “superbly handled melodrama” rather than as “a tragedy of racial differences.” The New York production ran for 43 performances.

The Silver Tassie by Sean O’Casey.

Apollo 11/10/29-7/12/29 66 performances

Susie Monican Beatrix Lehmann

Reviews Era 16/10/29, Illustrated London News 19/10/29, 696, Nation and Athenaeum, 26/10/29, 138-39, Observer 13/10/20, 15, Sat Review 19/10/20, 446-447, Spectator 19/10/29, 523, Stage 17/10/29, 18-19, Sunday times 13/10/29, 6 Times 12/10/29, 8

Comment Nation said the production was “superb” but noted the limitations of English actors playing Irish characters. “O’Casey’s uncouth but dynamic experimentalism… has genius and wants much else – order, logic, and so on” (Sat review). Barry Fitzgerald’s London debut. The first New York production (Irish 24/10/29) ran for 51 performances.

I have to say it was much more interesting copying these out this morning than I was expecting. I found several plays that I didn't know she'd done (and odd that a few I did know she'd done weren't included. But I think Wearing may not have covered the Gate). I thought it was interesting that she started as a small role in two old 18th century productions for the Lyric Hammersmith and then went to almost entirely new theatre. I can see her as someone who is more interested in the issues of the day, particularly around women's roles, than in the older plays which may have seemed a bit dated.

I was also interested in how many times she understudied for Tallulah Bankhead. There were several more than I realised. I think it would be worth finding a biography or two about her to fill in the details of those years, outside of Bea's own letters. I think it would also be worth reading both versions of the Green hat.

The gaps in the performances are quite telling, though they don't appear as many in the full list of her plays for the 20s. It is easy to see why she supplemented her acting with writing, and why she thought she was struggling as she didn't have any real major roles until 1929. It seems like she got bored understudying and went on to look at smaller more experimental theatre, there she met several of the producers and directors that she would work again with later in much bigger roles.  Barry Jackson was the director for the adding machine who she worked again with 20 years later for the Shakespeare festival.