Edmund Golding
(1891-1959) was an actor playing in My Lady’s
Dress by Edward Knoblauch (1874-1945) when England declared war on Germany
(August 4, 1914). London’s West End theatres were temporarily closed, so Golding
spent his time writing a one-act “play of the moment.” This one-act drama
depicts a family in London during the initial days of war. God Save the King opened at the London Palladium on August 17, 1914. It was the first playscript dealing with this
war that was submitted to the Lord Chamberlain’s Censor. It was approved for
staging to allow the censor to learn if London audiences would attend theatre
presentations dealing with the current war.
The play is set in the
kitchen of the Murray’s home located in South London. Mr. and Mrs. Murray live
there with their two grown sons Harry and Edmund. The Murray’s have recently taken
in a lodger named Heinrich Schultz, who is obviously German. The reason for
having a lodger is that the family needs the money. Mr. Murray was without work
and business conditions were unsettled during the initial days of the war. Most
businesses were closed and banks were not allowing people to withdraw their
money. The play is set during an August
1914 evening.
Many
young British men were anxious to join the armed services. Harry had previously
joined the Territorial Force, a part-time volunteer unit of the British
Army. His unit has been called to serve
and he is ready to leave for duty abroad.
Edmund had tried to join the army earlier that morning, but he was rejected.
Edmund was told he was unfit for service since he has a “weak heart” and any
exertion could kill him.
After
Harry and his parents leave for the train station, Edmund and Heinrich have a
conversation about war prior to Heinrich commenting on Mrs. Murray’s failing
health. Heinrich offers Edmund money to send his Mother on a restful vacation
if he will spy for Germany. Edmund, who
is desperate to save his mother from death, agrees to take the assignment. However,
Edmund’s love of country saves him from committing a treasonous act and the
play has a surprise ending.
This
play illustrates the immediate fears held by the public that were related to
the war, but it does not display the “grin and bear it” attitude expected of
the British citizens. It clearly presents the London population’s sense of
dislocation as well as the growing awareness of personal inconveniences that were
quickly multiplying. Since the play
portrays a dose of patriotism, the Lord Chamberlain’s Censor allowed this play
to be presented to the public.
God Save the King
was also the first drama that depicted the presence of Germans living and
working in England, while serving as spies for Germany. The German spy embedded
in British life reflected one of the major national anxieties throughout the
entire course of the war and was frequently a situation depicted on stage.
Berte
Thomas (1867-19??) an actor and playwright who faded from the London stage
after the early 1920’s, wrote the one-act play titled For My Country. His wife, the well-known London actress, Frances
Ivor (1860-1937) starred in Thomas’s 1917 patriotic drama. It illustrates how an older woman living on
the home-front and on the sidelines of the war effort could be faced with a
difficult choice that places duty to country over family
For My Country
takes place in Mrs. Ford’s flat. It is
evening. Her son Arthur, a Captain in
the British army, arrives home for a three week leave. She has not seen him in
nearly nineteen months. Arthur is on leave since he had been wounded and is
still recovering. Mrs. Ford quickly notices and comments on the fact that Arthur
has changed. Mrs. Ford picks up on changes in his use of language as well as
his increased height. After he plays the
piano and sings to her, she tells him that her son could never play the piano
and sing. She eventually gets her guest
to confess he is a German spy impersonating her son. He is Captain Hartymann of
the Imperial Guard.
Mrs.
Ford quickly learns that while Hartymann is posing as her son, Arthur is safe
from execution. Arthur is being held hostage in Germany. Mrs. Ford is placed in
the position of either being a traitor to her country or causing the death of
her son.
While
she moves back and forth between her two options, she presses Hartymann to
learn about his assignment. When she
finally gleans that the major outcome of his mission could cause the death of
numerous British soldiers, she makes her phone call to the authorities. Hartymann’s last line in the play: “Well I
give my life for my Country.” Mrs. Ford:
“I sacrifice my son’s life - for mine.”
This
play reminded the audience that war affects more than those serving in the
armed services. It also strongly plays
upon mothers and wives contributions to the war effort even if they are
not actively involved in providing some type of official work or services.
Frances
Ivor received positive reviews for her role as Mrs. Ford as did C. M. Hallard
(1865-1942) who played the role of Captain Hartymann. For My
Country opened on May 28, 1917 at London’s Shoreditch Empire. It returned
there for a week of performances on August 27th. This production seems
to have had a limited tour outside of London. It was noted in the Hampshire Advertiser on 22 September 1917 that Frances Ivor would be
appearing in For My Country at the Hampshire’s
Palace Theatre during the following week. These two plays illustrate that war
impacts every citizen. Very few
individuals may escape the ravages war creates.
NOTE:
The scripts for these two plays are available
in British Literature of World War I,
Drama. Volume 5.
Editor: Maunder, Andrew. London & New York: Routledge, 2016.
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