MILTON BODE


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From "A chat with Milton Bode" in THE ERA February 2nd 1901

..Mr Bode has deliberately arrived at the conclusion that the playgoer, and especially the provincial playgoer, would rather laugh than weep. What is more, he does not think that the means by which laughter is provoked should be too elegant or subtle. Broad fun - not meaning thereby improper fun - is the saleable commodity at this moment."

In a letter from Frank Couch to Clarkson Rose:

"..the late Milton Bode's dicta on pantomime. 'Give 'em familiarity' said Bode, 'in pantomime or anything, or they won't come up to the pigeon hole for your early doors'.."

So, in keeping with these thoughts, Milton concentrated on pantomimes and musical comedies.

PANTOMIMES


Milton produced over 100 pantomimes in his lifetime. Many were touring productions, not restricted to one town or city but running for just a week or two before moving on.

1894

[show unknown as yet] at Grand Theatre Wolverhampton
Sinbad the Sailor at Opera House, Northampton
The Forty Thieves [venue unknown]

1895


"five pantomimes on hand at present time"

1896


Jack the Giant Killer at Her Majesty's Theatre, Carlisle
Dick Whittington - touring production starting at Comedy Theatre, Salford

1897


Aladdin at Grand Theatre, Fulham
Cinderella [venue unknown]
Aladdin at Theatre Royal, Hull

1899


Beauty & the Beast - touring production starting at Comedy Theatre, Salford and then Regent Theatre, Salford, and Grand Theatre Wolverhampton
Productions [names not known as yet] at Glasgow, Cardiff, Exeter and Clapham

1900


Jack the Giant Killer at Regent Theatre, Salford

1901


[show unknown as yet] at Grand Theatre, Glasgow

1901


Production [names not known as yet] at Grand Theatre Glasgow, Theatre Royal Dublin, Royalty Theatre Chester, Theatre Royal Cardiff, Exeter, Newcastle & Grimsby

1906


Dick Whittington at Grand Theatre Wolverhampton

1907


Red Riding Hood at Cardiff

1908


Cinderella at New Theatre Cardiff
Red Riding Hood at Theatre Royal Brighton

1909


Red Riding Hood at Grand Theatre Wolverhampton & Theatre Royal Brighton

1910


Red Riding Hood at Theatre Royal Brighton

1911


His Cat and Dick Whittington at Theatre Royal Brighton
[show unknown as yet] at Grand Theatre Wolverhampton

1912


Jack & the Beanstalk at the Royal County Theatre Reading
Aladdin at the Kennington Theatre

1913


Aladdin at the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh
Jack Horner at the Kennington Theatre

1914


The Forty Thieves at the Kennington Theatre
Babes in the Wood at the New Theatre Cardiff
Sinbad the Sailor at the Grand Theatre Brighton
Cinderella at the Broadway Theatre Deptford
Jack Horner at the Theatre Royal Brighton

1915


Sinbad the Sailor at Brighton
Sinbad the Sailor at the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton

1916


Sinbad the Sailor at Kennington

1921


Jack & Jill at Opera House Northampton

OTHER SHOWS

THE AMERICAN BELLE

A musical play in two acts by Hugh Seton. Music by F.Sydney Ward. Produced at the Opera House, Cheltenham under the management of Milton Bode 19th April 1897 and toured through Bath, Oxford, Croyden, Metropole, Bristol, Birmingham and Hastings to 12th June

THE ARCADIANS

Milton had a third interest in this with Compton & Robert Courtneidge.
Started its run in 1909 at the Shaftesbury Theatre where it would run for two years.

THE BELLE OF MAYFAIR


THE BEST OF FRIENDS


A CHINESE HONEYMOON

Nov 1899 Prince of Wales Theatre, Birmingham. “first production in Birmingham and prior to its appearance in London”. Not produced by Milton but “scenery from Milton Bode’s studio at the Co. Theatre Reading”.
Nov 1907 Theatre Royal Chatham. Milton Bode’s Company.
Aug 1908 Grand Theatre and Opera House, New Brigggate, Leeds. “Milton Bode’s company” (John Hart Managing Director & Licensee of the theatre)

DR BILL

Nov 1891 Theatre Royal Exeter. George Alexander’s No.1 Company under the direction of Milton Bode. Miss Lillie Young in cast.

THE (AN) ENGLISH DAISY

A musical comedy in 2 acts by Seymour Hicks. Music by Walter Slaughter. Produced at the Royal County Theatre, Kingston under the management of Milton Bode 11th August 1902 and toured through ?, ?, Sheffield, Nottingham, Stoke Newington, Hanley, Hull, Newcastle, Birmingham, Coronet, Camden, Stratford East, Kennington, Dalston to 22nd November. Toured again from 7th September 1903 at Manchester through Newcastle, Hull, Nottingham, Metropole, Grand, Oxford, Birmingham, Shakespeare, Dalston and Liverpool ending 21st November 1903.

EVERYWOMAN

Autumn 1913 Milton Bode’s & Edward Compton’s Company toured with this play by Walter Brown, featuring Edward Compton as Nobody & May Congdon as Everywoman, taking in Dalston, Leicester, Liverpool & Glasgow.
Sept 1913 Theatre and Opera House, New Briggate, Leeds. (John Hart - Managing Director & Licensee of the theatre)

THE FRENCH MAID

Milton describes himself a proprietor of this play in the York Council Minutes 3/12/1900.

A musical comedy in two acts by Basil Hood. Music by Walter Slaughter. Produced at the Theatre Royal Bath under the management of Milton Bode 4th April 1896 and toured through Cheltenham, Bath ?, Plymouth, Metropole, Portsmouth, Hastings, Oxford and Standard to 6th June. Recommenced July 27th at Brighton through Cheltenham, Bristol, Birmingham, Belfast, Nottingham, Hull, Yarmouth, Halifax, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Hanley, Carlisle, Southport, Newcastle, Liverpool, Bolton, Manchester and Metropole to 5th December 1896.

Mon Sept 24th ???? Royal Duchess Theatre, Balham. Under the direction of Mr Milton Bode
Oct 1897 Theatre Royal, Sheffield. Company under the direction of Mr Milton Bode.
Aug 1900 Theatre Royal Exeter. The company under the direction of Mr Milton Bode
Sept 1901 Theatre Royal, Chatham. Milton Bode’s company (source=Theatre Royal Chatham Trust)
Nov 1902 Theatre Royal, Chatham. Milton Bode’s company

GENTLEMAN JOE

Milton describes himself a proprietor of this play in the York Council Minutes 3/12/1900.
Milton commissioned Captain Basil Hood and Mr Walter Slaughter to write this musical comedy. Before provincial production he leased the comedy to Mr Roberts who produced it with “a success tht is well-known” at the Prince of Wales Theatre (where?)

May 1896 Princes Theatre, Bristol. Mr Milton Bode’s Company.
“Mr Milton Bode holds the sole & exclusive right of performing this play”. Miss
Young in cast.

Nov 1897 Theatre Royal, Sheffield. Return visit of Mr Milton Bode’s company.
Nov 1902 Theatre Royal, Chatham. Milton Bode’s Company

THE GREAT MILLIONAIRE


IN GAY PICADILLY

A musical farce in two acts by George R. Sims. Music by Clarence Corri. Produced at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow under the management of Milton Bode October 9th 1899 and toured through Edinburgh, Newcastle, Sheffield, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Stoke Newington and Deptford ending 9th December.

Dan Leno appeared in this.

LES CLOCHES DE CORNEVILLE

April 1910 Theatre and Opera House, New Briggate, Leeds. “Milton Bode & John Hart’s opera company”. (John Hart - Managing Director & Licensee of the theatre)

LIBERTY HALL


LIGHTS O’ LONDON

Milton describes himself a proprietor of this play in the York Council Minutes 3/12/1900.

July 29-Aug 3 1901 Theatre Royal Eastbourne

LORD ANERLEY


MASQUERADE(R?)S

March 1895 Theatre Royal Exeter. Otho Stuart’s company under the direction of Mr Milton Bode.

MISS CHIQUITA

A musical comedy in two acts by George R. Sims. Music by Clarence Corri. Produced at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Birmingham under the management of Milton Bode 7th August 1899 and toured through Coronet, Deptford, Brixton, Wolverhampton, Blackpool, Hull, Sheffield, Stratford East, Fulham, Ipswich/Cambridge, Oxford, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Brighton, Shakespeare ending 25th November 1899.

Prince of Wales theatre, Birmingham reopened on Mon 7th August 1899 after refurbishment with Miss Chiquita by Milton Bode’s Company “for the first time on any stage” (source=playbill in Birmingham public library).

MR WIX OF WICKHAM

A music comedy in two acts by Herbert Darnley. Music by Frank Seddon, George Everard, Frank D. Tours and Herbert Darnley. Produced at the Borough Theatre, Stratford East under the management of Milton Bode and toured

Dan Leno appeared in this

MONTE CRISTO

OR THE MASHERS HOLIDAY
Milton’s first ever production (a revival) at the Public Hall, Taunton, July 1887

ORLANDO DANDO

Milton describes himself a proprietor of this play in the York Council Minutes 3/12/1900.

A musical comedy in two acts by Basil Hood. Music by Walter Slaughter. Produced by Milton Bode at the Grand Theatre, Fulham 1st August 1898 and toured. Milton Bode’s Dan Leno Company opened 31st October 1898 at Newcastle and toured through Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and Deptford ending 10th December 1898

Dan Leno appeared in this at salary of £225 per week.

Paid £300 per week for third tour under Milton’s management July 22 1901

SAVED FROM THE SEA


TOMMY ATKINS

Milton describes himself a proprietor of this play in the York Council Minutes 3/12/1900.

Oct 1895 Pavilion Theatre, London
Sept 1898 Alexandra Theatre, Sheffield. Mr Milton Bode’s company.
Aug 1899 Theatre Royal, Eastbourne. Milton Bode’s company. (source=Mark Jones Eastbourne)
Aug 1900 Surrey Theatre. Mr Milton Bode’s company.
Sept 1901 Theatre Royal Chatham. Milton Bode’s London Company. (source=Theatre Royal Chatham Trust)
Oct 1903 Theatre Royal Chatham. Milton Bode’s London Company.

VIVA “a drama in 4 acts by Milton Bode”

Sept 12 1888 Levino’s Circus, Merthyr. Era almanac

THE WHIP

Possibly around 1915 (source = Prof David Mayer)

WOMEN & WINE

April 1900 Royal Duchess Theatre, Balham, S.W. Milton Bode’s company.
April 1901 Theatre Royal, Chatham. Milton Bode’s No.1 company. (source=Theatre Royal Chatham Trust)
Aug 1903 Theatre Royal, Chatham. Milton Bode’s company.