Maie Ash (1888-1923)

"Our Miss Gibbs"
By J.T. Tanner.
Music by Ivan Carlyl and Lionel Monckton
Produced at The Crystal Palace Theatre, April 1911.

Hearty congratulations to all connected with the production of "Our Miss Gibbs," which has been sent out to make merriment in the suburbs and provinces. It is being played this week at the Crystal Palace, and dainty Miss Gibbs, with the additional attraction of being viewed under such favourable circumstances as in this theatre, would seem to be drawing every musical comedy lover in the district, if the audience assembled on the night of my visit is to be taken as any criterion.

The situations and "business"-of course, quite irrelevant to the plot (if any musical comedy can be said to possess one)-are, I think, almost, if not quite, the funniest of any Gaiety concoction. The hearty and con­tinuous laughter throughout the evening made one really think life was worth living. The music is melodious and catchy-who is not acquainted with "Vip I addy I ay?"-and the only possible defect in the piece is that there is not quite enough music. As to the company, it is no exaggeration to say that the principals are in no instance inferior to their fore­runners at the Gaiety. What an apparently unlimited array of talent Mr. Edwardes has at his disposal!

Our Miss Mary Gibbs finds a charming representative in Miss Maie Ash. This little lady, who has a most remarkable vocal resemblance to Miss Ellaline Terriss, sang and danced to everyone's pleasure, and throughout the whole of the evening showed herself to be a most finished musical comedienne. Mr. Theodore Leonard played Tim Gibbs for all it was worth (and with Teddy Payne's lisp), and with Mr. Tom Shelford as Hughie Pierrepoint was responsible for most of the fun of the evening. I should like to put it on record that Mr. Shelford invested even "Yip I addy I ay" with a certain amount of freshness. Can higher praise be awarded him? Miss Lilian Birtles made an engaging Lady Betty Thanet, and is the possessor of a voice of more than the average sweetness. Mr. Hugh Weybrance sang well as Lord Eynsford, whose father, the Earl of St. Ives, was remarkably well played by Mr. E. Darrell. This actor made quite a character-study of his part, and must be congratulated on the success he made of a usually thank­less type of part. Both Miss Ellaline Thorne as a Scotch­French modiste and Miss Flo Hylton as Mrs. Farquhar looked handsome and played well. The chorus of girls at Garrod's Stores and visitors at The Exhibition was composed of ladies whose appearance and dresses were a pleasure to behold. The scenery and general mounting of the play were in Mr. Edwardes's well-known lavish style.

The Playgoer Weekly, Vol I No 6, April 26th, 1911.