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A Present from Margate is a 1933 British comedy play by Ian Hay and A.E.W. Mason. It premiered at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, before transferring to the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. The cast included Reginald Gardiner, Joyce Bland, Michael Shepley and Frank Pettingell. It was produced by Athole Stewart.
A Safety Match is a 1921 play by the British writer Ian Hay, adapted from his own 1911 novel of the same title. It ran for 229 performances at the Strand Theatre in London's West End between 13 January and 3 August 1921. The cast included Herbert Marshall and Clifford Mollison.
A Song of Sixpence is a 1930 British comedy play by the writers Ian Hay and Guy Bolton. Set in Scotland, it tells the story of three wives who rebel against their tight-fisted husbands. The play premiered at the Kings Theatre, Southsea, before transferring to the West End. It ran for 79 performances at Daly's Theatre between 17 March and 25 May 1930. The cast included Ian Hunter, Olive Blakeney, Jack Lambert and Campbell Gullan.
Admirals All is a 1934 adventure comedy play by the British writers Ian Hay and Stephen King-Hall about a film star who becomes mixed up with the Royal Navy and Chinese pirates. It premiered at the Kings Theatre, Southsea in the naval town of Portsmouth before transferring to the West End. It ran for 192 performances at the Shaftesbury Theatre and then the Cambridge Theatre between 6 August 1934 and 19 January 1935. It marked the West End debut of Hollywood film actress Laura La Plante, then in London making films for Warner Brothers at Teddington Studios. The cast also included Diana Beaumont, Jack Hobbs, Frederick Burtwell, Geoffrey Sumner and Aubrey Mather.
Good Luck is a 1923 comedy play by Ian Hay and Seymour Hicks. It ran for 260 performances at the Drury Lane Theatre in London's West End between 27 September 1923 and 10 May 1924. The cast included Claude Rains, Edmund Gwenn, Arthur Treacher, Claud Allister, Joan Maude and Joyce Carey. In 1926 it was adapted into a silent film The Sporting Lover by Hollywood studio First National Pictures, starring Conway Tearle and Barbara Bedford.
Hattie Stowe is a 1947 historical play by the British writer Ian Hay. It portrays the life of the nineteenth century American abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was very different in tone from Hay's usual plays, generally light comedies with naval themes. It was first staged at the Embassy Theatre in the West End on 11 February 1947.
The first scene is set in the Oak Gallery in Blandings Castle, in the morning. At the castle is the Earl of Middlewick, his butler Bellows, his youngest son Freddie, and his secretary Baxter. Freddie's stepmother, Lady Middlewick, has inherited a diamond necklace (to the chagrin of second cousin Ethelberta). Freddie and Phyllis Jackson want to get married but her father will not approve unless Freddie either works for his jam business or invests five thousand pounds in the business. Freddie prefers the latter. He has inherited five thousand pounds, but Lady Middlewick must sign any cheques drawn by Freddie against his legacy, and she disapproves of the investment. Freddie and Phyllis see an advertisement offering Psmith's services for any job whatsoever. Freddie wants to hire Psmith to steal the diamond necklace and arranges a meeting. Middlewick goes to London to hire Eve Halliday to catalogue the castle's library, and to bring poets Ralston McTodd and Aileen Peavey to Blandings at Lady Middlewick's command. The second scene is set outside the Greek Park Tube Station. Cynthia, wife of Ralston McTodd, chats with a lift man and tells her friend Eve that Ralston, who is temperamental, has left her once again to go write poetry somewhere. It rains and Eve has no umbrella. Psmith takes Walderwick's umbrella from the nearby Morpheus Club and gives it to her. Psmith likes Eve and offers to steal the necklace for Freddie for free, to be near Eve at Blandings. Eddie Cootes also tries to trick Psmith out of money but fails. The third scene is set later in the Morpheus Club. Eve talks with club waitress Miss Rumbelow, sees Psmith again, and returns the umbrella. Psmith shows Walderwick where his lost umbrella is and Walderwick thanks him. Psmith tells Freddie his plan: they will steal Lady Middlewick's necklace, then she will sign Freddie's cheque to buy her a new one, but he will actually return her stolen necklace to her. Lord Middlewick annoys McTodd, and McTodd leaves while Middlewick is out. When Middlewick returns, Psmith pretends to be McTodd, which Middlewick believes because he has lost his glasses. Middlewick tells Eve that Psmith is Ralston McTodd. The second act is set in the Oak Gallery in Blandings Castle, in the following evening. There is a gramophone playing, and Freddie, Phyllis, Waldwerick, and Agatha dance. Lord and Lady Middlewick, Ethelberta, Baxter, and Psmith enter, and everyone settles down to drink coffee. Lady Middlewick is wearing her diamond necklace and shows it off to Ethelberta. Lady Middlewick announces that Miss Peavey and Mr McTodd are going to read their poetry for them. Aileen Peavey enters and talks poetically about fairies. Lord Chipstead, Walderwick's father and Lady Middlewick's cousin, also joins the party. Miss Peavey and Psmith (as McTodd) sign their names in Baxter's autograph book. When Eve privately talks to Psmith about his treatment of his supposed wife Cynthia, Psmith improvises and convinces her that Cynthia is wrong about him. Baxter shows Freddie and Phyllis that Psmith's signature is wrong. Baxter suspects Psmith is an imposter intent on stealing the necklace. Freddie and Phyllis discuss this with Psmith. Cootes appears again, pretending to be Ralston McTodd and hoping to steal the necklace, but Psmith stops him and lets him go. Cootes and Peavey recognize each other as they are both confidence tricksters and former partners. They realize Psmith is an imposter, and since Cootes has a gun, they get him to agree to introduce Cootes to the household. Psmith introduces Cootes to Bellows as his valet, and gets his gun by pretending Cootes was carrying it for him. Miss Peavey and Cootes plan to turn off the lights and take Lady Middlewick's necklace. They enact their plan and Cootes hides the necklace in a flower-pot. Eve takes it and hides it elsewhere, and then Psmith acquires it. The third act takes place the next morning, in a keeper's cottage at Blandings where Psmith is staying. Eve spoke on the telephone with Cynthia and realized that Psmith is not McTodd. She tells Freddie. Freddie tells her he already knows and had asked Psmith to steal the necklace. Lady Middlewick has signed Freddie's cheque, ostensibly for buying a new necklace. He gave the cheque to Phyllis to give to her father and now needs the stolen necklace. Eve thinks Psmith never intended to give it to Freddie. They look through Psmith's things for the necklace. Psmith appears and is disappointed in Freddie. He still has Cootes's revolver and locks Freddie behind a staircase door. He tells Eve that he agreed to steal the necklace for free, not to take the necklace himself but to be near Eve. She asks him to prove it by giving her Lady Middlewick's necklace and he complies. Miss Peavey appears with Cootes, who is holding a revolver and also grabs the one Psmith took. They take the necklace and decide to get married. Psmith manages to take the guns when Cootes is distracted by Freddie shouting, and Cootes gives him the necklace. Miss Peavey and Cootes leave without the necklace but plan to marry anyway. After Mr and Mrs McTodd arrive, Baxter and Lord Middlewick question Psmith about his identity. Psmith claims he was invited by Freddie to help guard the necklace, which Freddie corroborates. Psmith tells them Miss Peavey was a thief and Freddie recovered the necklace. Lady Middlewick thanks Freddie. Baxter is suspicious of Psmith but is ignored and resigns. Lord Middlewick hires Psmith as his new secretary. Psmith and Eve plan to get married. He again takes Walderwick's umbrella and they walk out under the umbrella.
Little Ladyship is a 1939 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It premiered at the King's Theatre, Glasgow before beginning its West End run at the Strand Theatre and later transferring to the Aldwych Theatre. The original West End run lasted for 126 performances. The cast included Cecil Parker, Lilli Palmer, David Tree, Joan Greenwood, Aubrey Mather, Norma Varden, Diana King and Iris Vandeleur. In March 1939, the BBC broadcast a recorded version of the play on television.
Mr Faint-Heart is a 1931 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It was staged at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End between 20 April and 20 June 1931. In 1935 it was adapted into a film All at Sea directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Tyrell Davis, Googie Withers and Rex Harrison. A mild-mannered man inherits some money and goes on a cruise around the Mediterranean. To impress a lady on board, he pretends to be a famous writer, but this soon gets him into complications.
Off the Record is a 1947 British comedy play by Ian Hay and Stephen King-Hall. It is a farce about the Royal Navy. It premiered at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh prior to its London run. In the West End it ran for 702 performances from 3 June 1947 to 12 February 1949, initially at the Apollo Theatre before transferring to the Piccadilly Theatre. The cast included Hugh Wakefield, Hubert Gregg, Roger Maxwell, and Tom Gill. In 1957 it was adapted into the British comedy film Carry on Admiral
Orders Are Orders is a 1932 comedy play by the British writers Ian Hay and Anthony Armstrong. A Hollywood film crew takes over a British Army barracks for a film shoot, with chaotic consequences. It premiered at the King's Theatre in Southsea, before transferring to the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End where it ran for 193 performances from 8 August 1932 to 21 January 1933. The cast included Reginald Purdell, Marjorie Corbett, Kathleen Kelly, Olive Blakeney and Michael Shepley.
The Frog is a 1936 thriller play written by Ian Hay, and based on the novel The Fellowship of the Frog by Edgar Wallace. It ran for 481 performances at the Princes Theatre in London's West End between 11 April 1936 and 5 June 1937. The cast included Gordon Harker, Jack Hawkins, Frank Pettingell, Hugh Burden and Herbert Lomas. In 1937 a film version The Frog was made, with Gordon Harker and Jack Hawkins reprising their roles.
The Gusher is a 1937 mystery adventure play by the British writer Ian Hay. It is set during a gold rush. It ran for a 137 performances at the Prince's Theatre in London's West End. The large cast included Alastair Sim, Coral Browne, Edward Sinclair, Percy Parsons, Bernard Lee, Jack Livesey and Joan Hickson, and the production featured a revolving stage.
The Happy Ending is a 1922 play by the British writer Ian Hay. A man believed to have died a heroic wartime death returns home alive, and blackmails his wife into supplying him with money. Before the truth is revealed to their children, he redeems himself by a genuinely brave death. It premiered at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne before beginning its run in the West End. It ran for 43 performances at St James's Theatre between 30 November 1922 and 13 January 1923. The cast included Adele Dixon, Robert Loraine and Jean Cadell, Ethel Irving and Miles Malleson.
The Midshipmaid is a 1931 British comedy play by Ian Hay and Stephen King-Hall, which ran for 227 performances at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. The following year Hay wrote a novel based on the play.
The Sport of Kings is a 1924 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It ran for 319 performance at the Savoy Theatre in the West End between 8 September 1924 and 13 June 1925.
The White Sheep of the Family is a 1951 British comedy play by Lawrence du Garde Peach and Ian Hay. A criminal family are distressed when their son wants to go straight. It premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool before transferring to London's West End. It ran for 273 performances at the Piccadilly Theatre between 11 October 1951 and 7 June 1952. The cast included Jack Hulbert, Joyce Carey, Cyril Chamberlain, Derek Blomfield and Rona Anderson, making her West End debut.
Tilly Wellwyn, a young woman from Bloomsbury, falls in love with a wealthy aristocrat and pretends to be of noble birth. Her deception initially fools his family, but her attempts to make her own family play along expose the scheme.
A Present from Margate is a 1933 British comedy play by Ian Hay and A.E.W. Mason. It premiered at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, before transferring to the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. The cast included Reginald Gardiner, Joyce Bland, Michael Shepley and Frank Pettingell. It was produced by Athole Stewart.
A Safety Match is a 1921 play by the British writer Ian Hay, adapted from his own 1911 novel of the same title. It ran for 229 performances at the Strand Theatre in London's West End between 13 January and 3 August 1921. The cast included Herbert Marshall and Clifford Mollison.
A Song of Sixpence is a 1930 British comedy play by the writers Ian Hay and Guy Bolton. Set in Scotland, it tells the story of three wives who rebel against their tight-fisted husbands. The play premiered at the Kings Theatre, Southsea, before transferring to the West End. It ran for 79 performances at Daly's Theatre between 17 March and 25 May 1930. The cast included Ian Hunter, Olive Blakeney, Jack Lambert and Campbell Gullan.
Admirals All is a 1934 adventure comedy play by the British writers Ian Hay and Stephen King-Hall about a film star who becomes mixed up with the Royal Navy and Chinese pirates. It premiered at the Kings Theatre, Southsea in the naval town of Portsmouth before transferring to the West End. It ran for 192 performances at the Shaftesbury Theatre and then the Cambridge Theatre between 6 August 1934 and 19 January 1935. It marked the West End debut of Hollywood film actress Laura La Plante, then in London making films for Warner Brothers at Teddington Studios. The cast also included Diana Beaumont, Jack Hobbs, Frederick Burtwell, Geoffrey Sumner and Aubrey Mather.
Good Luck is a 1923 comedy play by Ian Hay and Seymour Hicks. It ran for 260 performances at the Drury Lane Theatre in London's West End between 27 September 1923 and 10 May 1924. The cast included Claude Rains, Edmund Gwenn, Arthur Treacher, Claud Allister, Joan Maude and Joyce Carey. In 1926 it was adapted into a silent film The Sporting Lover by Hollywood studio First National Pictures, starring Conway Tearle and Barbara Bedford.
Hattie Stowe is a 1947 historical play by the British writer Ian Hay. It portrays the life of the nineteenth century American abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was very different in tone from Hay's usual plays, generally light comedies with naval themes. It was first staged at the Embassy Theatre in the West End on 11 February 1947.
The first scene is set in the Oak Gallery in Blandings Castle, in the morning. At the castle is the Earl of Middlewick, his butler Bellows, his youngest son Freddie, and his secretary Baxter. Freddie's stepmother, Lady Middlewick, has inherited a diamond necklace (to the chagrin of second cousin Ethelberta). Freddie and Phyllis Jackson want to get married but her father will not approve unless Freddie either works for his jam business or invests five thousand pounds in the business. Freddie prefers the latter. He has inherited five thousand pounds, but Lady Middlewick must sign any cheques drawn by Freddie against his legacy, and she disapproves of the investment. Freddie and Phyllis see an advertisement offering Psmith's services for any job whatsoever. Freddie wants to hire Psmith to steal the diamond necklace and arranges a meeting. Middlewick goes to London to hire Eve Halliday to catalogue the castle's library, and to bring poets Ralston McTodd and Aileen Peavey to Blandings at Lady Middlewick's command. The second scene is set outside the Greek Park Tube Station. Cynthia, wife of Ralston McTodd, chats with a lift man and tells her friend Eve that Ralston, who is temperamental, has left her once again to go write poetry somewhere. It rains and Eve has no umbrella. Psmith takes Walderwick's umbrella from the nearby Morpheus Club and gives it to her. Psmith likes Eve and offers to steal the necklace for Freddie for free, to be near Eve at Blandings. Eddie Cootes also tries to trick Psmith out of money but fails. The third scene is set later in the Morpheus Club. Eve talks with club waitress Miss Rumbelow, sees Psmith again, and returns the umbrella. Psmith shows Walderwick where his lost umbrella is and Walderwick thanks him. Psmith tells Freddie his plan: they will steal Lady Middlewick's necklace, then she will sign Freddie's cheque to buy her a new one, but he will actually return her stolen necklace to her. Lord Middlewick annoys McTodd, and McTodd leaves while Middlewick is out. When Middlewick returns, Psmith pretends to be McTodd, which Middlewick believes because he has lost his glasses. Middlewick tells Eve that Psmith is Ralston McTodd. The second act is set in the Oak Gallery in Blandings Castle, in the following evening. There is a gramophone playing, and Freddie, Phyllis, Waldwerick, and Agatha dance. Lord and Lady Middlewick, Ethelberta, Baxter, and Psmith enter, and everyone settles down to drink coffee. Lady Middlewick is wearing her diamond necklace and shows it off to Ethelberta. Lady Middlewick announces that Miss Peavey and Mr McTodd are going to read their poetry for them. Aileen Peavey enters and talks poetically about fairies. Lord Chipstead, Walderwick's father and Lady Middlewick's cousin, also joins the party. Miss Peavey and Psmith (as McTodd) sign their names in Baxter's autograph book. When Eve privately talks to Psmith about his treatment of his supposed wife Cynthia, Psmith improvises and convinces her that Cynthia is wrong about him. Baxter shows Freddie and Phyllis that Psmith's signature is wrong. Baxter suspects Psmith is an imposter intent on stealing the necklace. Freddie and Phyllis discuss this with Psmith. Cootes appears again, pretending to be Ralston McTodd and hoping to steal the necklace, but Psmith stops him and lets him go. Cootes and Peavey recognize each other as they are both confidence tricksters and former partners. They realize Psmith is an imposter, and since Cootes has a gun, they get him to agree to introduce Cootes to the household. Psmith introduces Cootes to Bellows as his valet, and gets his gun by pretending Cootes was carrying it for him. Miss Peavey and Cootes plan to turn off the lights and take Lady Middlewick's necklace. They enact their plan and Cootes hides the necklace in a flower-pot. Eve takes it and hides it elsewhere, and then Psmith acquires it. The third act takes place the next morning, in a keeper's cottage at Blandings where Psmith is staying. Eve spoke on the telephone with Cynthia and realized that Psmith is not McTodd. She tells Freddie. Freddie tells her he already knows and had asked Psmith to steal the necklace. Lady Middlewick has signed Freddie's cheque, ostensibly for buying a new necklace. He gave the cheque to Phyllis to give to her father and now needs the stolen necklace. Eve thinks Psmith never intended to give it to Freddie. They look through Psmith's things for the necklace. Psmith appears and is disappointed in Freddie. He still has Cootes's revolver and locks Freddie behind a staircase door. He tells Eve that he agreed to steal the necklace for free, not to take the necklace himself but to be near Eve. She asks him to prove it by giving her Lady Middlewick's necklace and he complies. Miss Peavey appears with Cootes, who is holding a revolver and also grabs the one Psmith took. They take the necklace and decide to get married. Psmith manages to take the guns when Cootes is distracted by Freddie shouting, and Cootes gives him the necklace. Miss Peavey and Cootes leave without the necklace but plan to marry anyway. After Mr and Mrs McTodd arrive, Baxter and Lord Middlewick question Psmith about his identity. Psmith claims he was invited by Freddie to help guard the necklace, which Freddie corroborates. Psmith tells them Miss Peavey was a thief and Freddie recovered the necklace. Lady Middlewick thanks Freddie. Baxter is suspicious of Psmith but is ignored and resigns. Lord Middlewick hires Psmith as his new secretary. Psmith and Eve plan to get married. He again takes Walderwick's umbrella and they walk out under the umbrella.
Little Ladyship is a 1939 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It premiered at the King's Theatre, Glasgow before beginning its West End run at the Strand Theatre and later transferring to the Aldwych Theatre. The original West End run lasted for 126 performances. The cast included Cecil Parker, Lilli Palmer, David Tree, Joan Greenwood, Aubrey Mather, Norma Varden, Diana King and Iris Vandeleur. In March 1939, the BBC broadcast a recorded version of the play on television.
Mr Faint-Heart is a 1931 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It was staged at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End between 20 April and 20 June 1931. In 1935 it was adapted into a film All at Sea directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Tyrell Davis, Googie Withers and Rex Harrison. A mild-mannered man inherits some money and goes on a cruise around the Mediterranean. To impress a lady on board, he pretends to be a famous writer, but this soon gets him into complications.
Off the Record is a 1947 British comedy play by Ian Hay and Stephen King-Hall. It is a farce about the Royal Navy. It premiered at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh prior to its London run. In the West End it ran for 702 performances from 3 June 1947 to 12 February 1949, initially at the Apollo Theatre before transferring to the Piccadilly Theatre. The cast included Hugh Wakefield, Hubert Gregg, Roger Maxwell, and Tom Gill. In 1957 it was adapted into the British comedy film Carry on Admiral
Orders Are Orders is a 1932 comedy play by the British writers Ian Hay and Anthony Armstrong. A Hollywood film crew takes over a British Army barracks for a film shoot, with chaotic consequences. It premiered at the King's Theatre in Southsea, before transferring to the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End where it ran for 193 performances from 8 August 1932 to 21 January 1933. The cast included Reginald Purdell, Marjorie Corbett, Kathleen Kelly, Olive Blakeney and Michael Shepley.
The Frog is a 1936 thriller play written by Ian Hay, and based on the novel The Fellowship of the Frog by Edgar Wallace. It ran for 481 performances at the Princes Theatre in London's West End between 11 April 1936 and 5 June 1937. The cast included Gordon Harker, Jack Hawkins, Frank Pettingell, Hugh Burden and Herbert Lomas. In 1937 a film version The Frog was made, with Gordon Harker and Jack Hawkins reprising their roles.
The Gusher is a 1937 mystery adventure play by the British writer Ian Hay. It is set during a gold rush. It ran for a 137 performances at the Prince's Theatre in London's West End. The large cast included Alastair Sim, Coral Browne, Edward Sinclair, Percy Parsons, Bernard Lee, Jack Livesey and Joan Hickson, and the production featured a revolving stage.
The Happy Ending is a 1922 play by the British writer Ian Hay. A man believed to have died a heroic wartime death returns home alive, and blackmails his wife into supplying him with money. Before the truth is revealed to their children, he redeems himself by a genuinely brave death. It premiered at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne before beginning its run in the West End. It ran for 43 performances at St James's Theatre between 30 November 1922 and 13 January 1923. The cast included Adele Dixon, Robert Loraine and Jean Cadell, Ethel Irving and Miles Malleson.
The Midshipmaid is a 1931 British comedy play by Ian Hay and Stephen King-Hall, which ran for 227 performances at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. The following year Hay wrote a novel based on the play.
The Sport of Kings is a 1924 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It ran for 319 performance at the Savoy Theatre in the West End between 8 September 1924 and 13 June 1925.
The White Sheep of the Family is a 1951 British comedy play by Lawrence du Garde Peach and Ian Hay. A criminal family are distressed when their son wants to go straight. It premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool before transferring to London's West End. It ran for 273 performances at the Piccadilly Theatre between 11 October 1951 and 7 June 1952. The cast included Jack Hulbert, Joyce Carey, Cyril Chamberlain, Derek Blomfield and Rona Anderson, making her West End debut.
Tilly Wellwyn, a young woman from Bloomsbury, falls in love with a wealthy aristocrat and pretends to be of noble birth. Her deception initially fools his family, but her attempts to make her own family play along expose the scheme.