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''The Better 'Ole'', also called ''The Romance of Old Bill'', is an Edwardian musical comedy with a book by Bruce Bairnsfather and Arthur Elliot, music by Herman Darewski, and lyrics by Percival Knight and James Heard, based on the cartoon character Old Bill, an infantryman, drawn by Bairnsfather. In the musical, Old Bill intercepts a spy's plan to destroy a bridge, trapping a French regiment after they cross it. Bill saves them by blowing up the bridge before they pass; his actions are misunderstood, however, and he is arrested for disobeying orders and holding an enemy document. After Victoire explains the situation, Bill is released and given a medal. The original London production in 1917 was a hit, running for over 800 performances, starring Arthur Bourchier as Old Bill. The piece also had success on tour and on Broadway the following year and spawned two film adaptations and a sequel. == Productions == London and original tour On 4 August 1917, ''The Better 'Ole'' opened in London at the Oxford Music Hall, where it ran for 811 performances, starring Arthur Bourchier as Old Bill.〔Bourchier, Arthur. ("''Who Was Who''" ), A & C Black, 1920–2007, online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 28 October 2008.〕〔("The Better 'Ole" ). Broadwayworld.com, accessed 12 September 2010.〕 It was produced by Charles B. Cochran.〔"Charles B. Cochran's production of ''The Better 'Ole Or The Romance of Old Bill''. ''The Play Pictorial'', 32:191, January 1918, p. 18〕 After the success of the London production was apparent, a provincial touring company was formed, led by Martin Adeson as Old Bill.〔 Broadway It later also ran successfully on Broadway, where Charles Coburn starred as Old Bill opposite his wife, who played Victoire; the couple are also credited as the producers of the Broadway production.〔("Bairnsfather Play Down in Greenwich" ). ''The New York Times'', 21 October 1918, accessed 27 October 2010.〕 The production first played downtown at the Greenwich Village Theatre, then moved to Broadway at the Cort Theatre and later the Booth Theatre.〔The Broadway League. ("The Better 'Ole" ). ''IBDB: The Official Source for Broadway Information'', accessed 11 January 2011.〕〔 Choreographed by Lily Leonora, the show played from 19 October 1918 to 4 October 1919, lasting 353 performances.〔〔 Subsequent productions By 1919, five productions of the "smashing success" were running in North America (including the New York premiere). These productions starred De Wolf Hopper, Maclyn Arbuckle, Edmund Gurney and James K. Hackett as Old Bill in Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Canada, respectively.〔("The Stage" ). ''Munsey's Magazine'', Volume 66, p. 761, The Frank A. Munsey company (1919), accessed 23 June 2011〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Better 'Ole」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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