December 1910: “The Kink” – ‘Written by Glasgow folk, played by Glasgow folk, and all about Glasgow folk’

An article on page three of the Daily Record and Mail (Daily Record, in The British Newspaper Archive),

on Friday the 16th of December, 1910, reads:

 

” ‘THE KINK.’

CLEVER OPERETTE BY GLASGOW

ARTISTES.

 

The little comedy prank, to which its clever librettist, Miss Elsie Smeaton Munro, gave as title ‘The Kink,’

merited all the warmth of applause with which it was greeted on its first presentation in the Glasgow

Athenaeum last night.

 

The laughter was almost constant, and it sprang from a very curious quality in the piece—an insistent verbal

effervescence and riot of punning. But besides the play on words there was in the course of the story an

abundance of sparkling lyrics, all enlivened by a witty touch.

 

The music of Mr. George Henry Martin was charming throughout—much more charming than the ordinary

standard of musical comedy scores; but his attitude insisted much more on interpretation of the romantic

element than on the skittish word play and joking, giving just a suggestion of inappropriate collaboration.

 

The operette, with its free skit on hydropathic foibles, has this qualifying definition on the programme—’Written

by Glasgow folk, played by Glasgow folk, and all about Glasgow folk’; and it stands as one of the smartest pieces

of work written from this standpoint. The acting, in which Miss Munro herself took part, was much above the

amateur level. “The Kink” will be produced again to-night and to-morrow night.”

 

 

 

The British Newspaper Archive.

 

 

 

George Fairfull-Smith, July 2024.