OUR BOYS.
On the occasion of the Six Hundredth performance of this most successful comedy at the Vaudeville Theatre, the following verses were composed:—
Keep the league! keep the league,
Keep our league onward!
We twain have "run" a piece
Nights now Six Hundred.
Though but a light brigade,
Not such "great guns" 'tis said.
Yet we a play have played
Nights full Six Hundred!
"Here's your piece," Byron said,
"Take it friends, undismayed,"
So we did, for we knew
Seldom he's blundered!
Ours not to talk, but buy,
Ours but to act (or try!)
How fared the Comedy!
Into two years we've run,
Nights now Six Hundred.
Prophets to right of us,
Prophets to left of us,
Prophets in front of us,
Volleyed and thundered!
Wiseacre shot and shell,
"May, for a time, do well!"
Ne'er, in their jaws (so right!)
Ne'er in their mouths that night
Boded Six Hundred.
"Flashy! a thing of air!
Flashy! but very fair!"
So said these wonders there,
Stage-wise alarmists! while
All who of fun'd heard,
Crushed in the groaning pit.
Fought thro', fought bit by bit!
Coster and Nobleman
Laughed at the same old hit,
Laughed at, and wondered,
Thought of that night, but not
Dreamed of Six Hundred!
Dresses wore spite of us,
Scenes waned each night of us,
Stitches made light of us,
Severed and sundered;
Summers on "houses" tell,
"Business," tho', never fell,
Everything turned out well,
So, we are playing still,
Playing each night with will,
All that is left of us
After Six Hundred!
When shall this fortune fade?
No increased charge we've made
(Herein we blundered!)
Thanks to all, true as steel!
Thanks to the Public, we'll
Double Six Hundred.
These stanzas, which bore the signature of Mr. Robert Reece, were circulated among the audience, but were not spoken from the stage.
The extraordinary run of Our Boys, which closed in April, 1879, will long excite the curiosity and wonder of the theatrical world. Mr. Byron's comedy was produced January 16, 1875, and was played continuously for four years three months and three days. This would allow about 1,321 nights, but extra day representations have raised the total number of performances to 1,362. Besides this return the "long runs" of previous days were completely dwarfed. When Our American Cousin was brought out at the Haymarket it ran for 496 nights, and the Colleen Bawn went 278; Meg's Diversion, 330; and School 381 nights respectively.
"Apropos of the vote for six millions," said The Globe, "Mr. Gladstone, in his speech, protested against many of the attacks which had been levelled at him during the debate, and he threatened Mr. Chaplin in particular with his vengeance upon some future occasion, and he quoted, amid the laughter of the House, some doggerel verses which had been sent to him in reference to the vote." These lines, parodying 'The Charge of the Light Brigade,' ran thus:—
"Ring out your battle cry—
Vote us our war supply,
This must we do or die—
Vote the six millions.
Theirs not to reason why,
Ours not to make reply,
Ours but to say 'You lie'—
Vote the six millions."