Splinters (revue)

They re-formed as the Splinters troupe, under the onstage management of Captain Eliot Makeham, and in December 1918 made their first London appearance at the YMCA's Beaver Hut Theatre in the Strand.

[5] The show was an immediate success, and led to appearances at the Savoy Theatre in 1919, a performance for King George V at Windsor Castle, and a nationwide tour that continued until 1924.

[7] Printed programmes "highlighted the main elements of their appeal: their commendable wartime service, their evocation of patriotic motifs, and their skilful female impersonation.

This featured Hal Jones, Reg Stone, and Lew Lake, but starred established film comedians Nelson Keys and Sydney Howard.

However, as important as the troupe’s wartime service was to their appeal, the primary determinant behind Les Rouges’ success was the high quality of the performances, particularly the artists’ ability to project attractive renderings of femininity.

Some dissenters, such as the Lord Chamberlain and a few members of the press, expressed vague discomfort with female impersonation, but this controversy did not seriously impede the ensemble’s career.